Google Alerts makes me sad

For years, I have recommended Google Alerts to students for keeping track of everything from subjects you care about to seeing where your name has popped up on the net. Unfortunately, Google has let Alerts languish and now it only seems to work sporadically.

So I need a replacement to monitor information. Enter TalkWalker Alerts, a free service that looks very similar to Google Alerts. In fact, it's so similar, it will take you all of two minutes to figure out how to use it. Basically, throw in your search and decide on where the info comes from (News, blogs, everything...) and how it will be delivered to you.(Once a day or when it happens) I prefer not to get emails, so instead I use their global RSS feed which is linked to all my alerts and I can use it in my favorite RSS reader, I'm looking at you Feedly.

A few notes when setting up your alerts.

• Use quotes to specify that you want both of these words found in the search. Example:"Shane Sher" 
• Sometimes, adding a location can filter out results that are not relevant. Example "Shane Sher" Massachusetts
• If you are getting unwanted info in your alert, use the minus sign and parentheses to remove certain keywords Example: "Shane Sher" Massachusetts -(Cher,Sherwood,Alan Ladd)

Video games are good for you

Instead of the usual old line about video games only being good for eye-hand coordination, this article considers the under looked skills that you can pickup as a gamer. I still use a lot of RPG solving methods in real life to solve all sorts of issues, both technical and real world.
For every problem, there is a solution.

"Those who are not shocked when they first come across quantum mechanics cannot possibly have understood it." Niels Henrik David Bohr

I love science and fun facts. I always have and so when I discovered Scientific American’s 60 second podcasts I fell in love instantly. First they are perfectly short for my attention span and they give just right blasts of info. They cover all sorts of science from nano technology to the universe and everything in between. I have learned a great deal that I can use in my daily life plus it has given a ton to think about. You can sign up so it’s in your iTunes ready to listen to on your iPod or listen to it on the site. They also have and Earth and a mind podcast as well. So if you’re in a hurry and hungry for more information give these podcasts a whirl

“A lot of people ask me if I were shipwrecked, and could only have one book, what would it be? I always say 'How to Build a Boat” Stephen Wright

In April I held a Passover dinner and invited a few friends to join in the fun. I chose quite a few people who had never been to such an event before. When everyone arrived I was putting final touches on the meal to come and one by one our friends would sneak into the kitchen to tell me they had Googled what was expected of a person at Passover dinner. They told me that they found some stuff but nothing great and were worried about offending me or screwing up the dinner. Regardless of the lack of info everything went off without a hitch but next time I send an email invite I will add a link to Howcast. Howcast has been around for a while and does a great job presenting instruction of anything you want to learn. They have everything from how to make a butter sculpture to how not to attend a Passover dinner done in claymation. The videos are usually short, filled with info and amusing. More and more I find myself turning to the net for instructions. The other day I looked up all the steps involved in taking apart my computer to replace the Hard Drive. I really needed to know if I could do it myself or even if I wanted to. As I watched the video it looked like a long job (60 steps) but doable. Before you say I don’t know how to do something give Howcast a try. I recommend even going over there when you have 5 minutes to kill to learn something new.

"Never invest your money in anything that eats or needs repairing." Billy Rose

I like technology, cooking, and cartoons. These are subjects I feel I can have a conversation on at any time. I have other subjects I can wade through but one that I am completely out of my depth is anything to do with cars especially car repair. When I go to my mechanic I have to take his word that is a good price and I am not overpaying for extra junk I do not need. Now I could go and take a class in car repair and brush up on the vocab to at least get a clue or I can head over to RepairPal. It is a great little site that allows you to type in the basic info about your vehicle and the repair that needs to me made. Once that is done it will give you a range of prices from parts to labor and other basic info. It works well and I even found I have a decently priced mechanic. They have some other extras like a place to leave questions for the forum of members and an encyclopedia for greater understanding. It will do a shop search for your specific type of vehicle as well. So next time you bring your dying Utterly Sputter in and they say the Super-Zooper-Flooper-Do needs replacing look it up before you give the A-OK.

