Jim’s WebLetter

Hi-ya neighbors and friends!

And a special “hi-ya” to the new folks who signed up to receive JWL by email this week. Each week, I show you the things I discovered while working on the web. Sometimes I show what other JWL readers have found and taken the time to send to me. Especially the jokes.

Before we get there, take a look at a few of my new bookmarks …

First off, I love to travel. My wife and I have had the pleasure of going to several of the destinations on our list of places to visit and I have to say if I were “well funded”, I would be home about half the time. When we do plan to travel, we check out the things we want to see and form an itinerary. Now at PlanetEye, we can learn about attractions, restaurants and hotels at our destination, then we build an itinerary in the “Travel Pack” they provide. It’s also set up to help us decide where we want to go next, when we finally get through our list and are looking for another destination. http://www.planeteye.com/Home.aspx

If you’re a history fan, you will love this next site. It’s the digital vault of the American National Archive. If you can’t visit the place in person in Washington DC (it’s one of the places on our list to visit), this site hosts over 1,200 of its 10 billion records in an interactive way. The collection presents itself to you randomly, which you can shuffle if nothing suits your fancy. When you find things that you like, you can start creating your own archive collection. http://digitalvaults.org/#

Unlike most food sites where you just find hundreds of recipes, Cook’s Illustrated focuses on the techniques of home cooking. Sure, it includes a searchable database of recipes featured from the magazine, but each issue includes cooking techniques, product tastings, equipment testing, and cookbook reviews. http://www.cooksillustrated.com/

Here’s an interesting fact that the national news people haven’t yet told us … despite the increased cost for everything (gasoline being the chief commodity of increase), people are shopping at an all-time high. Instead of getting into the SUV or Hummer and driving to the malls, they are shopping online. Several stores are reporting a jump in their website purchasing activity (overall 21% increase since this time last year). In addition, coupon websites have seen a two to four fold increase in visits during the same period. Popular sites and their links are reported in the NY Times today … http://tinyurl.com/thetimesstory

Also this week, Mozilla pushed out an update to their new Firefox 3.0 … did you get it? For those still using the older Firefox, there was an update for the browser, too. I gotta hand it to the Mozilla people, instead of us waiting for a fix (like they do at Microsoft), they send it along. CNET has the details … http://tinyurl.com/thecnetstory

And because our friends on the other side of the “great divide” tend to be about 18 months ahead of us in technology, I am a frequent reader of the BBC news. A story that has caught my attention is headlined, “Say goodbye to the computer mouse”. Seems with gaming and other technologies coming into vogue that the mouse has fewer uses, therefore … unplug. Makes interesting reading. http://tinyurl.com/thebbcstory

Finally, because I like to see what other browser creators are doing, I have downloaded and have been using K-Meleon for some time now. In short, I love it. It’s fast loading, light weight and created by the same people who brought us Firefox, the Mozilla people. There are so many things to like about this browser including tabbing or a new window, listed under the File dropdown, to the Configuration tab on the Edit dropdown where you can literally change anything you want about the browser from skin to page speed, to the Zoom feature under the View dropdown that lets you easily increase the size of the page or just the text. You might want to check this little titan of a browser out for yourself. It’s pronounced “Cameleon” … http://kmeleon.sourceforge.net/

<==HuMoR==>
A husband and wife were at a party chatting with some friends when the subject of marriage counseling came up.
“Oh, we’ll never need that. My husband and I have a great relationship,” the wife explained.
“He was a communications major in college, and I majored in theater arts.
He communicates really well, and I just act as if I’m listening.”
(thanks, Tony)
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
A man is driving up a steep, narrow mountain road. A woman is driving down the same road. As they pass each other, the woman leans out of the window and yells “PIG!!”
The man immediately leans out of his window and replies, “WITCH!!”
They each continue on their way, and as the man rounds the next corner, he crashes into a pig in the middle of the road.
If men would only listen.
(thanks, “LB”)
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
To entertain a business partner from England last winter, my father took him to a restaurant in Butte, Montana. They ordered red wine, which arrived icy cold, seemingly straight from the refrigerator. “Oh, miss,” my father’s guest said to the waitress. “Red wine should be served at room temperature.”
“Is that right?” she replied. “Then maybe you should come visit us again in July.”
(thanks, Ramona)
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
I DON’T KNOW HOW FUNNY THIS IS, BUT IT IS WORTH READING:
Whenever I get a package of plain M&Ms, I make it my duty to continue the strength and robustness of the candy as a species. To this end, I hold M&M duels.
Taking two candies between my thumb and forefinger, I apply pressure, squeezing them together until one of them cracks and splinters. That is the “loser,” and I eat the inferior one immediately. The winner gets to go another round.
I have found that, in general, the brown and red M&Ms are tougher, and the newer blue ones are genetically inferior. I have hypothesized that the blue M&Ms as a race cannot survive long in the intense theatre of competition that is the modern candy and snack-food world. Occasionally I will get a mutation, a candy that is misshapen, or pointier, or flatter than the rest. Almost invariably this proves to be a weakness, but on very rare occasions it gives the candy extra strength. In this way, the species continues to adapt to its environment.
When I reach the end of the pack, I am left with one M&M, the strongest of the herd. Since it would make no sense to eat this one as well, I pack it neatly in an envelope and send it to:
M&M Mars, A Division of Mars, Inc., Hackettstown, NJ 17840-1503, along with a 3×5 card reading, “Please use this M&M for breeding purposes.”
This week they wrote back to thank me, and sent me a coupon for a free 1/2 pound bag of plain M&Ms. I consider this “grant money.” I have set aside the weekend for a grand tournament. From a field of hundreds, we will discover the True Champion.
There can be only one.
(thanks, I think, John)
==============================
And that’s the week at a glance and a wink, WebLetter readers. Thank you for your participation. For those who sent the jokes, please continue … I don’t have time to dream up stuff like this. And if you know someone who’d like to get this publication weekly, just have them visit my website and sign up. It’s free. Remember too, it’s blogged each week at WordPress (jimonline.wordpress.com)

Until next weekend, and as always, may God bless you and keep you safe.

c-ya!
Jim
Jim’s WebLetter
Discover the best of the Web
C-my-site at www.jimonline.com

Hi-ya neighbors and friends!

