The Polar Penguin

High Scope Camp being sold

2010-05-12T11:22:00.000-07:00

Camp - Retreat & Conference Center, Washtenaw County
15124-15143 Sheridan Road
Clinton, MI 49236 Map Listing...
Catylist ID: 2010906
Property Type:
Special Purpose for Sale
(Also listed as Hospitality, Business Opportunity)
Assembly/Meeting Place
Building Size (RSF): 26,495 SF
Sale Price: $795,000
Unit Price: $30.01 Per SF
Property Status: Existing
Gross Building Area (GBA): 26,495 SF
Total Land Size: 65 Acres
Sale Terms: Cash to Seller
Last Updated: 5/10/2010
Here is the link for pictures of the property
http://www.cpix.net/jsp/listings/listing_overview.jsp?listingID=2010906
Property Overview
The High/Scope Camp - Retreat & Meeting Center (RMC) is a 108 bed residential facility located on 65+ acres of beautiful, quiet terrain between the rural towns of Clinton and Manchester, Michigan. This picturesque site is situated in the southwestern corner of Washtenaw County, easily accessed from the cities of Ann Arbor, Detroit, Lansing, and Toledo. Privately owned & operated since 1968. Price is all inclusive. Neighboring 20 acres parcel also for sale at 14363 Allen Rd. with caretaker house, barn, shop, and pond house.

It is hard to believe after all these years that the camp is being sold. It is sad that a wonderful opportunity for teenagers is being sold. I hope the next people to buy it will provide a wonderful opportunity for other children that I and others had.

High Scope Brick House

2010-01-03T08:18:00.000-08:00

I learned how to make friendship bracelets on the front porch of the Brick House during the spring of 1984 at High Scope Camp. High Scope had a major influence on my life. I wanted my daughter to be able to go, but the camp lost funding and they are now focusing on working with pre-school and elementary children.

What is your favorite memory from High Scope?

High Scope Request

2008-10-26T14:20:00.000-07:00

I helped make that picnic table. What project did you work on?

I was asked if anyone is tracking the alumni of High Scope. If you are interested in connecting with people you went to camp with, please post a message on the blog and we will try and see if we can track previous High Scopers. I look forward to hearing from everyone.

High Scope continued

2008-08-18T17:52:00.000-07:00

I did some research and talked to the administrators at High Scope and it seems that they have closed for lack of funding, but they are trying to raise funds to reopen the camp. Just a quick update. If I find out any more, I will let you know.

High Scope

2008-05-14T12:36:00.000-07:00

I decided I would change the focus of The Polar Penguin. When I was 14, I went to a wonderful camp and it changed my life and I think the lives of quite a few of the people who went there. Now, I had been to many camps as a kid, I was in Girl Scouts and our church Youth Group, but this camp was different. Unfortunately, from what I have been able to find out the camp is no longer in existence, it looks like they are now focusing on preschool children. Let me know what you think or if you have been there. Here is an article that describes what it was like to be there, but it doesn't fully describe the feelings that the place invoked.

The Camp Community and the World Community

by Tom Schweinhart

In our fast-paced world of technology, camps expose young people to a different kind of environment - a community-based atmosphere in which campers learn about living, working, and playing together. In addition, campers typically learn a healthy respect for nature. The life skills that many youth experience at camp help to form thinking patterns that impact the type of adults they will become. Living in a camp community helps prepare youth to be positive contributors to their communities.

High/Scope Institute for IDEAS, named for its five principal goals of increasing students' initiative, appreciation for diversity, education and career expectations, motivation for achievement, and appreciation for community service, is a month-long, residential, educational-enrichment program in operation since 1963. Our staff facilitate active-learning workshops in the arts and sciences - academic subjects but in a hands-on, cooperative, camp environment. The research-validated approach focuses on supporting the developmental needs of adolescents - cognitive and social - in order for learning to occur effectively. This approach grows from the cognitive theories of Piaget (1972) and the social development ideas of Erikson (1963, 1968.)

Over my years as director of the Institute, I've been amazed at the impact living in this small international community for a month and participating in community events has on young people. Of course, it can be challenging at first to live in such close proximity with others. But it doesn't take long for campers to slide into the daily routine of community living. Living in a camp community is more natural and more familiar in our genetic memory than a typical young American's world of video games, TVs, and the Internet. In addition, a considerable body of research shows that people learn better cooperatively (Slavin, 1990; DeVries, 1978; Glasser, 1986; Hartley, 1976; Johnson & Johnson, 1989).

Building Community

At the Institute for IDEAS, we intentionally emphasize the importance of community through the structure of the program and through conversations with campers about their roles and responsibilities at the program. We try to help young people make connections between the community at the Institute and their lives at home. Adolescence is a particularly important time to focus on community. As young people establish their individual identities and achieve increasing independence from their families, they begin to reach out to peer groups as a major source of friendship, support, and influence.

At the Institute, we ban "pop" culture - no radios, TV, video games, CDs, MP3s, etc. We even discourage conversations about events in popular culture. We do this for intercultural reasons - a Colombian student may not have heard of the latest rap song and may feel left out of conversations, for example - but also to create an environment free from the packaged, consumer world, and one that is rooted in a shared experience.

Council
Every Friday night, the full community participates in Council, one of the most intentional and obvious expressions of community at the Institute. Council is a reflective activity with roots in Quaker and Native American traditions, a time for all to come together for some common quietude, some seriousness, and for the sharing of deeper feelings. The campers are given a topic (often selected by a smaller group of campers), such as community, and we walk as a group out to a fire circle. Sitting around the fire, campers can choose to talk "to the fire" about an idea or concern related to the topic. The focus for the speaker is the fire, but the real audience is the rest of the Institute community. This space often creates for the campers a sense of psychological safety that allows them to share meaningful issues in their lives. This ritual deepens the community atmosphere of the program. After a successful Council, campers feel closer to each other on a personal level, but often on a community level as well. The community feels stronger and deeper.

Work crew
In room groups (four to seven campers of the same gender plus one staff member), campers participate in half-hour daily chores we call Work Crew. These chores range from washing the dishes after breakfast, to cleaning bathrooms and living space, to collecting trash bags and recycling items from all the buildings. We discuss work crews with campers - how they are important to sustaining the community, how if we didn't do them things would become messy and unsafe, how everyone doing their little part ensures that the community runs smoothly.

