A modern fairytale

I love the guys at EverythihngIsTerrible. They comb through old video tapes to find strange gems. This video is a perfect captured moment in time showing the frustration and terror of most people of computers at this time.
My favorite moment is when she makes a copy of the floppy using the Xerox machine.
Enjoy!

I wish I saw this as a kid

Many times throughout my schooling we read plays or short stories of famous long dead historical figures. The problem is they stayed dead in my mind. I never heard their voices or saw them as older people. Instead, I have images of people locked in amber, unchanging. These days, you can pull up footage of these people or see photos, paintings or other such moments in time of these amazing luminaries. As a perfect example, today is Helen Keller's birthday and of course we have access to an amazing video of her speaking, reading, and listening. The image in my head is of a young girl, and that is what she looked like until I watched the video below. I have a better feeling and understanding of who she is. It is unfortunate that many schools do not take advantage of sites like Youtube and instead choose to block them.

I know what I know

In all the time I have been teaching, I have heard that the younger generation all know and understand computers and technology. Frankly, it is a bit of a cop out. The "younger generation" has two advantages, technology is common and not an extra for them and they have a higher fear/anxiety threshold for technology. An older person or anyone for that matter, can use a computer, the willingness to experiment and try out features is the real generation gap. Some adapt easily to it and others fear change. Another fallacy is that they know everything about technology. This is straight out wrong. We tend to know what we use and that's about it. I drive a car but I can barely tell you how it actually works and I definitely can't fix anything. If you use Facebook or Twitter, then you know something about them. Others, who are curious, will delve deeper to see how it works and what affects a service like the two I mentioned. Below is a rather fantastic video illustrating this by showing a very old computer to kids to see their response. It is both endearing and humorous to watch their reactions.

"I prefer to distinguish ADD as attention abundance disorder. Everything is just so interesting . . . remarkably at the same time.” Frank Coppola

Several years ago I was diagnosed ADHD. Most of my students will not come surprised. For the most part I think I knew it before I was diagnosed. Many of my thoughts are trying to understand my brain and why I think the way I do and what I can do to mitigate the strangeness of my thoughts. The reason I bring this up is to highlight a site. Now I should take the time to say there are plenty of medical websites out there devoted to one particular problem or another but this one of course was close to my heart or is it brain? Anyway I was watching PBS and I caught the tail end of a documentary on the condition. I thought it was decent and both funny and kind of corny but I decided to follow it up and find more about it. The website that the documentary is tied to is totallyadd.com. The moment I went on the site it appealed to me. I stole their summary and listed it below:

“Check out are videos about ADHD treatment, the diagnosis, tools targeting the ADD symptoms dealing with feelings and more.”

You can watch clips from the documentary or take their virtual test. They do have an exclaimer saying that you should always check with a trained therapist for a real diagnosis. What I liked most about the test was the in depth descriptions that really allow you to understand the condition. They have links, discussions, and rants. Lastly I should say this does not excuse my behavior or others but it can help to both understand it and to deal with it. If you know someone with the condition you may want to recommend it to them. Many people say they are ADD but it could be something else. This may help to clarify the issue.
Before I let you go I wanted to say I hate calling it a condition. I find for certain jobs it can be a real strength and not a hindrance. As a teacher I am filled with lots of energy and can concentrate on many students easily. Sometimes being different is a real plus as well as being a pain in the neck.

“Wouldn't it be nice if our lives were like VCRS (video recorders), and we could "fast forward' through the crummy times? " Charles M. Schulz

Do you have a VCR or did you sell it at a yard sale? Now that the box of video tapes are sitting at the back of your closet what will you do with them? Do you even know what is on them? One of my hobbies is buying old video tapes just for sheer fun of being surprised what's on the tapes. I have watched many a wedding or family trip on these tapes and I wonder did they actually mean to sell them. Before you throw out or donate these tapes I recommend a few things below.

