A Red, White and Blue Navy Blog

Happy Birthday USA!
America turns 229 this July 4th. Our freedom has come at a heavy price. During all the fireworks and flag-waving, remember the very high price so many have paid, often time with their lives, for the freedoms we too-often take for granted.

I had a great Navy day!
Thanks to the entire crew of the Guided Missile Cruiser USS Lake Champlain (CG-57) for an incredible day aboard on June 23. Captain Donald Patterson Roane, Jr. and his entire crew, as do all of our men and women serving in the military, deserve all of our support, just like they support and defend us. Check out these pictures of my day at sea.

Our trip stated out very early in the morning. (Hey, this is the Navy!) And before I go any further, I paid for all my travel expenses including the lunch I had with the crew while aboard the Lake Champlain. The Navy is taking care of your defense AND your tax dollars!

We flew out to the ship aboard an H 60 Seahawk, a Navy version of the Blackhawk Helicopter. I was outfitted with a lot of protective and survival gear.

We prepare for our flight out to the USS Lake Champlain

On the flight out we had an added bonus. One of our nuclear submarines was outbound from Point Loma. The crew will spend the next two months submerged. And the area they’ll patrol is strictly classified.

Outbound off Point Loma, Ca. Destination: Classified!

Guided Missile Cruisers are pretty big ships. But from the air, the Lake Champlain looked pretty small. And the landing area at the stern of the ship looked even smaller. But our flight crew (we were part of a scheduled training mission) knew their jobs and then some.

CG-57 USS Lake Champlain

Our H 60 Seahawk lands aboard the Lake Champlain

Once aboard, Captain Donald Patterson Roane, Jr met us. He’s the commander of the Lake Champlain. His job is a combination of CEO and Mayor.

John W. Scherer and Captain Roane

Guided Missile Cruisers normally are part of an Aircraft Carrier Task Force. The Lake Champlain acts as a line of defense to protect the carrier, and the weapons are formidable, along with the crewmembers that maintain and operate them. Woe to anyone who dares to test these men and women!! Not only does the Lake Champlain have missiles, but cannons and even guns that fire thousands of rounds a minute.
These pictures below are just some of the various weapons systems aboard the Lake Champlain


Ultimately the men and women aboard the Lake Champlain impressed me. A lot! They typify all that is good about our military and why our armed forces are the best in the world. These young men and women, and I do mean YOUNG, sacrifice so much to defend us. I returned home feeling very secure in the fact that these are the types of people that make it possible for us to work and play safely here in the United States because they’re taking the fight to the enemy.

Next week we’ll have a lot more pictures posted on some special websites our team is creating for you and we’ll have the links posted on next week’s blog.

Site o’ the week
Sometime this week, read The Declaration of Independence. At the risk of their very lives, our founding fathers shook of the yoke of British Rule. Read and appreciate every word!
http://www.ushistory.org/declaration/document/

My cyber door is open 24/7. Send me an e-mail at CEO@videoprofessor.com.

Yours truly,
John W. Scherer
CEO and Founder, VIDEO PROFESSOR Inc
Member Denver/Boulder Better Business Bureau. Check out our report at www.denverbbb.org.

Summer Time, and the blogging is easy.

By the time you’ve read this
I’ll be making my Navy Leaders at Sea trip to the Guided Missile Cruiser USS Lake Champlain, Thursday June 23. How does one get to the ship? Check out my ride!
http://navysite.de/planes/sh60.htm
I’ll have links to pictures of my trip posted next week!

Time to tone down it down.
Most of the news out of Washington is about the Democrats demanding apologies from the Republicans and vice-versa. Here’s a suggestion to both sides. All of you please gather at noon on the Capitol Steps at noon on July 4th and apologize to the people who pay your salaries. Many of you have employment reviews next year, there’s still time to save your jobs.

Supremes singing looney tunes
Recent rulings by the U.S. Supreme Court have me scratching my head. A few weeks ago they shot down a state’s right to issue medical marijuana to people like cancer patients, for whom often times, this is their only relief. And just this week they ruled that towns and communities have the right to boot you out of your own home if they think a new condo or shopping center is better use for YOUR property. The Supremes are about to take their summer break, and not a moment too soon. Suddenly “Sweet Land of Liberty” is sounding a little sour.