Hi-ya friends and net-neighbors!

It’s the weekend of our Independence. Our country is now 232 years old and we have so much to be thankful for. Sure the cost of everything continues to rise (what’s new?), and people are feeling the pinch (anyone remember the Carter Administration years with long gas lines and 21% inflation?), but all in all, we’re doing OK. As always, the economy will turn around. We just persevere until then. That’s what we do.

I try to imagine what my ancestors had to deal with back in those early days of America. They were here in the mid 1600’s helping to establish this nation. One hundred years later when the “host countries” began demanding more and giving less, they had to decide whether to give in to it or fight. I also try to imagine if we were cut off from the imports that we receive (oil and all that stuff made in China, for instance), what we would do then. The price of everything would escalate dramatically. But maybe “Made in the USA” would become the theme once again, and our nation would persevere. We did it before. With great determination, we could do it again. And THAT is what makes us a great nation.

So with that off my chest … let me show you a few things I discovered this week on the World Wide Web in this issue of Jim’s WebLetter.

This week, Google began added a privacy link to it’s front page following a 2003 California law requiring all websites that collect data from users to provide a link to the page that tells how data is collected and what is done with it. (http://tinyurl.com/567475) This comes at a time when Google has been ordered to turn over user data on it’s popular video site You Tube. (http://tinyurl.com/6aahz5) Read the fine print, folks … the government wants to know what you’re doing on the Web. Mind your “p’s and q’s”. Big Brother is watching. By the way, Barack Obama has already said he backs governmental surveillance. A flip over what he was saying on the campaign trail months ago. Apparently many of his supporters are up in arms over it. (http://tinyurl.com/5aors4)

So it’s official, a record number of downloads in one day went into the Guiness Book of World Records for the Firefox 3.0 browser update. The total of 8 million downloads were recorded. This after Mozilla, the parent company, had problems on it’s site the first part of the day and no one could get on. And what’s hot about the new FF3? Faster loading pages and better security. When clocked, the new browser opens and displays pages up to 4 times faster than Internet Explorer. According to the BBC, the latest tally shows 28 million downloads since the first day … http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7486668.stm

I tried out a new Web Application yesterday that imports your photos, let’s you select from a wide variety of music, and then puts a video together for you. It’s called Animoto. Several features make this the latest cool app to use. First, it is intuitive. It selects from several graphic features built into the system. If you don’t like your video, hit the re-edit button and it will remix your photos with new graphics. Once completed, you have options to upload to YouTube, send in an email, burn a DVD or save it to your desktop. While the basic version is free, you can only create :30 second videos and it has only a few options, the full featured version has several options but can run some money … figure you can build and edit all the videos you want in a year for $99. http://animoto.com/ Here’s a clip I created of our trip to the Cliffs of Moher in Ireland … http://animoto.com/play/673eZl0BAqluhw0UNqc3mQ

Finally, if you play music, you understand there is a need to keep time. But how many people own a metronome? How many people KNOW what a metronome is? Answers to this and an online metronome is found at http://www.metronomeonline.com/

<==HuMoR==>
At an annual Bosses Night dinner in Helena, Montana, where legal secretaries sponsored their lawyer bosses, it was time to announce the Boss of the Year.
The master of ceremonies began: “First of all, our winner is a graduate of the University of Montana. So that already eliminates some of you as candidates.”
“Our winner also is a partner in a downtown Helena law firm. That eliminates some more of you. “Our nominee is honest, upright, dedicated…”
A voice from the audience cut in: “Well, there go the rest of us!”
(thanks, Julie)
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++
A group of managers were given the assignment to measure the height of a flagpole. So they go out to the flagpole with ladders and tape measures, and they’re falling off the ladders, dropping the tape measures — the whole thing is just a mess.
A group of engineers arrive and see what the managers are trying to do. They walk over to the flagpole, pull it out of the ground and lay it flat on the ground. They measure it from end to end, give the measurement to one of the managers, and then walk away.
After the engineers have gone, one manager turns to another and laughs. “Isn’t that just like engineers? We’re looking for the height and they give us the length.”
(thanks, Joan)
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++
FOOTBALL FANS!
The National Football League recently announced a new era. From now on, no offensive team names will be permitted. While the owners of the teams rush to change uniforms and such, the National Football League announced, yesterday, its name changes and schedules for the upcoming season:

The Washington Native Americans will host the New York Very Tall People on opening day.
Other key games include the Dallas Western-Style Laborers hosting the St. Louis Wild Endangered Species, and the Minnesota Plundering Norsemen taking on the Green Bay Meat Industry Workers.
In Week 2, there are several key matchups, highlighted by the showdown between the San Francisco Precious Metal Enthusiasts and the New Orleans Pretty Good People.
The Atlanta Birds of Prey will play host to the Philadelphia Birds of Prey, while the Seattle Birds of Prey will visit the Phoenix Male Finches.
The Monday night game will pit the Miami Pelagic Percoid Food Fishes against the Denver Untamed Beasts of Burden.
The Cincinnati Large Bangladeshi Carnivorous Mammals will travel to Tampa Bay for a clash with the West Indies Free Booters later in Week 9.
And the Detroit Large Carnivorous Cats will play the Chicago Large Mountain Mammals.
Week 9 also features the Indianapolis Young Male Horses at the New England Zealous Lovers of Country.
(thanks, Joseph)
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++
My husband and I have always exchanged chores around the house, including doing the dishes, which I hate to do, and mowing the lawn, which he hates to do. This worked to our mutual satisfaction until he began to be bothered by people in passing cars staring at him as he relaxed while I mowed.
He solved the problem by presenting me with a T-shirt to wear while I was cutting the grass. On the front, big letters said: “IT’S ALL RIGHT.” The back of the T-shirt proclaimed: “HE DOES THE DISHES.”
(thanks, Jennifer)
===========================
And that’s this week’s peak at the Web. Thanks for your time and for those who sent along the jokes, thank you too! Have a great weekend and look for the next issue to come along next Saturday.

Until then, may God bless you and keep you safe.

c-ya!
jim
Jim’s WebLetter
Discover the Best of the Web
C-my-site: http://www.JimOnline.com
http://www.FernandinaLiving.com

Hi-ya Webfriends!

