Check out my Slide Show!

A Mashup with Flickr and Slide.com. A repeat, but being used in a class I'm teaching.

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The 36-Hour Day

Between radio, television, phones, movies, video games and the Internet, we are consuming more media than ever before... often all at once. While multitasking is hardly a new phenomenon, recognition is growing that the amount of time we spend immersed in one or more media is steadily increasing -- in effect, lengthening our days.

A survey by Veronis Suhler Stevenson (VSS) has found that the average American will spend 3,518 hours consuming some kind of media in 2007, up from 3,333 hours in 2000. Predictably, Internet, video games and premium cable TV drove most of that growth; network TV viewing actually declined, while theatre movies and print media remained flat.

According to a study by eMarketer, new media are not necessarily killing old. "Study after study confirms it. People are consuming more media than ever, but they are not dropping one in favor of another," says eMarketer's Debra Aho Williamson. "They are juggling, multitasking and figuring out ways to use a number of media channels at the same time."

Teens are champion multitaskers, even doing homework while online or watching TV. Of course, this level of attention division has all sorts of implications, from possible increased stress levels to less attention given to any one medium. Says Williamson, "With the amount of data building up on the amount of multitasking that is going on, the best strategy may be to assume that attention waxes and wanes during media usage and that full engagement is no longer a realistic expectation."

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[TIPS] Splashcast Launches One Player to Bind them All

http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/01/29/splashcast-launches-one-player-to-bind-them-all/

SplashCast looks like a very cool application just out of beta. Techcrunch has the above review of the site and what it's all about. Want to try it yourself? GO to: http://www.splashcastmedia.com/ and register. Here's what the site says about itself:

- - snip - -

"SplashCast enables anyone to create streaming media 'channels' that combine video, music, photos, narration, text and RSS feeds. These user-generated channels can be played and easily syndicated on any web site, blog, or social network page. When channel owners modify their channel, their content is automatically updated across all the web pages 'tuned' to that channel."

- -

Sounds interesting, eh?

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[TIPS] The Comic Book Periodic Table of the Elements

http://www.uky.edu/Projects/Chemcomics/index.html

Here's a site that I had sent out a few years back but since I've got new people on the list I thought I'd send it again. The Periodic Table of Comic Books. Check out the adventures of Metal Men, or Dr Solar, Superman, Metamorpho, and many more. Bring those elements to LIFE!

 

 

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[TIPS] Criminals 'may overwhelm the web'

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/6298641.stm

In today's Kim Komando News email was this one about botnets. According to this article, as much as 1/4 of all computers worldwide on the Internet are 'bots - robot computers.

 

- - snip - -

Botnets are made up of large numbers of computers that malicious hackers have brought under their control after infecting them with so-called Trojan virus programs.

While most owners are oblivious to the infection, the networks of tens of thousands of computers are used to launch spam e-mail campaigns, denial-of-service attacks or online fraud schemes.

- - -

How does this happen? You'd be amazed at the number of people who have NO up-to-date antivirus software installed on their computer, or who have no firewalls. Are YOU one? Of course not. That's THOSE people, right? :-) Bottom line - YOU M-U-S-T have an up-to-date antivirus program on your computer and you M-U-S-T make sure you've got a firewall! Minimum!! Don't be part of the problem.

 

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Help! Where did my blogs go?

I had quite a shock today. During a break from the class I was teaching (another Intro to Powerpoint - will they ever end?) I tried to check my bloglines account. It was BLOCKED! Our newly installed web filter flagged it as being in the "Blog or personal web page" category and it was blocked. I tried to come here to my blog and it, too, was blocked. Every blog I tried... same thing.... blocked. THe pages that I use when doing workshops were blocked, too. (http://home.comcast.net/~jgates808/twfile.html and http://home.comcast.net/~jgates808/scfile.html) "What am I going to do?", I thought. "This is disastrous!"

It then hit me. This is how I learn. It's my constant professional development. This is how I grow professionally. It's how I find out about best practices in student blogging and student use of wikis. It's how I stay engaged and connected in the conversation of education and the role of technology. And Ohhhhh was I missing it - even in that first minute.

And then I thought, "This is how those teachers in the districts feel - many of them - when they can't access the sites that they find at home that they feel are good resources for their kids. It's no wonder that so many of them are just saying, 'To heck with this. It's not worth the aggravation.' " It's no wonder I often find it difficult to excite them about technology.

The good news is that by the time the day was over I was again able to access my bloglines account and all my favorite blogs. I just can't imagine going to work and NOT being able to access my feeds. Can you?

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New Battery Technology Could Revolutionize Electric Vehicles

EEStor, a Texas-based startup, claims to have developed a battery that's 10 times more powerful than conventional electrochemical batteries, as well as less costly, safer, faster to charge and more environmentally friendly. The battery has the potential to be used in everything from electronic devices to electric cars to weapons systems to massive utility storage.

The battery, called an Electrical Energy Storage Unit (EESU), uses barium-titanate powders instead of lithium-ion, as well as ultracapacitor technology that permits large bursts of energy, up to 3,500 volts. This combination, say observers, could be the key to making electric vehicles truly practical. An EESU-powered vehicle could theoretically travel 500 miles on $9 worth of electricity, as opposed to an equivalent combistion-engine vehicle requiring $60 in gas to go the same distance.

EEStor has reportedly started production of EESUs. Although the technology has skeptics, the startup has some big-name backers, including Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, a venture capital firm that has invested in Google, Amazon.com and other highly successful tech firms.

Source: MIT Technology Review

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[TIPS] Top 10 Flickr hacks...

http://www.makezine.com/blog/archive/2007/01/top_10_flickr_h.html?CMP=OTC-0D6B48984890

Make Magazine, Makers of the Weekend Projects that I had mentioned back in November, points to this blog on the top ten FLickr hacks. I had mentioned a few of them before. It's just such a cool site. Check 'em out.

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As Mobile Devices Pass One Billion Mark, Disruption Continues

The number of mobile handsets worldwide passed the one billion mark in 2006, continuing the wave of disruption that they have been generating for the past decade. Among the more significant development, shipments to developing economies in Eastern Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Latin America are overtaking those to the more mature markets -- promising change in social and business patterns in those areas of the world.

In developed markets, multimedia phones that allow users to listen to music and watch video are gaining market share as costs fall and exciting new models such as Apple's iPhone hit the shelves. These, of course, offer disruptive properties of their own -- especially to the entertainment industry -- as communities of users connected via Bluetooth have the potential to download and swap music and other files.

Source: MIT Technology Review

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Price Sensitivity: What's the Best Position for Your Clients?

What is price sensitivity? The term basically describes the extent to which a buyer uses the price as a reason to buy a service or product. As a computer consultant, you want to get clients that have very low price sensitivity. A client with low price sensitivity will pay you what you charge because they want you to do the work.

Benefits of Obtaining Clients with Low Price Sensitivity

1. You can choose the best quality clients because they will pay your rates no matter what they are.

2. You will be able to set rates at the high end of a range and still get low price sensitivity clients.

3. Low price sensitivity clients are usually serious about needs and will let you build their systems with greater freedom.

You need to base your marketing decisions on price sensitivity in order to get the best clients. When you are sure those falling into your sweet spot have low price sensitivity and vice versa, you can make the appropriate decisions about marketing and sales.

High Price Sensitivity Clients

If you direct your business towards clients with high price sensitivity your rates will have to be low. While this might work for some computer services businesses, high prices are always preferable.

Clients in micro businesses and home-based businesses are typically those that will have high price sensitivity. If you want to work with this type of client, then you will have to try to get a very high volume of customers.

Charging Premium Rates by Focusing on Price Sensitivity

In order to set the highest rates for your services, you have to focus on clients that have low price sensitivity. Regardless of what you choose to do with your business, you have to think about price sensitivity when creating a sales and marketing plan. Keep in mind that high rates often equate to higher quality in clients’ minds. Therefore a majority of clients will choose you based on price.