Meal times and evening programs
We build community through meal times. Like many camps, we eat family style in a large dining room, and we also sing together after every lunch and dinner meal. Institute songs become a common denominator in a shared culture. At the end of the session, everyone knows the songs and they become a foundational element of the community we've created.

We build community during evening programs. Every night from 8 to 9:15 p.m., the full community of campers and staff join together for a large-group activity. Sometimes these are academically-based, focusing on science, history, math, etc., and sometimes they offer a different kind of learning, like personality differences, cultural diversity, or even folk dancing. Coming together as a group to have a shared experience, especially at the end of the day, reinforces the notion of community. The evening programs further a camper's experience of membership, being part of a constructive, enjoyable, and supportive peer group. Staff participate alongside campers, providing positive interactions and acting as positive role models.

Folk dancing
Folk dancing occurs at the Institute as evening programs and as five consecutive morning activities. Everyone participates in learning beginning and intermediate dances from a rich variety of cultural traditions. We learn dances that originated in Israel, Hungary, England, etc. Soon everyone is doing the same step to the music, more or less. Like singing, folk dance allows everyone to experience group success and to have a shared experience - different than the experience campers have in their home lives. In this age of electronic pop music and music videos, you wouldn't think that a group of teenagers would even consider holding hands in a circle, learning simple movements to international folk music. And certainly many participants are apprehensive at first. But session after session, folk dancing ends up being one of the most popular and loved activities at the program. The young people are able to experience dancing success without the pressures associated with a typical high school dance.

Service Learning and Work Projects

We promote service learning as an element of community. Campers participate in many activities to consider the importance of community service, and everyone participates in a day of community service. Adolescence, a time marked by the formation of values and the onset of a more critical understanding of the world, is a particularly appropriate time for young people to experience the satisfaction and responsibility of helping others through service learning.

Work projects are a part of this service learning. Campers participate in small group projects to better our camp facility. Over the years, campers have built bridges, repaired picnic tables, maintained trails, and created art projects to decorate the facility. Through these work projects, campers contribute to a community bigger than the group of sixty-five campers and counselors, they contribute to the camp community of all the years of campers and staff.

Bringing It Home

The idea underlying all of the ways we focus on community is that when people function in the High/Scope community, it serves as a microcosm of the possibilities within their home communities. After the Institute ends, campers go back to their neighborhoods in different towns and even different nations around the world. It is our hope that what they learn about community over the month will help them interact with others and be leaders in their community at home. One recent participant said, "I plan to take the stuff I learned here back to my community so I can try and help them out the same way High/Scope helped me."

Of course, as many camp directors and counselors know, the community at home is very different from the camp atmosphere. We believe that being in a supportive atmosphere for a few weeks can help build self-confidence and provide the tools to function back in their home environments. As our research indicates - and most camp professionals know - it works. As one student said, "I gained more courage, self-confidence, and made friends for life."

Many camp programs utilize community activities like the High/Scope program. For example, many have youth help out with daily chores such as cleaning their bunks or. The critical component is intentionally helping the young people through discussion and reflection to make connections to the concepts of community. Camps often create a positive culture in which campers feel a sense of belonging. The next step is to help campers make connections between the camp "feeling" and their lives at home.

Campers often tell me they share things with their roommates at the Institute that they haven't told their best friends at home. Through Council, campers sometimes share things with sixty-five people that they haven't told their closest friends. This speaks to the power of living in a close community.

Why is community so important at camp? Most campers and staff who have experienced the High/Scope program would agree that one of the most important and moving things about that experience is the sense of belonging to a wonderful collection of people that develops. One could argue that this sense of belonging is what keeps most camps running for years and years.

It wouldn't be hard to convince a group of camp professionals (like the readers of this magazine) that camps teach young people valuable skills in communication and cooperation and that these skills will help campers later in their adult lives. Most camp professionals believe that campers learn a great deal about social skills. But it's likely that camps do a lot more. They provide an authentic context through the community living experience that helps young people practice citizenship as the world becomes more global. Being intentional and reflective about these ideas, within the camp setting, are critical "teaching moments" that camps should not miss.

Alternative to Computer Scanners

2007-08-20T15:33:00.000-07:00

Have you ever tried to use a scanner for your computer and feel like you are trying to program your VCR? I have an alternative for you.

I couldn't find the plug to work my scanner since we moved but I needed to scan something into the comptuer. But I couldn't figure out where to find the outlet plug, but came up with an idea that worked. It just might work for you. I took a picture of the item I needed to scan with my digital camera then uploaded the file to the computer. It worked great.

So if you are ever at a point when you need to scan something into the computer, but feel like you are being overwhelmed by the electronics in your home, take a picture of it. It is definitely much easier.

Tips for Painting Drywall

2007-08-07T06:22:00.000-07:00

You have a clean slate. A room has been redone and you have fresh, new drywall up on the walls, but now you have to figure out how to paint the walls. If you use regular paint on the drywall it will take you quite a few coats to keep the drywall from soaking up all the paint. This will take you many hours to many days to accomplish. It is much easier to take care of than you might think.

The first thing you need to do is to make sure you have mudded the walls, which means you have used plaster to cover the nail holes and the cracks between the pieces of drywall. After you have plastered the walls then you need to sand the walls, otherwise you will end up with lumps in your walls and uneven spots. The paint will also have a harder time adhering to the surface of the wall.

The next step is to use a primer for the walls. This will help keep the paint from soaking into the drywall and save you many hours of backbreaking work and it will save you some money also. Your paint or hardware store will let you know which type and color of primer would work best with the color you choose for your walls. After you have done a nice coat of primer on the walls, wait for it to dry and then if you think it needs another coat apply an additional coat of primer to the walls. This is especially helpful if you are trying to cover a stain on the wall.

You have the primer on the walls; your next step is to paint the room. If you are going to use a different color for the trim then it works to apply that first and wait for it to dry. After it dries then you can tape off the edges and paint the walls. Wait for the walls to dry and you might need to put on a second coat.

After you are done putting the second coat of paint on the walls and the paint has dried, then put your room back together and enjoy your new space.