It’s been a busy week for me. So before I get back into a site I am building, let me dash off a few thoughts and show you a few sites I came across this week with this edition of Jim’s Webletter.

Friday marked a passing of the baton for Microsoft. Bill Gates has retired. OK, so he’s still the chairman of the company and he still has more shares of the company than anyone else, but he’s not going into work everyday and punching a time card. He and he wife will be working full time with the Bill and Medinda Gates Foundation. Everyone is marking this change as a major development (”what will Microsoft do now?”). Frankly, if he’s still the chairman, then he still has a say in the operations, therefore, he can always call the shots from his mansion outside Redmond. All I hope is that eventually the company will get Vista fixed and we’ll all be using it because it has some really great features. Mr. Gates is 52. When you’re one of the richest men in the world, you can do pretty much whatever you want. He’s doing it. My question is, upon retirement, did the company give him a gold watch? CNET TV has a “look back” at the life of Bill in the Saturday edition of the programming. It’s pretty good. http://www.cnettv.com/

So, this week I found a few other places worth bookmarking. Take for instance an online design shop for your home or office. If you have remodeling in mind, use PlanningWiz. This is free tool. You begin by entering the dimensions of your room, then add existing structural elements like doors, arches and windows. Add new structural elements to your room, or just move furniture around to see how it will look before doing the heavy lifting. You can also change the floor covering. Then add furniture to see how things will look. Once you’re done, save or e-mail your plan for future reference. http://v3.planningwiz.com/

In the past, there wasn’t much to do while Spybot scans your machine except sit and watch the status bar. Now, with version Spybot 1.4, there is a fun and simple game hidden as an Easter egg. While the scanning processes, click the binoculars in the top left-hand corner next to “Search and Destroy.” You will hear a horse neigh and a game grid similar to Minesweeper will appear. Get clicking and have fun! To download Spybot, go to … http://www.safer-networking.org/en/index.html

What’s on YouTube? Anyone who’s visited will tell you, videos … you name it, you can find it. I found a video you have to see (where have I heard that statement before!?!) This proves that crime does not pay and is a good deterant to anyone thinking about it … from LawyerShop TV, here are two of the dumbest criminals caught on video … http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SCfsCQybek0

Finally, here’s a cross between Mr. Potato head and the mind of Picasso. Visit Mr Picasso Head and create your own version. You’ll find a digital canvas with Picasso-esque head images that youi can place on the canvas and manipulate the size and rotate at will. You can even sign it when the masterpiece is completed. Then email it to yourself or a friend. http://www.mrpicassohead.com/

<==HuMoR==>

Back before he became an instantly recognized celebrity, when Albert Einstein was first making the rounds of the speaker’s circuit, he usually found himself eagerly longing to get back to his laboratory work. One night as they were driving to yet another dinner, Einstein mentioned to his chauffeur that he was tired of speechmaking.
“I have an idea, boss,” his chauffeur said. “I’ve heard you give this speech so many times. I’ll bet I could give it for you.”
Einstein laughed loudly and said, “Why not? Let’s do it!”
When they arrive at the dinner, Einstein donned the chauffeur’s cap and jacket and sat in the back of the room. The chauffeur gave a beautiful rendition of Einstein’s speech and even answered a few questions expertly. Then a supremely pompous professor asked an extremely esoteric question about anti-matter formation, digressing here and there to let everyone in the audience know that he was nobody’s fool.
Without missing a beat, the chauffeur fixed the professor with a steely stare and said, “Sir, the answer to that question is so simple that I will let my chauffeur, who is sitting in the back, answer it for me.”
(Thanks, Alan)
+++++++++++++++++++++
NOTICE: Blonde jokes are just jokes … they are not intended to hurt anyone’s feelings. That being said …

A blonde is overweight, so her doctor puts her on a diet.”I want you to eat regularly for two days, then skip a day, and repeat the procedure for two weeks. The next time I see you, you’ll have lost at least five pounds.” When the blonde returns, she’s lost nearly 20 pounds. “Why, that’s amazing!” the doctor says. “Did you follow my instructions?” The blonde nods. “I’ll tell you, though, I thought I was going to drop dead that third day.” “From hunger, you mean?” said the doctor. “No, from skipping,” replied the blonde.
(thanks, Charlie)
+++++++++++++++++++++
During his spare time my brother, an attorney, volunteers on his town’s fire and rescue squad. When I mentioned this to a friend, he smiled and said, “Let me get this straight. Your brother is a lawyer and an EMT? So he doesn’t have to chase the ambulance — he’s already in it?”
(thanks, Dale)
+++++++++++++++++++++
You probably know of those “walking to school” stories … I walked to school each day, 5 miles, uphill, both ways, barefoot, in the snow …..
Well, when I was a kid, I really did walk 10 miles to school every day, sometimes in the rain or snow. Man, did I feel stupid when I found out there was a bus.
(Thanks, Don)
====================
So, there you have it. A collection of sites and jokes to fill another issue of Jim’s WebLetter. Thanks for your time. I hope you find something in here worth passing on to a friend. Til next week, keep smiling … and remember that before you do, check for food stuck between your teeth first!

May God continue to bless you and keep you safe.

c-ya!
Jim
Jim’s WebLetter
Discover the best of the Web
C-my-site at www.JimOnline.com
www.FernandinaLiving.com

Hi-ya friends and neighbors!

It’s Saturday morning and I’m sitting in front of the flat screen working on ideas for video display on one of the websites I’m building. I think it’s time to take a break and dash off some thoughts and show you some sites I’ve seen this week in this edition of Jim’s WebLetter.