Blogged By: Computer Consulting 101 Professional Kit

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[TIPS] Another writing prompt idea for sr high

http://www7.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0702/feature3/

 

Wes Fryer pointed us to this article in the latest National Geographic. Don't read this if your stomach rolls over when hearing about gross injustice and flagrant corruption and the plight of helpless people. But, DO read it and encourage your sr high students to read it and blog about their reactions to it. They'll want to just vent, I'm sure, but you'll help them focus and find links and try to make sense of it all, won't you? Be sure to check out the Sights and Sounds link, too.

 

The web is RICH with articles and videos that make excellent writing prompts, don't you think?

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[TIPS] Wikimedia Commons

Wikimedia is a site that encourages folks to upload and share their media files that they have created. No, not like YouTube. These are images, sounds, animations, etc, and are available for others to download and use under the Creative Commons license. There are sites all over the Internet that encourage the open sharing of content that is owned by the viewers. I've made a few of mine available under that license on the Flickr site. Most of my pictures aren't the kind that anyone else would want, but there are a few that others may like. Here's a wiki being used for the same type of thing.

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Main_Page

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[TIPS] Monitor of the Future

http://www.komando.com/messageboard/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=5261

In the above forum post Kim Komando pointed to this video (http://tagzin.com/main.aspx?cat=v&q=display#) of the touch screen monitor "of the future." It's the design behind the iPhone and it's an extension of the other video I pointed to in the Ted Talks site a few months back. It's great for doing things like they're doing on the video, but they still don't say how you'll type a letter. :-)

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IDS 10.00.*C6 new features and some thoughts...

I finally found a bit of spare time and decided to look at IDS 10.00.*C6 which was recently released. I must confess that I don't do this as often as I should, but given the current rate of IDS improvements I must say that this is a rewarding exercise.
Let me say I haven't read the *C5 release notes, so I did read them too.

If you're like me, and still haven't read them, you can find a shortcut here.

The first feature you'll notice is the Index Self Join. After reading a bit I recall I've already seen a description of this feature in an Oracle article. At the time I thought that although theoretically useful it should be difficult to find a situation where this would give real life benefits. Well, after testing it I was surprised.
So, what is this Index Self Join Feature? Putting it in an easy way, it's a way to scan an index where the Where clause may or may not include the index head column, and where the first index column(s) have very low selectivity.
Previously, the optimizer would scan all the keys which fullfill the complete set of key conditions, or it would make a full table scan if the leading key had no conditions associated. With this feature it will find the unique leading keys (low selectivity), and will make small queries using this unique keys and the rest of the index keys provided in the WHERE condition of your query. Err... I wrote "easy" above? Maybe an example will make it clearer:

Imagine you have table "test" lile this:

create table test(
a smallint,
b smallint,
c smallint,
t varchar( 255)
)
in dbs1 extent size 1000 next size 1000 lock mode row;
create index ix_test_1 on test ( a, b, c);

and you populate it with the result of (bash script):

#!/bin/bash

for ((a=1;a<=15;a++))
do
for ((b=1;b<=2000;b++))
do
for ((c=1;c<=100;c++))
do
echo "$a|$b|$c|dummyt"
done
done
done

If you make a query like this:

select t from test where b = 100 and c = 1;

You'll get a sequential table scan.
If you include a condition on column "a" you'll get an index scan, but the performance won't be nice...


Now, in *UC6, if you make a query with an optimizer hint like the one mentioned in the release notes:

select --+ INDEX_SJ ( test ix_test_1 )
t from test where b = 100 and c = 1;

You will get a what is called the Index Self Join query plan, and believe me, a much quicker response. If you don't believe me, and I suggest you don't, please try it yourself. You'll need the bash script above (if you're not using bash adapt the script to your favorite SHELL). Run the script and send the results to /tmp/test.unl. Then execute the SQL below (queries have a condition on column "a"):

cat <<eof >/tmp/test.sh
#!/bin/bash

for ((a=1;a<=15;a++))
do
for ((b=1;b<=2000;b++))
do
for ((c=1;c<=100;c++))
do
echo "$a|$b|$c|dummyt|"
done
done
done
eof

/tmp/test.sh > /tmp/test.unl


dbaccess stores_demo <<eof

-- use a raw table to avoid long tx
create raw table test(
a smallint,
b smallint,
c smallint,
t varchar( 255)
)
-- choose the right dbspace for you
in dbs1 extent size 1000 next size 1000 lock mode row;

-- locking exclusively to avoid lock overflow or table expansion
begin work;
lock table test in exclusive mode;
load from /tmp/teste.unl insert into test;
commit work;
create index ix_test_1 on test ( a, b, c);

-- dsitributions must be create for optimizer to know about field selectivity
update statistics high for table test (a,b,c);

select "Start INDEX_SJ: ", current year to fraction(5) from systables where tabid = 1;
unload to result1.unl select --+ EXPLAIN, INDEX_SJ ( test ix_test_1 )
* from test where a>=1 and a<=15 and b = 100 and c = 1;
select "Start FULL: ", current year to fraction(5) from systables where tabid = 1;
unload to result2.unl select --+ EXPLAIN, FULL ( test )
* from test where a>=0 and a<=15 and b = 100 and c = 1;
select "Start INDEX: ", current year to fraction(5) from systables where tabid = 1;
unload to result3.unl select --+ EXPLAIN, AVOID_FULL ( test )
* from test where a>=0 and a<=15 and b = 100 and c = 1;
select "Stop INDEX: ", current year to fraction(5) from systables where tabid = 1;

eof

In my system (a vmware machine runing Fedora Core5), the results were (only useful for comparison between query plans):


Start INDEX_SJ: 2007-01-28 19:18:29.77990
Start FULL: 2007-01-28 19:18:29.88101
Start INDEX: 2007-01-28 19:18:34.67570
Stop INDEX: 2007-01-28 19:18:41.92104


So, from about 5 or 6 seconds to about 0.1. Not bad hmmm?
Take a look at the query plan for more details:

QUERY:
------
select --+ EXPLAIN, INDEX_SJ ( test ix_test_1 )
* from test where a>=1 and a<=15 and b = 100 and c = 1

DIRECTIVES FOLLOWED:
EXPLAIN
INDEX_SJ ( test ix_test_1 )
DIRECTIVES NOT FOLLOWED:

Estimated Cost: 42
Estimated # of Rows Returned: 15

1) informix.test: INDEX PATH

(1) Index Keys: a b c (Serial, fragments: ALL)
Index Self Join Keys (a )
Lower bound: informix.test.a >= 1
Upper bound: informix.test.a <= 15

Lower Index Filter: informix.test.a = informix.test.a AND (informix.test.b = 100 AND informix.test.c = 1 )


QUERY:
------
select --+ EXPLAIN, FULL ( test )
* from test where a>=0 and a<=15 and b = 100 and c = 1

DIRECTIVES FOLLOWED:
EXPLAIN
FULL ( test )
DIRECTIVES NOT FOLLOWED:

Estimated Cost: 118847
Estimated # of Rows Returned: 15

1) informix.test: SEQUENTIAL SCAN

Filters: (((informix.test.b = 100 AND informix.test.c = 1 ) AND informix.test.a <= 15 ) AND informix.test.a >= 0 )


QUERY:
------
select --+ EXPLAIN, AVOID_FULL ( test )
* from test where a>=0 and a<=15 and b = 100 and c = 1

DIRECTIVES FOLLOWED:
EXPLAIN
AVOID_FULL ( test )
DIRECTIVES NOT FOLLOWED:

Estimated Cost: 114798
Estimated # of Rows Returned: 15

1) informix.test: INDEX PATH

(1) Index Keys: a b c (Key-First) (Serial, fragments: ALL)
Lower Index Filter: informix.test.a >= 0 AND (informix.test.b = 100 ) AND (informix.test.c = 1 )
Upper Index Filter: informix.test.a <= 15
Index Key Filters: (informix.test.b = 100 ) AND
(informix.test.c = 1 )

Is there a catch? Well, yes and no.
Currently this feature is disabled by default. To use it you'll need to use the optimizer directives or you'll have to change an ONCONFIG "hidden" parameter.
The parameter in question is called INDEX_SELFJOIN. A value of 1 enables it, and 0 disables it.
You can also change this at any time using:

onmode -wm INDEX_SELFJOIN=<1|0>

This information is not clearly explained in the release notes, but you can find it in the performance guide 10.00.*c6 release notes.
This is a feature planned for Cheetah that was backported to version 10. Probably in Cheetah (and in future 10.00 versions) it will be activaded by default. If you plan to use it, be careful and monitor the results... It's still a fresh feature.