1. Look through them. If you got rid of your player borrow it from a friend. I am sure you know a pack rat like me. If you have a VCR pop it in just to see if it’s something important. If not throw it in the donation pile. If it’s personal go onto step #2. Also I should say if it is something good do not over watch it. Even running it through the VCR can degrade the quality.
2. You have two real choices. If it is something you want never to see daylight (your 15th birthday party) you can pull out the film from the cassette and toss it but this is only so good. Instead sandwich the tape between two strong magnets for a day or so. This should erase the evidence. However if you want to keep these recorded images then do not delay and go to Google and type in “VHS to DVD services”. There will be a local one. Even some camera shops do it. They will take your tape, clean it, digitize it, and burn it to DVD. The reasons I say not to delay is that this stuff is magnetic tape. It breaks down over time. The more it is exposed to heat or moisture changes the more it degrades. If you care about it have it transferred. I did this with a tape of the last time my grandfather spoke at a family gathering. If it’s important DO NOT wait!

One other thing I should mention is that during the holiday season many people buy gifts for people that have enough junk. Instead taking an old video and making it new again can sometimes mean far more to them than any other item.

"Education's purpose is to replace an empty mind with an open one." Malcolm Forbes

Many Many times I look up a how to on the great and powerful YouTube. It’s useful for everything from cooking a roast to installing a disposal under the sink but how is it for a subject like math? The answer is very good indeed. Recently I caught a great interview with the founder of the Khan Academy. He started out recording a few math videos and posting them to Youtube to help his niece. She and others found them useful and now more and more people are contributing and learning from the Khan Academy. It is now a nonprofit that creates videos explaining subjects like biology, math, banking and money….Their admirable mission is to give access to knowledge to anyone. I am a big fan of this idea. I have watched a few of the videos and they work for me. They usually consist of a narrator writing on a digital blackboard. For people who might have a concentration or understanding issues, this is great because you can rewatch it as many times as you need. Plus you can download some for .99 cents to watch on your iPod or whatever. Also many people leave useful comments for these videos unlike other ones on YouTube. So if you are having trouble with a subject try this fantastic free service.

Below is the NPR interview. Quite interesting.

"When Ignorance lurks, so too do the frontiers of discovery and imagination" Neil deGrasse Tyson

I have always found science fascinating. From an early age I experimented with my chemistry set in our basement. Sometimes with disastrous results....Sorry mom. Neil deGrasse Tyson is one of the best speakers on astrophysics out there. However in my opinion I believe he is at his very best speaking about science in general. Nova puts out a podcast that I listen to regularly and they feature Tyson quite often. I recommend listening to this podcast all the time but as an intro I would start with this particular one. In this podcast he is taking questions from the crowd and speaks about science but also touches on subjects from the rearing of science children to energy escapism of black holes. It is both entertaining and fascinating. Instructions to sign up for the podcast can be found here.

Also since I am speaking of science I might as well mention a new album that just came out aimed at children. Although it is aimed at kids it is just as good for anyone. The band They Might Be Giants put out a new album entitled “Here Comes Science.” You can see and hear a sample above. I listened to the whole album and it is fun and you end up learning at the very least science terminology. I believe you will get a lot more than just that but it is a start. The subjects range from the elements to the fourth state of matter. It is kind of like School House Rock for a new generation. To buy it click here. Give these a try.

“When they invent the transporter on Star Trek, then the Internet will be a real threat.” Jerry Storch

I had planned a lot of important posts for this week and then I got sick and now it is Friday. So in honor of the end of the work week I felt a fun post was better than the usual so here we go.

Now I have written before of geeky things being posted on the net because I believe if you understand the geeks of the planet you will understand why technology is the way it is. So to proceed, if Monty Python is the North pole of the geek world then Star Trek must be the South pole. Star Trek for many is the reason they got into computers or at least pursued it in some manner. For years watching the old glorious series was a pain that involved purchasing a huge library of videos. In fact , growing up, a friend of mine Josh owned all the episodes on VHS that took up fully half of his room. Even on DVD it is an investment and a storage issue but thankfully another problem has been solved. CBS just uploaded the entire original series to YouTube. There are full length commercials but this isn’t too bad. The quality is not HQ but it is acceptable. I do like the added feature if you want to keep it small to dim the brightness of the usually way too bright YouTube page. I know I have talked many times about TV on the net but this is increasingly how people are watching TV. So on this Friday take a small adventure into space during your lunch break.
I have to say it Live long and prosper.

