2010

2010-04-20T19:47:00.002-05:00

#85 The Web According to Google #85: Resistance is Futile

1. I use a variety of Google products on a semi-regular basis. I use them because they are basically easier than most. I use Desktop, Earth (great birdseye view),GOOG-411 ( to find & connect for free with businesses from my phone). This is very handy!'Images' are very helpful for our customers at the reference desk. I also use 'igoogle'(to personalize my google homepage), gmail, blogger, and Picassa. Fun and again easy to use.

2. I Checked out Google Labs. Tried 'Follow Finder', Script Converter and Google Translitration. Interesting...glad to know they are there but at this point use will be minimal. Will try back later.
3. Browsed thru Google Books. There are so many choices to search for books on the internet...will add this to the bottom of the list. Not my favorite site but a valued coworker pointed out good examples/experiences she had with Google Books. :)

2010-02-16T20:01:00.013-06:00

The Future of Media. The three posts are on television, movies, and the future of both.

The Future of Media #79: Television...
(Have I mentioned lately I am NOT much of a blogger.) :)

1.I Visited Hulu and watched a full episode of the Simpsons. There were six episodes and 727 clips available.
2.I have never watched a tv show on my telephone.I just recently got a phone that has video capability. Interesting but I prefer my big screen at home.
3.So far I have watched a few streaming programs or user "channels"...very handy. Never posted videos to a site on a regular basis but again I am looking forward to it soon.

The Future of Media #80: Movies

1.I watched from the Hulu site "The Little Princess", Bette Davis, free, full length.(Hulu didn't recognize the misspelled "Betty Davis".I love Bette Davis...great actress! I watched a little of it...will go back when I have more time. I have watched movies on my computer...very convenient. I still prefer watching DVDs on my TV...due mainly to size of screen.
2.Found on IMDB a trailer for an upcoming film, "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo"... looks interesting. I use several sites to look up on current film information and no so current film info.
3.I am not ready to use a fee-based services to get the movies you want at home but if I was I would probably use Netflix based on friends/family feedback.

The Future of Media #81: Get out your crystal ball...

1.I think 3D will have the most influence and will have the most effect.

2.Sorry to say I am not a early adopter of every gadget. Lucky for me as a project manager for AT&T (before early retirement) we did have cool communication devices!
I do have less than fond memories of 8 track music players from the past(mainly sentimental) That media is VERY outdated...don;t want it back.

Thanks for the training module...It was fun!

Searching 2010

2010-01-27T17:12:00.039-06:00

Searching. It contains four posts:general search engines; searching for sound effects; searching for images;and searching for videos.

Have I mentioned lately I'm not much of a blogger but a big fan of training/learning new things.

75. Exercises:1) Typed three queries in Blindsearch, hit search, and then vote for the column which I believed best matches. Note: The columns were NOT randomized with my searches.) Although Google rated best in my searches I do think I will try different search engines in the future.
2) Google was #1 on Hitwise that week...way better than its closest competitor & Yes the usage statistics matched my own personal choice of a favorite.
3) Bing has several features I was not aware of. that might be useful...Bing CashBack and Visual Search (Beta).

76. Exercises: Use FindSounds :

Dog , Cow , Cockatoo

2) Used the Simply the Best Sounds site for links below.

animals ,Jungle ,Ocean, Rain

77. Exercises:1. Using AllFreeClipArt, how many clicks did it take to get to a color Santa that doesn’t look like a troll? 3 clicks Santa

,Vintage Santa Father Christmas with gifts

2. “10 Places to Find Free Images Online”.
PhotoRogue.com is interesting and different... you can send a request for what you need. It is free & uses volunteer photographers.

MorgueFile.com is very visual...the thumbnails are small, but your search results display quickly, and the photos are great. I searched 'valentine' and received many beautiful choices.

3. HCPL clipart- Checkout the 'child reading while standing on his/her head' illustration...could use for childrens reading time.

Image Credit: Jupiterimages

78.Exercises:1. Search for a particular video using both Truveo and Blinkx.

I searched '2010 Grammy awards', with 3,409 results from Truveo sorted with 4 catagories: Top Ranked, Most Popular, Most Recent & Highest Rated with 12 thumbnails per page. Blinkx showed over 50,000 videos sorted by relevance or date.

2. HCPL’s YouTube channel - our branch has identified over twenty potential video clips, from how to use a flash drive to highlighting author visits, that we will add to the mix. (Both in English and Spanish) See our Video Committee for more details!

Submitting my Registration of Completion. Till next time :)...

Test

2010-01-27T16:16:00.000-06:00

Testing...

