Latest Computer Consulting Casualty: IDG Drops Boston Macworld

It’s always sad to see familiar faces, companies, and organizations disappear from the computer consulting industry.But what about when an entire trade show, long popular with Apple-niched computer consulting business owners, drops off the face of the earth?Last month, IDG decided to pull the drop on its annual Boston Macworld trade show.You can read about why the whole Macintosh computer consulting World just got a little sadder from this article in The Boston Globe:IDG drops Boston Macworld (Once-popular trade show falls victim to Apple's decision to end its participation)RIP Boston Macworld.Posted on behalf of Joshua Feinberg for the Computer Consulting 101 Professional Kit (...

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[TIPS] - physics flash animations and a bonus

http://faraday.physics.utoronto.ca/GeneralInterest/Harrison/Flash/   Pass this one along to your favorite physics teacher. (I'm assuming you're not doing physics with your 3rd graders. :-)  )   —--------------------------------- And now, something for the rest of us non-physics teachers: http://www.enchantedlearning.com/Home.html   LOTS of things to do with the younger students. And I DO mean LOT...

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The Portable Doctor

Samsung is developing a fourth generation (4G) mobile device that can function as a "portable doctor," checking a user's vital signs and communicating with a physician via a translation function.The device would likely be marketed to frequent travelers, those in remote and rural areas, and military and emergency response personnel. With data speeds between 100 Mbps and 1 Gbps, the device can transmit enough sound, video and other data allow a physician to make a full diagnosis of a patient.Samsung hopes to make the device available by 2009, though its marketability will largely depend upon the adoption of 4G. Security and medical licensure issues will also need to be resolved before the "portable doctor" is ready to see you.Source: Korea Ti...

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Wal-Mart RFID Tags Starting to Pay Off

Through its widely-touted implementation of radio frequency identification (RFID) tags, Wal-Mart has been able to reduce out-of-stock merchandise by 16% over the past year, and can restock tagged merchandise three times faster than non-tagged items.Currently, 130 major suppliers tag their products to Wal-Mart's specifications, and another 200 are expected to come online by January.Wal-Mart's success -- coupled with the falling cost of tags -- will almost certainly ensure adoption of RFID by other retailers. This payoff, though, is not without controversy. Critics have protested, in particular, Wal-Mart's practice of tagging computer equipment, and privacy fears about RFID in general appear to be gaining momentum.Source: Wi...

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Computer Consulting 101 Secrets to Getting More Bigger and Better Clients

How Your Computer Consulting Firm Can Get More New Bigger And Better Consulting ClientsWould you like to know EXACTLY how you can get more new bigger and better small business IT clients for your computer consulting business?The opportunities to get these new clients exist, no matter where you're located. It's true... even computer consulting businesses that are in sparsely-populated rural areas are getting bigger and better new consulting clients. It's happening all over the place, at record paces, it seems.If you know where to look and how to structure your computer consulting engagements, you'll know EXACTLY how to get these bigger and better small business clients on YOUR company's steady clients list.Stop settling for mediocrity in your computer consulting business and get the new bigger...

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[TIPS] - two sites from West Perry

I'm going to send this along just as I received it. Make sure your Art teachers see this! (Thanks to Dave B for sharing this resource)—--------------------Two items.1. I thought you might be interested in spreading the word onhttp://www.webenglishteacher.com/ It's a great site for English teachers.2. I actually found the following website on webenglishteacher.comhttp://thememoryproject.org/The Memory Project essentially connects high school students in the U.S. withchildren from an impoverished country (currently Uganda). What thisorganization does is send a photograph of one of these children to the U.S.students who then create an artistic representation of the child which isreturned to the child. The artwork is to serve as a happy memory for thesechildren who are forced to live the...

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The Best Experiences Money Can Buy

Need a holiday gift for the man or woman who has everything? Instead of falling back on the candy that won't be eaten, the gadget that will be broken or lost, or the sweater that will be regifted, give them an experience they'll never forget.The retail trendwatching firm Springwise has zeroed in on the trend toward "experience stores," cropping up precisely because, in our affluent economy and a $250 billion-a-year gift-giving market, we're simply running out of clever stuff to give to each other (or ourselves).Simply purchase a gift card or certificate for the experience of your choice, whether it be hypnosis, personal fitness training, make-up instruction, floral arrangement, an arts-and-crafts activity, or a glamour photo shoot. Experiences are available for all interests and budgets, but...

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[TIPS] - Halloween site and a bonus

Thanks to Kevin H for sharing this one. A fun halloween puzzle site. Solve the interactive (Flash) puzzles (with little help from directions) to receive a secret message. Fun for lots of ages. www.nasakids.com/events/halloween/halloween2002.asp Click on the front gate and have fun!Bonus: Several people have asked me to repeat the tip about how to get Adobe Acrobat Reader to boot faster. Here's a URL for the information you're after: http://blogs.msdn.com/jonathanh/archive/2004/12/22/330288.aspx...