Installing a New Window

2007-08-07T06:21:00.000-07:00

You were in the hardware store the other day and saw the new window you want to put into your house, but now you have to know how to install it. Installing a window is a relatively simple process and as you are walked through the steps to replace your old window, you will find a couple of tips to help you along the way.

TOOLS
The tools you will need for your task are tape measure, crow (pry) bar, hammer, a sharp utility knife, wood chisel, level, square, saw, caulking gun (with caulk), and a screwdriver. An electric drill/screwdriver will make the job easier for you, but it isn’t a requirement. You will also need extra pieces of wood called shims to make sure the window is level.

MEASURING
This is the most important step of the whole process. If you don’t measure accurately then the replacement window you buy won’t fit into the existing space and you will either have to go buy a new window or expand the window size. If you have determined the type of window you would like to replace the old one with you can use the manufacturers measuring instructions to find out which size window will work for your space. You will most likely have to remove the interior trim around the window to get an accurate measurement. Once you have your measurements, review your window size options to determine which size window will work the best. It is important to note that if you can’t get the same size window, it is easier to replace the window with a slightly smaller window as you will just have to add some framer to the face and not have to excavate part of your wall.

WINDOW REMOVAL
You have received your new window and are ready to continue with your project. The first thing you need to do is remove the old window. The first step is to remove the exterior trim from the window. A note here: if you are going to reuse the trim be careful when you are removing it and once you have it off the house remove the nails from the trim and set it aside. Then you will do the same for the interior of the window. The next step is to use the utility knife to score the paint around the window, then using a small crow bar, remove the stops, both the jamb and head stops. You will then need to remove the sash cords so the weights for the window will drop down. Then you can remove the lower sash. The upper sash normally has a wedge at the bottom, just use a chisel to knock out the wedge, then you will be able to remove the top sash. After you remove the balance cord pulleys then you can remove the window stool and any interior trim that is left. You will very likely have to use a crow bar and a block of wood to help you get it out of the frame. Your window has been removed and you can move onto the next step.

INSTALLATION
You finally are at the point where you can install your new window. You are going to want to use the caulking around the window to make sure you have a good seal. This will help eliminate any of the loss of energy through small openings around the window. You will need to use the level to make sure the window is even, this is when you use the shims to ensure that it is level. Then you need to make sure your measurements are the same from corner to corner in both directions. This is done to make sure that the window didn’t twist when you installed it. Then you can nail the window into place. Before you add the trim onto the window frame, it is a good idea to have someone stand outside with a flashlight and go around the frame of the window to ensure that there aren’t any holes. If there are you can use more caulking to fill the holes. A good insulation to use around the frame of the window is a foam insulation because you can use it to fill the space completely and don’t have to worry about energy loss.

FINISHING
Your new window is installed and you have ensured that there aren’t any open spaces around the window by filling them with insulation and caulking. The next step is to install the trim around the window both inside and outside. You can use your old trim or you can replace it with new trim; this will depend on if you used a smaller or larger window. Either one will require you to use new trim. You will use a miter saw to get the correct angles for the edges of the trim. Install and then you can finish the project.

The trim is up and now you need to either stain the trim or paint it, whichever is your preference. You will need to lightly sand the window and frame to make sure you have removed all of the residue from construction. You don’t want to use steel wool as it could scratch the surface. Another option for finishing the trim work is to keep it the original wood color and just put a couple of coats of polyurethane on it, even if you stain the surface you will want to finish it off with the polyurethane, it will make clean up easier. A final tip is to paint or polyurethane about 1/8 of an inch onto the glass. This will help to further seal the window from loss of energy.

Gasoline Prices - Fight against the Prices

2007-06-04T05:10:00.000-07:00

I received an email today and thought I would include my friends in on what is being planned by some fellow frustrated individuals who are tired of paying almost $4.00 for a gallon of gas while the companies are having their stock prices have risen from $65 a share to $84 a share in one year for Exxon Mobil. While Chevron and BP have had similar rises. It is ridiculous the price of gasoline today and I thought I would share this unique boycott idea with all of you. If we all work together we just might be able to get the gas companies to lower the price of gas and one of the best ways to do that is to create a gas war. Here is the email:

I heard about this movement over the week-end and here it was in my e-mail
>this morning!!
>It sounds logical, and I guess better than sitting here just complaining
>about it.
>
>THIS IS NOT THE 'DON'T BUY' GAS FOR ONE DAY, BUT IT WILL SHOW YOU HOW
>WE CAN GET GAS BACK DOWN TO $1.30 PER GALLON.
>
>This was sent by a retired Coca Cola executive. It came from one of
>his engineer buddies who retired from Halliburton. If you are tired of the
>gas prices going up AND they will continue to rise this summer, take time
>to read this please.
>
>Phillip Hollsworth offered this good idea. This makes MUCH MORE SENSE
>than the "don't buy gas on a certain day" campaign that was going around
>last April or May! It's worth your consideration. Join the resistance!!!!
>
>I hear we are going to hit close to $ 4.00 a gallon by summer (we're almost
>there) and
>it might go higher!! Want gasoline prices to come down? We need to take
>some intelligent, united action. The oil companies just laughed at that
>because they knew we wouldn't continue to "hurt" ourselves by refusing to
>buy gas. It was more of an inconvenience to us than it was a problem for
>them. BUT, whoever thought of this idea, has come up with a plan that can
>Really work. Please read on and join with us! By now you're probably
>thinking gasoline priced at about $1.50 is super cheap. Me too! It is
>currently $3.45 (Tomahawk 5/29/07) for regular unleaded in my town.
>
>Now that the oil companies and the OPEC nations have conditioned us
>to think that the cost of a gallon of gas is CHEAP at $1.50 - $1.75, we
>need
>to take aggressive action to teach them that BUYERS control the
>marketplace..not sellers. With the price of gasoline going up more each
>day, we consumers need to take action. The only way we are going to see the
>price of gas come down is if we hit someone in the pocketbook by not
>purchasing their gas! And, we can do that WITHOUT hurting ourselves. How?
>Since we all rely on our cars, we can't just stop buying gas. But we CAN
>have an impact on gas prices if we all act together to force a price war.
>
>Here's the idea: For the rest of this year, DON'T purchase ANY
>gasoline from the two biggest companies (which now are one), EXXON and
>MOBIL. If they are not selling any gas, they will be inclined to reduce
>their prices. If they reduce their prices, the other companies will have to
>Follow suit. But to have an impact, we need to reach literally millions of
>Exxon and Mobil gas buyers. It's really simple to do! Now, don't wimp out
>on me at this point...keep reading and I'll explain how simple it is to
>reach millions of people!!
>
>I am sending this note to 30 people. If each of us send it to at least
>ten more (30 x 10 = 300) ... and those 300 send it to at least ten more
>(300 x 10 = 3,000)...and so on, by the time the message reaches the sixth
>group of people, we will have reached over THREE MILLION consumers. If
>those three million get excited and pass this on to ten friends each, then
>30 million people will have been contacted! If it goes one level further,
>you guessed it..... THREE HUNDRED MILLION PEOPLE!!!
>Again, all you have to do is send this to 10 people. That's all!
>
>How long would all that take? If each of us sends this e-mail out to
>ten more people within one day of receipt, all 300 MILLION people could
>conceivably be contacted within the next 8 days!!! I'll bet you didn't
>think you and I had that much potential, did you! Acting together we can
>make a difference.
>
>If this makes sense to you, please pass this message on. I suggest
>that we NOT buy from EXXON/MOBIL UNTIL THEY LOWER THEIR PRICES AND KEEP
>THEM DOWN. THIS CAN REALLY WORK.