Potluck #56 To Tweet or Not to Tweet...Twitter

2009-04-28T16:18:00.002-05:00

After browsing a couple of different Twitter profiles I personally don't see the value of twitter at this time and would not currently use it. I don't get it. I used the search feature to find hundreds of tweets on swine flu and the Simpsons. The results were varied. I created a twitter account but for the life of me I don't know why.

Wellness #42: Going Green

2008-08-25T14:33:00.003-05:00

Activities:
I tried the the pill identifier on 4 prescription pills. The pill identifier easily identified 3 of the 4. The fourth is a common generic of a very common drug. I also tried the drug interaction tab.
The results were not easily understandable.

I picked adult day care for the service and used the local MedlinePlus to see if there are any related resources within 10 miles of my home. It found 3 locations within 10 miles of my zip code. It helps to have so much information at our fingertips.

I created a sample family medical history tree. This info helps predict my risk for developing diseases and helps me make changes to reduce my risks. Making healthy changes can reduce your risk of disease even if you have already had the disease or if the disease runs in your family.
Genetic testing may also help identify which family members are at risk. These family members can get screening tests and take steps to reduce their risk.

Wellness- #41: Going Green Part 2

2008-08-25T14:15:00.002-05:00

All of the sites were very useful. I am in the process of replacing our light bulbs with compact fluorescent lights and have programmed our thermostat. We have double paned windows and have storm doors but should probably check for air leakage. Yearly A/C tuneups would help and we could be more timely on our 'monthly' air filter replacements. Shopping for electric providers will take some time but sounds like an excellent idea. Thanks for all the websites and great tips!

Wellness # 41: Going Green - Part 1

2008-08-19T14:53:00.004-05:00

Wellness#41
After viewing the three carbon footprint calculators I was not surprised of the large carbon footprint my family creates. National Wildlife Federation
Yahoo! Green The Green Team. I suspect in my neighborhood there are similar results. It makes sense that if we all did something green it would make a hugh difference.

Houston Farmers Market Local Harvest Urban Harvest
Activity 2: I have visited the Houston Farmers Market on and off for at least the last 20 years. Now with gas prices it is harder to justify the extra cost to get to and fro. The veggies/fruits grown locally tastes much fresher and the colors were more vibrant. It is smart to support the local farmers / local economy, and uses less transportation cost. I found the 43 fruit/veggie list of pesticide load very interesting. I did not have any idea 'peaches' were at the top of the list with apples second. Bummer!

Wellness #40: Fitness

2008-08-15T14:15:00.002-05:00

Activities:

I love the fitness calculators on ExRx.net. I was not suprised (just disappointed) in my BMI.Oh well! My current calorie requirements are 1850. After answering the questionaire on health age/life expectancy I feel I must seriously set obtainable goals for positive change. The key is 'MOTIVATION'. Without the correct mindset the results just will not be there. To start I must write down my goals which I will begin now privately :). Wish me luck!

Wellness #39: Nutrition

2008-08-12T15:50:00.005-05:00

Wellness #39: Nutrition
Activities:

1) The Nutrition Data website has many useful features such as better choices section and calculators for Estimated Glycemic Load™, IF (Inflammation Factor) Ratings™, and omega-3 to omega-6 ratios and their effects on your body which were news to me. Some of the ratings were definite surprises.

2) After trying to enter two recipes into Recipes.Sparkpeople.com,I finally got one that the calculator would accept all the ingredients.

PERFECT PEA SALAD
• Oil, .5 cup
• Granulated Sugar, .75 cup
• Cider Vinegar, .33 cup
• Salt, 1 tsp

• Peas, canned, 1 can
• Onions, raw, 1 cup, chopped
• Green Peppers (bell peppers), 0.5 cup, chopped
• Celery, raw, 4 stalk, chopped
• Water chestnuts, 1 cup sliced, chopped
• Green Beans 1 can
• Pimientos, drained jar 2oz

The nutrition facts were many. 173.9 calories per serving which could be reduced by using less sugar or a sugar substitute. There were a total of 31 nutrition facts.

I will try this website again but am not sure how much I will use it.

#35: Games and Gaming: Games? In the Library?

2008-05-06T15:14:00.003-05:00

The hardest part of the exercise was JUST spending 15 minutes on a game. I tried WordSplay and FreeRice. FreeRice was ok. Again, I am spending way too much time on games but also think they can help increase your skills and also help others.
Gaming is sooo addictive.

#34 Maps: Geocoding and Geocaching

2008-04-26T12:33:00.003-05:00

Discovery Exercise:

1.HCPL, ADM, 8080 El Rio, Houston,TX 77054
29.688469, -95.387308

2.Jackson's Cache - GC18DVZ- - N 30° 00.814 W 095° 30.461
UTM: 15R E 258133 N 3322937
Cypresswood Park

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?guid=4ceb3da0-7858-4fcd-ada3-7464a50947b0

3.Geocaching could be contagious! It is fun to dream of the possibilities. If I only had more time...