The hottest story this week was the release of the much touted, much tested Firefox 3.0. Once I got the chance, I downloaded and installed the software and I have to say the pages I head to load much faster than before and some of the new features like oversized back button and sleek design make this the one to beat. The Addon features are few and far between at this point, but as it’s an open source software, I am sure at this moment, hundreds of designers are building new ones to be included. As fast as pages loaded before, this browser snaps those images and text faster than lightning. While this browser is much better than the 2.0, it’s not perfect. I found, for instance, that it would crash on a page I had been working on with javascript. Seems that some forms of javascript make it unstable. When I updated the scriptand completed the page, it loaded just fine. All in all, this is the browser to use and enjoy, at least until the next one comes around. http://www.getfirefox.com

I rarely, if ever, talk about hardware products, but this week I saw a review of the new LG Decoy cellphone that is a Verizon Wireless product and I have to say I love the idea and really like the features. I was watching CNET TV (at cnet.com) and saw how this thing not only takes good pictures, has touch screen capabilities but it also comes with it’s own built-in bluetooth earbud. And for $189 (with two year commitment), that sure beats the iPhone in my book. To see the review, head over to CNET … http://tinyurl.com/47pscx

Also this week, I came across an UNBIASED, non-partisan website that simply states the facts against what the politicians have been saying during this Presidential race. The Annenberg Project is listening to everything both Barak Obama and John McCain are saying and then digging up the facts and presenting them in a way you can decide who’s telling the truth. This is especially helpful for folks like me who don’t have the time to spend looking for facts that support their statements and who don’t want to get spam emails of half truths that I have to decide are worth forwarding on or writing back to senders to tell them that it’s not true. (For the record, I don’t like getting emails that have been forwarded on by a thousand people. They are usually just rumors and I don’t want that stuff clogging up my Gmail). Check out FactCheck.org … http://factcheck.org/

Here’s something for the kids to do while on summer break … iCue is a site put together by NBC News. It features hundreds of current and historic videos. There are also games, activities and discussion forums. But the coolest thing about the site is the Cue Card. It adds note-taking tools to the videos. The cards can also be exchanged with others. Right now, iCue is featuring videos on the upcoming presidential election … but, you’ll also find other interesting news stories. It plans on rolling out more featured stories as the summer progresses. iCue isn’t just for kids, tho’ … the videos are worth the watch. http://www.icue.com/

Finally, I am a weather watcher. I watch wind charts and look for progressing weather fronts. I probably would have been a meteorologist because of my fascination with the weather. But I am also always looking for additional material. Weather Bonk is a neat site that lets me pinpoint weather as it’s happening. Do a weather search to focus in on the map and zoom in and use the additional features like cloud coverage and radar. It also provides the forecast and includes webcams that are available in that area. http://www.weatherbonk.com/

<==HuMoR==>
The New York Times, among other papers, has published a new Hubble photograph of distant galaxies colliding.
Of course, astronomers have had pictures of colliding galaxies for quite some time now, but with the vastly improved resolution provided by the Hubble Space Telescope, you can actually see the lawyers rushing to the scene…
(thanks, Howard … I’m tired of the attorney commercials on TV, too)
+++++++++++++++++++++++++
Bob was in trouble. He forgot his wedding anniversary. His wife was really angry.
She told him “Tomorrow morning, I expect to find a gift in the driveway that goes from 0 to 200 in 6 seconds AND IT BETTER BE THERE !!”
The next morning he got up early and left for work. When his wife woke up, she looked out the window and sure enough there was a box gift-wrapped in the middle of the driveway.
Confused, the wife put on her robe and ran out to the driveway, brought the box back in the house.
She opened it and found a brand new bathroom scale.
Bob has been missing since Friday.
(thanks, Frank)
+++++++++++++++++++++++++
The following short quiz consists of 4 questions and will tell you whether you are qualified to be a professional. The questions are NOT that difficult.
1. How do you put a giraffe into a refrigerator?
Correct Answer: Open the refrigerator, put in the giraffe, and close the door. This question tests whether you tend to do simple things in an overly complicated way.
2. How do you put an elephant into a refrigerator?
Did you say, Open the refrigerator, put in the elephant, and close the refrigerator?
Wrong Answer.
Correct Answer: Open the refrigerator, take out the giraffe, put in the elephant and close the door. This tests your ability to think through the repercussions of your previous actions.
3. The Lion King is hosting an animal conference. All the animals attend…. except one. Which animal does not attend?
Correct Answer: The Elephant. The elephant is in the refrigerator. You just put him in there. This tests your memory.
Okay, even if you did not answer the first three questions correctly, you still have one more chance to show your true abilities.
4. There is a river you must cross but it is used by crocodiles, and you do not have a boat. How do you manage it?
Correct Answer: You jump into the river and swim across. Have you not been listening? All the crocodiles are attending the Animal Meeting. This tests whether you learn quickly from your mistakes.
(thanks, Henry)
+++++++++++++++++++++++++
If you love something, set it free.
If it comes back, it was, and always will be yours.
If it never returns, it was never yours to begin with.
If it just sits in your living room,
messes up your stuff,
eats your food,
uses your telephone,
takes your money,
and never behaves as if you actually set it free in the first place,
you either married it or gave birth to it.
(thanks, Judy)
=========================
And that’s what I saw this week while on the Web. If you find something of interest you’d like to share with the others, whether it’s a website or a joke, send it on and if I use it, you’ll get the credit. Until next weekend, have a great week and, as always, may God bless you and keep you safe!

c-ya!
Jim
Jim’s WebLetter
Discover the Best of the Web
C-my-site: http://www.JimOnline.com
http://www.FernandinaLiving.com

Hi-ya Webfriends!

It’s that time again … time to bring you up to date with the latest and greatest from the World Wide Web as seen through the flat screen of my XP powered laptop. And boy is there a lot to report.

Today is Flag Day in America where we celebrate the Stars and Stripes for what it means to us. A recent poll here in the US showed that the vast majority of Americans don’t know why we have a flag day. It’s probably because along with a number of other things, it’s no longer taught in our nation’s public schools. Fortunately the Web contains all the information you would ever want to know about this yearly event that commemorates the adoption of the flag of the United States, which happened by resolution of the Second Continental Congress in 1777. In 1916, President Woodrow Wilson issued a presidential proclamation establishing a national Flag Day on June 14. It is celebrated by the displaying of the flag. Mine is hanging outside right now.