I think it is in all of our best interest to try it and see if it works, which means we have to buy our gas at other places besides Exxon and Mobil gas stations. But I think to be really effective, we might even want to find some of the smaller stations and use them instead. Good luck and hopefully we will get the gas prices back down to a reasonable level.

Understanding the Concept of Societal Marketing

2007-05-27T07:49:00.001-07:00

Societal marketing is the practice of using your marketing program in alignment with the social media outlets that are available on the Internet like YouTube, MySpace and even Helium. There are other types of outlets for social media which include blogs, forums, and newsletters. You can build your marketing campaign around the concepts of social marketing to further the brand of your company through word-of-mouth advertising.

An example of a company using social media would be Sony with its release of Spider-Man 3. They worked with Google Earth to provide to fans a map of Manhattan with an overlay of Spider-Man 3. They also released the still pictures from the film for use by fans on their Spider-Man 3 blogs. They accepted fan challenges from fan art assignments to creating original videos for their members only content. It is this type of campaign that companies are initiating in the hopes that societal marketing will help their companies improve their return on investment while increasing their brand name.

Companies do need to be careful when they are planning on using societal marketing as their campaign strategy. Individuals aren't required to provide a positive experience to the people who read the blogs and forums and if companies aren't careful they can be inundated with negative promotional information. A campaign that was looking to improve the companies brand could instead be faced with a backlash of negative information.

Societal marketing can be a useful tool for companies to explore, but with any concept precautions need to be taken so that the marketing campaign doesn't negatively affect the company. But companies can take a risk and try out different channels for their marketing campaigns but it is always smart to be diversified in your plans. In other words, don't put all your eggs in one basket or you could end up with a loss at the end of the quarter.

Is your trash can a treasure chest for identity thieves?

2007-04-26T08:05:00.000-07:00

Flyers come in the mail along with financial institutions that want you to sign up for their credit card, but what should you do with all of this information? Most people just throw it away along with all of their other junk mail, but this can open the door for people looking to steal your identity.

What you should remember when trying to thwart identity thieves is to make it as hard as possible for them to steal your identity. If any mail comes in that has personal information on it then you should shred it. This includes any flyers or credit card offers that list your name and address. The reason you do this is because you want to give the possible thieves as little information as possible.

When you go through you files to clean them out for the next year then you will want to shred all of your statements. It is also a good idea to invest in a cross shredder because it will make it more difficult for possible thieves. They won’t want to take the time to piece your information back together when your neighbor just throws his away.

You will also want to put the trash out just before the collector comes so that you give the possible thieves as little time as possible to go through your trash. If you are one that sets it out overnight so that you can sleep in tomorrow morning then you are making it easier to have your identity stolen.

These are just a few tips to help you stop from having your identity stolen. If you would like more information on stopping identity theft and what you can do go to the FTC. It just might save your identity.

How to Make Meetings Work

2007-04-14T07:34:00.000-07:00

It depends on what type of meeting you are scheduling for how strict you will have the agenda, but each meeting needs to have a basic agenda. Depending on how elaborate the meeting is will affect how detailed the agenda is and how much you can deviate from the agenda.

For basic meetings if you put together a basic agenda it will help you to keep track of the items you wanted to discuss during the meeting. It will also help everyone else determine how long the meeting will last and if they need to interject any comments. It also helps to determine if you can have a question and answer section or allow people to make general comments or suggestions. This is the type of meeting that is more flexible and is normally in a smaller setting.

A more elaborate meeting will require a detailed agenda that is completely worked out in advance to eliminate the possibility of forgetting something important. The agenda will be set and there won’t be an open discussion concerning the points of the meeting. It is normally an informational meeting that doesn’t need feedback and is normally organized into a group setting.

Once you determine how elaborate an agenda you will need then you need to determine how much interaction you want from the people attending the meeting. Once you determine this then you can set a specific area that you want to have feedback on and ask specific questions for the participants. The questions will help you get the answers you are looking for instead of having people look at you with a blank look on their face when you ask if anyone has any questions or comments.

You will also want to have a specific way you want to end the meeting so that people understand the meeting is over and don’t feel like they were left with unanswered questions or concerns. By using this basic layout for a meeting it will help you create an interactive meeting that will help all participants feel like the meeting was worth having. It is very frustrating to people to feel like they went to a meeting for absolutely no reason and they feel it is a waste of their time. So plan your meeting with an agenda and specific questions you want to address or answer then your meeting will be a success.

Considerations before switching to VoIP

2007-04-13T11:39:00.001-07:00

A few years ago we switched to VoIP, which means Voice over Internet Protocol and haven’t had a problem with it since we switched, but before you decide if it is the right move for you, you need to take a couple of things into consideration.