So, what other good news do we have in the later versions? Well, one of them was used in the scripts above. Some of you may have noticed I created a raw (non-logged) table, and after loading it I created an index on it. Older versions wouldn't allow this, but we can use it since 10.00.xC5. There is also several enhancements that I won't review in detail:

• Control the trigger fireing on replicated tables during synchronization
  This enables the control of triggers in replicated tables when we synchronize them
  
  
• It's unecessary to copy oncfg file into target server when doing a imported restore
  When doing and imported restore (restore on a different server, not the one where we make the backups) we don't need to copy the oncfg files as we used to.
  
  
• New binary data types
  There are two new datatypes: BINARYVAR and BINARY18. These datatypes provide indexable binary encoded strings and were created to improve compatibility with WebSphere. They are provided by a new free Datablade (binaryudt). In fact this is a showcase of IDS extensibility. These datatypes support some new specific functions (bit_and(), bit_or(), bit_xor() and bit_complement() ) as long as some standard functions like length(), octet_length(), COUNT DISTINCT(), MAX() and MIN().
  
  When I read about this I imagined a scenario where this could be used to create functional indexes, based on table fields which values could be represented in binary form by a function. I mean creating an index based on a function that given a list of attributes would generate a binary string. We could represent a true/false with just one bit. The attributes could be marketing fields about your customers (sex, married/single/divorced, has car, has children... etc.). Then you could create a bit representation of this fields and index your tables with it. A search could check all the fields with a bit comparison to the function generated index.
  I couldn't prove to myself that this was a good ideia, neither with search time comparisons neither with flexibility comparisons against the traditional index methods. But I leave here the idea. If someone manages to use it efficiently, please give me some feedback.
  
  
• View folding
  This optimization permits that in certain cases there is no need to materialize a view (by creating a temp table). Instead the optimizer will make the join not against the resulting temp table but against the view base tables.
  
  
  

Well, that's it for now. The main message of this post is: keep up to date with the new versions release notes... They contain precious information that can help you decide if it's time to upgrade your systems or not.

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Prevent Subcontractors from Nabbing Your Clients

Subcontractors can really help your business because they can offer you the opportunity to provide additional services. But how do you prevent subcontractors from nabbing your clients?

When you first decide to bring in subcontractors as an IT consultant, you have to prevent competition.

Tips for Hiring Subcontractors

1. Do research on every company to which you want to subcontract. If the company is a competitor, look further. You want to get people in deep niches that have nothing to do with what you do.

2. Have a few meetings with prospective subcontractors and really get to know them. The relationship with subcontractors should evolve during the course of some lunches and emails to build trust.

3. Make subcontractors sign an agreement that has non-compete and non-disclosure clauses. Of course, have these documents attorney-reviewed. Paperwork won’t stop subcontractors that are determined to get ahead, but will make it harder for them.

The Main Point About Subcontractors

Finding a subcontractor is the first part of a long business process. When you find good subcontractors, you have to qualify each of them to make sure each is worthy of your trust before introductions to clients.

Blogged By: Computer Consulting Kit

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Geogebra

From the website:

---snip---

"What is GeoGebra?

GeoGebra is a dynamic mathematics software for education in secondary schools that joins geometry, algebra and calculus.

On the one hand, GeoGebra is a dynamic geometry system. You can do constructions with points, vectors, segments, lines, conic sections as well as functions and change them dynamically afterwards.

On the other hand, equations and coordinates can be entered directly. Thus, GeoGebra has the ability to deal with variables for numbers, vectors and points, finds derivatives and integrals of functions and offers commands like Root or Extremum.

These two views are characteristic of GeoGebra: an expression in the algebra window corresponds to an object in the geometry window and vice versa."

powered by performancing firefox

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[TIPS] more (just in time) snow sites

Thanks to Robin again for this email...

 

"There are many "make your own snowflake" sites as well.

 

http://www.popularfront.com/snowdays/

 

http://www.papersnowflakes.com/

 

growth of a snowflake
http://whyfiles.org/interactives/index.php?g=4.txt

 

2D and 3D snowflakes
http://www.i-am-bored.com/bored_link.cfm?link_id=21440
"

 

 

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[TIPS] Footnote - The place for original documents online

http://www.footnote.com/

Thanks to Robin M for sharing this one. She wrote:

 

"A new website:   footnote.com    allows you to browse or print some primary source documents for Free. There is also another section of the website with a fee, but Pennsylvania Archives is a free section.  This site also allows you to create your own user page to upload some documents to share with others."

 

Thanks for sharing, Robin

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[TIPS] Extreme closeups of s-n-o-w!

http://emu.arsusda.gov/snowsite/default.html
http://www.its.caltech.edu/~atomic/snowcrystals/photos/photos.htm

Do you know how long I've waited this year to send these? Two sites with images of extreme closeups of...SNOW!! It's 8 degrees in Harrisburg as I write this but last night was the first real snow of any kind that we've received this winter. Not that I'm complaining, mind you. I'm just sayin'.... :-)

A teachable moment about today's snow may find you searching for pictures of snowflakes. There you have two good sample sites. And you don't have to shovel either of them.

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[TIPS] What Would MacGyver Do?

Thanks to Tony O - O Tony! - for sharing this one.

 

http://tags.lifehacker.com/software/macgyver/ - This is a cool blog that links you to articles that show you how to do all sorts of cool things with other common household items. What sorts of things? Like sterilizing your sponges, or removing gum with wd40, or giving yourself a facial with Miracle Whip or repairing scratches in furniture with walnuts - and on and on. OK, so the Miracle Whip article may not be the best example, but you get the idea. :-)

 

- - - Before I forget- -

Thanks to Lee C for telling me about the 2057 show on Discovery!

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[TIPS] MathWorld: The Web's Most Extensive Mathematics Resource

http://mathworld.wolfram.com/ and http://functions.wolfram.com/

 

I know this has been mentioned before but it's still a great site for Math teachers. Over 10,000 visualizations on the functions site alone. Explore the sites. Tons of interactivity. Just right for the math class that just received a room full of laptops.

 

- - - bonus- - -

From TechCrunch... You may not be able to see this one at school, but if you like animations check out this site: http://www.channelfrederator.com/index Regular animations featured here and you can even subscribe to the RSS feed or even put in the code that it gives you to pull the videos into your own site.

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Will Employers Insist on Healthy Workers?

Faced with skyrocketing healthcare costs, US employers have begun worrying about their employees' lifestyles. Their concerns are bolstered by studies that directly link obesity, high cholesterol and tobacco use with higher health insurance claims. With that in mind, employers may demand that workers adopt certain lifestyle choices... and employees may push back against such dictates.

Recently, some businesses have caused controversy by forbidding smoking, both at and away from the workplace. Some believe that this might be a growing trend, as well as employers "encouraging" their workers to "maintain a healthy weight."

Source: Herman Group

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[TIPS] 2057: Discovery Channel

http://dsc.discovery.com/convergence/2057/2057.html

This just may be the show that makes me turn on the TV. Yes, you heard it here first. The show - 2057. The channel - the Discovery Channel. I hope it's not a major series. We'll see. :-)

Given today's best technology that has the potential to change life as we know it, what might we look like and live like and learn like in 2057? This site doesn't appear to be active, yet, but it does look like it'll be fascinating once the show premiers on January 28th at 8PM ET. Bookmark the site. Mark your calendars. Order in enough food and beverages. Get ready to see the future.

Am I a geek, or what? :-D

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[TIPS] Connectivism Online Conference update

http://umanitoba.ca/learning_technologies/connectivisim/schedule.php

http://www.umanitoba.ca/academic_support/ltc/connectivisim/ - this explains the conference

 

An FYI -

- - snip - -

The evolution of teaching and learning is accelerated with technology. After several decades of duplicating classroom functionality with technology, new opportunities now exist to alter the spaces and structures of knowledge to align with both needs of learners today, and affordances of new tools and processes.