So what else is going on? Mozilla Firefox 3 release date has been announced. The Mozilla Developer News weblog is carrying an announcement that the final version of Mozilla Firefox 3 will be released on Tuesday. “After more than 34 months of active development, and with the contributions of thousands, we’re proud to announce that we’re ready,” the message says. “It is our expectation to ship Firefox 3 this upcoming Tuesday, June 17th.” It has been labeled as ‘Firefox Download Day’ when millions of users will attempt to set the Guinness World Record for the most software downloads in 24 hours. http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/

Google now on Yahoo? Yea, it seems that Yahoo has signed a deal with Google to show Google ads next to Yahoo search results. This definitely is a blow to Microsoft who wanted to purchase Yahoo. Now it seems that deal is off. Who is the winner? You got it … Google, whose stocks when up $18 a share on Friday. Smiles all around. http://tinyurl.com/3jqs26

Been to Hulu lately? I was reading a story yesterday that mentioned how PBS will be giving some of it’s programming to Hulu and splitting the ad revenue and it prompted me to head over and explore the site. They have been doing their homework. Select from the alphabetical listing of TV shows and find a bunch of the classics including Alfred Hitchcock (one of my son’s favorites) and WKRP in Cincinnati (one of my favorites). All of them come with some commercials included, but it’s only one commercial interruption and then it’s back into the program. What really got me was the viewing quality. Pretty clean and clear. Click and go full screen and you can watch from the other side of the room. Their selection of movies is nothing to ignore either, but for me … time only allows for a 24 minute sitcom over a 2 hour movie. http://www.hulu.com/

The best things in life are free … you’ve heard that phrase before, but it really rings true when it comes to open-source software. Do-it-yourself programming has really come into its own lately. And Freeware Genius’ motto is “someday all software will be free.” The site features freeware from across the Web in a concise blog format, from antivirus software to free music managers. It may seem impossible to optimize your computer’s functionality, but the site’s author has gone to great lengths to make sure that no spy ware software is featured on the site. http://freewaregenuis.com/

Finally, the First Coast is now a part of the Google “Street View” network of more than 40 cities across the country. Street View allows you to see in 360 the area you pick that is highlighted in blue. Google had people with cameras strapped to cars drive around areas and shoot virtual tours of neighborhoods. This is what is displayed when you move the little Street View guy to a blue location and click. See for yourself … http://tinyurl.com/6owh32

<==HuMoR==>

Some tourists in the Chicago Museum of Natural History are marveling at the dinosaur bones. One of them asks the guard, “Can you tell me how old the dinosaur bones are?”
The guard replies, “They are 3 million, four years, and six months old.”
“That’s an awfully exact number,” says the tourist. “How do you know their age so precisely?”
The guard answers, “Well, the dinosaur bones were three million years old when I started working here, and that was four and a half years ago.”
(thanks, Joe)
++++++++++++++++++++++++++
A man was in bad shape. He constantly gasped for breath and his eyes bulged. The doctors didn’t give him long to live. He decided to live it up. Withdrawing all of his money from the bank, he went on a shopping spree. His last stop was at the most expensive haberdashery in the city. He pointed out a dozen silk shirts. He wore a size fourteen.
The clerk said, “Your neck looks bigger than fourteen. You need a sixteen.”
The man said, “I know my size. I want them in a fourteen.”
The clerk said, “I’ll get them for you, but I want to warn you…if you wear a fourteen you’ll gasp all day and your eyes will bulge.”
(thanks, Frank)
++++++++++++++++++++++++++
For Those Who Want To Learn The Game of Baseball … A Simple Explanation:
This is a game played by two teams, one out the other in. The one that’s in, sends players out one at a time, to see if they can get in before they get out. If they get out before they get in, they come in, but it doesn’t count. If they get in before they get out it does count.
When the ones out get three outs from the ones in before they get in without being out, the team that’s out comes in and the team in goes out to get those going in out before they get in without being out.
When both teams have been in and out nine times the game is over. The team with the most in without being out before coming in wins unless the ones in are equal. In which case, the last ones in go out to get the ones in out before they get in without being out.
The game will end when each team has the same number of ins out but one team has more in without being out before coming in.
(thanks, Tim)
++++++++++++++++++++++++++
LOST IN TRANSLATION
A friend’s daughter, Callie, had enrolled in a Spanish class taught by a Hispanic teacher. “I’m not familiar with that name,” he said. “Does it start with a K?”
She replied, “C.”
Ever since, he has spelled her name “Kallie.”
(thanks, Will)
==========================
Remember, tomorrow is Father’s Day. A call would be great. Nuff said.

And that’s this week’s search and discovery on the World Wide Web, friends. Have a great weekend and as always, may God bless you and keep you safe!

jim
Jim’s WebLetter
Discover the best of the Web
C-My-site: http://www.JimOnline.com
http://www.FernandinaLiving.com

Hi-ya friends and neighbors!

Today marks the last day of May and the last week of the month has it’s own distinction as several events occurred over the past few days. Take for instance Phoenix landing on Mars. Pictures returned to earth by the latest ‘portable observatory’ show that there may be evidence of ice under the sand that was blown away from the surface. Visit NASA’s site to see the photos and read of the findings. http://tinyurl.com/5jqm2e

Also this week, we learned that scientists believe they have uncovered the meaning of Stonehenge, the ancient structure located in Salisbury Plain, England. Long time a mystery, excavations have revealed that there was a structure of wood near it and that these two structures were located outside a city where a thousand people lived. Sunday night, the National Geographic channel will premiere “Stonehenge Decoded” at 9 ET/PT. The website has details. http://tinyurl.com/6oksj3

Also this week, Comcast, the cable communications giant, was brought to it’s knees as hackers got into the companies domain names and website effectively stopping email delivery for about 5 hours. The Chicago Tribune has the story … http://tinyurl.com/5e93od. As they point out, every day, sites are hacked. It’s just big news when a company like Comcast is affected.

Facebook friends, heads up … a Canadian privacy group has filed a complaint against the site accusing it of violating privacy laws. BBC news has the details. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7428833.stm We’ll be keeping an eye out for any updates.

