In his continuing series on the Psalms of Ascent, Fr. Wilbur looks at Psalm 130 (131 in the Hebrew) and says that the higher we rise into union with God, the lower we go from centering on ourselves.

In the first of his reflections on the Psalms we pray at the Pre-Sancified Liturgy during Great Lent, Fr. Wilbur looks at Psalm 119 (120) and the journey of a sojourner.

Dr. John Mark addresses questions about the perception of God appearing nastier in the Old Testament than the New Testament.

Dr. Reynolds talks about the strength and endurance of Christian beauty.

Dr. John Mark Reynolds discusses the spiritual difference between sleep and rest.

Dr. John Mark Reynolds speaks on considering beauty and the ends of our existence through God.

Dr. John Mark Reynolds talks about the separation of education and entertainment.

Wesley discusses the concept of human dignity.

Two items in the news lately have captured Wesley's attention.

Hippocratic pro-life medical professionals are increasingly being pressured to practice their science and art without regard to their personal faith or conscience beliefs.

If you think it is respectable to consider babies, whether born or unborn, to be an inferior stage of human life, you can easily come to think that they have few rights that fully developed persons are bound to respect.

The once ludicrous notion that ecological protection and fighting climate change require according legally enforceable human-style rights to nature is becoming more mainstream within the environmental movement. Wesley J. Smith examines the consequences.

What do euthanasia enthusiasts really want? To eliminate suffering of any kind by eliminating the sufferer.

Is human life exceptional when compared to the animal kingdom? Some scientists do not think so!

Is the desire for meaning and purpose exclusive to those who are religious, or do all human beings long for something more?

Do "doctors of death" need any specialized training to diagnosis and prescribe lethal drugs to patients who want to die?

Will healthcare providers who hold to the sanctity of human life be allowed work in the emerging secular society?

Is euthanasia really the best way to alleviate the suffering of those dealing with serious mental illness?

Will the United States follow the lead of other countries who have put into law the most radical euthanasia policies?

LG Display’s new free-form screen technology can expand from 12 to 18 inches, with a resolution of 100ppi. The display also uses a micro-LED light source smaller than 40 micrometers, so it can apparently be stretched over 10,000 times. While this probably isn’t your next smartphone, we could see the tech in clothing, car panels and more.

LG Display has pushed the boundaries of screen tech for a while, revealing folding screens before foldable phones appeared, roll-up TVS before roll-up TVs went on sale and transparent displays before they appeared in fancy stores, theme parks and elsewhere. So expect to see this Bop-it of displays somewhere, eventually.

— Mat Smith

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Netflix’s ad tier has attracted more than 70 million subscribers

However, many have probably downgraded from a premium tier.

Netflix is crowing that its ad-supported tier now boasts 70 million global users. Amy Reinhard, president of advertising at Netflix, says the company continues “to see steady progress across all countries’ member bases.” But there isn’t any information about existing customers. It’s very possible a lot of people downgraded from a premium tier to an ad-supported tier.

Continue reading.

Fujifilm is developing a 102MP medium format cinema camera

With a new sensor 1.7 times larger than full frame.

Fujifilm is developing a medium-format, 102-megapixel cinema camera, the company said in a surprise announcement. Due next year, the GFX Eterna will carry a boxy, modular design reminiscent of Sony’s FX6. The new camera will have a medium format GFX 102-megapixel (MP) CMOS II HS sensor, the same one used on the GFX100 II. That sensor is 43.8mm x 32.9 mm in size — that’s 1.7 times larger than the full-frame sensor on the FX.

The benefits will be extra dynamic range, potentially high resolution and a very shallow depth of field, which should enable cinematic shots with the right lens. Having said that, Fujifilm currently has no GFX glass designed specifically for film production. It’s working on it, though.

Continue reading.

Apple and art house film company A24 are in early development on a film about convicted crypto scammer Sam Bankman-Fried with a script written by Lena Dunham, Variety reported. The project will be based on the Michael Lewis book Going Infinite: The Rise and Fall of a New Tycoon that many critics found overly deferential to Bankman-Fried. 

The book describes the dizzying rise and equally vertiginous fall of Bankman-Fried and his FTX crypto exchange and Alameda hedge fund. However, it paints the FTX founder as a benevolent prodigy and glosses over the fact that he embezzled billions of dollars from customers and spent it on things like celebrity endorsements, political donations and high-end real-estate purchases.  

FTX was worth billions at its peak, but the exchange eventually collapsed and Bankman-Fried was convicted of fraud and sentenced to 25 years in prison. Most FTX customers will get their original investments back, plus interest, but that's based on a bitcoin price of around $17,000 — and the current price is nearly five times that.

