John W. Scherer VIDEO PROFESSOR BLOG - October 21, 2005

Let’s talk tech and computing!

A day at the races or, how I learned how to advertise at 200 MPH

If you haven’t heard of Danica Patrick, you soon will, regardless of whether or not you’re a racing fan. I got to know Danica through her fiancé, who is my personal trainer. After watching Danica race, I was hooked and knew I had to partner with her to promote Video Professor. About the only spot on Danica or her car that had any space left for a logo was on top of her helmet. So the last two races of the season, race fans got to see the Videoprofessor.com logo from her onboard camera.

Danica wrapped up the season Oct 16 at Fontana, CA and while she was taken out by a wreck late in the race, (It was the other driver’s fault, who must have been upset to be driving a pink car and getting passed by a girl) Danica still took Indy Racing League Rookie of the Year honors, was 2005Indianapolis 500 Rookie of Year, won several poles, led a bunch of laps and I do believe she’ll win a checkered flag or two next season.

Here are some pictures from the California race.

The United Savvy States of America
When it comes to all things tech, all parts of the country have what are called “early adaptors.” These are folks most likely to try something new when it comes out, bugs and all. And no matter where you live, one is likely living right next door!
Read More >

It seemed like a good idea at the time
Google continues to rock the publishing world with its library search engine. Handy for scholars and researchers, but resented by authors.
Read More >

Gucci Pocket Protectors?
While some associate tech with geek and vice-versa, the times and the styles are indeed changing. For many, tech can mean high fashion!
Read More >

United Nations Alert!
How do you feel about the United Nations controlling the Internet instead of the United States? Freedom loving countries like Cuba and China are behind a move to take away control of a distinctly American innovation. No, Al Gore didn’t invent the Internet. The Pentagon did. The issue has caught the attention of Brit Hume of Fox News. Here’s an excerpt from a recent interview:
Read More >

AOL on the move
A few tech pundits, ok, more than a few, have been preparing obits for AOL. The pioneering company has had a few zigs and zags along the way, ok, more than a few, the past several years. But the folks running the show have had their focus firmly on the future. And they’re succeeding.
Read More >

E-Mail Pet Peeves
If you’re like me, you get a ton of e-mail at the office. Some of them actually have to do with business! So what’s your biggest pet peeve of the e-mail variety? A staffing firm just did some research and I’m going to hazard a guess you might agree with some of the findings!
Read More >

Outlook is a terrific office tool. And like much of what you use day to day on your computer at work and at home, you’ve likely just scratched the surface of all that it can do to make your day a little easier, including managing your e-mail! Our VIDEO PROFESSOR computer tutorial on Outlook is one of our most popular lessons.
Learn more at: http://www.videoprofessor.com/products/learncomputerbasics/learnmicrosoftoutlook/outlook2003.html

Off-Topic
The folks who founded this country were a pretty smart bunch. One of their best ideas was the separation of powers into Executive, Legislative and Judicial branches. All independent of each other. The idea was to keep one person or group from grabbing too much power. It’s one of the reasons they told old King George to take a hike.

With the nomination of Harriet Miers causing such a stir in the news, it’s important to remember how the system works. The President of the United States gets to pick someone to join the Supreme Court. But the Senate in its ‘advise and consent” rule has to approve it. Before they vote yes or no, the nominee gets to appear before the Senate Judiciary Committee, made up of members of both parties, so the committee can fairly ascertain if the nominee is suitable. Granted, politics enters the process, but after a few hundred years it continues to work pretty well.

But the hue and cry of politicos and pundits is deafening. And the voracious appetites of the 24-hour news channels give everyone with an opinion (and you know what they say about opinions!) far more than their fifteen minutes of fame.

Miers may, or may not be qualified to serve on the court. But can we tone down the rhetoric and political grandstanding and let the process work instead? You, me, we, can all put in our two cents. E-mail, write or call your Senators and tell them how you feel. It’s a grand system, tried and true, but it’s getting short shrift to name calling, half-truths and just plain baloney. The last time I checked, it’s still government of, by and for the people. And that’s us.

Would you like fries with that Mr. Hussein?
Saddam Hussein went on trial this week. And while further proceedings have been delayed until next month, there is something very satisfying about seeing Hussein in the docket. Of course he’s being offered every right his own victims never received. Let’s hope justice prevails, and quickly.

Astros vs Sox (no, the other ones)
Houston has never been. And it’s almost been a century for Chicago, and that one involved some legal issues. Pitching will be the key.

Quote o’ the week
“ I think Bill Romanowski is a self-promoting fraud. He has no credibility. I don't care, nobody cares, what he has to say ever on any subject, and he should never talk again. And stop putting him on television. It's not compelling. It's pathetic.”-Adam Shein, Foxsports.com

Site o’ the week
Jim Croce sang about time in a bottle. Here’s what the view is like!
View Site >

My cyber door is open 24/7 and it’s always good to hear from. Send e-mail to CEO@videoprofessor.com.