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TIPS - Photoshop tutorials

http://www.lunacore.com/photoshop/tutorials/tutorials.shtml   Photoshop is a heavy duty photo editing application used by professionals around the planet. It does it all. The trouble is it's got a major learning curve to it. This site offers some very nice tutorials on how to use some of the many tools to do some very practical things.   What? You don't have Photoshop? Too expensive, you say? Agreed. So, get this FREE, Open Source version instead. http://plasticbugs.com/?page_id=294 (Mac version there, as well!) —- A reminder - you can find an archive of these tips dating back to May at my blog, http://tipline.blogspot.com...

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Computer Consulting 101 Professional Kit Reviews and Opinions

============================"...paid for itself in just one day..." - "Being a typical cynical IT business owner, I was doubtful that any program could help us solve our various IT sales and marketing challenges. However, I still read Joshua Feinberg's basic prospecting report. And just by reading this report, I realized that Mr. Feinberg knew exactly what he was talking about. I then went on to order his complete Computer Consulting 101 Professional Kit. We immediately put it into action at our company. Within 10 days, we already have a noticeable difference in our business. Now I will even go on record to say that this package paid for itself...

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Report: Nearly All Foods to Have RFID Tags by 2015

Within a decade, the majority of food items worldwide will be tracked in some manner through radio frequency identification (RFID) tags.According to a report titled Food and Livestock Traceability, 900 billion food items and 824 million livestock could be tagged by 2015. Aside from economic and logistical benefits, the main drivers for tagging will be enduring the safety of the food supply, whether from organic threats such as diseases, or from terroristic sabotage. The full report is summarized (and can be purchased) here.Source: WiseMarketer....

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[TIPS] - Poverty Facts

Not for the younger crowd, for sure, but this site ought to spark some sort of discussions with the older students:  http://www.globalissues.org/TradeRelated/Facts.aspFor example: Half the world — nearly three billion people — live on less than two dollars a day.   Now, let's take a few minutes to count our blessings....

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China as Flu Incubator

Fareed Zakaria of Newsweek wonders if the growth and increased global influence of China will open the world up to greater risk of flu pandemics:The basic factor that is fueling this surge of viruses is China's growth. (China is the natural habitat of the influenza virus.) As China develops, it urbanizes, and its forests and wetlands shrink. That forces migratory birds to gather closer together—and closer to human habitation—which increases the chances of a virus spreading from one species to the next. Also, growth means a huge rise in chicken consumption. Across thousands of homes in China every day, chickens are slaughtered in highly unhygienic ways.Not to mention increased air travel to and from China, allowing an infectious strain to spread around the world literally within hours.Zakaria...

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And You Think YOUR Computer Consulting Clients Are the Biggest SOB’s?!?

Have you ever met what you thought was THE computer consulting client from hell?Well guess again.Check out what happened when Christine Conlon, owner of Endeavour Enterprise in the Rochester, New York area, sold a large computer consulting contract to a local school district.Computer consultant contracts defendedAttorney says $721,100 worth of work for schools rightly awardedRochester Democrat and ChronicleNote: I'm not taking sides here, but you should think about situations like this the next time you wonder if the grass is "greener" when selling a $25,000 LAN to a local small business... or trying to land a multi six-figure project with a government agency or school district.Posted by Joshua Feinberg for the Computer Consulting 101 Professional Kit (...

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[TIPS] - crime scene webquest

With all the attention on the CSI TV series nowadays many teachers have wished for a science course, or a math course that would be delivered in that same fashion. Solve the crime using what you've learned.   Well, here is a webquest that tries to do that very thing. Does it give you any ideas?    http://www.msu.edu/~reethskr/myweb/gwq/cover_page....

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The Politics of Pets

As our pets become an increasingly important part of our lives, politicians will need to take into account the needs of pets and their owners, factoring pet issues into regional and national policy.Adding to the litany of things that Hurricane Katrina may have permanently changed, disaster planners need to develop contingency plans for allowing evacuated pet owners to take their pets with them, and for helping petowners care for their animals during emergencies. One insight from Katrina was the many Gulf Coast residents who stayed put during the storm because they refused to leave their pets behind.Extending this line of thought, pet policies could even become pivotal in close political contests. Pets don't vote, but their owners do, and they might, for example, get behind the candidate who...

