Friday, May 26, 2006

John W. Scherer Video Professor Blog May 26th 2006

John W. Scherer Video Professor Blog May 26th 2006

Technically Speaking!

Yahoo! and eBay Team Up
Two online giants announced a partnership they hope will help them surpass Google and Microsoft. Yahoo! and eBay have teamed up to try and contact even more Web surfers than they already do. According to reports, Yahoo! will have exclusive rights to all graphical advertising on eBay, plus the eBay toolbar will now include Yahoo! search capabilities. For sometime now, Video Professor has helped people Learn How to Buy and Sell on eBay with its educational CD, and now that the online auction house has collaborated with Yahoo!, it is only going to give buyers and sellers more resources to make it big.
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A Vista in Sight
The end is near. The end of the waiting, that is. The world has been eagerly waiting the arrival of Microsoft’s new operating system, Vista. According to Bill Gates, a second beta version of Vista has hit the street and the official launch is still on schedule to arrive in January. Proponents of the new operating system say that Vista features new and efficient ways to search for and organize your computer’s files, has new communication tools and offers a cleaner desktop.
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Closing the Ole Phishing Hole
I love when major computer and computer software companies are proactive when it comes to stopping Internet and “phishing” scams. To date, Microsoft has filed 125 civil lawsuits and shut down many “phishing” web sites since 2004. When major players like Microsoft step up, it really helps in making the Web more secure. Evidence of this came this week, when a “phisher” in Iowa was sentenced to 21 months in jail for running an Internet scam.
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Yahoo! Millionaires
It’s sad really. For all the good that can be found on the World Wide Web, there is just as much trash. So much for an honest day’s work; in Lagos, Nigeria a 14-year-old boy has hacked out his own little niche and become a “Yahoo! Millionaire.” After purchasing laptops, PDAs, etc. with stolen credit cards, this young man then sells the items on the black market.
I don’t know what is worse: that people are able to build fortunes in this manner, or that we don’t work harder to stop it.
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Off topic: Live forever?
Are humans destined to live forever? If so, is this really a good idea? Some scientists now believe that our lives could be extended by several decades, if not forever. Tinkering with human life will take us down some slippery roads. I love my job. The thought of working forever really intrigues me, but the thought of working forever disenchants me. If I know that I’m going to live forever, I’ll never be able to give up working and focus on different experiences in my life. Also, movement up the corporate ladder will soon become nonexistent. There will be nothing to motivate young workers looking to get ahead. If they are stuck behind some geezer who has no plans of leaving the post, how is that going to help productivity?
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A “Lego” Up on the Competition
Congratulations, Jason Poland. There are many kids around the country that are suffering from career envy. Poland won his own version of “American Idol” and was named Legoland California’s newest “master model builder.” After cruising through a regional competition, Poland beat out 23 other finalists in a grueling, two-day competition that tested their creativity and Lego skills. Each contestant, on Day 1, was asked to show off their basic skills by creating a face and an egg. But, the real test came during Day 2’s build-off, where each finalist got two hours to let their imaginations run wild. What earned Poland the prize? A fire-breathing snowman captivated the audience.
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Now, is there something to help my slice?
Finally! I dreamed of this product many, many times when I’ve been alone in the woods searching for my golf ball. These glasses are a stroke of genius that will definitely save me strokes.
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Quote o’ the week
“This conviction brings to a close the government's effort to send a clear message to the corporate world that fraudulent behavior won't be tolerated,'' said David Irwin, a former state and federal prosecutor who now handles white-collar criminal defense cases in Baltimore, in regards to the Kenneth Lay and Jeffrey Skilling convictions.

Site o’ the week
Do you think you have everything in this world figured out? Take this quick quiz and try to make sense of your senses.
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John W. Scherer
CEO and Founder
VIDEO PROFESSOR, Inc.

Wednesday, May 24, 2006

John W. Scherer Video Professor blog May 12th 2006

John W. Scherer Video Professor blog
May 12th 2006

Talking tech!

