Wow. This is disconcerting. Well meaning folks all over the country are basing their presidential choices on forwarded emails. I have received several, many forwarded by seniors, that have a similar theme:
Take a real event, add a little twist, then a fat lie, then call the candidate dangerous, un-patriotic or idiotic, and ask to have you forward it to everyone you know. They have all attributed Barack Obama with quotes that are truly frightening. Here’s the problem; no fact checking is taking place. I searched the web for an hour in an attempt to verify one particularly ridiculous quote, and found nothing to substantiate it.
Please people; listen to the candidates themselves. Use several news sources, and try to include some from different perspectives. Read the New York Times AND USA Today. Remember that personality-based TV, whether from right or left leaning “personalities” is mostly opinion and was created as a money making entertainment venue.
Get the facts. Then vote.
One more thing; don’t send me forwarded emails that you haven’t researched!

I’ve been using Google Docs for the past year or so. Initially, I used them to share online word docs with my students, then to collaborate with colleagues on lesson plans and course authoring. They are free, easy and accessible. Just go to google and search for google docs. Sign up (free) and start looking around. I first used the word docs, then the spreadsheets, and recently the presentations, which are like powerpoint. Any document can be shared, published online, or saved as any number of different types of files. The slideshow below was built online and, instead of publishing it to a web page, I took the provided code and imbedded it here in this blog (I also use this for my kayaking blog http://kayaxeman.blogspot.com/). There are dozens of other free tools at google. I use the calendars, rss reader, email, and many others. Get an account, find the menu that says “more”, and have some fun. When you think you’ve seen it all, go to “more, even more”. Amazing. Feel free to write for help. In the meantime, here’s a quickly built show with some pics of a Memorial Day visit by my son and his family.

What’s better than $4 a gallon gas? Riding my bike to school (work) with my son! Deciding to ride to work on a bicycle was more of an environmental statement than a money-saving one, but saving a few bucks while getting some early exercise has been a fine benefit. I’ve ridden to work in the past, but had a long run of “stuff to do right after school” that made riding impractical. I went so long without riding that I sold the ebike through craigslist and started looking for a “regular” bike. What I found was precious.

In 1971, I graduated from high school and began working fulltime, which enabled me to purchase a pair of Raleigh 3 speed bicycles as Christmas presents for my parents. They were modest but utilitarian at the time; a green ladies model for mom, and a black Triumph men’s version for my dad. In the mid 80s, my mom gave hers to our family, and it was used quite a bit with a child carrier attached to the rear. It always worked. We gave the bike to Travis’ high school girlfriend Summer when she went off to college, and both the bike and the girlfriend disappeared from our everyday lives.
A month ago, I asked my dad if he still rode his bike, and he admitted that it had been several years since he had. Where he lives, walking works better, and trips into town are a bit far and the traffic is hairy. He gave the bike to me. A couple of tires, some new grips and a bell later, it is now my main ride. Sweet. The wire basket and rear rack add just the right amount of geekiness to suit me.
Not exactly a collector’s item (I really prefer it that way), this 37 year old English 3 speed is the perfect combination of practicality, retro cool, nostalgia and a connection to my dad. Did I mention the cool bell. Ching-ching.

Ok, I know that Barbara Kingsolver probably doesn’t want to be president, but she has more good ideas (and is certainly more eloquent) than most choices we have EVER had. I’ve read a number of her books (Poisonwood Bible, Prodigal Summer, Animal Dreams, Small Wonder) and, though I’ve always appreciated her work, it didn’t change my daily life like her latest; Animal, Vegetable, Miracle. It’s a story about what we eat and how we get it. I stopped eating beef, visit the local farmer’s market on a more regular basis, broke out the breadmaker and juicer, and plan to add home-grown yoghurt and beansprouts to my diet. I also have a much greater appreciation for the thousands of pecans that drop from the tree in the front yard. It’s about more than what I put into my mouth; it’s about making (however small) a difference in the way we think about what we do, and the effect it has on the planet and the local economy. Please read her book(s). Kingsolver for President!