Red, White and Blue Rules
The house just passed their version of a Constitutional Amendment that bans burning the American Flag. Next stop for the Bill is the U.S. Senate, then perhaps on to the states for ratification. I won’t enter the debate…. yet. But we thought it might be a good time to provide this link outlining the proper display and use of the Stars and Stripes.
http://www.ushistory.org/betsy/flagetiq.html

Yahoo update
Congressional yahoos that is. Remember the Steroid “hearings” aka political grand standing? Just to update you on what’s happened since then; nothing, nada, zip. The political line score is no runs, no hits and plenty of errors. By the way, you’ll find most of the same politicos at the ballpark watching the Washington Nationals. The prime seats they’re sitting in are mostly paid for by lobbyists etc. The folks who pay their salaries are usually relegated to the cheap seats.

Runaway Bride now running to the bank!
Runaway Bride Jennifer Wilbanks has signed a movie/book deal that will net her a reported half a million bucks. To no one’s surprise, not everyone is happy about the deal. Check out www.suejennifer.com.

Across the alley from the Alamo
The San Antonio Spurs spurned the Detroit Pistons in seven games to win their 3rd NBA Championship in seven years. And guess who is already the favorite to win it all again next year? Yep, the Spurs. Of course, that’s what they said this year about the Pistons!
www.nba.com

No Slam for you!
Golf, like no other sport, has a way of humbling you. No one knows this better than Annika Sorenstam. All eyes were on Annika this weekend at the U.S. Women’s Open here in Denver but Annika had a rough time with the, uh, rough at Cherry Hills. Birdie Kim had a few well timed, uh, birdies, to win the tourney finishing at three-over.
http://www.lpga.com

F1 flunks out
Formula 1 Drivers insulted fans, disgraced themselves and the sport of auto racing last weekend at Indy. Out of 20 drivers on the grid, 14 dropped out before the green flag claiming everything from a bad track to dangerous tires. Only six raced and fans were understandably upset. No worries for American race fans, because both NASCAR and the IRL will be back at Indy to show fans what real racing is all about.

Learn more about NASCAR at www.nascar.com
Learn more about the IRL at www.indyracing.com/home.php

The Hall of Fame is waiting, and waiting and waiting
Pro sports have a growing number of 40-somethings playing these days. Roger Clemens, Randy Johnson and Jerry Rice just to name a few. Even Ricky Henderson is playing somewhere at the grand old age of 46! All have guaranteed spots in their respective Halls of Fame, but right now are content to stay on the field and contribute. And these players not only bring incredible talent, but maturity and leadership. As for our Colorado Rockies, they’re a team of 20-somethings, much like the number of games they’ve won this season!

Future of phones is fantastic
Cell phones are fantastic tools all by themselves. But check out these two articles and you’ll see why the best is definitely yet to come!
http://www.wired.com/news/digiwood/0,1412,67863,00.html
http://www.pcworld.com/news/article/0,aid,121417,00.asp

Memo to FAA
Above articles aside, please, please, please, don’t allow cell phone use on commercial planes unless it’s for an absolute emergency!
http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/stories.nsf/stlouiscitycounty/story/E1FFE5F4DCA0702C86257027001473CD?OpenDocument
http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/stories.nsf/stlouiscitycounty/story/E1FFE5F4DCA0702C86257027001473CD?OpenDocument

ICDL. Don’t apply for a job without it
How about an International Computer Driver’s License? Show a prospective employer you really DO KNOW your way around an office computer suite!
http://www.videoprofessor.com/products/icdlcertification/onlinecomputerlessonsicdl.html

Site o’ the week
Ok, we normally reserve this space for sites on the whimsical side. But if you’re interested in truly being in-the-know about all things digital with some whimsy thrown in for good measure, then check out www.silconvalley.com. You can also register for a daily e-mail chock full of good info and often pointed commentary about the digital world.

My cyber door is open 24/7. Send me an e-mail at CEO@videoprofessor.com

John W. Scherer
CEO and Founder
VIDEO PROFESSOR Inc
Member: Better Business Bureau. Check out our report at www.denverbbb.com

JWS Blog - June 17, 2005

Your New Password is... your fingerprint.
Several biometric technology companies are ready to place fingerprint sensors onto mobile phones, laptops and PCs. As more and more personal computers with critical data are being stolen the need to secure data increases.