Since I am doing a frivolous post I might as well finish it off with the theme to Friday the 13th.

	Henry Mancini - Friday The 13th Theme
	Found at skreemr.com

"Men, I want you just thinking of one word all season. One word and one word only: Super Bowl." Bill Peterson

I love the internet! The reason is simple. I do not have to watch football. Yes I can skip all the fanfare of people playing catch and get to the real reason to tune in. Of course the commercials. Now before I get angry emails let me say I have a short attention span and commercials are just the right length while the actual game that many people watch the Superbowl for is a bit too lengthy. In the past you have been able to watch some of the commercials at one site and then some at another but this year it has all boiled down to HULU. Just click the site and watch away. The only issue I find a bit strange is that the commercials are all sponsored by other 5 second commercials but this is our new world. It is some strange twilight zone when commercials have to pay for other commercials to be watched. Anyway enjoy them if you like or if you would like to rewatch the highlights of the game click here.

“On second thought, let's not go to Camelot. It is a silly place.” King Arthur

As a kid I played D&D, Dungeons and Dragons to the non-geek, and I am sure this does not come as a big shock to you. There is one basic rule or at least it seems when you play D&D and that is you must watch Monty Python and incorporate it into your everyday speech much to the annoyance of your parents. Now that you have the importance I can get to the meat of this post. Monty Python has released all their best bits on YouTube in high quality versions. Why is this important you ask? Well the computer should be used just as much with fun stuff as work stuff. It doesn’t all have to be PDFs and DOCs you know. Think of the computer like your car. Sure it is used to get you to work and back but it also brings you to the movies or a leisurely drive through back roads. A computer should be used the same. They have everything from the dead parrot sketch to clips from their movies. It is awesome! You can also do the typical things YouTube offers like comments and the ability to send them on to friends or embed them on a website or blog. Below is a video explaining why they did this. If you are a fan or just like certain bits give this a try and check out their YouTube channel. Also I should put a plug in for the library and say we have most of their works in our catalog.

"Television has proved that people will look at anything rather than each other." Ann Landers

It seemed to sneak up on us. The world of the one time event is gone. I mean the idea of sitting down to watch something on TV because they will only be playing it once is gone. The other day a friend and I were playing Halo and decided not to stop for some major news event both of us wanted to watch. We both came to the simple conclusion it will be online in about an hour or less. The idea of a video or image not online seems improbable to a growing segment of our society. Middle schoolers now are perplexed when they can’t find something online. Everything is online or so it seems. Websites like Hulu have made this sort of thinking true. Hulu is an amalgamation of many different TV channels and shows. You can watch almost anything you like in good quality and with fewer commercials than TV. It is easy to use and can be made to be full screen. The amount of good shows is staggering. Hulu is good on its own but with YouTube that has gone both widescreen and high quality plus they have just finished a contract with the some of the movie companies to show films through their service the world of recorded video is enormous. Much of the time I turn to the computer for video or shows before I go to the television. I recommend giving both of these services a try and see what conclusions you come to. Is this the true new world of video and information on demand?

Half of the American people never read a newspaper. Half never voted for President. One hopes it is the same half. Gore Vidal

In our house it is politics twenty four hours a day and has been that way for what feels like two long years. Every primary, every new news event, we have tried to absorb it all. We are now in the final hours just before the moment we have been waiting for all these long months, the election. PBS and YouTube have gotten together and are asking voters, Republican, Democrat, and Independents to video their voting experience. People all over the country and world are filming everything about the voting experience. When you go to Video your Vote you see a map with a legend that explains what all the pins mean. Some represent notable voters like a Senator or celebrity voting while others are showcasing problems. By clicking on any of the pins you can watch the video from that voter. I tried out a few and was hooked. It really is exciting and interesting. Also it is not just a young crowd doing it either. The videos seem to be from people from all walks of life and experience. They have a Twitter feed as well. So if you are sick of pundits telling you how everything is going and you want an on the street viewpoint give this a try.