Surely, I can’t be the only person who thinks that the “Economic Stimulus Package” in Congress is a bunch of hooey! What part did I miss? Our country is 9 or so trillion dollars in debt (more each minute), and the government wants to jump-start the economy by giving (number as yet undetermined) dollars to every citizen. They hope that I will take the money and go out and buy a bunch of stuff that I couldn’t afford to buy the day before (I smell a lot of new hi-def TV sales here). OK, but what they are really doing is borrowing money to give me some, and then letting me pay it back in the future (with interest of course). OK, maybe I won’t actually have to repay it; my children will, or perhaps my grandchildren. If so, the least I can do is to buy something that my grandchildren can use later….. Any suggestions?

I guess they think that a shopping spree at Walmart will make us forget that they can’t figure out how to provide basic health care services for our poor children.

Well, it has been a while..

Last year at the Computer Using Educators Conference in Palm Springs, we were exposed to many great technology uses, several of which we have incorporated into our curricula. This year, unfortunately, we will not be attending. Our school district has (prudently in my estimation) canceled all conferences etc., as a money saving response to the anticipated shortfall of education funding from the state (California). Why are we short of money in California? The real answer is that we spend more than we make. Everyone wants everything, but no one wants to pay (obviously, they do actually pay). The simple (simplistic, I know) answer is: Want less, or pay more.

I returned from the CUE (Computer Using Educators) conference in Palm Springs, and am still buzzing from the excitement. There were so many great ideas, cool gadgets and, of course, The Fellowship of the Geek. Even though I spend every working day with technology, it changes faster than I can track it. I had familiarity with all of the current technologies, but gained better insight for using them. Don’t hold back folks. If you are reading this, you already are tuned into blogs. Here are a few more areas that you might want to investigate further:

• Use RSS feeds to gather the news and info you want to keep track of
• Subscribe to Podcasts that sound interesting (I get most of my NPR content this way)
• Dig deeper into Google. From the main search feature, choose MORE, then choose EVEN MORE. Be amazed for free. Share docs, get Google Earth, use your cell phone to text questions and get sports, weather, answers.

Come on people; you can’t break it.

Technorati tags agingboomer babyboomer technology cue2007

Wow. In an effort to save $15 a month, I set out to switch my dsl lines in order to eliminate the un-necessary line. So far, I have spent a minimum of 5 hours on the phone and 2 days at home. Every single person I have dealt with has been nice, some even uber-nice. The problem is one of “the right hand doesn’t know what the left hand is doing”. With all of the technology we have at our fingertips, I have truly lost confidence in AT&T. We go through this any time we make any changes to our service or plans. It’s never right the first time, and somewhere down the line, someone apologizes, but we are the only ones who pay. I am to the point where I am afraid to make any changes to my service, for fear that it will cost me many more hours of frustration, and a trip to the chiropractor to fix my “phone neck”. No wonder my children have cell phones and cable.

Tags agingboomer babyboomer at&t

by Janice L. Green

Words cannot possibly begin to describe the beauty of Mammoth Lakes. Located among a backdrop of fragrant pines and majestic mountains, a more perfect paddling retreat could scarcely be imagined. It is one of my personal favorite paddling destinations in California. The Mammoth Lakes Basin is located on the eastern slope of the Inyo National Forest at a 9000’ foot elevation, off of US 395 and Hwy. 203. There are ten lakes in the basin which comprise of Lake Mary, Lake Mamie, Lake George, Crystal Crag, McCloud, Twin, Barrett, TJ, and Horseshoe Lakes.

Lake Mary, George, Mamie, Horseshoe and Twin Lakes are the only lakes accessible by a vehicle that don’t require you to portage your kayak or canoe. All of the lakes in the Mammoth Lakes Basin allow paddling. However, Horseshoe Lake is closed to camping and paddling because carbon dioxide gas has been detected in its vicinity.

Mammoth Lakes are ideal for family camping and for all levels of paddlers if a breathtakingly beautiful surrounding is all you require. The sculptured geological features of these exhilarating cold-water lakes offer awesome views of snow-capped mountain peaks from scenic campsite settings situated along shorelines rimmed with towering pine forests.