The first thing you need to think about is what type of Internet access do you currently have. If you have a dial up connection then you need to decide if you want the added cost of switching to a cable modem. If you already have a cable modem then you need to determine how good of a connection do you have. If the cable company you use has quite a few outages then it wouldn’t be feasible for you to get VoIP because if your Internet connection is out then so is your phone. If you have both a cable modem and a good connection then you need to think about your current telephone provider. Do you make long distance calls? Do you have a lot of extra services? Do you want to lower your phone bill?

If you said yes to any of the above questions then you might want to look into getting VoIP because it will lower your phone bill, provide extra services and offers unlimited long distance to the United States and Canada.

Then you have to decide on a provider. The most widely known provider is Vonage and they are a good company with good service but they are having legal problems and it is iffy if they will stay in business for long, so if you decide to go with them you need to keep in mind that they might not be in business for long. Another company is Packet8 and while I don’t know very much about them, they seem similar to Vonage but don’t seem to have the same legal problems. Another company you can look at is VoIP, they are a similar company to both Vonage and Packet8 and also don’t seem to be dealing with the legal problems that Vonage is and actually have some patents pending.

You don’t want to jump into a decision concerning VoIP, but you need to think through how it will affect you. Take your time, research the different companies and then make your decision.

Understanding Web 2.0

2007-04-11T06:11:00.000-07:00

Web 2.0 is basically the Internet with more interaction. It is a people driven Internet not just on creating websites but having people interact with your website, basically you are making your website personalized for each person. This can be done through a few different methods which include blogs, videos and podcasts.

Blogs are a web journal that you put on your website or on one of the sites that have been created to host blogs. You can put anything into your blog, from a daily journal of what you do all day or night to an in-depth article on a specific subject. You decide how elaborate you want to make it. The part that makes it interactive is that you can open it to comments to have people respond to your blog and even offer suggestions on what they would like to read about.

The newest fad hitting the Internet is videos. With the success of YouTube and BlueFish it seems everyone is trying to tap into the video scene. I believe it all started with America’s Funniest Home Videos and has now moved to the Internet. We all knew the marketers wouldn’t be far behind when it came to using this new tool and people are starting to see advertisements all over the Internet instead of just on the major company websites. Companies are starting to use video ads to entice people to come to their sites while others are allowing people to create their own videos. This is just another example of the Web 2.0 phenomenon that is raging across the Internet.

Podcasts have been around for a little bit and it is a great tool for companies and private individuals to entice people to come back to their site. You can download the latest podcast from churches, financial information and television personalities which allows you to pick and choose which episode you want to listen to. People love podcasts because they can download them to their MP3 players and listen to them while they are working out or driving to work. This provides another way for marketers to continue their message away from their site or advertisement and keep their product in the forefront of people’s minds.

The easiest way to understand Web 2.0 is to think of it as a personalized Internet especially for you. It has been instrumental in making the Internet feel like it was designed with you in mind. Instead of having to sort through miles of useless information you can customize your information and how you receive it.

www.helium.com

Why Hackers Hack

2007-03-23T06:05:00.001-07:00

There are two different types of hackers and this article will illustrate the difference of the hackers and why they do what they do. There are two types of hackers in the world; the ones who know how to actually hack into a computer and the pseudo hackers who utilize scripts and programs to hack into systems.

Actual hackers are the people who are out to see if they can get into a system. It is a challenge. Most of these types of hackers won’t harm the system when they are in it; they won’t leave behind Trojans and viruses. After having met a few of these hackers you can understand the rush they receive from doing it. They enjoy hearing about a system that is supposedly impenetrable because that is a challenge for them. They will keep trying until they get in and sometimes will let the companies know the problem that they could have with their system. This type of hacker isn’t out to hurt anyone they are just having fun.

Pseudo hackers are more dangerous than actual hackers because they are the ones that will leave viruses and Trojans in your system. Their goal is to bring down you system as quickly as possible. They will use any means necessary to do this to include using scripts and different programs that are designed to infiltrate your system. They are a malicious bunch and do not care whom they harm. If they are able to locate personal information on your system they will download it for future use. Their enjoyment comes from causing as much havoc as possible, if a system goes down and isn’t able to come back up then they feel they have done what they set out to do, destroy the company.

When you compare the two different types of hackers you realize the reasons that both hack. Neither is for a good reason and both can be harmful to the company, but at least an actual hacker understands what he is doing and isn’t just running a script to see what will happen. Hackers are dangerous and quite a bit of time and effort goes into creating systems and firewalls that are hoped to be impenetrable. Hopefully hackers will come to realize the destructive nature of what they are doing, but it is highly doubtful because they get too much of a rush from it to ever stop.

Simple air conditioning home tune-up

2007-03-16T10:55:00.001-07:00

The easiest way to give your air conditioning a tune-up is to make sure that your filter is clean. There are several factors you need to consider when you are trying to figure out how often you need to change your filter.

Own Pets:
If you own pets, then you need to change your filter more often. It will need to be changed at least every two months if not every month. As all pet owners know, most animals shed quite a bit. Just think how often you have to vacuum and sweep the floor because of pet hair, well it also goes into your filter for your air conditioner. So this is something you need to monitor.

Climate:
If you live in a desert or dry climate you will very likely have to change your filter more often because of the dirt and dust that is in the air. If you live in an arid climate and have pets with fur then I would recommend that you change out your filter every month.

Allergies:
If your family or someone in your family suffers from allergies or asthma then it would be prudent to change your filter every month. It will cut down on the allegiants in the air and help to keep the air in the house clean.

There are a few others things you need to think about. If you have a filter system that isn’t disposable then it would be smart to clean it every month. It would also be helpful to have a technician come out and service your system before the start of the warm months, especially if you live in a very hot climate as you will be using your air conditioner more often. If you take care of your air conditioner it will last longer and you won’t have to worry as much about it dying when you least expect it. By keeping the filter clean it will help the system to run easier and not have to work as hard at keeping your home cool.

Choosing between satellite and cable for high-definition TV (HDTV)

2007-03-16T10:53:00.000-07:00

High-definition television is fantastic if you have the system to support it. There are actually three different options you can choose from when deciding if you should get cable or a satellite system. They are obviously cable, satellite, and none of the above.