"I stopped believing in Santa Claus when my mother took me to see him in a department store, and he asked for my autograph." Shirley Temple

Recently there was a video of people putting their cell phones near some popcorn and then calling the phones. Amazingly the popcorn starts popping. I received that video as an email link from 15 different people. All the people that sent it to me thought I would be very interested because of how much I like gadgets. Every email that I got had almost the same subject line. “If they can do this what are they doing to our brains?” I really do appreciate all the people who sent these in because it is hard trying to stay on top of tech. Unfortunately all of the senders were duped. I too had an instant reaction of “wow” followed by a “something is wrong here” moment. What we need to understand is that tools like Photoshop and video editors have destroyed the old saying “seeing is believing”. Everything can be cut up, rearranged, added to and just generally messed with to create any picture or video desired. Most of the time I have no problem with these videos. They are usually entertaining and fairly cool but this one introduces paranoia about a well known product. Some people will watch this video, not knowing it is fake, and believe it to be a real possibility. It is not. It just doesn’t work that way. Now if one person creates this by themselves I can say OK that was a person’s bad judgment but when it is a company doing this my thoughts go from annoyed to downright angry. The popcorn phone video was created by sellers of Bluetooth headsets in hopes of getting people so scared of the effects of cell phone radiation that they will run out and buy one. That is unfair and frankly just awful. Consider the potential possibilities and effects that these videos might have. We have laws about commercials and what they may say on TV for a reason. When confronted with a similar video that is just a little too amazing please head over to a site like snopes and double check the validity. Be entertained first and then be informed and yes keep the emails coming.

"Love with your heart; use your head for everything else." Captain Disillusion

When people watch TV they understand that most of it is staged, meaning an actor is portraying a role. Even though YouTube seems to share many of the same sort visuals as television it is taken for granted that most of it is real. Unfortunately the line that separates the genuine and artificial on YouTube is so blurry it is very difficult to figure out. Soon I will be posting about viral videos and their effect but today I wanted to talk about one source I always to go for the seemingly unexplained online video. Captain Disillusion is a series of videos explaining how these videos are created. This may seem dull but I find it riveting. Although he is painted in silver and looks a bit strange he does a perfect job of deconstructing these internet phenomenons like the penguin pushing another into the water. Now why is this important you might ask? Well for a couple of reasons it shows how the information online needs to be taken with a grain of salt. It also pulls the veil away and shows how this sort of movie editing magic is done. Some might say it takes away from the video knowing that it is not real but I feel I can appreciate it even more for knowing the amount of work that has gone into the making of it. I should mention that the language used may not always be suitable for the very young but it is a minor issue. So if you are amazed by UFOs flying passed or the incredible face catching of sunglasses then I recommend that you give this a try.

"we must capture a live earth creature K-9, and take it back with us to Mars. Isn't that a nice assignment, mmm?" Marvin, the Martian

Nothing captures my imagination and attention more than a mission into or out of space. Well this Sunday is another one of those sit way to close too the TV (computer) moments. The Phoenix Lander will arrive on mars to look for ice and anything else it can get it’s pincers around. The Landing on Mars will be approximately 7:53 p.m. (4:53 p.m. Pacific) on May 25th. If you are intrigued whether something hurtling across space and arriving into Mars’ atmosphere at over 20,000 kilometers will actually land in one piece then you can tune into NASA’s coverage. Just like Superbowl Sunday there will be a preshow stuff however the name for them is so much better, mission briefings. Seriously this is really awesome stuff. If you head to the site you can also see images of the Phoenix Lander that looks like a strangely proportioned Mickey Mouse head plus there is all sorts of video on how this thing is supposed to land. Just like geek is chic nowadays science is sexy and really cool. Give this a try and see what you think. Also consider getting together for a Lander party or heading to a one like this example in Connecticut at the Children’s Museum.