Sites in view this week include The Everyman annual photo competition site for amateur and professional photographers. Already underway, you can submit yours with a chance at winning a few dollars (no one will get rich in this competition, but it’s a great way to submit your click for everyone to see). Get details and get snapping! http://theeveryman.com/

Time to take a break? Online games can take your mind off the workday and Free Online Games is loaded. Now that scientists tell us that playing games like these is actually good for mental health and helping to avoid the onset of Alzheimer’s disease, it’s a good idea to bookmark this site for return visits. http://freeonlinegames.com/

As we close out the month of May and this WebLetter, it would be fitting to remind everyone that this was the month designated as National Sweet Vidalia Month because, ” onions need love, too”. The Vidalia website is loaded with helpful recipes as well as information on entering the competition with the deadline of August 15th (so there’s still time to enter!). http://www.vidaliaonion.org/index.php

<== HuMoR ==>
I got so excited when my husband expressed interest in my meditation sessions. “You don’t have to close your eyes,” I explained. “You can keep them open and focus on something like a candle or a spot in front of you.”
He nodded thoughtfully. “Could it be a TV?”
(thanks, Tracey)
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++
The blind man walks into a bar and says, “Wanna hear a blond joke?”
The bartender tells him, “Well, I’m blond and I won’t appreciate it. The man sitting next to you is 265 pounds, and is also blond. The man behind you is 285 pounds, and he’s blond too. Do you still want to tell that joke?”
“No way,” says the blind man. “Not if I have to explain it three times.”
(thanks, Henry)
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Heading down the interstate, our car passed through a huge swarm of gnats so dense that their bodies made popping noises as they hit the windshield. “I can’t get over how loud they are,” my wife said.
“Well, we are hitting them at 65 miles an hour,” I pointed out.
Her reply left me speechless. “I didn’t know bugs could fly that fast.”
(thanks, John)
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Everyone knows I’m a stickler for good spelling. So when an associate e-mailed technical documents asking me to “decifer” them, I had to set him straight.
“Decipher is spelled with a ph, not an f,” I wrote. “In case you’ve forgotten, spell checker comes free with your Microsoft program.”
A minute later came his reply: “Must be dephective.”
(thanks, Teresa)
===========================
And that’s the week in review, Web Friends. Thank you for the time you take to read it. Next weekend, my wife and I will be in a conference and I likely will not have time to write. With almost 36 years of marriage, we’re going to a conference to find out if we’ve been doing it right (;-D). Have a great weekend and until next time, may God continue to bless you and keep you safe.

c-ya!
Jim
Jim’s WebLetter
Discover the Best of the Web
C-my-site: http://www.JimOnline.com
http://www.FernandinaLiving.com

Hi-ya friends and neighbors!

It’s been a week of getting back to task following our vacation … the first vacation I’ve ever taken that lasted more than a week. I have been spending time putting together the photos and videos and have been putting them up on my site http://www.jimonline.com/videos.shtml. I still have several to go. Using my little Flip Ultra, I was able to capture tour guides and scan large areas that I couldn’t do with just a photo.

So, what is happening on the Web this week? I’m glad you asked …

Scientists have discovered that interactive, virtual world games are better for young viewers than watching TV. This from a study in England with a game called Adventure Rock. The findings from research sponsored by the BBC, reveal that children between the ages of 6 and 12 took on roles in the game that included explorer, nurturer, and life system builder … all things needed in real life. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7415442.stm
Here’s the site for downloading the game:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/cbbc/adventurerock/

Meanwhile, the movie industry is tripping over itself as one after the other, the big names come out weighing in for our attention. The number one box office draw after last week, “The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian”, has a website worth a visit with such menu items as interactive trailers and clips, a video game, widget and how to become a Narnian. Before going into the site, click on the bottom left side and register to win a trip to New Zealand and to the set of the next Narnia movie. http://disney.go.com/disneypictures/narnia/

Maybe it’s a desperate attempt to lure you away from using Google as your primary search engine, but Microsoft announced that it wants to “pay” you for using it’s search device. On the surface that sounds great: do a little searching, receive a check. It almost sounds like the bogus emails that used to go around about how Bill Gates was paying you to send an email to friends about Microsoft. Mary Jo Foley of ZDNet has the story … http://blogs.zdnet.com/microsoft/?p=1409

This week, Facebook turned one year old. The only reason why I’m bringing this up at all is because I have a Facebook page and check it from time to time. My kids have their own MySpace, but I don’t like MySpace because of all the “stuff” that’s been added to what was suppose to be an easy application. Lately Facebook has been getting press for a problem of Malware that can be easily passed between friends. http://tinyurl.com/3k5b89 Leave it up to the “black hat” people to mess up a good thing.
Now Facebook is becoming MySpace with more applications to choose from than AT&T has connections. Make no mistake, social networking is important. Networking is helpful for a number of issues including finding a job, getting ideas and opinions for planning upcoming events, and answers to puzzling questions. But trying to be the end-all for every MySpacer or Facebooker can only lead to problems with managing and providing protection for the end user. The question becomes, “do you know when to say ‘when’?” It appears that better quality control needs to be implemented.

Last thing … FREE SHIPPING. That makes online purchases so worth filling out the form and putting in your credit card number. Now a site called Free Shipping has codes for more than 700 popular online stores that provides shipping of items, you guessed it, for free. You’ll want to bookmark this address … http://www.freeshipping.org/

<==HuMoR==>
At the end of their first date, a young man takes his favorite girl home. Emboldened by the night, he decides to try for that important first kiss.
With an air of confidence, he leans with his hand against the wall and, smiling, he says to her, “Darling, how ’bout a goodnight kiss?”
Horrified, she replies, “Are you mad? My parents will see us!”
“Oh come on! Who’s gonna see us at this hour?”
“No, please. Can you imagine if we get caught?”
“Oh come on, there’s nobody around, they’re all sleeping!”
“No way. It’s just too risky!”
“Oh please, please, I like you so much!!”
“No, no, and no. I like you too, but I just can’t!”
“Oh yes you can. Please?”
“NO, no. I just can’t.”
“Pleeeeease?…”
Out of the blue, the porch light goes on, and the girl’s sister shows up in her pajamas, hair disheveled. In a sleepy voice the sister says: “Dad says to go ahead and give him a kiss. Or I can do it. Or if need be, he’ll come down himself and do it. But for crying out loud tell him to take his hand off the intercom button!”
(thanks, Andrew)
+++++++++++++++++++++
Some metaphors written by students in high school English class….
- Long separated by cruel fate, the star-crossed lovers raced across the grassy field toward each other like two freight trains, one having left New York at 6:36 PM traveling west at 55 mph, the other from Chicago at 4:19 PM traveling east at a speed of 35 mph.
- Even in his last years, Granddad had a mind like a steel trap, only one that had been left out so long it had rusted shut.
- She had a deep, throaty, genuine laugh, like that sound a dog makes just before it throws up.
- It hurt the way your tongue hurts after you accidentally staple it to the wall.
(thanks, Henry)
+++++++++++++++++++++
Most people hate to parallel park. The other day, I saw this woman trying to get out of a tight parking space. She bumped the car in front, then backed up and hit the car behind her. This went on about two minutes.
I walked over to see if I could somehow help. My offer was declined. She said, “Why have bumpers if you’re not going to use them once in a while?”
(thanks, Mike)
=====================
And that’s the way the Web flowed this week, JWL readers. Thank you for your attentiveness and emails. Have a great weekend. Remembering Memorial Day on Monday we think of those who gave their lives so we might enjoy ours.