It’s frightening that thieves can get into your computer and empty it based on just a few numbers. Using fingerprints will deter theft and help combat identity theft as well. Learn more about how you can protect yourself from Identity Theft with Video Professor’s Personal Identity Theft Security Pack.


It Must be True Love
The latest gossip coming from Katie Holmes’ romance with Tom Cruise is that she is considering conversion to Cruises’ religion, Scientology. Raised a Catholic, she seems very enthusiastic about the religion invented by science fiction author L. Ron Hubbard in 1954.
Other Hollywood Scientologists include: John Travolta, Jason Lee, Kirstie Alley, Giovanni Ribisi, Juliette Lewis, and Lisa Marie Presley.


Virtual Reality Pop Ups in the Real World
Grafedia is a worldwide form of multimedia graffiti that passersby can interact with using a cell phone. By transforming graffiti tags into hyperlinked tags, Grafedia can turn any surface into a potential web page, joining the physical world to the Internet.

Grafedia is recognized by a word written on any surface is underlined in blue. When you identify a grafedia tag, send an email message to that "word@grafedia.net" and you’ll receive whatever image, video or sound file has been attached to it. Grafedia is supported by T-Mobile, Verizon and Cingular phones that are capable of photo messaging.

Anyone can become a "Grafedia artist" by sending a "tag word" and uploading a media file to http://www.grafedia.net. For example, I created a Grafedia tag for the word "jwsblogspot". Send an email to "jwsblogspot@grafedia.net" to see what you get.

Astronaut Testifies to Congress via Satellite from Space.
Being “off planet” is no longer an excetped excuse when you’re subpoenaed to testify before a congressional subcommittee.

NASA astronaut John Phillips a flight engineer and NASA officer aboard the International Space Station, presented the first ever congressional testimony from space. Phillips stood with his feet under a railing to keep grounded while testifying before the House Space and Aeronautics Subcommittee via satellite. He spoke of life in space and safety issues surrounding the day-to-day operations aboard the space station.

California Condor Making a Comeback
California Condors are among the largest birds in North America with a wingspan up to 9 ½ feet. In 1982, there were fewer than 25 condors left in the wild and the birds were placed on the endangered species list. With the help of a breeding program their numbers have increased to over 200. I recently heard that there was a flock of 53 in the Grand Canyon National Park. What a sight it must be to see them soaring over the canyon!

Think Our Gas Prices are Too High, Big Brother?
The UK transport secretary is attempting to legislate the world's most extensive road tax to avert a "complete gridlock" on Britain's highways. Under the proposal, Britain’s motorists will have to pay a fee for each mile they drive.

Vehicles will be monitored by satellite, with variable rates levied according to the time, type of road and location. Motorists will receive regular bills, charged at variable rates: a Sunday drive down a country road may only cost 2p($ .46) a mile, while a rush-hour commute could be charged up to £1.30 ($2.34) a mile!

Microsoft Helps to Censor Chinese Blogs
Microsoft's MSN China portal that offers free blog space was launched last month and 5 million Chinese blogs have been created in just a few weeks. MSN is creating filters to

Even though China encourages Internet use, it tries to ban subversive material. Chinese bloggers were not allowed to post such as "democracy," "human rights" and "Taiwan independence". An attempt to search for such words will generate a message saying the language is prohibited. MSN is creating filters to block forbidden language. Chinese bloggers face strict controls and must register their blogs with Chinese authorities or face stiff fines.
Yahoo and Google have also been criticized for similar activities that restrict what people can search for and read online.

Site o’ the week:
In case you missed hearing this on NPR radio last week, visit http://www.flat33.com/bzzzpeek/index1.html to hear how animal sounds translate around the globe.

