May the Blog be with you

Let us always remember
This Memorial Day, while we’re enjoying hotdogs and burgers, take more than a minute please, to remember those who paid the ultimate sacrifice to allow us the freedom to do so. I came across this story about the time when a tropical storm was bearing down on Washington DC a few years ago. The House and Senate bailed (of course) and the soldiers who guard the Tomb of the Unknown were given permission to stand-down until the weather cleared. To a man, they said “NO SIR!” So they stood guard, soaked to the skin and carried out a duty they considered an honor and a privilege. Hooah!

Remember us?
I don’t think anyone is quite sure exactly what sort of “compromise” was reached in the Senate this week. We have heard a lot about the Republicans winning, or the Democrats winning. Sadly we haven’t heard anything about the taxpayers winning! You know, the folks that pick up the tab for insurance and retirement benefits Senators enjoy, but hardly anyone else does.

Your Tax Dollars at work
Convicted Sex Offenders in the State of New York are getting free Viagra. Yep. And it’s paid for by Medicaid. http://www.wane.com/Global/story.asp?S=3377811 The list includes one offender who committed his crime against a two-year-old!

$461 thousand dollar question
That’s the amount spent on the 1st Birthday Celebration of the Transportation Security Administration. http://www.tsa.gov/public/ Wouldn’t a little cake and ice cream sufficed?

The Power of The Force
$158.5 Million: Opening weekend box office for Star Wars III: Revenge of the Sith
$627 Million: Estimated cost to the economy because of American Workers playing hooky from work to watch the movie’s opening day.

Warren Report
Actor Warren Beatty, speaking at UC-Berkeley, used some of his time to slam Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,157303,00.html Beatty said California was his “home state,” perhaps alluding that the Governator originally came to America from Austria. Actually, Beatty’s home state is Virginia! Maybe Warren should apply for a gig at Newsweek!

Carrie’s the one!
Even with half-a- BILLION votes cast, the outcome was never in doubt. Carrie Underwood is the new American Idol. http://www.idolonfox.com/ Her Oklahoma voice came sweeping down the plains and charmed a nation. And fans of Bo Bice need not fret, his millions of fans living outside his sweet home in Alabama will line up to buy/download his music as well.

OK, I clicked. Now what?
Vacation time is upon us. And gone are the days when you’d let rolls of film lie around, then wait days to have them developed. In this age of digital pictures, pictures are a simple click and you can store or send images on your computer. It’s amazing how many people we hear from who have a digital camera, but really don’t realize just how much they can do with those images. Adobe Photoshop is a super program that will turn you into an artist. Our Photoshop tutorial will teach you how to make ordinary pictures look extraordinary! Except maybe, for that picture of Uncle Bernie in those plaid shorts.

Spammers, scammers and flimflammers
The more we find ways to protect ourselves; the more crooks find a way to sneak into our computers and steal personal information. http://www.pcworld.com/news/article/0,aid,120886,00.asp ID Theft is something we take seriously here at Video Professor. I was a victim myself. We have a section of our own website devoted to protecting you and your family. http://www.videoprofessor.com/products/personalinternetsecurity/learnmore/learnaboutidentitytheft.html
The Feds are getting serious too. http://businessweek.com/magazine/content/05_22/b3935001_mz001.htm

Office buzz
Look for a new version of Microsoft Office in 2006.

Users already know what a terrific suite of tools Office provides and early word is that the new version coming next year will be better than ever. This might be a good time to improve your existing Office skills. http://www.videoprofessor.com/products/learncomputerbasics/learnmicrosoftoffice/learnoffice.html

Mail Call
Got a nice note from reader out on the West Coast. “The 3 Video Professor CD's on MS Front Page 2002 got me through the impossible in trying to learn it and secondly using them as reference to build with my purchased version of Microsoft's MS Front Page 2002 to my now 99% complete Internet web page.”

Site o’ the week
This is addictive and just might drive you “Daffy.” Elmer Fudd loves this one!
http://www.bassfiles.net/parachute.swf

My cyber door remains open 24-7; contact me at CEO@videoprofessor.com. Nothing pithy please. Those go to Mr. O’Reilly only! oreilly@foxnews.com

John W. Scherer
CEO and Founder, VIDEO PROFESSOR Inc.