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Americans are Drinking Healthier

Bottled water is America's most popular drink, according to a recent survey by the American Institute for Cancer Research. Asked which beverage they consumed daily, those surveyed said bottled water, along with soda (formerly the leader), milk, coffee and fruit juice, in that order. Beer, liquor and cocktails ranked near the bottom of the survey.In another blow to non-healthy drinks, the Center for Science in the Public Interest (best known for its campaigns against fattening foods) is urging the government to require obesity warning labels on sugar-laden beverages. Currently, there's no indication that their idea will become law anytime soon.Source: Men's Hea...

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Web 2.0: The Subtle Bubble

A couple of weeks ago we explored how Web 2.0 is the new hype du jour, and asked whether it represented a more mature version of the Internet or just another bubble. Now, Umair Hague of the aptly-named Bubblegeneration blog worries that Web 2.0 is taking on too many of the characteristics of the late '90s dotcom boom. For example, he notes how many startups are focusing on getting acquired by big players like Yahoo and Google rather than building something more substantive:I think these [acquisitions] are kind of the wrong incentives for entrepreneurs. What made the Valley cool was it's refusal to think small, and do truly disruptive things. But getting a small change acquisition to essentially extend a Yahoo/Google/etc product line sets incentives for incremental, not disruptive, innovations...

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Computer Consulting 101 Professional Kit : Is it worth it?

If you're considering the Computer Consulting 101 Professional Kit, you may be wondering when you can benefit from these training tools… i.e. what level of computer consulting experience do you need to have to get value from the Computer Consulting 101 Professional Kit?Since it's one of the more commonly-heard questions here at Computer Consulting 101 ("When can you benefit"), let me go ahead and address this for you.About 1/3 of Computer Consulting 101 Professional Kit owners are total complete beginners to computer consulting. In many cases, these folks are still working a "day job"… most of the time in some corporate IT position… and are learning the Computer Consulting 101 way of doing things in preparation for when they make a career transition to entrepreneurship.Sometimes, these beginners...

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Could Machines Compete with People for Food Supply?

At first blush, biofuels made from vegetable oils seem like the ideal renewable, eco-friendly solution to the world's energy needs. But an unintended consequence of using these oils for fuel could be food shortages and higher food prices. Already in Europe, rapeseed oil that's used to create diesel fuel is in short supply, and prices have soared since September.The supply squeeze will affect foods that use rapeseed oil, such as margarine, mayonnaise, salad dressings and some chocolates. Although food industry representatives in the EU are urging fuel producers to switch to non-edible vegetable oils (or perhaps recycling discarded cooking oil, as has been done experimentally), soy and palm oil supplies could be similarly impacted by biofuel use. Some food manufacturers are switching to...

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Buckypaper: Strong, Light and Flexible

What are the uses of a material that is 250 times stronger than steel, yet 10 times lighter, and highly conductive of heat and electricity? The applications could fill a book -- or a blog -- which is why a Florida State University research group is devoting time and effort to research the potential of "buckypaper."So named because it is made of nanotubes of Buckminsterfullerene (a.k.a. buckyballs or carbon 60), buckypaper could be used to create flexible video displays (e-paper at last?), lightning-proof exteriors for airplanes and other structures, armor that's invisible to radar, and electronics that are smaller and more rugged than anything currently in existence.Buckypaper has displayed such potential that the FSU project, led by recognized nanomaterials expert Ben Wang, has received...

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Kurzweil and Joy on the 1918 Flu Genome

The other day, noted futurists Ray Kurzweil and Bill Joy published an article in the New York Times sharply criticizing the decision by the US Department of Health and Human Services to publish the full genome of the 1918 influenza virus:This is extremely foolish. The genome is essentially the design of a weapon of mass destruction. No responsible scientist would advocate publishing precise designs for an atomic bomb, and ... revealing the sequence for the flu virus is even more dangerous.The article has generated controversy, as many have come to the defense of HHS and claimed that open access to such information is less of a security threat than a crucial tool for building defenses against viruses. Writes Jamais Casico in WorldChanging:Open access to this kind of information is of much...

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[TIPS] - unique numbers

What is unique about the number 1? How about the number 2? Or 15, or 26, or... You get the idea. This site tells you what's unique about most of the numbers between 0 and 9999. I'll bet you math teachers can have some fun with this site.   Did you know that the number 9973, for example, is the largest 4 digit prime number? Or the number 9841 is 111111111 in base 3. (Now THERE is a bit of trivia that will separate you from the masses, eh?)    http://www.stetson.edu/~efriedma/numbers.h...

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Two New Computer Consulting 101 Articles from Joshua Feinberg

Overcoming Small Business Networks Sales Objections Learn how you can overcome the most common sales objections heard when selling networks to small business prospects, customers, and clients. Part 1 Part 2Computer Consulting Profit Secrets You’ll learn 7 profit secrets and strategies you can use in your computer consulting business, to ensure that you are able to balance your clients' small business IT needs against your own computer consulting company's profitability challenges.Posted by Joshua Feinberg for the Computer Consulting 101 Professional Kit (...