"If little else, the brain is an educational toy." Tom Robbins

I listen to a lot of podcasts everyday to try to stay on top of info. However I do not look forward to all of them but I do enjoy On the Media’s podcast. It airs on NPR stations and this week they had a segment about a subject that some students have been asking about. The topic is what is going to happen with people raised on the net. In the library this is a regular conversation. Are people reading less or are they just reading standard media less? Are our brains being rewired by the internet? Is the net making us dumb?
Below are a few interviews discussing the subject of the Net Effect. You can also head over to their site to hear and see all of their stuff.

"What do you call a yo-yo that goes down but won't come up? A yo. Wokka wokka wokka. " Fozzie Bear

April fool’s Day is one of my favorite holidays. It used to be that only a few websites would do a prank on their users like Google. Now everyone and their brother’s website have gotten in on the act. Unfortunately some of these prank pages will be gone by tomorrow. Thankfully the site Aprilfoolsdayontheweb is here to help. It is a user contributed to site where people drop of websites and descriptions about what is being pranked. Now I do not want to ruin a joke especially if it is creative but the chances of me missing it is high on the web so that is why I am recommending this. They also have past years fool's days that you can look back and see what went on. Lastly you can rate jokes up or down. So enjoy in the fun and see what you may not expect.

“Minds ripen at very different ages.” Stevie Wonder

As I mentioned earlier I was working on an Internet safety lecture for parents. I researched a lot of sites and as many books as I could get my mitts on. Some were more help than others. One particular site that stood out was that of CNET’s article on Developing safe and Smart Internet Citizens by Stefanie Olsen. This article provided a nice back bone for my lecture. I agree with the theme of the article that different ages need different strategies and the idea is not to protect your kids by severing the connection but by making kids smarter and more informed. If you head over to the site they have plenty of great tips for each age group. I plan over the next couple of weeks to mention a few other sites or ideas on Internet Safety for kids and adults.
On the same subject one site mentioned something I had not thought of speaking about but had been doing for a long time and that is Google Alerts. I know I have written about the service before. I use it to keep track of news with certain keywords. I also use it for my own name. For parents or anyone I recommend setting two Google Alerts for your own name and another for your email address. This way if your name or info surfaces on a blog or site you will be notified. This is good for kids so they can be aware of any cyber bullying and for parents keeping an eye on their children. This is not an invasive way to help your kids and it could save them from being in a jam. It just alerts you about the same info that everyone else has access to. Two more things about Alerts and names. If your name is very common like John Smith then maybe you should forget about using the service for that and just do the email alert. Also if you are going to use your name make sure it is in quotes or you will get all sorts of different pieces of non relevant info.
So if you are a parent or not give either of these a try.

“Parents always think it's the kids' fault. If they're naughty, it's the kids' fault. Not true! Children generally are not naughty for no reason.”

Quote from Emma Thompson
I am doing research for a possible lecture for parents talking about net security for their kids and I came across this nice little site. KidRex is essentially Google with a heavy safety feature turned on but with a cute crayon feel. This is a simple way of limiting some of the naughtier bits of the net. It just filters the search for words that are too risqué. Many reviews are very positive but one did say if a kid was determined they would see what they wanted. I follow this thinking as well. I would use this site as a way of taking the unfortunate distractions out of reach but do not think this will eliminate risk. I have read much on this subject trying to prepare and everything seems to point to one major way of helping your children. You are not going to like it! It is not easy but talk to them about what they may see and help them understand they are not bad for seeing it. Real explanations have a way of removing the desire for the hidden, Some parents try to shelter their children from these things but instead it only sows the seeds for wanting to see the stuff more. Many cultures introduce wine early and make it a normal part of life. I know in the Jewish tradition it is not uncommon to have a little wine with a Passover dinner or on special occasions. This has been shown to reduce overindulgence later in life. Use this site to reduce the amount of violence and sex stuff they see but try talking to them as well. It is far more effective than filtering.
As I come across more information I will try to put it up.

