I’ve only been using Google+ for a day but so far I’m very impressed. I find it interested that Google, the king of algorithms, has actually brought a very human feel to the social networking arena. I’m speaking of circles. The concept of circles brings to the social web something that Facebook has been seriously lacking for a while, a way to easily choose which friends see what. Now I know Facebook can do this to some extent, but it’s not nearly as intuitive and elegant as Google+’s circles. I haven’t had a chance to really test out hangouts myself yet, but it’s a feature that looks amazing from what I’ve seen.

Really hoping Apple approves the Google+ iPhone app very soon. While the web app is nice, I am getting a bit envious of the awesomeness of the Android + app. Particularly the instant upload for photos, which they were especially smart to make you instant upload go to a private folder rather than straight to your stream. I think they implemented that perfectly as it allows you have all the photos you take on your phone right there in Google+ but for your eyes only, so that you can then organize them and post the one’s you like to post; and only to to those circles you choose to share them with.

While I don’t think Facebook needs to worry about getting knocked out of the top social spot, Google+ will definitely cause them to step it up a couple of notches, though I don’t think I’ll ever trust Facebook like I do Google. After all, Google’s mantra of “don’t be evil” they actually seem to put into practice. Same can’t be said for Facebook, who seems to follow the “try not to get caught being evil” approach.

I’ll be posting some nifty tips and tutorials on how to maximize your Google+ experience, such as syncing posts to Facebook and Twitter, very soon so check back soon or subscribe to my feed for updates.

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If you’ve ever had you Facebook account hacked, phished or otherwise infiltrated, you’ve probably wondered what you can do to ensure it doesn’t again and if there was anything that could have been done to prevent it to begin with. While you could always use a password that uses every letter in the alphabet mixed with Egyptian hieroglyphics (good luck finding those on a keyboard); a much simpler and effective solution already exists directly from Facebook. Secured browsing, aka using https rather than http, securely encrypts your session and prevents nosy neighbors from being able to intercept your data. (Sadly it won’t prevent the nosy people from standing behind you.)

If you’ve never heard of https and don’t have a clue what I’m talking about, no worries. Just follow these three quick steps and you’ll be off to secure browsing bliss. If really want to know more about the https protocol, read this.

Step 1 Go to your Account Settings from the Account drop down in the upper right corner of Facebook.
Step 2 Find “Account Security” under the Settings tab and click the “change” link.
Step 3 Check the box for “Browse Facebook on a secure connection (https) whenever possible” and click Save.

That’s it! You’re all set. Now anytime you login to Facebook, you will automatically use the secured browsing mode whenever possible. I hope you’ve found this post useful.

What’s the deal with HTTPS?

What does HTTPS do? It’s an important tool that can keep your Facebook account safe from being hijacked on an open or poorly secured wireless network. Gmail, for example, uses HTTPS for everything.

By default, Facebook sends your access credentials in the clear, with no encryption at all. Switching to HTTPS is important because a browser extension called Firesheep makes it easy for anyone sharing your open wireless network to freely access your account.

One blogger sitting in a random New York Starbucks was able to steal 20-40 Facebook identities in half an hour. HTTPS solves this longstanding problem by encrypting your login cookies and other data.

You can sign up for Facebook HTTPS by going to Account Settings and then selecting “Account Security,” third from the bottom. Then click under “Secure Browsing” — if it’s there. Facebook said that most people should have it by not but if it’s missing, check back every day for the next few weeks until you see it.

jonathansdesk.com - The Secret, Public Blog of Jonathan Burton

After months and months of hearing about the whole Apple vs. Adobe “Steve Jobs hates flash” debate; I’m incredibly surprises people are still going on about it. This morning I was reading an article on Mashable regarding Adobe’s revenue performance. The fact that people still think that HTML5 will completely wipe Flash from existence as we know boggles my mind, and why do people make it sound as it Adobe has dependent of Flash to survive? Adobe was doing well long before they acquired Flash when they bought Macromedia. Furthermore, HTML5 is not going to replace all uses of Flash. As HTML5 continues to mature it will replace several things we, the developers, have come to use Flash for. However, what people seem to be forgetting is that Flash will also continue to evolve and adapt to better suit the needs that can’t be fulfilled with HTML5. We will end up with simply a better selection of better suited “tools for the job” as developers.

I believe as HTML5 begins to replace Flash for several uses, Adobe will focus on finely tuning Flash to better suit the areas which developers will use it for. I also think those areas may shift, change or evolve as Flash itself evolves and adapts as a platform and tool.

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While the waters of the Cumberland raged and wreaked havoc and destruction on the Nashville metro area; the national media seemed as if it could care less as to the devastation this historic natural disaster brought. If you Googled “Nashville Flood” you found practically nothing and the case was much the same for national news and media outlets. Many reasons and opinions for this have surfaced since, but I believe Patten from Section 303 had the most interesting and, sadly, accurate reasons behind the lack of national attention to what will most likely become the greatest natural disaster in this country that wasn’t a hurricane. See his post “We Are Nashville” here.

Interestingly enough, it seems the best source for current news regarding the situation here in Nashville was, and still is, social media sites like Facebook and Twitter, where residents and officials in Middle Tennessee have been posting details of the flood, devastation, volunteer opportunities, relief efforts and more, as they happen.

In the end though, I’m glad to know that Tennessee is living up to its moniker as “the Volunteer State.”

jonathansdesk.com - The Secret, Public Blog of Jonathan Burton

While some may think that the plethora of smartphones and other handheld devices may seem futuristic and ever so modern; the fact is, visionaries have been imagining and predicting similar technology for more than 100 years.