“Fall is my favorite season in Los Angeles, watching the birds change color and fall from the trees.” David Letterman

My grandparents used to travel around for hours just looking for a bird species they had not seen before. I always remember seeing a birding book in their car at any time. Now there have always been internet resources for birders but this one seems to have some very cool features. What a Bird has a unique way of identifying the species seen. You go through a series of prompts identifying basics like where and when down to whether or not the bird was hawk-like or not. It seems to work pretty well. Also there are games like the bird sleuth. There is a tutorial on identifying bird songs and bunch of other resources like forums for discussing every aspect. If you are a bird enthusiasts then it is time to give this one a try.

"Work smarter not harder." Scrooge McDuck

I have posted many times of the wonders of RSS feeds but I cannot explain with the written word as well as CommonCraft can with a short video. As per usual they do a great job of getting the viewer to understand the why and how of their subject. To put it simply if you want to save time and effort but still want to keep informed then watch this video.

" So long, Earth. Catch you on the flip side.” Jack Swigert

Do you remember flip books? Flip books were the little books that you held with two hands and used your thumb to allow it to flip giving the illusion of animation. I remember seeing all sorts of these growing up from the current cartoon to mimicking the silent movies on the old Nickelodeons. Finally a company has taken it to the next step. FlipClips is a service where you upload a video under 30 seconds in length and they transform it into little flip books. You get to choose cover and any wording on it. The price is reasonable for a cool little product that could be a neat gift to anyone. The video part might be intimidating to some because it seems like you have to buy all sorts of expensive equipment. This may not be the case. In fact you may already have the tech necessary. My cell phone which is a beat up one from three years ago can take video, grainy video but still video. Also most digital cameras now also take in digital video. Finally if you do want something a little better I have recommended to many the Flip. It is an inexpensive route into digital video world. A small camera that is a about the same size as an iPod. It usually can take up to 60 minutes worth and will cost around $100. These are cheap when compared to the next level up of digital video cameras. Also some students have told me they had good luck finding cheaper ones secondary market for less than half price on places like eBay because the company upgraded from 30 minutes worth of video to 60. Many of these made it to the. So if you want to share some captured moments but not on a computer give a flip book a try.

“Practical politics consists in ignoring facts.” Henry Brooks Adams

I have been a bit obsessed with the current long drawn out political campaign. I try to watch every debate and primary and they say. In my opinion it has everything that these reality TV shows have but with one shining difference. This one counts. Anyway I was having trouble keeping track of what the candidates were saying and whether it was a legitimate claim. So I have been heading to Fact Check. This is a great website created and supported by the Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania. They are Non-partisan and non-profit and just fantastic. There are plenty of articles written and easily searchable but my personal favorite is the Just the Facts Show. A short video every week of the candidate’s goings on. It is nicely written and put on. If you are into the election or just need more of a political fix then give this one a try.

“Nothing is better than the unintended humor of reality” Steve Allen

It was once said that we all get our 15 minutes of fame but on the net it might be considered an old expression. Maybe it should be changed to something like we all get our moment in the internet spotlight and the page views that go along with it. Star Wars Kid and Chris Crocker both got there time to um…Shine? Well anyway there is a convention that is devoted to the humor and strangeness on the net. It is called ROFLcon. ROFL is the net abbreviation for roll on the floor laughing. It is going to be held at MIT and will have a lot of the well known names from the net. Unfortunately there was limited space available (500 seats) and I missed my chance for a ticket to go starting on Friday, April 25^th 2008. However they will be making all the lectures and things to see available through the video group known as Respectably French (The Harvard Sketch Group). So if you have enjoyed the weirdness of the net then give this one a try.