Yet our understanding of the impact on teaching and learning trails behind rapidly forming trends. What are critical trends? How does technology influence learning? Is learning fundamentally different today than when most prominent views of learning were first formulated (under the broad umbrellas of cognitivism, behaviourism, and constructivism)? Have the last 15 years of web, technology, and social trends altered the act of learning? How is knowledge itself, in a digital era, related to learning?

- - -

I encourage you all to consider participating/"attending" this conference. Join in the conversations - literally and figuratively.

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[TIPS] TAKE10!

http://www.take10net/funforstudents.asp - Another example of how one thing leads to another. Remember me pointing you to Anne Davis' blog page where there are a BUNCH of student blog links? Well, in one of those student blogs the student mentioned this site.

 

- - snip- -

.	TAKE 10!® is a classroom-based physical activity program for kindergarten to fifth grade students.
.	TAKE 10!® is a curriculum tool created by teachers for teachers and students.
.	TAKE 10!® integrates academic learning objectives (in Language Arts, Math, Social Studies, Science and Health) with movement.

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[TIPS] The Internet Bird Collection

Looking for a good site to see pictures of birds and hear bird songs? Here's one option.

 

http://ibc.hbw.com/ibc/

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"Smoking Gun" Report on Global Warming to be Released

A report that could silence any remaining doubts about the existence of global warming caused by humans is scheduled to be released next week. The report, from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, was written by more than 600 scientists and edited by representatives of 154 countries, and includes "an explosion of new data" on current and future global warming trends.

Among other things, the report is said to pin blame for global warming on human activity, and features computer projections for future weather patterns that show significant warming in the years ahead.

Source: AP (Yahoo)

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[TIPS] How to Save A Life - from Tim Lauer's blog

http://tim.lauer.name/2007/01/22/4-generations-how-to-save-a-life/

This is why I read blogs. I get to read stories like this one as posted by Tim Lauer. Do you subscribe to his blog? If not, make sure you do before leaving his page.

 

This is another story that will surely move you. Make sure you watch that video!!!

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[TIPS] Rafe Esquith Offers His Fiery Teaching Methods

Here's a story that just may boost your faith in the teachers in this country and perhaps even motivate you to be the best YOU can be, too. Rafe Esquith teaches in one of the poorest schools in the country with over 92% of the students living below the poverty level. Yet he manages to be among the most successful teachers anywhere. Listen to his story about why he teaches and how he teaches. You'll be glad you did. 

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=6939776

- - - For fun - -

Here's a story that defies explanation:

http://news.sky.com/skynews/article/0,,70131-13564124,00.html?f=rss It goes something like this. A guy goes duck hunting a shoots a duck. He takes it home and throws it in his fridge. Two days later the wife goes to get it out and finds that it's still alive. Then... well, you'll just have to read it to find out. Suffice it to say that I'll bet the next time he shoots a duck he'll also strangle it for good measure. :-)

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[TIPS] EduBlog Insights » Podcasts from elementary students

http://anne.teachesme.com/2007/01/22/podcasts-from-elementary-students/

Now THIS is VERY cool. Can you tell what you're experiencing with these links? Do you know what you're seeing and who the authors are? Spend some time in here looking at the pages, reading the articles and listening to the podcasts. Do you think these students are engaged? interested? Have pride in ownership? Are they learning? Are they learning the types of skills that they'll need for the world they face? Can you find even one thing wrong with this approach to their education?

 

Neither can I.

 

Subscribe to this one! http://anne.teachesme.com/

 

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[TIPS] Students' new best friend: 'MoSoSo' - USATODAY.com

http://www.usatoday.com/tech/wireless/phones/2007-01-22-mososo-campus_x.htm?csp=34

Well, it hadda happen. I'm still not used to having people talk on their cell phones while eating dinner or at a movie or in a checkout line. Now this. But, check this out.

 

- - snip - -

"Walk on a college campus these days and you'll see cellphones everywhere, but only some being used for conversations. Baruch College sophomore Yelena Slatkina in New York City recently rustled up an emergency sub at work by typing a plea to her entire work group on her cellphone. University of South Florida sophomore Nate Fuller routinely uses his cellphone equipped with Global Positioning Software (GPS) to find recruits for his intramural football team and locate friends in Tampa Texas 21-year-old Brittany Bohnet uses photos she and 20 of her networked buddies snap on their phones to locate one another, using visual landmarks they spot in the pictures they send."

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Where Should You Begin Your Search for New Business Partnerships?

New IT consultants are often interested in business partnerships. The most commonly asked question is, “When is the best time to begin the search for business partnerships?”

If you are a new computer consultant, you will want to know if you should start looking for business partnerships before your business is established. The answer to that inquiry is that you should be looking for business partnerships and opportunities constantly. You will have more to give to prospective business partners when your business is more established, but you should always pay attention to any opportunities that arise regardless of your position.

Be open to chances for business partnerships and be honest with all the niche technology providers with which you come into contact. You should tell them at the beginning that you are just starting your business, but that you will need their help in the future.

You can’t promise anything, but you can ask for a card from these people to find out more about their businesses and what type of business partnerships you can have. View this as not only an opportunity for the potential partner but also for you and your networking.

Conversations with potential business partnership opportunities should end with a call for them to tell you about any clients they might have that would need services like those you offer.

A lot of business partnerships will arise because clients request a product or service. You need to fill the need in order to let a business partnership arise. Networking is the key to establishing healthy business partnerships.

Blogged By; Computer Consulting 101

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[TIPS] edubloggers - and FIRSTLife

Want a list (although certainly not an exhaustive one) of education bloggers? Students, teachers, administrators, librarians, and more? Wes Fryer points to this one. http://supportblogging.wikispaces.com/Links+to+School+Bloggers A very nice list. He's forgiven for not including this one. :-)

 

Oh, and SecondLife fans will enjoy this one, pointed to by Tim Lauer and TechCrunch. This one is called FirstLife. Enjoy.

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How Do Project Proposals Become Sales?

Project proposals can help drum up good business for your computer consulting company. Project proposals are used in two situations: getting a completely new client; doing more sophisticated work for an existent customer.

Typically you will do a project proposal after you’ve already gone through a proving ground project. You may do an IT audit or have fixed a PC, but you should have a foundation and a customer that likes you, knows you and has some trust for your work. Having this relationship with a customer already can help sell a project proposal easily.

Of course, follow-up is an important aspect of getting work out of a project proposal. You need to use, minimally a four-to-six-week follow-up cycle. You need to look to see if anything has changed or if there is something small to work on right now before you continue with the project.

You need to keep your name in front of your prospects and customers. If something is just a couple hundred dollars, you need to stay in the minds of your customers and prospects. You don’t want some other company to take your place.

Whenever you’re reviewing a project proposal, you need to be the first company called when someone needs IT issues handled. You also need to be in the right place at the right time sometimes.

Urgency will get a project proposal into the sales zone. If there is no urgency, you need to wait on the project for a while. Stay in touch with customers and get ready to do some small tasks until the larger project is needed.

Blogged By: Joshua Feinberg

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[TIPS] Horror story about internet filtering gone awry

Thanks to Chris C for sharing this with me via the for:jgates513 tag at del.icio.us.

 

Here's a story of a substitute teacher who is now facing 40 yrs in prison for exposing her students to online porn. She claims it was spyware that caused the porn popups that she simply couldn't close. But, the prosecutors won and unless her appeal finds in her favor she faces 40 yrs in prison. Read about it here: http://www.pbs.org/teachersource/learning.now/2007/01/teacher_faces_40year_prison_se.html

 

What could have stopped this from happening in the first place? If it WAS spyware, then perhaps this hosts file could have prevented it. Whether or not you can use it at school you should consider it for your home computer. Here's how the site describes what this file does:

 

"The Hosts file contains the mappings of IP addresses to host names. This file is loaded into memory (cache) at startup, then Windows checks the Hosts file before it queries any DNS servers, which enables it to override addresses in the DNS. This prevents access to the listed sites by redirecting any connection attempts back to the local machine. Another feature of the HOSTS file is its ability to block other applications from connecting to the Internet, providing the entry exists."

