Internet for Fact Checking

I liked Snopes for debunking scams and myths, but I don't usually receive chain emails like those, so personally, I wouldn't need the site very often. Still, I thought their site was clear and easy to follow.

I wasn't too crazy about St. Pete's flip-o-meter. Granted, no one wants wishy-washy candidates, but I would hope that we would give candidates the right to change their opinions and stances as new information comes to light. I'm not sure that the flip-o-meter takes into account the development of ideas over time-- it just makes me feel that all the candidates are liars and untrustworthy which doesn't motivate me to vote.

I liked Google's In Quotes best. Maybe it's because I don't have cable, but that way I can "hear" the candidates words and decide for myself what I think about their views. Having the source article available is important so that their words aren't twisted out of context.

All things considered, it's great that all of these sites are available, but ultimately, it still takes considerable time to sift through all the chatter and decide. Plus, it gets old real fast when all the candidates and commentators talk but say so little worth hearing.

Can you tell I'm apolitical?

The Second Challenge Begins

I am excited about learning new tech stuff AND about earning a digital camera. I currently use disposable cameras and mooch digital photos from my family. It'd be nice to get up to date in this area.

I do still use some of the things we learned in the first tech challenge: Google Docs for some work-related documents that I want to be able to use at any computer I'm at, and Novelist for instance.

Mostly I find that I'd rather spend my free time OFFline though. There are just too many things I like to DO and though there is support for these activities online (recipes, patterns, instructional videos, other people to chat with), the activities themselves can only be done when I get away from the computer.

I do love trying new things though, and now that I've FINALLY graduated, work is one of my main sources of new knowledge and skills. These tech challenges are great.

YouTube Link

I was checking out Emily's Web 2.0 video posting so ended up on YouTube. I found a video of this cute three-year-old girl singing a song called Cuppycake. She sings well too. Here's the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=12Z6pWhM6TA

Two Last Things

First, I love my mp3 player. I transferred 150 songs from my laptop to the player in a very short time tonight. Also, it's so little and cute but the sound and visuals are high quality. Quite impressed. Now I just need to figure out how to delete the songs they preloaded which are not to my taste. Yippee for prizes!

Second, I'm hoping at least some of you will keep posting to your blogs. It's been fun catching up with ones whom I don't get to chat with as frequently. Besides, I think we have some folks with a natural knack for writing (go figure), and as a librarian, I'm definitely a reader.

Oops

I was reading Margaret's blog and realized I never posted any movie suggestions. Not sure how I missed that task. I did explore Google Docs & Spreadsheets. The problem with suggesting movies is that I don't know of any. Having only one TV channel, I seldom see movie previews. I don't usually go to the movie theatre either-- tends to give me headaches. I don't even rent movies; if the movie is good, I'd rather pay once to own it than paying to rent it. The movies I watch are ones that my family members or friends recommend to me, and I check them out at the library or borrow them from others. Sometimes I pick up an unknown but interesting looking one at the library, but that's about it. Still, I'd like to practice collaboration on a web-based document, so I'll have to at least check in and type something to see how it works.

Task 23

I'm looking forward to our game night. I don't expect I'll actually like the gaming itself, but it will be fun getting together with our staff and being silly. Plus, my class starts on the 22nd, so game night will be kind of a last hurrah for me before getting back to the old grindstone of school. See you on the 20th!

Task 22

Wow, they have some great topics on the Sirsi-Dynix (sp?) site. There's at least 10 that I'm interested in. We ought to get some of these folks to come do a training for us (at least the ones who are local and wouldn't charge an arm and a leg).