Til next weekend, God bless you and keep you safe. Troops, keep your head down and your eyes open.

c-ya!
Jim
Jim’s WebLetter
Discover the Best of the Web
c-my-site at http://www.JimOnline.com
http://www.FernandinaLiving.com

Hi-ya Webfriends!

We just flew back in late last night from our trip to Ireland and now comes the adjustment to East coast time. But we had a wonderful and interesting time. The days were cool but mostly sunny (we were told by everyone that we were lucky), the people were all friendly and courteous, and after driving more than 1600 Kilometers (just under a thousand miles), I finally got used to driving on the left side of the road.

While there, I discovered that many small towns were devoid of internet or only had dial up connection. But they still had web addresses for many of the shops and tourist areas. We also were able to take advantage of internet cafes in most places we visited. So, after being able to keep up with the news and seeing some things that the Irish find interesting, here’s this week’s JWL …

Did you hear that CBS is buying CNET and all its properties? I have been reading news and blogs and watching CNET-TV for quite a long time now and know that, financially, they have been struggling. It seems that everyone is happy about the merger. CBS has been snapping up small Web sites in the last year or so, including Last.fm, Wallstrip, which makes irreverent financial-themed Web videos, and DotSpotter, a celebrity gossip site. This acquisition is the biggest and, as far as I’m concerned, the best. A win-win for everyone. http://tinyurl.com/5zjggu

Something else in the international tech news this week is the indictment of Lori Drew, the woman who created a cyber-bully site on MySpace that drove a 13 year old to commit suicide. I believe this is significant because it sends a warning to people who think they can threaten and harass online and get away with it. This woman, if convicted of all the charges, could get 20 years. This story bears following … http://tinyurl.com/6r9bro

While on our trip, we had the good fortune and good weather to take a boat tour of the Cliffs of Moher outside the town of Doolin. There’s a lovely B&B there called the Churchfield run by Maeve Fitzgerald, a delightful woman who showed us what Irish people are really about. As this was our first day in “Eir”, she was a big help in preparing us for life in her country. We received tips on places to go, things to do, and most of all, driving. (I had quickly determined that Irish roads were, for the most part, one lane roads with a stripe down the middle. Certainly not all the roads, just the vast majority.) She told me that most people will make room. That was particularly helpful when we visited the southernmost point, Mizen Head. Maeve’s place is online at http://homepage.eircom.net/~churchfield/ and the Cliffs of Moher site is http://www.cliffsofmoher.ie/

The news this week also showed how many gaming consoles are becoming the conduit for TV from the web. Nintendo’s WII just added internet accessibility. Now, if you own a WII, you can upload programs from the Web into your TV. Sony Playstation and the ever popular XBox also include that feature … now we know how to get the Web onto TV, there’s Joost offering a huge selection of the newer programs to watch. You’ll find over 400 channels and 20,000 free online television programs. Everything from MacGyver to National Geographic to Transformers is available to watch anytime. Video quality is also extremely high, usually retaining the look of when the show first aired. To get access you’ll need to do a quick and free registration process and download the site’s special player.
http://www.joost.com/

As we spent nearly 10 days in country, we discovered a number of wonderful places, too numerous to mention in this edition. The towns of Kinsale and Crookhaven stand out. But for us, the beauty and charm of Ireland is steeped in it’s history (ruins everywhere, each with their own story) and in its people who would do anything for you just because they can. I walked into a small store the other day and purchased a magazine. The lady behind the counter didn’t have the exact change, so she began borrowing from two men who were standing beside. It was a bit humorous to watch three people collecting and trading euro coins in order to give me change. When one man unloaded his pocket full, I reacted with “holy cow, you must be rich”. They all laughed and he winked. When I thanked them, they all smiled and told me to have a good day. It’s moments like that I will never forget.

<==HuMoR==>

Upon entering the little country store, the stranger noticed a sign saying DANGER! BEWARE OF DOG! posted on the glass door. Inside he noticed a harmless old hound dog asleep on the floor beside the cash register.
He asked the store manager, “Is THAT the dog folks are supposed to beware of?”
“Yep, that’s him,” he replied.
The stranger couldn’t help but be amused. “That certainly doesn’t look like a dangerous dog to me. Why in the world would you post that sign?”
“Because”, the owner replied, “before I posted that sign, people kept tripping over him.”
(thanks, Eric)
+++++++++++++++++++
Unfortunately, getting a new passport required a new photo. As I handed my ten-year-old passport and the new picture to the clerk, I sighed. “I like the original better,” I told her.
“Trust me,” she said. “Ten years from now, you’ll like this one.”
(thanks, Betty)
+++++++++++++++++++
During a recent vacation in Atlantic City, a couple went to see a popular magic show. After one especially amazing feat, a woman from the back of the theater yelled out:
“Hey, how’d you do that?”
“I could tell you, madam”, the magician answered, “But then I’d have to kill you.”
After a short pause, she yelled back, “OK, then … Just tell my husband.”
(thanks, Arnie)
+++++++++++++++++++
Father Murphy walks into a pub in Donegal, and says to the first man he meets, “Do you want to go to heaven?”
The man said, “I do, Father.”
The priest said, “Then stand over there against the wall.”
Then the priest asked the second man, “Do you want to go to heaven?”
“Certainly, Father,” was the man’s reply.
“Then stand over there against the wall,” said the priest.
Then Father Murphy walked up to O’Toole and said, “Do you want to go to heaven?”
O’Toole said, “No, I don’t Father.”
The priest said, “I don’t believe this. You mean to tell me that when you die you don’t want to go to heaven?”
O’Toole said, “Oh, when I die, yes. I thought you were getting a group together to go right now.”
(thanks, Mick)
=====================
And that’s this week’s look at the Web through bloodshot eyes. Time to get this off and go back to bed. Have a great weekend and, may God bless you and keep you safe.