At sunrise spectacular reflective views of colorful mountains are cast onto the calm, glass-like water of these pristine lakes. Why anyone would prefer to paddle at another time of day is beyond me. These small, spellbinding high-elevation lakes offer a leisurely paddle in a picturesque wilderness setting. Although Lake Mary is the largest of the Mammoth Lakes, it took me less than thirty minutes to paddle. All of Mammoth Lakes are so small you can easily paddle all of them in a day. In addition, the lakes are within walking distance of one another and are beautiful beyond your imagination.

During the weekdays is a good time to paddle if you prefer a peaceful paddle. Also, you’ll have a better chance of finding a campsite because camping at Mammoth Lakes is on a first-come, first-served basis. There are campgrounds located at Lake George, Lake Mary and Twin Lakes that are accessible by a vehicle. The Lake Mary campground has 48 tent or RV sites with flush toilets and water. The facilities at Lake Mary consist of a boat launch, boat rentals (including kayaks and canoes), bicycling and hiking trails throughout the park and a marina.

The Twin Lakes campground has 92 tent or RV sites with flush toilets, and water. The lake facilities include fishing, a boat launch, boat rentals and a general store. There are 16 tent or RV sites, a boat launch and boat rentals at Lake George. Showers are available at the Lake Mary Store for a fee. Leashed pets are allowed, but due to the frequency of bears in the area, you may want to leave you dog at home or keep it with you at all times. Do not leave your pet unattended or outside at night. The lakes only allow small boats which cut down on the noise and boat congestion. Jet and waterskiing and swimming are not permitted on any of the lakes. The shaded campsite settings, ideal paddling conditions and sensational scenery are bound to make your visit here memorable.

In addition to outstanding camping and paddling opportunities, this area offers an assortment of other outdoor recreational pursuits during all seasons. The season for paddling usually begins at the end of May through October, depending on early or late snowfall. This area receives an abundance of snow in the wintertime when the lake’s water surfaces are frozen over. The campgrounds are open from the beginning of June to the end of October weather permitting.

The daytime high air temperatures linger in the mid-70s to the mid-80s during the summer and drops into the 30s and 40s at night. I encountered erratic winds during the late afternoon on both Lake Mary and Lake George. According to my camp Host John, calm mornings followed by gusty afternoons are a common occurrence.

I found unexpected pleasure paddling these enticing alpine lakes in one of the most beautiful mountain settings I have ever paddled. Their outstanding beauty was a welcome surprise. I could not have asked for a more perfect campsite or for a more peaceful paddle, which made my stay at Mammoth Lakes so enjoyable.

Mammoth Lakes is sure to capture the hearts of all who paddle these natural wonders. There’s nothing to compare the physical, visual and emotional sense of fulfillment of paddling a gorgeous alpine destination. Once you have, you’ll be hooked for life! It is truly a memorable experience. To learn more about how you can enjoy the pleasure of paddling in California log onto www.kayakandcanoeguidebooks.com.

Directions: From the town of Bishop, take Interstate 395 north for about thirty-eight miles. Exit onto Highway 203 and drive approximately three-point-seven miles. Turn left on Lake Mary Road.

There have been numerous recent articles about how the TV producers and advertisers are ignoring the boomer market. We, the TV generation, are being dismissed by the very medium that defined us. So what? Have you watched TV lately? Pretty bad stuff. Perhaps it always was, and we just didn’t notice because we shared the experience en masse.

These days, I watch 3 or 4 weekly shows, and perhaps a few hours more of either sports or channel surfing. I enjoyed shows like NYPD Blue and The West Wing and currently watch Studio 60, Heroes, Lost and ER regularly. When NBC aired Kidnapped, I liked it right away, but apparently was in a viewer minority, since the network quickly moved it, and then dropped it. I went online to see who botched this whole thing, and discovered that the show was airing online each week. Between NBC and YouTube, I watched them all. Initially, I was perplexed by the fact that such a well written show could be so unceremoniously dispatched, and joined the group of folks who wrote expressing our displeasure. By the time the show completed its season this past week, I had changed my mind. I preferred watching it online, where the commercial breaks were much shorter, and where I could view it at any time I found convenient. Is this where we’re going? Not being a household with TiVo or Dvr (or HBO, Showtime, etc.), this net thing looks pretty good. By the way, whoever DID axe Kidnapped really missed the call.