My cyber door is open; send me an e-mail or two at CEO@videoprofessor.com

John W. Scherer
CEO and Founder
VIDEO PROFESSOR Inc
Member: Denver/Boulder Better Business Bureau. View our report at www.denverbbb.org

Video Professor June Blog (not to be confused with June Bug)

The Greatest Generation Remembered
This past Monday marked the 61st anniversary of the invasion of Europe by Allied Forces. Tom Brokaw called them “The Greatest Generation.” Those that survived the landings on June 6, 1944 went on to liberate Europe. Then they came home and built America. We salute them and honor them. Let’s never forget their courage and sacrifice. You might want to head down to the Video Store and rent either “Saving Private Ryan” or “The Longest Day.” HBO’s “Band of Brothers” would be another great choice.

Here’s to you Mrs. Robinson
Actress Anne Bancroft passed away this week of cancer. She was 73. She won an Oscar for her work in “The Miracle Worker” but achieved lasting fame for her role as the seductress in “The Graduate.” Anne Bancroft was a star in every sense of the word. She’s survived by her husband, Mel Brooks.

Memo to: Ward Churchill Re: 1st Amendment
The Rocky Mountain News just completed an exhaustive 5-part investigative series on CU Prof Ward Churchill. The Focus? His claimed Indian Ancestry and Academic Fraud. Their conclusion? Churchill is a phony. Ward, you’re entitled to free speech. We all are. The 1st Amendment however, doesn’t cover baloney.
Read all about it in the Rocky Mountain News.

3,900,000
Number of persons whose personal information including social security numbers etc was lost when CitiFinancial either had their records lost or stolen.
Read all about it in the Washington Post.

We take ID Theft of all kinds very seriously here at VIDEO PROFESSOR. Visit the Personal Internet Security resource on our site to learn more about ID Theft and how to protect yourself. And here’s another article you might want to read.

Look Ma! No Wires!
Intel just named the cities with the most commercial or free Wi-Fi spots: Most un-wired? Seattle and San Francisco. Austin, Portland, Toledo, Atlanta, Denver, Raleigh-Durham, Minneapolis and Orange County rounded out the Top 10. Cities that still need to cut the ties that bind? Bakersfield CA and McAllen, TX. http://blogs.zdnet.com/ITFacts/?p=7915

A-Rod youngest to 400
Alex Rodriquez homered off Milwaukee leftie Jorge De La Rosa and became the youngest major league player to reach the 400 run plateau. A bright spot on an otherwise so-so season for the Bronx Bombers. http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/3676474

All eyes on Texas
Racing’s newest superstar Danica Patrick competes this weekend at Texas Motor Speedway. The Texas track is scary fast, and we mean SCARY!

Detroit will defend NBA Title
The Detroit Pistons (Remember the Brawl?) will defend their NBA title, taking on the San Antonio Spurs. (Remember the Alamo!) Both are teams that focus on fundamentals with solid coaching. The Pistons and the Spurs have played each other twice this year, both winning on their home courts. Some great analysis available on MSNBC.com

Our Summer Learning Series: Excelling at Excel is an Excellent Idea
Ok, Excel is one of the more daunting programs when it comes to folks who just don’t realize how easy it is to learn and master. Learn more about our excellent Excel Tutorials - you’ll learn simple spreadsheets in just minutes. And Excel skills look very nice on the resume!

Sleep solution
According to this article American Students are having a tough time staying awake in class. This study blames early start times, but they don’t seem much different than when I was in school. One solution? Stop wasting money on these studies and just have the kids go to bed earlier!

Headline o’ the week
Zimbabwe's president denies he's dead.
“When did I die?” he asks aide. HARARE, Zimbabwe - Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe denied rumors that he died of heart failure last week, the official Herald newspaper reported on Tuesday.
Read all about it in the MSNBC.com.

Site o’ the week
Depending on just how long ago your 18th birthday was; this site shows you the #1 song on either the American or British charts on that special day.

My cyber door is open; send me an e-mail or two at CEO@videoprofessor.com

John W. Scherer
CEO and Founder
VIDEO PROFESSOR Inc
Member: Denver/Boulder Better Business Bureau. View our report at www.denverbbb.org

Your basic Amnesty, EU, Paris, Deep Throat, you go girl, blog

Amnesty International’s weird spin on the world
Amnesty International, as about as anti-American an organization outside of Al Qaeda, is concerned about the treatment of prisoners at Gitmo. They call it a Gulag. Apparently we are being mean to some of the terrorists rounded up after 9-11. Yet, when terrorists torture and behead innocent people for broadcast on Al Jazeera, not a peep from them. Once again, we didn’t start this. We’re just trying to finish it. So with no proof, Amnesty International complains about us. With proof, they don’t complain against the terrorists. Amnesty is Am-nutty. And if they want to see a real Gulag, just look over the fence at Castro’s Cuba!