Is the end in sight?
I’ll admit that I wasn’t the first person in my neighborhood to learn how to use the Internet. Since that time, however, I’ve realized I do more on the Web now then ever, including this blog. I can find virtually anything I want on the Web. As Internet usage continues to become a bigger part of our lives, it has even changed our morning routines. It appears that fewer and fewer of us are taking the time to sit down with our morning coffee to peruse the morning news. Average U.S. newspaper circulation has dropped 2.5 percent, while readership on newspaper web sites rose eight percent to 56 million in the first quarter. If someday the daily news only gets delivered to our Outlook accounts, the nation’s paperboy population will become extinct.
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Rockwell knows best
I think the one-hit wonder from the 1980s, Rockwell, said it best: “I always feel like somebody’s watching me!” Last week I talked about Internet service providers retaining records of customers’ online activities. Well, it looks like the government has taken “big brother” to the next level. USA Today is reporting that The National Security Agency has been gathering data from every telephone call made in the United States since the 911 attacks. According to the report, more than 200 million people have been subjected to call monitoring.
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You’ve been warned
Since we’re in the business of helping people learn computers, I feel it’s necessary to pass along “critical” information to you when I see it. Microsoft said this week that they have discovered two “critical” software flaws that potentially could allow hackers to seize control of your computer. The flaws were detected in its Windows operating system as well as its business Exchange software. A patch can be downloaded from Microsoft’s web site.
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Mow no mo’?
Spring has sprung and with temperatures rising, so is the length of our lawns. The only time I like to cut the grass is with a 7-iron on the approach. But I may be in luck. A group of researchers may have stumbled upon a way to regulate growth in plants. According to Joanne Chory from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, these scientists can elevate or subtract the level of steroids in plants that control growth. By tweaking these levels, they think they can “dwarf grass” and keep it short. A major drawback I see, however, is men will have to come up with new excuses for getting out of trips to the mall on Sundays.
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Go ask you father!
With Mother’s Day quickly approaching, we are racking our brains trying to come up with the perfect gift for Mom. Well, if your mother has a penchant for technology, computer technology and gadgets, this gift guide may provide some enlightenment.
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Off topic:
Go, Danica, go!
I know it’s a shameless plug, but I want to wish our friend, Danica Patrick, nothing but the best of luck as she prepares for the upcoming Indianapolis 500. Talk about burning the candle. Not only is she preparing for the race, but she also recently concluded a week-long media tour to promote her new book "Danica: Crossing the Line." Good luck down the stretch! Tillie and I will be watching.
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A penny for your thoughts. Make that two pennies.
Paul Harvey reports this week that it now costs the mint more to make a penny or a nickel than the coin is actually worth! Apparently the cost of the metal continues to soar. So I guess a nickel isn't worth a plugged nickel!

A “lax” in judgment
I’m all for helping kids with school, but don’t you think this is taking it a bit far?
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Quote o’ the week
“In my heart, it's hard for me. I like to do things in Babe's name. I just don't want his name mixed up in steroids.” ~ Babe Ruth's granddaughter, Linda Tosetti.

Site o’ the week
Do you have what it takes to be successful in Kitchen Stadium?
View Site >

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

Friday, May 19, 2006

John W. Scherer Video Professor blog May 19, 2006

John W. Scherer Video Professor blog May 19, 2006

Talking tech!