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[TIPS] - Internet Tools for Teachers - a TON!

http://www.internet4classrooms.com/teachertools.htm   This site has links to tons of places where you can go to find just about anything you'd want or need for your classroom. Check it out. Bookmark it.   When you've bookmarked this particular page, click on the i4c logo in the top left corner to get back to their home page. They've done a fine job in collecting links for teachers....

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RegularGuy Computer Consulting and the Fonality IP-PBX

Does your computer consulting business sell and service IP based phone systems?Here’s an interesting press release that I came across that talks about Fonality, who makes IP-PBX systems for small businesses (SMB’s) and some its resellers likeRegularGuy Computer Consulting… a Washington state-based technology provider to small and medium size businesses (SMBs) in Colorado, Idaho, Oregon and Washington.Assemble Communications, an international communications company, with offices in North Carolina, Texas, South Africa and Singapore, providing data and voice services to residential and SMB customers.NTouch (Austin, Texas), that provides telecommunications and IT products and services for SMBs through computer resellers and IT service providers.US Network Management (West Palm Beach, Florida),...

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Redrawing the Map into "Spheres of Influence"

The CommonCensus Map Project is using a web-based survey to literally redraw the map of the US. The project uses "spheres of influence" among major cities to distinguish regions that transcend traditional state boundaries.Relying on the "wisdom of crowds," the map continually changes based on input from visitors to the CommonCensus site. Visitors are asked where they live, and then are asked to choose a city that has the most influence over their region. For instance, I live in southern New Jersey, which strongly identifies with Philadelphia (as opposed to northern New Jersey, which identifies with New York City). Not surprisingly, CommonCensus...

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[TIPS] - converting dates in Excel

Suppose you've got a date field that displays the date as, "10/19/2005" and you need it to be 10192005 - without the slashes. Can it be done? You betcha.   Select the cell (or the entire column) and choose Format>Format Cells. From the list of formats in the General tab, choose Custom. In the field on the right (above the large list of formats) enter mmddyyyy Click OK to get back out.   dates such as 7/4/1995 will now show up as 07041995. —---------------------------- Strange tip, eh? Well, this is a result of a phonecall from someone who was working with the PSSA data (I think ) and needed to make this very conversion.   For the rest of you, how about this fun game about Nutrition? http://www.mypyramid.gov/kids/kids_game.html# &nb...

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You Hand Us Your Old CDs... We'll Do the Rest

The rise of iPods and MP3s are leading to some interesting new business models, with music download sites representing just the start.Are you one of those folks who has a huge collection of music CDs but no time to copy them to your new digital music player? If so, Riptopia may be the service for you.Actually, Riptopia offers two distinct services. You can ship them your old CDs, and they'll return them to you, along with a CD of your favorite songs in MP3 format. Or, you can purchase an iPod preloaded with music of your choice, for about $1 a CD plus the cost of the device.Like services that copy your old home videotapes to DVDs, Riptopia serves an important transitory niche for new, disruptive technologies. A hallmark of such technology is that they are so different from what came before...

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Save Endangered Animals -- Use Viagra!

A curious study on the use of Viagra in China (conducted by Pfizer, Viagra's manufacturer) has found an interesting benefit to the drug. No, not that benefit! The study found that the use of modern erectile dysfunction drugs in traditional cultures decreases in the use of endangered species for making impotence medicines. The body parts of seals, tigers and reindeer have all been used for this purpose.Source: WorldChang...

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Proposed UK ID Cards Have Security Holes

As the UK considers implementing national electronic identification cards, Microsoft's top UK security person, Jerry Fishenden, says that the proposed system could lead to "huge potential breaches" and compromising of personal information."I have concerns with the current architecture and the way it looks at aggregating so much personal information and biometrics in a single place. There are better ways of doing this. Even the biometrics industry says it is better to have biometrics stored locally."Fishenden also accuses many of the vendors working on the project of keeping quiet about security flaws as they have a potentially huge stake in it. Security of a national ID system is a major concern, as many countries (for better or for worse) may move to such a system someday... possibly placing...

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"Mommy Track" Poses Challenges for Women, Employers

For the past several years, increasing numbers of professional women have been choosing to take breaks from their careers to raise their children. This is becoming a noticeable problem in fields that are experiencing labor shortages, such as in healthcare.Problems also arise when these women re-enter the workforce. According to a survey by the Forte Foundation, women re-entering the workforce have trouble finding jobs and pay scales equivalent to what they had before they left. The survey also found that these women often preferred fewer hours and lighter workloads. At a time when widespread labor shortages are forecast for the next several years, employers may need to be extra creative if they plan to attract and keep happy these returning "mommy trackers."Source: Herman Trend Al...

