Tuesday Notes

COCA-COLA RE-IMAGED
New packaging for use in exclusive hip clubs. Flashy, glitzy, entertaining website (not that it makes me want to buy anything -- although I'm probably not a part of their target market). (via MetaFilter)


YAHOO STEPS OVER THE LINE
Yahoo made the leap yesterday from the news recycling business to that of producing its own news package. Well, actually, it was just a small step over the line. They hired their first reporter, Kevin Sites, who will do an interactive "news experience" that focuses on the wars in the world. Sounds like a rather large "beat" and it may be as much about entertainment as it is about news.


BIRD CALLS
Ornithologists and engineers from Oregon State University are planning to strap tiny mobile phones to songbirds in order to track their migration. The cellular devices will send simple codes to cell towers along migratory routes. Very creative use of the technology -- but since many of the songbirds winter in Costa Rica and Brazil I hope they've got some kind of grant to cover the roaming charges.


BAD CALLS
Our cell phone company has been kicked out of the Better Business Bureau -- or least one of their NY chapters. Over the years I've had cell "service" with perhaps six different companies and I could add about that many companies to the BBB's do not call list. I keep thinking that the market forces are going to kick in and force change in the industry. However...


PASTORALPRAYERS.COM
Keith Drury has a new website aimed at pastors who are looking for or who are willing to share a written pastoral prayer. I would perhaps like to see a discussion on the whole concept of "pastoral prayers" -- where they come from and what they are suppose to accomplish.


NEW THEOLOGY BLOG
World Magazine, which has a hard time differentiating conservative politics from its particular brand of conservative theology, has a new theology blog -- Theologica. The contributors seem eclectic enough (from an evangelical perspective -- Baptist, Presbyterian, Wesleyan, Bible Church...) -- although it does not appear that Jim Wallis was invited. And apparently they could only find one qualified woman.