Cable. It depends on what your local cable company provides in the way of high-definition channels. Some cable companies only offer a handful of channels that are available in high-definition and most of the time you will have to pay extra for this service. You need to figure out how many channels you will be receiving and the cost of those channels and figure out what it will cost you on a per channel basis. This way you will be able to compare the price with satellite. The advantage for cable is that you don’t have to pay extra for your local channels and most of them are now available in HD.

Satellite. There are a couple of things to consider with satellite. You need to factor in the cost of the equipment you will need to buy for satellite, because you will have to buy a HD receiver to be able to view HD channels. Then you need to do the same thing that you did with cable. You need to figure out how many channels you will receive in HD and how much extra it will cost per channel. You need to factor in that you have to pay extra for local channels because most of them now offer their shows in HD format.

None of the Above. This means that you can’t get your local channels in HD without having cable or satellite. If you don’t watch a lot of television, but still enjoy watching it in HD when you do, it might be beneficial to look at not getting either cable or satellite. We found when we hooked our HD receiver up to our regular television that we were able to get the local channels in HD. By using this benefits we saved money every month by not going with cable or satellite and can use that money to buy HD movies.

High-definition is the future of television currently and you need to decide if you want to spend the money on cable and satellite. The benefits of cable are that you get channels in HD and analog and don’t have to pay for the local channels. The benefits of satellite are that you get even more channels in HD and analog, but you have to pay for your local channels. If you only watch the local channels then I would recommend that you don’t go with either service and hook your HD receiver up to your television and tune it to the local channels for free.

Can you go without your computer for a day?

2007-03-12T13:48:00.000-07:00

My family believes in family quality time, which means that every weekend we spend time together as a family. It could be going to the movies, bowling or just browsing through stores. We don’t have a set agenda most of the time, but we do make sure that we spend time together. This means that we are off the computer for at least one day on the weekends. It has been a way to teach our children that the computer is not the most important item in the house and that if it was gone tomorrow that they can still survive.

It would be difficult to remember life without computers. Most people handle their banking online to include bill payments, they go shopping online and some people even date online. If you want to drop someone a quick note, instead of writing them a letter you send them an email. If you want to read a good story instead of picking up a book, people go online to different websites. I think it is important for people to spend time away from the computer. It can become an addiction like anything else, and it is up to us to realize that it isn’t the only thing in our lives.

The next thing we know is that there will be a computer to cook our food and we just have to tell it what we want. My daughter would enjoy this but is it the best thing for our society. Without the socialization time with family and friends, you become pale and boring. You need to step away from a computer and spend time living your life. Everyone should take at least one day a week and don’t turn your computer on, spend time with your family and friends, go to a movie, go for a walk. There are many things you can do, it is just up to your imagination. Have fun with life, there is much more to it than the computer can ever provide.

Will Technology take over the World

2007-03-07T06:22:00.001-08:00

When society thinks of this question they can help but think of the movies that have shown technology taking over the world like I, Robot or the Matrix. In actuality, the world won’t be taken over by technology but it will learn to function more efficiently with technology. As you look through history man has endeavored to improve his lot in life by finding more efficient and easier ways to handle his daily tasks. This won’t end anytime in the foreseeable future, because man is ultimately lazy and wants to do as little work as possible so that he can do the things he enjoys doing.

Another reason that man will endeavor to become more efficient is the workplace, companies will be able to make more money which will make their stockholders happy. If more money is being made by business then they are more likely to expand and hire more people which will boost the economy and the cycle will continue. As companies become more efficient they will hire people who are innovators in their fields to find ways to improve the work environment and create new technologies to make life easier for mankind. The reason technology won’t take over the world and put mankind under its thumb is because it doesn’t have the capacity to think up new ideas for greater efficiency, they are machines and do what they are programmed to do. It might seem like your computer has a mind of its own when you are trying to get it to do something, but in actuality it is just doing what it was told to do.

Mankind will continually endeavor to improve his life. Just as some people are pushed to write and get the story ideas out of their head others are pushed to invent. They need to see their ideas come to life. It is not just something they enjoy doing, it is something they have to do, to take their seed of an idea and grow it into a vibrant and living invention. It is this mentality that will keep technology from taking over the planet because no matter how smart you make a machine it is still a machine and incapable of having the imagination to create something that will help everyone in the world.

The final reason technology won’t take over the world is because even though most people think technology is used throughout the world, it isn’t. There are two many places around the globe that don’t even have electricity let alone computers and robots. Many indigenous tribes in South America and Africa have never seen a flashlight let alone any thing more technologically advanced like a computer or even a cell phone. There are many third world countries that exist like they have for centuries, living off of the land and helping each other. I doubt that they will stay like this forever, but I also doubt that technology will take over their world. Their customs and beliefs are too far engrained to let technology become their God.

Why Computers are Frustrating

2007-03-02T09:49:00.000-08:00

The problem that people have with computers is that they are intimidated by them. They think the person has to be smart to use them or at least understand how they work. You don't need to be a brain surgeon or understand the interworkings of a computer system to use them. The other problem people have is that they don't want to take the chance of breaking it because the cost of a computer is high, granted not as high as it used to be but still high enough to cause anxiety.

You watch a child get on the computer and you think to yourself, how can they get on there and not have any issues about figuring out how different programs work. They aren't intimidated by this elaborate machine. They use as just another tool that they have at their disposal, much like a television or can opener. To them, it isn't an expensive product that speaks in a foreign language. It is a tool they can use to get their homework done easier and a toy to entertain them until dinner time.

Once you realize that the computer isn't the one in charge it will make it less frustrating to use. If you take some basic classes you will understand the tasks that used to confuse you. The urge to throw the computer threw the window will pass with the training you receive. There will still be times that the computer will frustrate you, it will do things like shut down for no reason, get a blue screen and you don't know why, or even not turn on at all. But once you find out how to deal with these problems and realize you are the one in charge, the computer won't be as frustrating.

Helium Article

Are there any search engines that give better results than google?

2007-02-26T05:48:00.000-08:00

There are many search engines available on the Internet and it depends on what you are looking for to determine if they give better results than Google. If you are looking for local results then it isn’t normally beneficial to go to Google to find the information you are looking for. There are many “vertical” sites coming online daily to assist with the needs of the local market.