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Entering the "Mobile Media Era"

Piling on all the talk about Web 2.0 is Shawn Conahan's take on entering what he called the "mobile media era." Though media observers such as Jeff Jarvis have been making similar observations for some time, Conahan sums up the various eras of media (TV > Cable > Internet > Mobile) nicely, and points out logical and important tipping points between each. Most crucially, he notes that what appear to be the current trends toward mobile media are not necessarily the major ones:Notably, it is the first time in the history of media that people have been walking around with both media consumption and production devices, making them active participants in the creation and distribution of media. No longer Watching or Surfing, people are co-creating, mashing, blogging and networking together...

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Computer Consulting 101 Articles by Joshua Feinberg

Do you own a computer consulting business? Then here are some additional articles from Joshua Feinberg, co-founder of Computer Consulting 101.Small Business Computer Consulting Freeloaders… and How to Avoid ThemLearn what your small business computer consulting company can do to protect itself against freeloaders and other time and financial leaches.Before you bet your company on Microsoft Small Business Server, learn how to maximize your Small Business Server (SBS) consulting profits.Small Business Server Business TipsOr are you an owner or manager of a small business that needs to hire a computer consulting firm? Then don’t miss:Computer Consulting 101 Hiring Tips (Part 1 of 2) by Joshua Feinberg and More Computer Consulting 101 Hiring Tips (Part 2 of 2) by Joshua Feinb...

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From Toys to Gadgets... And From Kids to Adults

Childhood toyland mystical merry toylandonce you pass its bordersyou can never return again! -- Perry ComoLast year, we first noticed the trend toward high-tech gadgets displacing traditional toys on children's wish lists. The trend seems to be even stronger this year, with kids asking for digital music players and digital video cameras instead of toys. Manufacturing high-tech products for kids could be the saving grace for toy manufacturers, whose revenues have been shrinking for the past few years. Hasbro and Mattel are rolling out kid versions of digital video cameras and prepaid cell phones. However, this strategy has some serious problems:The electronics strategy is risky for toy makers, though. Profit margins on consumer electronics are slim - and the problem extends to electronic...

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The Latest in Tech Fashion: From Geek to Chic

Why buy a $10 cell phone case at a discount store when you can set yourself apart with a $305 Louis Vuitton "international telephone case"? Small, popular gadgets, combined with Bluetooth devices that free the user from wires, are making tech devices tres chic.One fashion designer describes its thigh holder for cell phones and PDAs as "really practical and really sexy." Bluetooth headsets and other wearable technologies are gaining acceptance, and judging by the expansion of chain stores such as Simply Wireless and mobile phone kiosks at malls, sales are on the rise. Usability issues remain, however. Says Roger Entner of the research firm...

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More Shoppers Turning to Gift Cards this Holiday

Time was, the gift card was considered the lazy person's way out of holiday shopping, or a last-minute stocking stuffer at best. No longer. According to the gift card industry, 84% of US consumers will buy a gift card this year, with the average US consumer expected to spend $248 on gift cards this holiday season.In today's marketplace, gift cards offer many advantages for both consumers and retailers. Many shoppers appreciate the opportunity to shop themselves at their favorite stores with their gift cards, allowing them to take advantage of post-holiday sales and the latest products. Gift cards can be used online as well as in stores, adding to their convenience. For gift givers, cards take the guesswork out of shopping; one might know that a recipient likes clothes, but not exact styles...

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Video Screens as Packaging Labels

Imagine going to a grocery store and finding a turkey... with a video label that catches your eye. The label could also play videos showing proper preparations, serving suggestions, the store's current sale price (perhaps dynamically updated), and recipes using other products such as stuffing mix and cranberry sauce. Can you tell I'm getting psyched for Thanksgiving?...Siemens has developed a paper-thin electronic label that can display LCD video, recently displayed at a German food packaging conference. The eco-friendly display, which is powered by printable batteries, could be made commercially available as early as 2007. However, because the batteries last for only a couple of months, the labels will only be useful for products with a relatively short shelf life.What will be interesting...

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The Future of Futurism

Wired examines the future of futurism as a profession, citing observations of such notables as Andy Hines of the Association of Professional Futurists: "It used to be there were a few superstars... What you're starting to see now is a lot of lunch-pail sorts of futurists." In other words, anyone with some insightful observations (or wishing to share the observations of others) can use the Internet to network, conduct research, and post their ideas on a blog or a wiki -- regardless of professional affiliation.Greg Burton of Genius Now takes that thought a step further, suggesting that old-school futurist organizations such as the World Future Society are at risk of becoming obsolete. Like Andy, Greg recognizes the importance of grass-roots networks in disseminating futures information. ...