 

Read the front page for that hosts file to see more about how it works and what you can do. It's easy. It's free. And it's a HUGE help in the battle against spyware.

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[TIPS] Los Angeles Principal Transforms School

How does it happen that a school can go from being among the worst performers on standardized tests to one of the best? Listen to THIS interview for how it was done in Los Angeles: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=6902582

 

- - -

And, how do you feel about THIS argument regarding "teaching to the tests." It goes something like this:

 

       "We're not teaching to the tests, we're teaching to the standards. Semantics? I don't think so.

 

       "Setting standards for proficiency in various subject areas is NOT a bad thing. In fact, it's a GOOD thing. Wanting them to be proficient in reading and writing and math and science is a GOOD thing. It's necessary, in fact, if we're to expect our kids to compete in a global marketplace. So, the standards are a good thing. Wanting all of our students to be the best they can be is a good thing. We're all changing our curriculums and methods so that our students meet those standards so that they can be the best they can be. How do we KNOW if we've been successful? How do we KNOW if they're achieving the standards? We test them. And, if we expect those test results to truly reflect the student's achievement levels then the students must feel comfortable taking that test. All that means is that those tests must be familiar to them. They must have seen those types of test questions many times bef ore the "big test." So, we test our students OFTEN, using the format of the larger test. Is that teaching to the test? Or is it teaching to the standards and making sure that the tests accurately reflect the achievement levels? Take the NCLB laws out of the picture. Imagine that there IS no NCLB law mandating this. NOW is what we're doing wrong?"

What do you think?

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[TIPS] Descartes - maybe the ONE applet you'll ever need

http://descartes.cnice.mecd.es/ingles/presentacion/El applet Descartes.htm

- - snip - -

Descartes is an applet (a program written in Java) which can be configured. It has been designed to present educational interactive tasks with numbers, functions and graphs. Descartes can be used by creators of educational Web pages as a means of supplementing their material with a wide variety of interactive mathematic models.

Teachers can use Descartes to produce their own interactive Web pages, which cover a wide variety of subject areas within mathematics. For example, the following parabola graph has been created using the Descartes applet.
- - -

A QUICK tutorial

Once the applet loads, click the Config button in the top right corner.
Click the various radio buttons near the top of the resulting window to gain access to the variables and formulas
NOTE the animation button!!

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[TIPS] whiteboard movies for Math

I was directed to this site - http://www.coolschooltools.com/whiteboardmovies.html - from a posting in a discussion thread at Moodle. CoolSchoolTools.com has this section of whiteboard movies. This site lead to this site: http://math247.jot.com/WikiHome . (Note that it's a wiki!) That site lead me to this site: http://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Help:Formula, another wiki which shows the syntax for Tex, the html markup language for making math expressions. That site, in the External Links section, lead me to this site: http://us.metamath.org/symbols/symbols.html, a public domain collection of math symbols in .png and .gif formats for use on web pages. If it's not there, you don't need it!

 

I'm convinced that if we had the time and the (INTENSE) desire, we could start on one web page and follow links and eventually hit every web page out there. :-)

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[TIPS] Skype -> new Internet television project - USATODAY.com

http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/2007-01-16-joost-unveiled_x.htm?csp=34

Don't have Skype yet? Get it! In the meantime, check out the future of your TV.

 

Interestingly, however, I still won't be buying one. TV, that is. Many of you know that I haven't watched TV (save for a handful of recent Steeler playoff and Superbowl games over the years) since 1993. I can't imagine anything that would change to make me want one, either. My philosophy: I can't imagine that when I'm on my deathbed that I'll be saying, "If I had only sat on my butt and watched more tv reality shows ...." :-)

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[TIPS] CLiCk, Speak: A Talking Extension for Firefox

http://clickspeak.clcworld.net/

Thanks to Karen for leaving a comment on the previous tip that pointed me to this site. For those of you who are NOT yet using Firefox, you should consider it, if you're able to install software on your computer. There are tons of extensions that add some VERY cool features to the browser. This is one of those. Simply select some text on the page you're viewing and click the "Speak Selection" button and your computer will read it to you. Available for Mac and Linux users, as well.

 

This is what's so great about this Read-Write web stuff. You say one thing and someone else adds to it or points you in another direction. Are YOU a blog reader? Why not? Join the conversation.

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[TIPS] Cite Bite

Here's a neat little application that you will want to hold onto for when those laptops arrive that your students will be using.

Ever want to send someone to a particular spot on a webpage as opposed to just the top of the page with hopes that they'll find the specific text of interest? Now you can, with CiteBite. Here's an example: http://citebite.com/e7i8s8d7fjdf

Notice that my selected quote is highlighted? Pretty neat, yes?

http://citebite.com/

Notice: I tried this with my blogger blog but it wouldn't allow the page to fully render. I reported the bug to the site owner and he replied back in minutes to say that he would work on making that fix. But, it'll work for the VAST majority of your needs.

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[TIPS] very cool Earth desktop

Thanks to Larry W for sending this my way.

 

http://codefromthe70s.org/desktopearth_dl.asp

 

Remember the NIST site that showed the flattened earth and where the day/night lines were?

 

- - snip - -

 Desktop Earth is a wallpaper generator for Windows. It runs whenever you're logged on and updates your wallpaper with an accurate representation of the Earth as it would be seen from space at that precise moment.

- - -

 

Pretty neat, eh? Yes, I know you can't download or install at school. This would be for your home machine - or if you're a science teacher you might be able to get approved to install it on your teacher's station.

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When is the Right Time to Sell IT Audits and How Do You Do It?

IT audits can offer additional revenue for a systems integration business. Many times professionals in the IT industry think that IT audits are hard to sell. However, two situations can be very conducive to selling IT audits.

Times to Offer IT Audits

1. When a prospect is looking for a new vendor. If a prospect wants to replace a technology provider or replace a vacancy you can sell IT audits fairly easily. Prospects may have had a falling out with someone or had a bad experience that has led them to seek help and support elsewhere. In this situation your prospect probably is not clear on his/her wants needs, and an IT audit can help clarify both. IT audits help you start anew and determine the best approach for a company’s specific IT needs. You already know the prospect is willing to pay for the IT audit because he/she has already paid for IT services in the past. IT audits are merely a natural part of your services.

2. When you’ve just successfully managed a crisis. If you’ve just finished saving the day for a company, you are in a good position to sell IT audits. The customer already thinks you’re great and has shown you that he/she can pay for IT services and is willing to do so. IT audits give you and the new customer a long-term plan. The suggestions will make sense and the customer will be willing to accept your solutions no matter what they cost. An IT audit acts as a tool to get to more long-term services.

IT audits are easy to sell if you offer them at the right time. When people want to replace a provider or have just been led through an emergency, they will be most likely to accept you as a systems expert.

Added By: Computer Consulting 101

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Back to Teaching!

I'm sitting here thinking about the start of the new semester as I return to teaching graduate courses in assistive technology at the College of St. Elizabeth. It is a very exciting time to be in this field and to think about all of the possibilities and how we can assist students with the use of technology. A lot has changed over the years and with more free software and applications that run within the browser students can now have access to tools as long as they have an Internet connection. As I think about the syllabi for the courses that I will be teaching I want to ensure that my students can take advantage of what the web has to offer not only for the students that they work with but for their own professional development. Using tools like Bloglines and Google Reader is one sure way to keep teachers up to date in their field. Using RSS feeds is imperative for any professional in helping to keep abreast in their field. Likewise, their are a host of podcasts and blogs that consistently deliver on content to help them to reflect on their teaching and to give them new ideas to bring into the classroom. Yes the times they are a changing, and for teachers to keep up in their fields they will need to jump on the Internet and learn how to hone and to keep their skills sharp. It should be an exciting semester as I integrate various Internet based projects so that my students can keep on the top of their game.

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Posted in: assistive technology,teaching

Don't Offer Free Phone Support, No Matter What!