Safety Online
Keeping kids safe should be our No.1 priority. There are too many people online today with less-than-reputable intentions. Sometimes firewalls, spyware filters, and virus protection software isn’t enough to keep us secure. A surge in Internet “social networking” sites has spawned friendships from New York to Los Angeles, but it’s also subjected our youth to some seedy characters. A bill introduced in the House of Representatives Monday seeks to ban children from frequenting networking sites such as MySpace.com. On the surface, this bill is a good idea. The less access our kids have to these sites, the less access predators will have to them. I don’t think, however, it’s realistic to ban every teenager in the country from social networking sites. In lieu of a complete ban, perhaps we need to just step up the security on these sites. Kids will be kids, and they will continue to utilize these sites, regardless of a ban. If that’s the case, we should allow the networking to take place and step up our efforts to ban the predators.
Read more >

Victory for eBay
For all of you that Video Professor has helped learn to buy and sell on eBay, I want to pass along a bit of good news. The Supreme Court ruled yesterday “companies that infringe on patents don't necessarily have to change their products.” Previously, a jury found that eBay’s “Buy it Now” service violated a MercExchange patent.
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Educators Trying to Stay Ahead of the Curve
Technology has definitely enhanced our lives. Apparently it has also enhanced our ability to cheat. At colleges and universities across the country, students are using their laptops, PDAs, and even cell phones to get an “edge” in the classroom. What shocks me is that two-thirds of students in a recent survey admitted to cheating. According to David Callahan, who wrote “The Cheating Culture: Why More Americans Are Doing Wrong to Get Ahead,” more and more students today are feeling an immense amount of pressure to succeed in the classroom so they won’t face an uphill battle when looking for a job.
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In Poor Taste
A tasteless, new online video game has a group of parents up in arms. Super Columbine Massacre RPG, an online game that debuted on the Internet last year, is starting to gain popularity. It is truly disturbing that this game was created and, moreover, that it’s gaining a following. A father of one of the Columbine victims, Brian Rohrbough, said, “We live in a culture of death, so it doesn't surprise me that this stuff has become so commonplace. It disgusts me. You trivialize the actions of two murderers and the lives of the innocent." I couldn’t agree more.
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Yahoo! Woo Hoo!
Yahoo! is trying to make our lives easier, while at the same time battling competition from its archrival, Google.
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Off topic:
Trans-Congressional Airlines
For most folks, when they fly, they fly coach. You know: the middle seat in the back of the plane where you count it a lucky day if you get peanuts. Maybe you should run for Congress because that's where the good seats are. According to BusinessWeek magazine, a lot of our elected representatives, aka "Servants of the People," are flying first-class in corporate jets. Both Republicans and Democrats use donated corporate jets to fly about the country and abuse our trust. The top abuser is Republican Senator Trent Lott who received $165,724 in free flights aboard private jets between 2001 and 2005. Democrat Harry Reid of Nevada seems a piker in comparison, logging just $69,551 worth of plush air time. Companies like UST, FedEx, and Bell South love to give legislators free rides. Might they expect favors in return? Naah!

A man among boys?
It must really be a blow to the ego not to be in the limelight. Because the publicity from his book alleging steroid use in baseball is waning, Jose Canseco must feel he needs to manually up his stock. Ex-major leaguers frequently settle on a job or a hobby in retirement, but playing in a senior’s baseball league? Come on! We all know there was a time that you were considered one of the most-feared power hitters in baseball, but you don’t have to rub our faces in it … literally. Plus, he’s using an aluminum bat. Do the pitchers in this league have a death wish? It would be one thing to stand 60 feet 6 inches away from the ex-“bash brother” when he’s armed with a wood club, but with an aluminum stick, Canseco is even more lethal.
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Ward Churchill: Fraud
We have an update for you on Ward Churchill, that yahoo prof at the University of Colorado. An investigative committee unanimously says Churchill committed several acts of academic misconduct. Their finds say that Churchill's misconduct was deliberate. Apparently Ward likes to steal other authors’ work and claim it for himself. He also claimed to be a Native American, which he's not. You may recall that Churchill got far more than the allocated 15 minutes of fame for defaming victims of the 9/11 attack. The committee is recommending anywhere from firing him to a minimum two-year suspension without pay. Whether or not CU has the courage to act on any of this is suspect, but it's finally documented: Ward Churchill is a fraud. And a disgrace, as if anyone didn't know already.