Nikola Tesla, one of the fathers of the modern alternating current (AC) electrical system we use everyday, stated in an interview with New York Times back in 1909 that in the future it would be possible to send wireless messages back and forth across the globe. He envisioned doing so with an easy-to-use handheld device that would readily be available to the masses.

Sound a bit familiar?

He proposed that this wireless messaging wave to bring along with it, an entirely new era of technology. Predicting the coming  of “wireless power,” which is in its infancy today but is already in use in products like Powermat’s charge pads for handheld devices including iPhone, Android and Blackberry smartphones.

Guess somethings aren’t as crazy as they once seemed…

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Opryland's Delta Island Flooded

For those of you who are not in the Nashville area or are not fully aware of what’s going on; this video does a pretty good job of summing things up with a bit of humor. After all, with all the devastation and destruction, we can all use a good laugh. So I hope this can bring a smile to your face no matter where you are. Please remember to keep the Nashville and middle Tennessee area, and those that have been affected by the flood in your prayers.

jonathansdesk.com - The Secret, Public Blog of Jonathan Burton

I think there are so many things in life (especially for those of us in the US) that we often take for granted. Too often we forget how fortunate we really are. We let the stresses of our current circumstances blind us from all the other things that are going just fine. I’m slowly beginning to learn to really take things one day at a time. After all, we’re not promised tomorrow so today may be all we really have. Now I’m not saying don’t plan for the future or that bad circumstances aren’t something that sometimes need to be on the forefront of our thoughts. Planning for the future is a good practice indeed and we’ve all been in situations where that one thing is by far the most important thing to deal with at that moment. However, to let these things rob us of remembering all the other things in life we should be thankful for is cheating ourselves out of the joy that every new day brings.

Recently, I had to deal with a pretty difficult moving situation. We had viewed a condo, loved it and set plans in motion to move. Had things pretty much packed, had given our apt notice, had the moving truck rented and was ready to go. The day before we were going to be moving, I received a call that the individual who we were going to be renting from had decided to accept an offer to sell the condo. Needless to say the next morning was a bit stressful as we picked up the moving truck and proceeded to load it up without know where we were going. Thankfully, I knew that even though I had no idea any of this was going to happen and had no clue where we would be moving to; what I did know is that God knew about every bit of this all along. I had to remind myself of this throughout the day and focused on the truth that He has always taken care of us and provided for us. Long story short, we ended up getting moved just fine (with many thanks to our friends and family that helped) and wound up in a better place than the condo. As always God provided exactly what we needed when we needed it.

I think so often we feel that God hasn’t provided for us in certain areas of our life simply because things didn’t go as we planned. Perhaps it’s because we focus on our own plans and our barometer for success is based upon our own criteria. Instead we should focus on God’s plans for us. He knows us better than we know ourselves and gives us what we need; which is not always what we want and not always what we deserve, but it is what we need. If there’s one thing I’ve learned time and time again, it’s this. That what we need is ultimately always better than what we want even when it doesn’t look that way.

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It seems that in today’s society we have come to a place where as soon as you take a stand for your own beliefs you immediately become labeled as intolerant of others. Why is this? What has happened to the American sense of individuality and freedom of speech? We have become such a politically correct, aggressively inarticulate generation; that the mere notion of investing in our own opinions and expressing our own beliefs has become something to be frowned upon.

My thoughts on this have stemmed from the controversy surrounding the Focus on the Family Superbowl ad with Pam & Tim Tebow. Now, I’m not sure what your personal opinions are regarding abortion. Regardless of which side of the fence you are on, or what viewpoints you may have; you are entitled to them. The cries from pro-choice groups though are stating that because Focus on the Family aired a pro-life commercial during the Superbowl (which by the way didn’t use the word abortion or phrase “pro-life” even once), Focus on the Family is intolerant because they have the audacity to stand up for what they believe. Well if that’s the case then those same pro-choice groups need to take a long, hard look in the mirror and realize that their accusations are a very sharp, double-edged sword. After all, by their own classifications they would be intolerant of pro-life groups by voicing their own opinions on abortion.

I guess we’ve come to the point that everyone must be agreeable and never say anything that could possibly, ever, even in the slightest, offend someone. Well it that’s the case, I’m prepared to offend a great many people as I will not silence my own opinions, let alone my personal faith and beliefs simply to console those that may disagree. If it’s going to rock the boat anytime someone challenges the status quo; then rock away!

I’m sure there will people who read this that are offended by something I have said. If you’re offended, I offer no apologies, not on the pretense that I intend ill-will towards anyone but on premise of the freedoms we all enjoy in this great nation.

I have the freedom to voice my own beliefs and opinons.
You have the freedom to read this, or not to.
We both have the freedom to agree or disagree.

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Well, I’ve become inspired to take one photo a day for they next year as a sort of self-documentary. I think it will be interesting to look back a year from now and see all the things and events that sparked my interest or curiosity on a day to day basis. I will be posting them to Facebook and Twitter but primarily they will be here on my blog under the “Life in Motion” page. I will also be posting the occasional video blog along with lots of other photographic goodies.

As always I welcome your comments.

jonathansdesk.com - The Secret, Public Blog of Jonathan Burton

As 2009 comes to what seems an abrupt end (wasn’t it spring about a week ago?) I look back and realize that 2009 was an incredibly eventful year. Wedding planning, my brother’s wedding, my own wedding, 7 friends weddings (seriously), quitting my old job, starting a company, having an awesome job land in my lap, buying a car, and loads of other stuff as well. In retrospect, 2009 was a pretty awesome year overall and I’m looking forward to what 2010 has in store.

jonathansdesk.com - The Secret, Public Blog of Jonathan Burton