Basing the film on Lewis's fawning hagiography isn't a promising start. Hopefully, Dunham or other writers will also draw on far better books (like Numbers Go Up by Zeke Faux) that show the dark, scammy side of crypto promoters like Bankman-Fried and the entire industry in general.

Apple Original Films and A24 have announced other collaborations recently, including the Spike Lee and Denzel Washington film High and Low. Other scripted FTX projects are also in the works, including a limited Amazon Prime series from the Russo brothers based on the 2022 FTX collapse. 

Metropolitan Kallistos Ware continues to address the theme of Passion during the 2010 IOCS Summer School.

Professor David Frost, the Principal of the Institute, explores the theme of Christianity and violence.

The Institute for Orthodox Christian Studies was proud to host a talk by Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk on the topic of "Christian Ecumenism: Does It Have A Future?" The event was presented together with the Divinity Faculty of The University of Cambridge and the Cambridge Theological Federation on Friday, February 16, 2015. Metropolitan Hilarion (Alfeyev) is Chairman of the Department for External Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate, a permanent member of the Commission for Theological Dialogue between the Orthodox and Roman Catholic Churches, and a Member of the Central and Executive Committees of the World Council of Churches.

Metropolitan Kallistos Ware addressed the topic of "The Church in the Traditional Orthodox Countries" as the first session (out of two) on the larger theme of "Orthodoxy in the 21st Century." The lecture was delivered in Cambridge in the Institute's seminar room during the Community Lecture Day of 22 February 2014.

What does it mean to be constantly in the presence of God? Dr. Rossi explores the practical implications in today's episode.

Dr. Rossi talks about the jungle of wicked thoughts in our minds and the need to not judge others.

Today, Dr. Rossi distinguishes between despondency and depression and helps us recognize and deal with it so we can be a healing presence to others.

True forgiveness comes from the heart and Dr. Rossi tells us what that looks like.

Books and seminars abound on the topic of time management but Dr. Rossi says as Christians we need to look at time management in a different way.

We hear so much about "living in the present moment" but what does that mean and how do we do it?

In his special Christmas episode, Dr. Rossi explores the "night" in both the Nativity story as well as Christ's Passion.

In this episode, Dr. Rossi interviews St. Vladimir's student Tracy Gustilo about St. Irenaeus.

Dr. Rossi uses the song "Had I a Golden Thread" as sung by his wife of blessed memory to illustrate the opportunity we all have to be a healing presence.

In an often harsh world, a gentle spirit is a reflection of the life of Christ within us.

Dr. Rossi interviews St. Vladimir's Seminary graduate Tracy Gustilo about the way the Fathers weave together the Garden of Eden and the Garden of Gethsemane.

Today Dr. Rossi shares some of the material he uses in marriage enrichment seminars around the country.

Dr. Rossi talks about a recent book by Dr. Eugen Pentiuc entitled The Old Testament in Eastern Orthodox Tradition.

Dr. Rossi selects some of his favorite sayings from the beloved Desert Father, Abba Poemen.

Listen to this beautiful interview with Alexis, an Orthodox Christian living with schizophrenia and someone who has a relationship with Christ which is a powerful witness to the love of God.

Dr. Rossi welcomes guest Dr. Peter Bouteneff, Professor of Systematic Theology at St. Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary to discuss a retreat he recently led about finding the proper view of self as a person created in the image of God.

Dr. Rossi encourages us to see and call out the goodness in the lives of our children.

Dr. Rossi speaks to us about the role of detachment in our life in Christ. He shares from his own experience of learning to let go of the success of his labor, even as he strives to be faithful in all that he does.

Dr. Rossi reflects upon the power of a sense of wonder in how we approach life and God.

Dr. Rossi reflects on the life and ministry of Fr. Thomas Hopko. This podcast is Part 1 of 2.

Dr. Rossi shares remembrances of Fr. Thomas Hopko from his friends and family along with some of Fr. Tom's maxims. This podcast is part 2 of 2.

Dr. Rossi speaks to the current outbreak of public political violence, and our own temptations to violence in various forms and ways.

Dr. Rossi interviews Fr. Sergius Halvorsen on the topic of apologetics.

Dr. Rossi, interviews Fr. Raymond Browne, Rector of St. Mark's Orthodox Church (OCA) in Wrightstown, PA, on the topic of identity.

Dr. Albert Rossi interviews Dr. Peter Bouteneff about his new book titled, How to Become a Sinner, published by St. Vladimir's Press. Dr. Bouteneff is the Director of the Master of Arts Program and Professor of Systematic Theology at St. Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary in Yonkers, NY.