I had one more thought on this subject. In hacking circles it is understood it is far easier to gain access to a system not using complicated computer programs but through social engineering. Getting someone to tell you the password is easier than cracking it. The same can be said about filtering. You can try it filtering it but with enough determination you get around anything but if a child is taught not to be interested in the unsavory stuff then it will stay with that person far longer.

“The ballot box is the surest arbiter of disputes among free men.” James Buchanan

Sorry this so short but I am off to vote!

There are already long lines at polling places so before you head out to vote print out a sample ballot. This will save a lot of time for you and all the people waiting behind you. Also many measures are worded poorly and could vote for the opposite of what you wanted. These sample ballots will help to dispel those problems. Non Profit Vote has done a really nice job of compiling all the different states sample ballots and explanations of measures. A good voter is an informed voter. They link to government websites and other nonprofits like the League of Women Voters. Hope this helps.

Also while you are filling out your ballot listen to the eighties classic “The Final Countdown”

	Europe - The Final Countdown
	Found at skreemr.com

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 was reading a book...'the history of glue' - I couldn't put it down.

The other day we bought a strange old lamp from a yard sale for very cheap. Only problem was that it needed some gluing and it would be perfect. However finding the right glue has always been a pain. I usually just use super glue for everything, but depending on what it is a month or so down line, it will need to be redone. This time I headed over to this to that. This site is so simple. Just choose the type of materials you want to glue to each other like ceramic to wood or plastic to metal and hit the “let’s glue” button. It then gives you a list of the appropriate glues and any other special considerations. I wish there was more to say about this site but it simply does its job well that I need not go on. So if you need to stick to a project don’t become unglued instead give this a try.
Sorry but you knew I had to throw a horrendous pun in there.

“I have a tip that can take 5 strokes off anyone's golf game. It's called an eraser.” Arnold Palmer

Teaching computers and answering questions can be easy and straightforward as long as you don’t make assumptions about what others know or don’t. The problem I have is not so much with students but with friends or family that I know have been using the computer for years. You immediately make assumptions that they know what you know or use the computer the same way you do. The small extras like double clicking and triple clicking seem obvious. Because of this I was so happy to read David Pogue’s newest column. He explains that he will be writing a new book that is all basics of the computer. The part I wanted to share with you is the lengthy list he gives you to begin. Most of them I was very familiar with but I did pick up a couple of things I did not know like the useful shortcut of hitting the space bar to page down on a website. The second part that makes this a great read is the readers that have commented on the page leaving their own basic tips. If you have five minutes stop and take a peek at the article and the comments. As I always say in class you have to slow down and read to truly speed up. The time you spend checking these tips out will pay off almost instantly. Give it a try.

I did enjoy it," he says. "But it was very, very weird. Rick Astley

Most of the questions I answer are pretty standard about having issues with the computer or programs. Recently someone asked what is a Rick Roll? This happens to be a blend of a practical joke and an internet phenomenon. At its core it is the Rick Astley song "Never Gonna Give You Up" that was quite a hit in 1987. So where is the practical joke? This type of practical joke is called a bait and switch. Essentially you would receive and email with a link from someone saying how wonderful the website they found was and when the user clicked on the link it would be the music or video of Rick Astley. It is not seriously funny by itself but it far outgrew its roots last April Fool’s day with amazingly wide use. Many sites I go to on a regular basis for news and info Rick Roll’D me by posting curiously intriguing headlines. I clicked on the links and would be hit with Astley singing at me for the umpteen time. As I said before it has grown past its origins. Now Rick Rolling is now even more about remixing it into every genre from the Muppets to the presidential candidates. Mr. Astely finally spoke about the practice and said he finds it bizarre and funny. It has been an internet bit of strangeness for a while but it is creeping into off line life like at Basketball games and such. So I hope this answers the question on this unusual topic. Many thanks to the asker. If you would like to read more click here otherwise to see the video click here.

