I may be able to provide a few insights on this.

My parents were in Scientology in the 1970s and early 80s. My mom signed up because of her sister and brother, and my dad signed up to meet girls (he was successful, as my parents are still together, so I guess some good can come from the organization!).

There are a few things you have to realize about Scientology; some of it has already been said. First, the nutso stuff isn't presented early on. It only gets revealed at a certain point, after you have invested years and tens of thousands of dollars. During that time, you are constantly bombarded with Scientologist propaganda and vocabulary, which serves to drive you away from your non-Scientologist friends. When you do "go clear" and learn about Xenu and the other stuff, they have done their hardest to brainwash you into their way of thinking. These days, they even install Internet filters onto your computer to block anti-Scientology websites.

Leaving Scientology presents its own problems. When my parents left, they lost all their friends. Their Scientologist friends would no longer talk to them, and they had already alienated their non-Scientologist friends. People higher up in the organization face more obstacles, including personal and legal threats. (My parents were never high up--an ex-Scientologist told them what it was all about, and they left. The church later sued him for all he was worth, and he had to publicly apologize and retract his words.)

Some of my parents' Scientology friends eventually left the church as well, and they've stayed in touch. One couple in particular was high up in the organization (well past OT3x--I think 6 or maybe even 7). Even after all these years, they still have a hard time not believing in Scientology's teachings, even the Xenu stuff. To paraphrase, they say they have a hard time accepting that they spent so much of their lives believing in a lie. It's not a rational thing, but then, faith often asks people to be irrational. When you've spent so much time having one set of beliefs drilled into you, it's hard to just let it go.

Google Now sounds really cool on paper, but I've never actually found it useful. I was intrigued when it claimed it would show you tracking information for packages shipped to you, but I never got it to work (Gmail cards are enabled, and I tried it with multiple Gmail addresses).

The quality of and speed of it's voice recognition is impressive, though.

While I never listen to music, I think it has its place in games and movies. The music can help to convey the emotion of the scene, or the action going on in the game, in such a way that it heightens the experience. But it doesn't serve that purpose for me just as general listening. I don't need (or want) a soundtrack for my life. If I'm feeling down, I don't need a perky song to cheer me up or help me relax. Music, of just about any kind, tends to make me feel agitated. It's usually extremely repetitive and vacuous.

Yeah, there's always that awkward silence when somebody finds out that *gasp* you don't listen to music. I think people tend to find it a little more acceptable when I "explain" that I listen to audiobooks, because they absolutely cannot fathom the idea of driving in silence.

I'm the same way as you, so you aren't alone.

It really depends on the person. I can honestly say I plain don't care for music (though I actually enjoy old chip tunes from the NES/SNES days, but there's nostalgia enjoyed). I've heard a pretty wide variety of stuff, too. I could maybe name 30 songs I actually like, but I wouldn't be bothered if I never heard them again. I prefer silence or an audiobook.

If I were pressed, I could possibly name 30 songs I legitimately like, and none that I would care to listen to at the moment. Stuff on the radio is downright terrible to the point that I would feel relief when switching through stations and I came across a commercial. I know there is likely music out there that I would enjoy, but you know what? I don't care. It's not worth the effort. I haven't intentionally listened to any music in a year, and I'm actually happier for it. Whenever I drive anywhere, I just listen to audiobooks. They're immensely more entertaining and satisfying, and a great way to reduce my book backlog and discover new things.

Honest question: 7-11 sells random audio adapters, cheap soldering equipment, and wiring?

The trick with road/racing bikes is to move around in the saddle. Even on shorter rides, I tend to change hand and sitting positions freqently. Also, don't lock out your elbows. If numbness/"squishing" is an issue, then you might consider using a saddle that has a cutout or depression for the perineal area. After a week or two of riding, it shouldn't be uncomfortable anymore. Actually, it should be more comfortable than well-padded seats over long rides.

(If you don't do long rides, though, it's probably not worth the time or effort).

Full disclosure: I'm in my 20s :)

Apparently people in my area didn't get the memo. It seems like I see more recumbents than anything else--and yes, they're easy to see. Of course, I don't drive an SUV.

Some apps do it well. It's just unfortunate that so many do it poorly.

They just released the patch for OS X, actually.

http://appleinsider.com/articl...

I should have made it clearer. I'm aware that similar functionality exists; I just prefer Chrome's implementation. It's automatic and, IMO, more visually pleasing. But those minor pluses probably aren't worth it. Thanks.

I'm still using Chrome because I really like the ability to use a website's search feature from the Omnibar (for instance, typing "ama" -> Tab -> will perform a search on Amazon). I wish other browsers would do this--preferably Opera, Safari, or Firefox (the other browsers that have official 1Password extensions).

It's the type and placement of ads that makes all the difference.

The PS4 has no ads on the main screen (I just checked). The ads they have in the store are for games and other things the store offers (such as DLC and movies). This is expected and reasonable.

On the 360 (I don't have an Xbone, but I wouldn't be surprised if it's the same way), Microsoft was well-known for placing large ads on the main screen. These ads would more often than not be for non-gaming items, such as Mountain Dew.