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[TIPS] - Social_bookmarking

You've heard me talk about a wiki before (http://tipline.pbwiki.com  - try it!!) and maybe you've heard me talk about wikipedia before. Well, this entry in wikipedia is about social bookmarking.   We can't possibly know all the really cool sites there are for education, but what if people were able to bookmark them for you? What if folks could bookmark a site, and tag it to match a category such as Education? That's social bookmarking.   This wikipedia entry contains a list of some of the social bookmarking sites available. I subscribe to the education section at del.icio.us site, for example. Truth be told, that's where I find a lot of the sites that I send out to you each day.    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_bookmark...

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Squidoo

Squidoo.com is a beta project that combines elements of wikis, blogs and tag sharing to create a unique new teaching tool. As the inaugural post on its blog states:We’ve built a platform that makes it easy for anyone, even a newbie, to teach people about topics they care about. We believe that everyone is an expert about something, and the Squidoo.com platform is designed to make it easy to do that.It’s a guide (like about.com) and a reference (like wikipedia.com). It’s a place for personal expression (like typepad.com) and an open platform for real people (like del.ico.us).A manifesto of sorts called "Everyone is an Expert" explains the Squidoo philosophy. At the very least, it's a concise explanation of some of the Web 2.0 trends that are beginning to shape up.Anyone interested in beta-testing...

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How to Get More Steady Long-Term Computer Consulting Clients

Do most of your customers only call you when something breaks? And then expect you to drop EVERYTHING and run right over?If this describes your current state of affairs, it may be difficult to see the forest through the trees. But there IS a better way... a MUCH better way in fact.It's all about getting your consulting firm more steady, longer-term clients... that value the ongoing relationship with your firm, see your firm as an extension of their business, and are more-than-willing to sign-on for a long-term, virtual IT, service contract arrangement.And that's why I'm always happy to see computer consultants that stand up for themselves, while taking on a more professional and assertive role, to get those ultra-critical service contracts signed with local small businesses.I got a message...

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[TIPS] - History of the U.S. Supreme Court

Thanks to Keith C for sharing this one.   Sponsored by the Supreme Court Historical Society, this site covers the history, bios and info on justices and more. It also has two feature stories, narrated and animated in parts using Macromedia Flash 6, illustrating key Supreme Court cases and issues, including the FDR “court-packing” controversy.             Very topical, considering recent developments in the Court.   http://www.supremecourthistory.org/02_history/02.html &nb...

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[TIPS] - echalk

Got a computer and a projector? Heck, even just a computer is fine for you to explore this on your own. But, some of these things are so good you'll want to share them with the kids.    http://www.echalk.co.uk/ Even though it appears that those applets are for sale, click the thumbnails to see them in action. And, before you leave, in the Amusements section, then Optical Illusions, check out the one called, "Spiral Pinwheel Illusion." Watch the pinwheel then look at the back of your hand. :-)   —------------ And, a bonus this rainy Friday.  http://bertc.com/sniglets.htm  Just for pure f...

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[TIPS] - the BEST Halloween clipart site

http://www.halloween-clipart.com   It's the BEST!   'nough said. —--------- And for some AMAZING pumpkin carvings, try this one (thanks, Barry) http://www.pumpkingutter.com/ (When you click the thumbnails, make sure you scroll below the larger image to click on the thumbnails to see how they look when lit up. VERY cool stuf...

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Are US Automakers in for a Good Decade?

CNN/Money posts a scenario looking back, from the perspective of 2015, on the rebirth of the "big three" US automakers. The recent bankruptcy of auto supplier Delphi, combined with the need to develop more fuel-efficient models, spurs the revitalization. The scenario also envisions surging car demand from China and India (ignited in part by the fall of Chinese communism) and strong partnerships between US, European and Japanese automake...

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South Korea's "Ubiquitous City"

In what at first seems to be a throwback to the utopian urban visions of early 20th century futurism, South Korea is developing a "U-City" from the ground up, using bleeding-edge "ubiquitous" technology to monitor everything from citizens' medical records to garbage collection.New Songdo City, being built on a man-made island 40 miles from Seoul, will feature pervasive computer technology throughout, driven by RFID tags and CDMA wireless communication. Although many Western observers would find the lack of privacy disquieting, Asian countries are more interested in the technological potential of such environments. Says John Kim, a Korean-American...