"But one man of her crew alive. What put to sea with seventy-five." Jim Hawkins from Treasure Island

Another year has set sail but we have come full about and reached our destination once again. Of course you know the great and glorious annual event is here. What am I talking about you say? International talk Like a Pirate day is September 19th. Well blow me down that is today! It was created way back in 1995 and has become an internet holiday. How does one celebrate you ask? It be very easy. When ITLAPD comes around just talk like a pirate the whole day. Essentially all the goofy stuff you have ever heard from bad pirate movies needs to be repeated. To get ready I recommend a few websites below. Now that you have marked that date on the calendar don’t forget about talk like a pilot day, International Day of the Ninja and World Zombie day. Just more treasures from the bountiful internet.

• The original website where this all started. It has all sorts of info like a list of phrases for young and old. Also if you are not sure how to say something they have a convenient translation device.
• The magazine Wired has all sorts of great pirate ideas and is doing and entire week of piratey stuff.
• Wikipedia of course has all the details and history of the phenomenon.

"To infinity and beyond!" Buzz Lightyear

We have survived another day without imploding. The LHC or Large Hadron Collider has had a successful first test without doing any harm and even better working past expectations. I found it very interesting that all the news sources were pinning the possible end of our existence to the September date. This was just the initial testing phase. Very soon on, October 22, the real fun begins. The smashing of atoms will take place and all the real science will begin in earnest. I am not going to go into what they are looking for and why this is being done because frankly every website and newspaper has gone into this with some detail. I do however recommend this Hip Hop take on the experiment. It is worth watching for both an understanding and a bit of a tour inside the collider. I always like a good blend of education and fun. So settle in with your Pan Galactic Gargle Blaster and your copy of the Restaurant at the End of the Universe to get ready for the grand experiment

Below is a countdown. Things are much more impressive with a countdown.

"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.

"Honest to goodness it's the absolute ultimate! " Gidget

Not too long ago I watched a video by David Pogue (technology reviewer) about free services for your cell phone. I have posted before about one of the ones he mentioned, GOOG-411. However I was completely unaware of ChaCha. Holy smokes! I love this service. On the fourth I was at a BBQ and we got into a very strange conversation involving the singer/actress Connie Francis. I was 100% sure she played Gidget in the movies. Yes, before you comment, I was very wrong. The problem was that I did not have a computer to look it up and check a website like Wikipedia. So I dialed 1-800-2chacha and got a recording that told me to leave a question. So I asked what movies Ms. Francis was in and whether she played Gidget. I hung up and got a text message with my question retyped and a message saying they were working on it. Within four minutes I got my reply which consisted of a list of the movies that she was in and an answer that no she never played Gidget. Now this cost me the price of two text messages which came to 30 cents. I thought that was well worth the price to find out I was wrong. I have had occasion to use this a few times and with great results each time. When ChaCha gets your message a person using Google searches for an answer for you and then sends it out to you. I really do recommend this service and the since the price is right I say give this one a try.

Additional notes to this post: Sandra Dee played Gidget in the movies and Sally Fields played her on TV.

Also thanks to Nate, Penny, and Mia for a great BBQ and a reason to use this service.

"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.

“We all get heavier as we get older because there's a lot more information in our heads” Vlade Divac

I have written here before of the Internet Movie Database. The ender of all movie related arguments, OK most of them anyway. Well two similar sites have emerged and both do equally a good job in the information they have compiled. The first one is the IBDB or the Internet Broadway Database. Just like IMDB they have compiled a searchable database for everything Broadway. Essentially you can choose an actor and see everything they have ever done. Also you can see any awards or nominations they have received throughout their career. They also have histories and information on every show. The other is the IADB or the Internet Automotive Database. This is a searchable database of all the cars that were in movies or TV shows. This struck me as so strange but I remember my step father making sounds of pain every time, in his opinion, a beautiful car got crunched. This allows you to choose a make and model and not only see a list of movies or shows it was in but in many cases to see a still image of the car in the movie. Also for all the motorheads out there is a page of unidentifiables. Image after image of cars in the backgrounds of movies that you can help identify. This looked kind of fun if I knew a thing about vehicles. To end I should say I recommend both of these sites but I really do not use them not being a Broadway or automotive guy. However I can appreciate a good source of information no matter what it contains. Give it a try.