MSN will give you different search results from Google as will Yahoo, Ask, Looksmart and depending on what you are looking for you can even go to Wikipedia to find more detailed information. If you are looking for local information, Yahoo will normally give you better results than Google. There is a new company that is working on the local market and that is wearenetwork. They have information on quite a few Canadian cities and a couple of US cities so far. I have found them to be helpful to me, also some property management sites are also improving their local search to assist the community, one of those is Mark-Taylor, which is based out of Phoenix, Arizona. More and more search engines are coming online to benefit the need of the local search community. If you are vigilant you can find them and maybe even find one for your city.

If you limit yourself to Google there will be websites you won’t find so if you don’t find the information you are looking for there then try one of the other search engines, but if you are looking local try and find something for your area.

http://www.helium.com/tm/182749/there-search-engines-available

Online Dictionaries - FREE

2007-02-22T11:19:00.000-08:00

When I need information, the definition of a word or a similar word there are a few different places I go to on the Web. They are helpful with the kids homework and for my writing. Here are a few of my favorites

www.m-w.com - Merriam Webster Dictionary & Thesaurus
www.answers.com - They give you definitions, encyclopedia notes, and much more
www.thefreedictionary.com - Offers definitions, thesaurus and references in literature
www.wikipedia.org - I think we all know what wikipedia is, but be careful because it is edited by general users.
dictionary.cambridge.org - They give you definitions from different dictionaries.
dictionary.reference.com - This is another one that you have definitions, thesaurus, references, encyclopedias, etc.
www.onelook.com - This site also offers reverse look up, which can be helpful.

There are many more out there, but these are the ones that I use on a consistent basis. If you can think of any others please let me know so that I can use them also. I hope these free online resources have been able to help you like they have helped me.

Thanks for joining me as we waddle through the Internet.
Patti

Is Microsoft Word 2007 worth the money?

2007-02-21T14:18:00.000-08:00

We recently installed the new Microsoft Office 2007 suite onto our computer. If you are used to Office 2003 then things will look a little different for you. I mostly use Microsoft Word so will use it as an illustration on how it is different.

First we will start with the toolbars, which used to be one or two lines across the top with your favorite tools to use. It is now expanded, across the top are the different tools that are used a lot. What I mean by this is that there are different tabs which are Home, Insert, Page Layout, References, Mailings, Review and View. If someone isn't used to utilizing tabs it can be disconcerting in the beginning. Under home will have your basic functions, like font, color, copy, paste, etc. Insert provides many different objects you can insert into a document from a new page to pictures and symbols. Page layout is margins and the like, references is dictionary, word count, etc; Mailings is mail merge, labels, envelopes and Review and View are self explanatory. At first it can see complicated and disconcerting because you are used to it being a certain way, but it is actually pretty easy to use and the layout is user friendly.

They have new templates installed and different types of documents you can create like a blog entry, reports, and of course letters and faxes. They have kept the old favorites and added some new features that I like to include offering the online templates in your database and the easy way to find the information you need.

I would recommend Microsoft Office 2007 because it is easy to use but you have to make sure you change the type of document you are saving if you are sending it to someone else because unless that person has installed the new reader program they won't be able to read your document without Microsoft Office 2007. Is it enough to spend the money to buy if you already have Microsoft Office 2003, then I would have to say no, I wouldn't spend the extra money.

Computer Wallpaper

2007-02-16T12:22:00.000-08:00

If you are looking for something different, something that doesn't match everyone else's background on their computer, I have the website for you. Are you tired of seeing the winter scene with the castle or the beach scene with the ocean and palm tree? We have all seen these images and we have also seen the images of the Grand Tetons with Snake River. They are all beautiful pictures but why not try something different.

For several years we have been using the website www.digitalblasphemy.com. It is a website not of photographs but of CGI images. They have a beautiful background that we used for years, it was a gazebo made of water located at the end of a pier. In the gazebo was a girl and she was looking out over the water at the two moons in the sky. This is just one of the pictures available of their free backgrounds. They have approximately twenty images available for free and have much more for a small fee.

So instead of trying to be like other the others, try something different and take a look at CGI. I think you will be impressed by what you find. They also offer images for dual monitors, PSP, and even triple monitors on their paid site. I think you will be happy you check them out. I know I was.

Blu-Ray and HD dvd

2007-02-13T13:58:00.000-08:00

With the influx of new videos on the marketplace, people are trying to determine with version of High Definition DVDs will survive.

The Blu-Ray website states the following:
Blu-ray, also known as Blu-ray Disc (BD), is the name of a next-generation optical disc format jointly developed by the Blu-ray Disc Association (BDA), a group of the world's leading consumer electronics, personal computer and media manufacturers (including Apple, Dell, Hitachi, HP, JVC, LG, Mitsubishi, Panasonic, Pioneer, Philips, Samsung, Sharp, Sony, TDK and Thomson). The format was developed to enable recording, rewriting and playback of high-definition video (HD), as well as storing large amounts of data. The format offers more than five times the storage capacity of traditional DVDs and can hold up to 25GB on a single-layer disc and 50GB on a dual-layer disc. This extra capacity combined with the use of advanced video and audio codecs will offer consumers an unprecedented HD experience.

Which basically means that it is a type of high definition DVD. Another type is the HD DVD and according to its website it states the following:
HD DVD is a new optical disc format that stands for High-Definition Digital Versatile Disc. It uses a blue laser, which allows for more data density per disc. So what does that mean? Well, for starters, HD DVD delivers six times the picture resolution of normal DVDs, up to 7.1 channels of high-resolution audio, amazing interactivity and more bonus content than there are movies about unrequited love. And that translates into a truly awesome movie watching experience. So if your neighbor were to ask you, tell him HD DVDs are DVDs on steroids. Really, really good steroids.

Confused yet?

Basically they aren't much difference between the two, it will come down to what type the general public prefers. If it goes the same way as Beta and VHS then Sony will lose again and HD DVD will become the winner. But in my humble opinion another company will come out with something slicker and cooler that will blow the socks off of both HD DVD and Blu-Ray, much in the same way that DVDs did with VHS tapes. We will have to sit back and see with one is the winner. Personally I am buying normal DVDs for now until the public makes up its mind.

See you next waddle
Patti

Ideas and the Internet

2007-02-11T14:05:00.000-08:00

I have been trying to figure out some ideas to write about that are of a technical nature and it is harder than I thought it would be. But as I was thinking on this, I did come up with an idea and I wanted to share that with you today.