C-ya!
jim
Jim’s WebLetter
Discover the Best of the Web
See my sites:
http://www.jimonline.com
http://www.fernandinaliving.com

Hi-ya Friends and Netneighbors!

A special “hi-ya” to new subscribers to JWL this week. Thank you for adding your name to the list of worldwide readers.

It’s “preparation weekend” on the Island as we countdown the final few days to the 45th annual Isle of Eight Flags Shrimp Festival which begins this Thursday afternoon with the ever popular Pirate Parade down Centre Street in Fernandina Beach. Although the parade begins at about 6, most folks are assembling by 4:30 or 5 p.m. because they want to get a good place to watch. I’ll be down at my favorite spot, shaded by the trees and parked with camera on tripod to film the whole thing for the Shrimp Festival website. This year we have something new … Web cams will be stationed on buildings all along the street for online viewing, so if you can’t make it, you can tune in to see and hear the festivities all weekend.

In addition, we have worked an agreement with First Coast News (TV channels 12 & 25) to have a “Shrimp Cam” behind their booth on Centre and 5th Streets for Festival goers to phone home and show their friends and family where they are. Plus Web cams will be directional, so you can take controls and move cameras stationed at the concert stage and building tops to see and hear all the action. For more information, do what everyone else is doing … visit the Website at http://www.shrimpfestival.com.

Here are a few things I discovered on the Web this week …

The battle going on between Microsoft and Yahoo continues to rage. MS wants Yahoo for a reported $46 billion, meanwhile Yahoo says it’s not enough. In the latest report from the BBC, Microsoft’s profits are off in the first quarter of the year, while Yahoo’s is up. So the question is, “is Yahoo right?”. Google is sitting back watching this one from the sidelines. Meanwhile, the rumor is around that Ebay may sell Skype, the online phone provider, to Google. Here’s the BBC story … http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/7366106.stm

Meanwhile, Yahoo has begun re-engineering it’s site to become more social. BBC News reported that the site will link together all it’s features, either self created or my aquisitions, into one main host. Sort of a Myspace meets Facebook meets developers dream. No date is set for that release. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7366674.stm

How many fantasy sports folks do we have here? The answer is, several and it’s growing. The guy who founded CBS Sportsline, Mike Levy, has announced his newest venture … Open Sports Network. The site is being built but is states that it aspires to be a sports-oriented social network featuring betting-enabled fantasy sports games, rich news content, and perhaps most importantly, a game platform. http://opensports.com/

When’s the last time you had to ship a package? Like you, whenever we have to ship, we end up going to the Post Office and pay their fee. Yes, I know there is UPS and a host of others, but, we give in and let the Postal people handle it. Well that just changed as we now have options. I want the best price and guarantee when shipping, so now we use RedRoller. We begin by entering the origin, destination and package size/weight. Then, click Compare Rates. The rates offered by a variety of carriers comes up. We pick the one that suits our needs. Then, print up a shipping label and schedule a pickup. Or, you can simply find the nearest drop-off locations. Yea, this takes the hassle out of shipping packages. Here’s the quick link … https://www.redroller.com/shippingcenter/home/

Finally, imagine a harmonica player playing Carnegie Hall and bringing the house down. In this video Buddy Greene, who is featured with the Gaither Vocal Band and the “Gaither and Friends” series, shows is classical abilities. While the quality of the picture isn’t the best, the sound is and you won’t believe your ears. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7SlukDf4k8E

<==HuMoR==>
A love story of Ralph and Edna. Ralph and Edna were both patients in a mental hospital. One day while they were walking past the hospital swimming pool, Ralph suddenly jumped into the deep end. He sank to the bottom of the pool and stayed there. Edna promptly jumped in to save him. She swam to the bottom and pulled him out. When the Head Nurse Director became aware of Edna’s heroic act she
Immediately ordered her to be discharged from the hospital, as she now considered her to be mentally stable. When she went to tell Edna the news she said, ‘Edna, I have good news and bad news.
The good news is you’re being discharged, since you were able to rationally respond to a crisis by jumping in and saving the life of the person you love. I have concluded that your act displays a sound
mindedness. The bad news is, Ralph hung himself in the bathroom with his bathrobe belt right after you saved him. I am so sorry, but he’s dead.’
Edna replied, ‘He didn’t hang himself, I put him there to dry. How soon can I go home?’
(thanks, Rich)
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
My nursing colleague was preparing an intravenous line for a 15 year-old male patient. The bedside phone rang and the boy’s mother reached over to pick it up.
After talking for a few minutes, the mother held the phone aside and said, “Your father wants to know if you have any cute nurses.”
The boy gazed at the nurse, who had the needle poised above his arm, ready for insertion. “Tell him,” he replied, “they’re absolutely gorgeous!”
(thanks, Brenda)
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
BUMPER STICKERS
“If you can read this, my wife fell off!” (Seen on the back of a biker’s vest.)
“If you lived in your car, you’d be home by now”
“WARNING! Driver only carries $20.00 in ammunition”
“He’s not dead, He’s electro-encephalographically challenged”
“We have enough youth, how about a fountain of smart?”
(thanks, John)
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
I heard this one again the other day ….
What do you get when you cross a dyslexic with an agnostic and an insomniac?
A person who stays awake at night wondering if there really is a dog.
============================
And that’s this week’s collection of sites and stuff for your Web-viewing pleasure. Thanks for your time. As a note to all, next weekend is Shrimp Festival and I won’t have time to write a WebLetter as I will be in the midst of all the action. Following the Festival, my wife and I are taking a much needed vacation and will be visiting towns and landmarks in Ireland. We are due to return on May 16th, so the next WebLetter will be published on the 17th.

Til then, may God continue to bless you and keep you safe.

C-ya!
jim
Jim’s WebLetter
Discover the Best of the Web
http://www.JimOnline.com
http://www.FernandinaLiving.com