Deep Throat revealed
In a town where secrets are hard to keep, the identity of “Deep Throat,” the famous source of Washington Post Reporters Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein coverage of the Watergate scandal has been revealed after 30 years. And by Deep Throat himself. 91-year-old W. Mark Felt says it was he who told the reporters to “follow the money.” Felt was #2 at the FBI at the time. Woodstein (as they were called back in the day) along with the Washington Post confirmed that indeed, one of the great political mysteries of our time has finally been revealed.
http://www.cnn.com/2005/POLITICS/06/01/deep.throat/index.html

What is about “NO” you don’t understand?
The people of France and Holland have just said NO to the European Union Constitution. Much to the chagrin of their governments, these folks want to (and justifiably) maintain their national identities. Politically, French President Jacques Chirac was left with the most political egg on his face. Too bad Jacques, but you have to break a few eggs when making a political omelette! C’est la vie politque!
http://politics.guardian.co.uk/eu/story/0,9061,1497870,00.html

Paris loves Paris in the springtime (But will it last ‘til fall?)
Paris Hilton, who has made a career out of going to parties and making some rather disreputable movies, is marrying another Paris. Paris Latsis, heir to a Greek Shipping Fortune and who’s overall contribution to the greater good is equal to that of his fiancé. At least they shouldn’t have a problem remembering each other’s names.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20050531/ap_en_tv/people_hilton;_ylt=AvRVC_.ScpG.oYH4oW0ZMvys0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTA2OXY1b2VrBHNlYwNlbg--

Danica is just dandy!
Young Danica Patrick set racing on its ear last weekend finishing 4th in the Indianapolis 500. It’s the highest finish for a woman driver at the historic event and she was also the first woman to ever lead a lap at the fabled speedway. How much coverage is Danica getting? Well, anyone remember who actually won the race?

What’s up with Dale Jr?
While Danica was having a dandy day, it was just the opposite for NASCAR’S Dale Earnhardt Jr. During the Coca-Cola 600 he spun out teammate Michael Waltrip, wrecking both cars. Earnhardt is now 15th in the points standings and in real danger of not making the chase for the Nextel Cup Championship.
www.nascar.com

Summer Outlook
Ok, a new section here on the blog. With TV in summer re-runs, there’s no excuse to spend some extra time honing important skills. If you work in an office, (or would like to work in an office) you likely use Microsoft Outlook. And we hear from a lot of folks who maybe use 10% of what this powerful tool can do to make you more productive. We offer several versions and you can check them out at http://www.videoprofessor.com/products/learncomputerbasics/learnmicrosoftoutlook/outlook2000.html, http://www.videoprofessor.com/products/learncomputerbasics/learnmicrosoftoutlook/outlook2002.html and
http://www.videoprofessor.com/products/learncomputerbasics/learnmicrosoftoutlook/outlook2003.html


Mail Call
“Bragg Hill Family Life Center would like to thank you for your generous donation. We appreciate your effort to support our TEACH (Technology Education and Career Help) program. We know that your contribution is going to be a great asset in training our students. I am excited about using the Video Professor tools in our classroom. It will be a powerful tool for our instructors that will help us to reach our goals and enhance the lives of our students. We look forward to a continued and successful partnership to help us educate our community and further our efforts to build people.”

Yours in Service,
Rev. Joseph D. Henderson, Sr. and Mr. Dwayne Burt.

And thank you Rev Henderson and your team at TEACH for the opportunity to assist you in your computer literacy efforts! You’re making a difference in your community and we’re glad to help out!

Site o’ the week
Why not? Everything you wanted to know about Danica Patrick. http://www.danicaracing.com/

As always, my cyber door is open 24-7. E-mail me on any subject except for the Colorado Rockies at CEO@videoprofessor.com.

John W. Scherer
CEO and Founder
VIDEO PROFESSOR Inc