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[TIPS] - The Big Here

 http://www.kk.org/cooltools/archives/000957.php From the site: 1) Point North 2) What time is sunset today? 3) Trace the water you drink from rainfall to the tap. ... Where does your garbage go?   And 20+ more questions like those. Why? We don't live in a vacuum, right? Where we live is part of a larger area which is part of yet another larger area, and so on. It can be quite an eye-opening experience even for adults when they realize how little they know about the area in which they live.   You probably won't use all the questions, but you may come up with questions of your own. What a cool project this could be. Perhaps a year long project, with the questions posted and the answers given as the students learn them during the changes of the seasons, etc. Got a digital...

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Dotcom Boom, Part Deux?

This has been a very good year for the Web. According to the monitoring firm Netcraft, the Web grew more in 2005 (by 17 million sites) that it did in 2000, at the height of the dotcom boom (16 million sites). Additionally, Red Herring reports that angel investors in 2005 backed the highest number of startups since the halcyon days of 2000.Much of the growth is being attributed to small businesses going online, tools that allow non-technical users to create sites easily, convergence of the Web and mobile devices, new Web technologies such as Ajax, the blogging phenomenon and countries such as China getting in the game. However, some of it is also being driven by spammers and those disingenuously using domain names to manipulate Google searches.Nonetheless, the buzz from the recently concluded...

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Extreme MP3 Players

Looking to do some early holiday shopping (or starting to put together your own wish list) but are stumped for ideas? Everybody loves MP3 players... but knowing you, you're looking for a creative angle and something other than the garden-variety iPod. So check out the following MP3 players:Oregon Scientific offers a sports MP3 player that is water-resistant up to a meter of water. The 128MB player features an FM radio, and retails for about $175.Got $44,000 burning a hole in your pocket? You can't make any better investment than the DJ Presidential, billed as the world's most expensive MP3 player. The diamond-studded player is manufactured by Meng Duo Ltd. of London, which will hand-deliver it anywhere in the world.Oakley's THUMP 2 sunglasses have an MP3 player built-in. The player supports...

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Retailers Still Dreaming of a Green Christmas

Rising fuel prices this winter have led to forecasts for a Scrooge-like holiday retail season this year. However, some analysts still believe that the 2005 season could be as good, or even better than, seasons past... even if sales patterns could shape up to be different.A recent survey by the NPD Group has found that of the US consumers polled, 65% said that rising gas and oil prices will have little or no impact on their holiday spending plans. However, the survey also found indications that shoppers intended to be more aggressive in comparing prices and sniffing out bargains. Other surveys indicate that shoppers want to minimize their driving as much as possible to save gas.This, of course, should be good news for both discount and online retailers. Online retail sales are expected continue...

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Anticipating Future Disasters

The Recovery 2.0 movement, which began as a way to use wiki technology to coordinate hurricane relief efforts, has evolved into a full-blown disaster management virtual workgroup. In light of the recent hurricanes, as well as this past weekend's devastating earthquake in Pakistan, the question on everyone's mind is, what's next? An upcoming article in The Wave magazine suggests the following unpleasant scenarios:An eruption of Mt. Rainier that devastates the Pacific NorthwestTornadoes that strike metropolitan areas in Texas, namely the Dallas/Ft. Worth areaA tsunami that strikes the US eastern seaboard, triggered by landslides on the other side of the AtlanticFlash flooding in Boulder, Colorado, among other placesAn avian flu pandemicThis isn't to mention other, highly unpredictable events...

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New Mindset List for the Class of 2008

Once again, Beloit College has released its annual Mindset List for its incoming freshmen, who for the most part were born in 1987. Their youth gives them an interesting perspective on life, especially when stack up against us oldsters.Some of the more notable observations of the Class of 2009 are:They don't remember when "cut and paste" involved scissors.Heart-lung transplants have always been possible.With little need to practice, most of them do not know how to tie a tie.They never had the fun of being thrown into the back of a station wagon with six others.Voice mail has always been available.Condoms have always been advertised on television.For daily caffeine emergencies, Starbucks has always been around the corner.They have grown up in a single superpower world.Digital cameras have always...

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One in 13 Chinese Now Online

Like many countries around the world, China is embracing the Internet. Estimates are that 103 million Chinese -- one in 13 -- are online. Over 45 million computers have Internet connections, half of which are broadband. The number of computers online has increased by over 25% since last year.Chinese netizens are going online for the same reasons as other users: for business, information and interaction. Of course, this invariably bleeds over to politics, which has made the Chinese government especially nervous. But even in China's restrictive political environment, the Net is playing a role. The city of Beijing is allowing citizens to go online to express their views and even vote on some issues.That being said, the communist government is allowing e-democracy to only go so far. New...