Many brand new computer consultants lose money on phone support. They may want to present customers and clients with the best service so they include phone support in service contracts. However, many will give it away for free as a result.

If you’re using an hourly billing rate, your hours spent on phone support need to be handled the same way as on-site time. You will be contacted frequently if you offer phone support and will be dealing with it on a remote basis. Your clients will be able to get you anywhere.

Phone Support Takes Time

Phone support takes a lot of time, and if you are not charging for it, it’s free to clients and will suck valuable profits. No business that wants to survive charges nothing for services. Don’t offer phone support for free, not even if you’re claiming only offer it to good clients or “just this once.”

Free Phone Support Drains Incentive

When you offer phone support for free, you are minimizing the desire among clients to call you for on-site time. Why would a client want to pay you $100 for an on-site visit if they can call you for free? And will the clients that would take advantage of free phone support be good clients for the long term? Eventually, human nature dictates that these types of clients will take advantage of free phone support and drain your funds.

Don’t give away anything for free – not even phone support, which may seem simple. The information you give via phone is as important as on-site work. Giving away phone support for free will not help your business and will not increase loyalty among clients. Even the best clients will abuse free phone support.

Blogged By: Computer Consulting 101

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[TIPS] Two more great writing prompt ideas - and... something VERY COOL!!

Here are two more Ted videos that HAVE to be great writing prompts. They will inspire and haunt the viewer. I'll just betcha your high school kids would enjoy writing/blogging about these two videos.

 

http://www.ted.com/tedtalks/tedtalksplayer.cfm?key=w_davis

- - snip - -

In this stunning talk, National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence Wade Davis celebrates the extraordinary diversity of the world's indigenous cultures, many of which are disappearing, as ancestral land is lost and languages die. (50 percent of the world's 6000 languages are no longer taught to children.) Against a backdrop of extraordinary photos and stories that ignite the imagination, Davis argues that we should be concerned not only for preserving the biosphere, but also the "ethnosphere," which he describes as "the sum total of all thoughts and dreams, myths, ideas, inspirations, intuitions brought into being by the human imagination since the dawn of consciousness." (recorded in 2003)

- - -

 

http://www.ted.com/tedtalks/tedtalksplayer.cfm?key=p_borges

- - snip- -

Photographer Phil Borges displays his stunning portraits, documenting the world's disappearing cultures, from persecuted monks in Tibet to embattled tribes in the Ecuadorian Amazon. He also shares inspiring results from his digital-storytelling workshops, which give indigenous teenagers tools for cultural preservation and self-expression. A former dentist, Phil Borges rediscovered his passion for photography, and spent the last 25 years documenting indigenous cultures around the world.

- - -

 

http://bridgesweb.org/NewFiles/gallery.html -

- - snip - -

Our Mission
BRIDGES to Understanding engages K-12 students worldwide in direct, interactive learning and storytelling to build cross-cultural understanding.

Our Vision
Be recognized as a leader in utilizing engaging, life-changing communication methods to develop mental flexibility and emotional resiliency in students around the world.

---

 

And now for something completely..COOL! http://events.apple.com.edgesuite.net/j47d52oo/event/

Watch the iPhone introduction. 'nough said. Whether you're a Mac user or not, you will have to agree that this little device DOES change everything. The bar has been raised WAY high. See for yourself.

 

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The iPhone - a MUST SEE!

I just finished watching part of Steve Jobs' Keynote at the MacWorld expo in San Francisco. You are NOT GOING TO BELIEVE this iPhone. It TRULY is the future of phones. The discussion on the iPhone starts around the 40 minute mark. Check it out. Unbelievable!!

http://events.apple.com.edgesuite.net/j47d52oo/event/

Oh, long-time subscribers of my tips will recall a video from a short while ago in which the demonstrator showed off a new operating system where he moved things around with his hands, and enlarged then just by touching his pinched fingers to the screen and dragging them open. Here is the practical application of that system.

Education is one of the few things that people are willing to pay for and not get. - William Lowe Bryan

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[TIPS] It's here! It's here! (Plus Online Safety Contest)

No, not the iPhone. (And WHY WHY WHY didn't I buy Apple stock the day before yesterday!!!) No, it's time once again for our quarterly newsletter from the tech department here at the CAIU. As usual, it's very nicely done by Mary Ann Hoff, and I'm not just saying that because of the article, either. :-) Check it out here: http://snipurl.com/1714y

- - Online Safety Contest - -

Thanks to Susan S for sharing this with me. Very timely, too. Attorney General Tom Corbett's website is another grat place to start when looking for information about online safety. But now he's announcing a contest, "Operation Safe Surf", a high school VIDEO contest. Students are to create a short video as a Public Service Announcement. There will be nine regional semi-finalists with the top three being chosen by online voting by the public. Great prizes, too. The winning video will be shown as a Public Service announcement on PA TV stations.

Having hosted regional computer fairs in the past I've seen some AMAZING videos done by our students. Put them on this and watch them shine! But don't delay. Deadline for entry is March 5, 2007.

Send this email to every PA teacher you know who teaches in this area. Here's the contest information: http://www.attorneygeneral.gov/kidsparents.aspx?id=1560

Good luck!

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[TIPS] Advice on Blogger for Word

For the last couple of years I've been occasionally using a Microsoft Word add-on called Blogger for Word. It was great! I could write a blog post in Word and with one click post it to my Blogger blog. Today, however, I opened Word for the first time since I updated my blog to version 2. C-R-A-S-H!!! Down went Word. Crash and burn! It was so bad I had to use the Detect and Repair (and find the cd to complete the process) to fix it. According to the error report, it was the BLogger for Word that caused the crash.

So, this is a heads up. If YOU use that neat little add-on for Word, either don't update your Blogger blog to version 2, or Uninstall that add-on FIRST.

Oh, and according to the website, they don't know if they'll make a version that will work with the new Blogger or not.

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[TIPS] Teaching the Civil War with Technology

http://www.littlestregular.com/blog/blog.html

Here's an interesting blog. Teaching the Civil War with Technology. I'm thinking that those Social Studies teachers who are fortunate enough to have (occasional) access to a computer lab or mobile cart may want to check this out. Lots of good links on the right side, as well.

 

- - - bonus - - -

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=6732411

 

Why memorize for the SAT's when you can ROCK! Click the Listen To button at the top of the article.

 

 

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When Starting a New Business, What People Do You Tell, and in What Way?

The process of starting a new business is difficult, and finding paying clients can be a real challenge. No one will know you are starting a new business if you don’t announce it to them, so you have to start spreading the word immediately.

Tips for Telling the Community about Your New Business

1. Get at least 50 people on your contact list to tell.

2. Start with family members not in your immediate family, including cousins, aunts, uncles, grandparents, nephews, sister in-laws, etc.

3. Tell people in your immediate circle of friends you are starting a new business.

4. Think about where you spend your money. The people you should tell you are starting a new business should ideally be those capable of returning the favor. Look at your credit card statements and bank statements and think about people you send money to on a personal basis each month: accountants; attorneys; cleaning services; babysitters; contractors; doctors; dentists; hairdressers; repair people; insurance agents; tutors; veterinarians.

5. Your list will be longer than the above, but these tips can help you get a start on the number of people you need to tell you are starting a new business.

6. Each time you do business with companies that give you a direct contact with an owner, manager or other major decision-maker tell these people personally you are starting a new business. Visit them, call them or send them an email.

7. When you pay a bill to a local company, include a business card to efficiently tell them you are starting a new business.

8. When you get phone solicitations, don’t let the caller go. Tell the person you don’t need their services at the moment, but that you will hold onto information. Then tell them you are starting a new business and try to get a referral.

When starting a new business you need to be prepared to state your presence in the community loudly. Think of everyone you know and begin the process of telling each person about your new business.

Blogged By: Joshua Feinberg

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When Starting a New Business, What People Do You Tell, and in What Way?

The process of starting a new business is difficult, and finding paying clients can be a real challenge. No one will know you are starting a new business if you don’t announce it to them, so you have to start spreading the word immediately.