The schools of hard knocks
The Revolutionary War-era leader Patrick Henry made famous the phrase, “Give me liberty or give me death!” School children across the country better bring back the popular mantra or fear losing playground privileges.
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Quote o’ the week
"I kept thinking of the Energizer Bunny, because it kept going and going and going, and not in a good way," James Rocchi, a film critic for CBS 5 television in San Francisco, commenting about The DaVinci Code, which hits theaters today.

Site o’ the week
Summer is just around the corner. Surf’s up, dudes!
View Site >

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

Friday, May 05, 2006

John W. Scherer Video Professor blog May 5th 2006

Will May Blogs Bring June Flowers?

Let’s talk tech and computing!

Citywide Wi-Fi® creating challenges for users
Large, citywide Wi-Fi networks have been in the news a lot lately; but cities that have already implemented Wi-Fi networks have found them more complicated than they first thought. Bandwidth and performance simply haven’t lived up to citizens’ expectations.
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You needn’t wait for your town or city to create a wireless network. Create one in your home using my new Learn Wireless Networking lessons.

Big Brother: your ISP...
Colorado Rep. Diana DeGette has proposed that e-mail and Internet providers retain records of their customers’ online activities, records that could enable law enforcement officials to identify each user. The idea is also supported by the Justice Department.
Read More >

Internet use to make life’s major decisions is way up!
A recent survey of Americans online found that over the last two years, 60 million Americans used the Internet to research major life decisions like buying a home or car, to help with a major illness, or to decide where to send their children to college.

That’s a 54% increase over a similar study done in 2002! Researchers suspect the growth of broadband has made it easier for Americans to find the information they’re looking for.
Read More >

I get by with a little spam from my friends.
Most of us are now able to recognize spam, and we’ve even begun to rely heavily on spam filters. Don’t relax yet ... the next generation of spam will be able to copy e-mail addresses from your in-box and write realistic replies to your e-mails! Read More >

Caught surfing at work? Should you be fired?
Caught planning your next vacation on the Internet while you’re at work? You’re not alone; millions of us are guilty of using the Internet for personal use at the office. Up to 3.7 hours per week!

A New York City judge John B. Spooner has recently ruled in a case by stating “It should be observed that the Internet has become the modern equivalent of a telephone or a daily newspaper, providing a combination of communication and information that most employees use as frequently in their personal lives as for their work.”
Read More >

College professors ban laptops to improve education
More and more college professors are banning laptops in their classrooms. Findings show that students retain classroom dialog more while participating and listening than when they spend their time typing . . . and then there are those who are just playing online games instead of paying attention in class.
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How the Internet can isolate kids
82% of kids are online by the seventh grade. The Internet is a place where less-popular kids can become obsessed in alternate realities they create for themselves, so much so that they become isolated in their online world.
Read More >

Off topic
A tip of the hat to Tony Snow, now former FOX news guy and new White House Press Secretary. I got to know Tony working with him on supporting our wounded troops. I was also a guest on his show. Tony is smart and tough: just the guy to take on the White House Press Corp, or mob, depending on the day! Good luck Tony!

Britney hires a babysitter.
Not for her baby, but for her hubby. Britney has had enough with the partying ways of her hubby. She’s hired a guard to escort him around, make sure he behaves, and to report directly to her if he doesn’t.

Quote o’ the week
“Henry Aaron broke Babe Ruth’s record.” -MLB commish Bud Selig responding to questions of whether there would be a celebration when Barry Bonds passes Babe Ruth’s home run record. I guess this means no celebration.

Dumb idea o’ the week
Filling up your gas tank these days is an ongoing shocker. A gallon of gas is around three bucks a pop these days. Some yahoo Senators came up with the idea of a $100 rebate. How insulting. Instead of actually working to develop a sound energy policy, they think they can buy us off for a hundred bucks. And they didn’t mention that the rebate would be taxable! Shameful, and yet another reason to clean house in D.C.


Site o’ the week.
OK, this isn’t exactly Pixar Studios, but it’s a start!
View Site >


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