If you are working on your blog and are running out of ideas, there are a few different websites that you can check out that will assist you with your ideas. This is great but you don't want to copy everyone else. I thought of a way to come up with innovative ideas for your blog and still maintain your individuality.

One of the ways to do this is to read the different websites that have a similar interest to your blog. There are so many websites available on the Internet that you can research for years and never find all of them. By doing a general search on the topic of your blog you can come up with ideas that you can tweak and put your own spin on to make them your own.

Another way that you can come up with different ideas is to keep an eye on the news websites, this could be global news, i.e. Fox, CNN, etc or it could be your local newspaper or radio station. All of these news sources can give you ideas of different things you can write about and still maintain a freshness to your blog.

The final way that I thought of to come up with new ideas for your blog is to talk to people, whether it is online or in person. Normally people have different questions they want answered. It could be as simple as how to change a tire or as elaborate as how to build an extension on your house. It is up to you on what information you put on your blog. Your goal is to make it fresh and interesting so that people keep coming back on a consistent basis.

I hope this helped some of you with your blog ideas, I know it has helped me. Now I just have to remember to follow my own advice. Until next time, remember we are just a waddle away.

Keep Cool
Patti

DVD Player and Game Consoles...Help!

2007-02-06T14:23:00.000-08:00

A friend asked me the other day, how to hook up her game consoles if her DVD player was already hooked up. There are a couple of ways that you can do this and I will provide them both here.

First you can connect the game consoles into the back of the DVD Player and it will create a serial link to be able to play your game consoles and still be able to watch movies on your DVD Player without having to unhook everything to do one or the other.

Another way that you can do this, and especially if you have more than one game console, is to buy a port for your television. You can hook your different systems up through it and hook it into the television. You can connect your DVD Player, VCR, and multiple game consoles through the port and then hook it into the television and not have to worry about disconnecting items to work other systems. This way works best if you have multiple game systems and other connections.

If you have any questions or comments they are always welcome. Thanks
Patti

Skype or Vonage, which is better

2007-01-29T07:36:00.000-08:00

I actually have both of these products and have a use for each. When we were in the military calling home to keep in touch with the family was expensive. It cost $0.25 a minute to make a long distance call. Then the telephone systems had to lower their rates and it got as low as $0.05 a minute which was nice. Then came a favorite, pay a flat fee and get unlimited long distance, but, and there is always a but, you had to sign up for two of their other services, i.e. caller ID, call forwarding, etc. So our phone bill was still about $100 a month.

About a year ago we signed up for Vonage, $28 a month and unlimited long distance. This worked great as my son had a girl friend out of state and some of his friends had just moved. One of the disadvantages to Vonage is that you have to have a cable modem, which for us, because I work from home isn't that big of a deal, but for some people, they just don't have a need for a cable modem. The other disadvantage is if the cable goes out, then we do not have phone service. This isn't that major of a hassle because we still have our cell phones but it still can make your life a little difficult. In my opinion the pros for Vonage far out way the cons, so we will continue to use Vonage at least until a better product comes around.

Now some people might say that product is Skype, which up until recently was free to make phone calls to anywhere in the United States. It didn't matter if the person had Skype or not. Now you have to pay a fee to make these phone calls. It costs $14.95 a year to make these phones calls and the price increases to $29.95 after January 31st. One of the disadvantages to Skype is that you can only use it on the computer, which means unless your computer is on you can not receive phone calls on it and if you are away from your computer you can not hear it ring, normally.

Like I said, I have both types because I like Vonage for my home phone and I like Skype for the computer, when I have to talk to the companies I work for. I will let you make your own decision whether either systems will work for you. Thankfully we have come to a time when making telephones calls is no longer going to break up, even if our teenage daughter is on the phone for 5 hours. Now if only we could get the same thing to work for cable....

Digital Camers

2007-01-24T07:48:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, I decided to use my husband's camera to send some pictures to my friends in Vegas about our weather in Michigan. So I went outside and took a couple of pictures (I figured out how to use the camera) and then came back inside to send the pictures to my friends. Sounds pretty simple right? Wrong!

My husband owns a media PC, which means it already has the spot built into the computer for the flash card. I took the flash card out of the camera and put it into the computer (after I figured out which way it was supposed to go in. I then went into My Computer to try and find the drive that had the pictures. I couldn't find it. There was the hard drive listed and then 4 removable drives, do you think I could find the drive with the pictures. Normally when you put a CD into the computer it comes up under My Computer as the name of whatever CD you put it, so it is really easy to pull up the CD and access the information you need.

I waited until my son came home from school (he is 17) and he walked over to the computer, pulled up My Computer and opened the file. I was dumbfounded, I felt like an idiot...do you know why? It was one of the removable drives, I hadn't clicked on all of them and because of that I hadn't found the pictures. Once I was able to access the pictures I saved them to My Pictures and sent one to my friends.

Boy was I embarrassed, not only does my son know more about computers than I do (which I had already suspected), but now he knew it too. Oh well, at least he knew, so he won't have to wonder how to do it later.

Have a great day
Patti

Technology and You

2007-01-23T07:14:00.000-08:00

I will be the first to admit that I don't know a lot about technology, but I am always willing to learn. Growing up I was the first one in my family to own a computer, it was a Commodore Vic20. I thought it was great when I was able to write a program to get a rainbow of colors on my screen or to print out letters in different colors. Technology has come a long way since then. I still remember buying a hard drive for our computer and it was $350 for a 250k hard drive. The prices we paid back then were amazing and now my husband just put together a media room and added a computer with two 500G hard drives to hold all of the movies. It is mind boggling.

So I decided I was going to do a blog that helped people get through the maze of technology one waddle at a time. To help the computer illiterate understand the nuances of our "Information Age" and in the meantime help myself to understand some of the things I don't understand.

If there is anything you want to know about or a new technology you want to learn about let me know and I will look into it. In the meantime, I am going to hit on a few of the subjects that have helped me over the years. I should be able to come up with a few as I was on the Internet before there was a World Wide Web, before email was commonplace (you had to pay extra for it), and online games were text-based.

Stop on by when you get a chance and hear the technology ramblings of the Polar Penguin.
Patti