Tips for Telling the Community about Your New Business

1. Get at least 50 people on your contact list to tell.

2. Start with family members not in your immediate family, including cousins, aunts, uncles, grandparents, nephews, sister in-laws, etc.

3. Tell people in your immediate circle of friends you are starting a new business.

4. Think about where you spend your money. The people you should tell you are starting a new business should ideally be those capable of returning the favor. Look at your credit card statements and bank statements and think about people you send money to on a personal basis each month: accountants; attorneys; cleaning services; babysitters; contractors; doctors; dentists; hairdressers; repair people; insurance agents; tutors; veterinarians.

5. Your list will be longer than the above, but these tips can help you get a start on the number of people you need to tell you are starting a new business.

6. Each time you do business with companies that give you a direct contact with an owner, manager or other major decision-maker tell these people personally you are starting a new business. Visit them, call them or send them an email.

7. When you pay a bill to a local company, include a business card to efficiently tell them you are starting a new business.

8. When you get phone solicitations, don’t let the caller go. Tell the person you don’t need their services at the moment, but that you will hold onto information. Then tell them you are starting a new business and try to get a referral.

When starting a new business you need to be prepared to state your presence in the community loudly. Think of everyone you know and begin the process of telling each person about your new business.

Blogged By: Joshua Feinberg

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Did Viking Probes Find Life on Mars?

A geology professor argues that the Viking landers dispatched to Mars 30 years ago might have found life on that planet, contrary to reports at the time... but that we didn't recognize it for what it was.

Dirk Schulze-Makuch of Washington State University has presented a theory that when the Viking landers tested for signs of life on Mars in the 1970s, they were searching for salt-water-based life, when in fact life on Mars was more likely to be based on hydrogen peroxide. Moreover, the experiments Viking performed would have likely killed any life forms that they encountered.

The theory is currently unprovable, but it points to a persistent problem we face as we search for life on other worlds -- that is, using our Earth-bound assumptions to identify alien life forms.

Source: CNN.com

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When Starting a New Business, What People Do You Tell, and in What Way?

The process of starting a new business is difficult, and finding paying clients can be a real challenge. No one will know you are starting a new business if you don’t announce it to them, so you have to start spreading the word immediately.

Tips for Telling the Community about Your New Business

1. Get at least 50 people on your contact list to tell.

2. Start with family members not in your immediate family, including cousins, aunts, uncles, grandparents, nephews, sister in-laws, etc.

3. Tell people in your immediate circle of friends you are starting a new business.

4. Think about where you spend your money. The people you should tell you are starting a new business should ideally be those capable of returning the favor. Look at your credit card statements and bank statements and think about people you send money to on a personal basis each month: accountants; attorneys; cleaning services; babysitters; contractors; doctors; dentists; hairdressers; repair people; insurance agents; tutors; veterinarians.

5. Your list will be longer than the above, but these tips can help you get a start on the number of people you need to tell you are starting a new business.

6. Each time you do business with companies that give you a direct contact with an owner, manager or other major decision-maker tell these people personally you are starting a new business. Visit them, call them or send them an email.

7. When you pay a bill to a local company, include a business card to efficiently tell them you are starting a new business.

8. When you get phone solicitations, don’t let the caller go. Tell the person you don’t need their services at the moment, but that you will hold onto information. Then tell them you are starting a new business and try to get a referral.

When starting a new business you need to be prepared to state your presence in the community loudly. Think of everyone you know and begin the process of telling each person about your new business.

Blogged By: Joshua Feinberg

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Energy 2020

A nonprofit technology think tank called the Lifeboat Foundation has issued a energy futures report, "Energy 2020: A Vision of the Future." It's a scenario of the state of global energy 13 years from now, in which "world population has grown to 7.5 billion people, the global economy is approaching $80 trillion, and the wireless Internet 4.0 is now connecting almost half of humanity."

The scenario is optimistic, citing new technologies that will provide sustainable, clean energy from a variety of sources, including solar, wind, clean-burning coal, biodiesel, hydrogen fuel cells, giant satellites that beam solar energy back to Earth, and ethanol from plant waste and genetically engineered bacteria, with their share overtaking conventional fossil fuels and nuclear power. In 2020, technology also supports conservation, allowing more power to be derived from less fuel, and ensuring a steady supply through a global energy consortium.

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RFID "Tagged" Neighborhood Piloted in Tokyo

In what could be a model for RFID and ubiquitous computing, a network of 10,000 RFID tags is being piloted in Tokyo's Ginza shopping district, allowing shoppers with prototype readers to get information about stores and restaurants electronically.

The network will aid in navigation, locating establishments and getting details about them (for instance, being able to see a menu and daily specials of a restaurant one is walking past). The system will provide information in Japanese, English, Chinese and Korean.

The pilot will run from late January through March, and is sponsored by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport.

Source: Computerworld

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[TIPS] 22nd Century - cyborgs! And Geographic web in GE

http://www.pbs.org/22ndcentury/story_telepathic.html

Here are four stories that are sure to have you pondering the future of computers. Years ago (1974!!!) we were introduced to the Six Million Dollar Man who had bionic... everything, it seemed. Then the Bionic Woman and RoboCop. Then, in the 1990's we met the cyborg race of people. "You will be assimilated."

 

The above site is a series of four short videos about people with computers in their brain, or eyes, or ears... well, you'll see. Project this out 5 more years. Ten more. Fifty more! Sound like a writing prompt to you?

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And, check out this article in TechCrunch: http://snipurl.com/16vd8. If you're a Google Earth fan then this will interest you. It's a mashup with Google Earth, Wikipedia, and Panoramio. Looks very cool.

"As you zoom into a specific location, you can see place marks of points of interest, user-generated photos, and selected Wikipedia articles."

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For those of you who have actually visited my blog, I've changed to a new template. The new system in Blogger makes it VERY easy to add links and coding. I put everything back how it was, but the options exist to really customize it. Let me know what you think of the change.

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Computer Service Contracts Can Provide Benefits to All Your Clients

Computer service contracts can provide as many benefits to your client as they can to you. Part of your job as a computer consulting professional is to inform clients about the many benefits to them of computer service contracts. If you can clarify benefits of computer service contracts, you can get clients to sign up for them.

Benefits to Clients of Signing Computer Service Contracts

1. Computer service contracts give clients dependable and consistent service when they need it. A computer service contract is an insurance policy that allows you to cover important needs and provide peace of mind.

2. Clients involved in computer service contracts own part of your business. While you are shared amongst many other local businesses, each client can count on you as he/she would a technology staff member.

3. Nothing gives a client peace of mind like a computer service contract. Computer service contracts commit you to a long-term availability for a long period of time.

4. Computer service contracts allow you to offer discounted hourly billing rates and waive premiums, surcharges and fees to offer lower billing minimums to clients.

5. Clients involved in computer service contracts get priority in terms of response time and scheduling.

6. Computer service contracts allow clients to get a range of virtual IT services and perks you are able to offer because of your relationships with other businesses in the area. Long-term loyal clients will get special benefits.

Computer service contracts present endless opportunities for both you and your clients and require no hard selling. If you present information clearly to clients, the benefits of computer service contracts will be obvious.

Blogged By: Computer Consulting KitComputer

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Giving Brains to the Boob Tube

With the advent of devices that allow PCs to converge with televisions, TV watching is taking on a whole new dimension. Connecting PCs to TV sets is nothing new, but so-called "media adapters" will allow TVs to network wirelessly to PCs or laptops, so a viewer can easily access video, music or photos stored on the computer. The adapters, many of which are debuting at this month's Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, will retail for between $200 and $300, and can transmit data at speeds up to 100 megabits per second.

Even when they reach electronics stores, many media adapters will appeal primarily to early adopters who have the very latest in broadband networking in their home. Some models are designed to operate on "powerline networks," which use a building's existing electrical wiring for data transmission.

Source: MIT Technology Review

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Bill Gates Predicts a Robotic Explosion

The world is on the verge of an explosion in robot innovation, says Microsoft's Bill Gates. In an essay in Scientific American, he compares the robotics industry to the state of the personal computer industry in the mid-1970s, when he co-founded his landmark software company.