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The New Arctic Land Rush

The Arctic ice cap has shrunk to its smallest size ever recorded. However, some entrepreneurs have found a silver lining in this melting by buying real estate long trapped under ice.Denver businessman Pat Broe bought the port of Churchill, Manitoba from the Canadian government for a measly $7... yet believes the port's strategic position could bring in $100 million a year. Other economic boons include fishing, oil and natural gas; one quarter of the world's untapped oil and natural gas reserves lie under the Arctic.However, one other consequence of Arctic ice melting is that, with the absence of ice, national borders become increasingly dicey. Where do the borders of Russia, Canada, Norway, Denmark (via Greenland) and the US (via Alaska) begin and end? Will the North Pole be a neutral...

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[TIPS] - clipboard safety lesson

http://www.friendlycanadian.com/applications/clipboard.htm   Since today is an in-service day I thought I'd take this opportunity to show you something that just may change the way you play online.   Copy the paragraph below, then click the link above.   BEWARE! This site shows that it is possible for websites to "steal" what's on your clipboard. Most sites don't. But it only takes one, and it only takes ONE TIME when you've copied your social security number for some reason, and <presto!> - now THEY'VE got it, too.   The moral of this story is: if you're going to be surfing the Internet, make sure you don't have anything of value on your clipboard. How can you clear it? Simple - just highlight any word anywhere and copy it. That word will replace what was in your...

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Foresight as Government Priority

Who needs ghosts and goblins this coming Halloween when the real world is scary enough?After a summer dominated by growing unease over the war in Iraq, soaring energy prices, and culminating with hurricanes Katrina and Rita, the Bush Administration has every reason to set aside its rose-colored glasses and begin exploring worst-case scenarios.We got a taste of such foresight this past weekend when New York City tightened security in its subway system following reports of a possible terrorist strike there. Despite suggestions that the reaction was overblown, the city took the worst-case scenario seriously enough to take action -- possibly thwarting an attack and saving countless lives. Meanwhile, still reeling from criticism surrounding federal response (or lack thereof) to Katrina, President...

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The Secret Lives of Fads

All trends are not created equal. In examining the recent Atkins diet phenomenon, Knowledge@Wharton dissects the nature of fads... and finds that there's much more to the latest craze than meets the eye.Market researcher Ira Meyer has identified four distinct types of fads:The "typical" fad, which is insanely popular but disappears completely within 18 months (the macarena, pet rocks, Live Strong rubber bracelets)The "cyclical" fad that reappears in smaller form every few yearsThe "generational" fad that reappears every 15 years, appealing to a new audience (fashion trends, nostalgia movements)The "fad-to-franchise," in which an initial craze becomes commercialized and, while not as popular as before, is permanently embedded in popular culture (entertainment icons such as Mickey Mouse, Snoopy...

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[TIPS] - google search tips

http://blog.outer-court.com/archive/2005-09-29-n85.html   I thought I was pretty good with google searches. But, once again it's shown that the more you know the more you know what you don't know.   Check out this blog entry and see what you can learn about Google search...

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Drink All You Want... the Smart Coaster Will Order More

Depending on your point of view, it's either the year's most brilliant or most ridiculous innovation. Two German college students (who else?) have invented a "smart" beer coaster that can sense when your beer glass is getting empty, and automatically order you another round.With the football and hockey seasons now underway, and the World Series pending, sports bars in particular should find such coasters especially useful. Indeed, North American beer vendors have been in touch with the German students to discuss manufacturing deals.Perhaps by then, an upgraded version will be smart enough to automatically charge your credit or debit card, remember your preferred brew, flirt with the coaster at the next table, cut you off before you've had one too many, and call a cab to take you home.Source:...

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[TIPS] - great freeware tools

http://www.debugmode.com/wink/ Wink lets you create small movies of your desktop - great for showing students how to do those difficult tasks in Word or Excel, etc.   In top the top right corner are links to other programs like WAX: Wax is a high performance and flexible video compositing and special effects software. The idea for Wax is to be very general purpose and flexible in video compositing and effects, so that you can compose your dream video sequence with ease everytime.   WinMorph: WinMorph is a high performance morphing and warping software.   &nb...

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Can Vaccinating Kids Prevent Flu Outbreaks?

Evidence is growing that children under age 5 are not only the first ones to get sick during a flu outbreak, but that they are also carriers of viruses. Studies of children who go to emergency rooms for treatment suggest that major outbreaks occur approximately five weeks after children present with flu symptoms. The close confines of preschools and day care centers, combined with children's generally poor personal hygiene practices, makes this age group particularly vulnerable.Studies in Michigan and Texas have found that vaccinating children can reduce flu outbreaks substantially. The current practice is not to vaccinate children older than 23 months unless they are medically fragile; however, with this new research in hand, health experts are rethinking those guidelines. Vaccinations, combined...

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