#33 Maps: Relocating with Online Maps

2008-04-26T10:22:00.004-05:00

Activity 1:
Using Apartments.com found apartment close to work (.8 miles) which allows pets. The street/satellite map was most helpful. A visual view puts the distance in perspective. Several apartment complexes seemed suitable.

Activity 2: I selected Oaks of Wimbledon,16414 Stuebner Airline Rd.,Spring, TX 77379,
(866)277-9049.I checked nearby places using Walk Score(http://www.walkscore.com); The score was 68 out of 100 which meet my needs with some stores and amenities are within walking distance, with many everyday trips still require a bike, public transportation, or car. KISD school district, HEB, Pauls Pizza, and proximity to work are highly attractive features for this choice. Apartments.com worked the best for me and my criteria and was very easy to use.

My Small Daily World

2008-04-21T15:57:00.004-05:00

View Larger Map

#32 Maps:Current Events

2008-04-14T10:33:00.002-05:00

ACTIVITY 1:

I looked through the list of "100 Things To Do With Google Maps". How interesting!
Hypothetical question : Question -- "I need to know where the ports are in Texas! Got any ideas?" Answer -- Go to http://www.worldportsource.com/ports/USA_TX.php and type in "Texas".

ACTIVITY 2:

Explored the Global Incident Map showing Terrorism Events and Other Suspicious Activity. The Amber Alert national map was informative showing dates of attempts, missing, found, etc.

OPTIONAL BONUS ACTIVITY:

EarthNow Landsat Image Viewer - It looks really cold in Canada! Whee! I can fly...

#31 Maps:Have Map, Will Travel

2008-04-14T10:31:00.001-05:00

Watched the Google Create a Map Tutorial and created a simple "My Day" map of a grand total of three locations. It looked very boring until I experimented with the many varied options for creating maps. Creating maps can be soooo useful to creating day trips for fuel economy to planning fun and fact-filled vacations. It was fun doing the optional activities - a person could really plan and dream.

Spring Cleaning #30: Take a Load Off Our Drives

2008-03-18T19:26:00.002-05:00

I had never added anything to the S:drive so I added a word file (then deleted it.) I looked over the P:drive and verified I had no files to manage. My personal folder on the Z:drive was another matter. It needed a serious cleaning. I believe the oldest file I deleted was May 2006. I am about as organized as I thought - which could use some improvement.

Spring Cleaning #29: Email

2008-03-13T14:36:00.001-05:00

I have a personal email account or two. I use folders on my work account but admit to keeping far more emails in case I need them later. I cleaned and updated my address book. I plan to do my best to delete files and my email account up to date.

Spring Cleaning #28: Don't Clutter Up Expensive Cyberspace

2008-03-13T14:31:00.002-05:00

GTD-Getting Things Done-offers many good ideas to collect, process,organize, review and how to do spring cleaning. I created a Google calendar with John McCain, Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton's every public move noted. Lots of frequent flyer miles. There are several good calendar's for use - Google calendar seems to work well for me - nothing complex.

Sound: #27: Creating Your Own Podcast

2008-03-13T14:30:00.001-05:00

Sound: #26: Making (or listening to) Music Together

2008-03-13T14:28:00.001-05:00

Sound: #25: Am I a music pirate?

2008-03-13T14:20:00.004-05:00

Sound: #24: The Sound of Music!

2008-02-16T10:32:00.006-06:00

1.Yes, let's begin. I am not one to download music - until now. Checking the different sites shows a variety of choices. Napster shows $12.95 a month for unlimited usage. iTunes allows single purches for 99 cents a tune and Rhapsody also has several monthly plans starting at $12.95/month.
2. Downloaded song
3. KTBZ ,FM 94.5, offers listening through there were site http://www.thebuzz.com/.

Week 5, Task 10 Play around with Image Generators

2007-10-08T19:24:00.001-05:00

Week 5, Task 10 Play around with Image Generators

2007-10-08T14:38:00.000-05:00

Week 5, Task 10 Play around with Image Generators - Meez was fun and very easy to use.

Week 4, Task 9 Finding Feeds

2007-10-02T16:19:00.000-05:00

Bloglines was the easiest for me to use. I also google a topic then add the RSS feed for those items of interest. This is my preferred method at this time. This is a very easy way to keep informed on enviromental issues for a particular location important to me.

Week 4, Task 8, RSS Feeds/Bloglines account

2007-10-01T16:27:00.000-05:00

Week 4, Task 8, RSS Feeds/Bloglines account
Setting up a bloglines account and adding RSS feeds...easy to do and a great resource! Learning with '23 Things' is fun. Thanks!