In Gates' vision, common household tasks will one day all be performed robotically, and controllable remotely via the Web, so a homeowner can complete chores while at work. "Companionbots" will help care for the elderly and disabled, monitoring their health and administering medicine.

Despite problems in getting robots to perform tasks that humans take for granted, Gates can "envision a future in which robotic devices will become a nearly ubiquitous part of our day-to-day lives." He cites recent advances in robotics, lowered costs of sensors and memory, as well as the need for standardized development tools (which Microsoft is beginning to develop).

Source: The Guardian International

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[TIPS] two more writing prompt ideas - plus old magazines

http://www.ted.com/tedtalks/ - (Yes, I do love this site!)

 

Here's another great writing prompt for your upper grade Sociology classes. Bjorn Lomborg's talk, "You're Worrying About The Wrong Problem" is quite interesting. He does tend to repeat himself a bit, but the basis for his talk is quite interesting, I think. If you had to prioritize the world's problems and then invest $50 billion in those problems where you would get the most bang for your buck, which would be your top four? Fighting poverty? Global warming? Aids? His answer may surprise you and may also be an excellent writing prompt for your students who watch this 18 minute video.

 

The second video is of Robert Neuwirth, author of "Shadow Cities", those squatter cities that lie in the shadows of the larger cities of the world that are home to a BILLION people. See if his talk doesn't also give your students fuel for some very good writing. Real world scenarios, don't y' know.

 

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Finally, this site came across another listserv this morning. (Thanks Steve) http://www.oldmagazinearticles.com/  Old magazines with articles scanned into pdf formats. What fun to go back and look at those. I'll bet THEY would be great for writing prompts, as well. Check out this description of one article I found:

 

Germany Defends It's Military Build Up (The Literary Digest, 1913)

A defense was offered for the growth of German military expenditures based on the spread of "Slavik pride" and the rise of a "great Pan-Slavonic movement" due to "victory of their kinsmen in the Balkans". German leaders, furthermore, felt a deep uneasiness about the fact that about one-third of the population of the Hapsburg Monarchy consisted of Slavs and therefore felt that military aid from the Austro-Hungarian Empire was not guaranteed in the event of a war with Russia and France. KEY WORDS: The Balkan War and the Kaiser, German Military Build-Up, German Military Expansion, the German Government and It's Austrian Ally in 1913, Alliance Between Austria and Germany, Germany and Serbia, German Fear of Slavs in 1913, Slavs and the Hapsburg Empire, Slavs and the Austro-Hungarian Empir e.

 

 

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Posted in: writing

2006 Another Weak Year for Albums, Movie Theatres

The migration of music fans from "hard" media to cyberspace continued in 2006, in which, according to the RIAA, only 406 albums were certified gold, platinum or multiplatinum -- the lowest number since 1990 (the number of hit albums selling 500,000 or more copies peaked in 1999). Additionally, Nielsen states that while sales of online digital music rose by 65% in 2006, sales of albums fell 5% overall, and sales of new releases fell by 9%.

Surprisingly, Nielsen also reveals that the fastest growing music category is classical. Chris Anderson theorizes that this reflects pent-up demand from a traditionally underserved audience.

Theatrical releases of movies fared somewhat better in '06, but not much. Despite several blockbuster movie releases, the number of tickets sold rose only 1% over 2005, and revenue was up only 4%. According to the Hollywood Reporter, average opening-weekend grosses fell in 2006 by $700,000. Anderson notes that movie ticket sales have been declining more or less steadily since 2002-2004, which were "the last good years before the DVD/home theater boom fragmented the audience even more than VHS had before."

Source: The Long Tail

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[TIPS] Moon atlas, inspirational movie, and cybercrime - oh my!

How about an interactive map of the moon for your science teachers? It's here: http://www.lunarrepublic.com/atlas/index.shtml Pretty cool.

Then, I've had this bookmarked (Couros Blog) to watch for some time (October 20th) but just got around to watching it now. If it doesn't bring a tear to YOUR eye, too, then I'll be quite surprised. http://educationaltechnology.ca/couros/570

Finally, have you noticed an increase in the amount of SPAM getting through to your computer? So has everyone else. This article talks about the increase in criminal activity online, and the rise in SPAM.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/12/26/AR2006122600922.html

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New Toyota Models to Detect, Thwart Drunk Drivers

Toyota is developing a system for its cars that will allow them to shut down if they detect signs of excessive alcohol consumption by drivers. The system includes sweat sensors in the steering wheel, a camera that checks pupil focus, and a mechanism that detects unsteady steering.

Toyota hopes to offer these features in its 2009 or 2010 models. Another Japanese automaker, Nissan, is also developing anti-drunk-driver devices.

Source: New York Times

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Majority of Humans Living in Cities

Historically, humans have been country-dwellers, with the vast majority living in rural areas. But now, according to the UN Population Fund, half of all humans live in cities and towns. Within 25 years, that number will rise to 60%, with most of this shift occurring in developing countries -- posing an assortment of sanitation, transportation and other problems.

Source: The Independent

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[TIPS] Designing Worthwhile PBL Projects - and more

http://www.edutopia.org/1723

There are high school projects and there are high school projects. This three part article (the links to the other parts are on the right side) helps to demonstrate how to make a quality project worthy of 17 and 18 yr old students. Very well done, I thought.

 

 - - - Did you hear? - - -

Did you hear or read about Oprah's new school? http://snipurl.com/16fx7 This year, 300 girls (I believe that's what I heard) will enter this school as 7th and 8th graders. I heard some of them speak this morning on Morning Edition, and not one of them used the word 'like' even once! Imagine!  :-) These girls are from the poorest of the poor areas of South Africa and each and every one of them wants to change the world.

 

Why do I mention this? Three hundred more "hungry" kids  (remember that 5 part series?) have just entered the race, that's why. We MUST somehow make our students aware of the HUGE importance of this race and get them motivated. As I keep saying,

http://www.geogreeting.com/view.html?ziOofRAy+cBwuwU$98yz (Thanks to Karl Fisch for first alerting me to this very cool mashup)

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Meebo

If you use Instant Messaging then you must take a look at Meebo. Meebo makes it easy to launch any of your IM accounts right from within the browser. So if you have collected a slew of IM accounts then you should take look how easy it is to start IMing by launching a browser and going to Meebo. It will certainly make your life easier. If you use Meebo then you may want to consider placing a Meebo IM widget on your website. Take look at the widget in this post to see what I mean. If I sign on to Meebo then anyone can message me. It makes it easy for anyone to contact you. Give it a try and let me know what you think.

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Overcome Client Objections by Making the Client Do the Work

In order to overcome client objections, you need to ask specific questions to lead them to the decision that an IT audit is in their best interest. By giving the power to the client, you are making him/her the way to overcome client objections.

You need to get your clients to see how important your solution is when overcoming objections. This is achieved by asking questions that will make them see on their own the importance of IT audits to their businesses.

A Series of Questions to Ask to Overcome Objections

1. When were the majority of your systems installed?

2. How long ago were your systems installed and who installed them?

3. Is the person that installed your systems still working with you for maintenance?

The above questions will get clients thinking about overcoming their objections. They will realize the actual length of time that has passed since the systems were installed and might even realize they haven’t been very diligent about maintenance.

More Questions to Help Overcome Client Objections: Maintenance

1. What kind of maintenance do you receive and how often is it completed?

2. Do you have a log that tracks maintenance activities and support requests?

3. Do you have a history of support of copies of previous invoices for support?

Typically, these questions will make clients realize how disorganized they have been about keeping track of maintenance for important equipment and systems.

The Final Stage of Overcoming Client Objections

To overcome client objections and sell your services, you need to ask about the number of people that have been involved with the system throughout its history. A typical sweet spot small business client will typically have had three to five different companies involved in support over the past few years. A lack of centralized, single support will mean extreme disorganization of paperwork and will make the final stage of overcoming client objections easy.

If you can make the client think he/she has control over the destiny of his business with IT audits, you will be successful at overcoming client objections. The client will be more likely to fully understand the need to have regular organized IT support if he/she can see the benefits and errors of past ways.

Blogged By: Computer Consulting 101

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