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

John W. Scherer VIDEO PROFESSOR Blog-October 14, 2005

GO DANICA!
I hope you get the chance to watch the Indy Racing League season finale on October 16. You can watch the race on ESPN. Look for the onboard camera shots from Danica Patrick’s #16. You’ll see the VideoProfessor.com logo on top of Danica’s helmet. Danica is this year’s IRL Rookie of the Year, and also took top rookie honors at the Indianapolis 500. I’m proud and excited to be associated with Danica Patrick. She’s a terrific person, one hot driver, and I’ll be in California cheering her on! Look for pictures next week here on the blog. To learn more about Danica and the IRL, visit these websites.

www.danicaracing.com
www.indycar.com

Privacy vs. Protection
I write just about every week here on the blog, about protecting you, your computer and your money. Incredible technology is being developed to do just that. But at what point does protection compromise your privacy?
Learn more >

We maintain a special section on our website available to everyone absolutely free with the latest news on protecting you and your computer. Make a point to add it to your favorites list.
Learn more >

One more thing
Rumor became fact as Apple unveiled a video version of its hugely popular iPod. Priced at $299 and $399, it features a 2.5-inch screen and can hold up to 150 hours of video. It also displays still pics and plays music. And it’s thinner than the original!
Learn more >

Better thing?
DISH Network beat Apple to the punch, and at first blush, perhaps a better product with its own pocket video player. It’s called PocketDish, and while it costs more than the iPod it certainly seems to be much more versatile, especially in how you can input video. I LOVE THESE TOYS!!
Learn more >

For all of you making a list and checking it twice
This is the time of year when kids of all ages dream about high-tech presents in their stockings. Here’s a preview of just some of the hot new products arriving in time for Christmas.
Learn more >

NASA starting to get 2001 in 2005 but just barely.
One of the great sequences in the landmark film, 2001-A Space Odyssey; starts right at the beginning when the Pam-Am Shuttle docks with the space station. Director Stanley Kubrick and author Arthur C. Clark understood the future of space way back in 1968. Along with Pan-Am, (sadly just a memory) several other commercial brands were featured including hotel and communications companies.

NASA blazed America’s trail into space, but is now just beginning to understand that commercialization of space is the future. It’s one area where the Russians did beat us, sending up private passengers to the International Space Station for 20 million a trip. And now entrepreneur extraordinaire Richard Branson is teaming with Burt Ruttan for sub-orbital hops into space for 200-thousand a trip.
Both are way out of my budget, but this is just the beginning.
Learn more >

Off-Topic
A huge tip of the hat to Bill O’Reilly of FOX News and Oprah Winfrey for their efforts going after child molesters. Bill O’Reilly makes it a point to skewer weak judges and hold state’s with even weaker laws, accountable. Oprah Winfrey, herself a victim of rape at the age of 9 years old, is personally handing out one hundred thousand dollar rewards to people who turn in these predators. There are thousands of them on the loose, sprung from jail after ridiculously short sentences behind bars. Once out, they blend into society. We need tougher laws, tougher judges and very awful jails to put them in for the rest of their lives.

To learn more, visit these websites:
www2.oprah.com
billoreilly.com
Support these two fine Americans by visiting their websites on a regular basis and watching their shows. I’m going to guess Bill and Oprah may have different political views about a lot of things, but their efforts in fighting this scourge on society deserves all of our support. And contact your local and national elected representatives. Hold their feet to the fire.

Quote o’ the week
“The opposite of pro is con. That fact is clearly seen. If progress means move forward, then what does Congress mean?” –Nipsey Russell, who died this week at the age of 80.

Site o’ the week
With Halloween just a few weeks away, time to sharpen your pumpkin carving skills!
www.pumpkin-carving.com

My cyber door is open, e-mail be at CEO@videoprofessor.com

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

John W. Scherer VIDEO PROFESSOR Blog October 7, 2005

Let’s talk tech and computing!

Arizona #1 in identity theft. How bad is it where you live?
ID Theft continues to be a plague on the nation. The more safeguards we put up, the craftier the crooks get. In Arizona, it’s especially bad. But it’s almost as bad everywhere else in the country.
Read More>

As a public service, we maintain a special section on our website with news you can use to protect yourself.
Visit: www.videoprofessor.com

California Dreaming
Anti-Phishing legislation has been signed into law in California. The good news is the legislation calls for stiff penalties and more money back to victims. The bad news is, the law essentially is unenforceable.
Read More >

Digital Bread Crumbs
That’s once description of the trail of information you leave in your digital life; a trail which makes it easy for you to be “Googled.” And that might not be a good thing.
Read More >

Leaking loses customers
Too often, identity theft starts with information leaks. You and I read about it all the time. Just think about all the companies you do business with that have confidential personal information about you in their data files. Consumers however, are sending a clear message to companies. Keep information safe, or we’ll take our business elsewhere!
Read More >

Got kids? Get this!
Parents are paying more and more attention to what their kids eat, but short of going to school with them each day, it’s hard to track what they have for lunch. Until now. Computer technology is allowing moms and dads to make sure their kids are eating healthy.
Read More>

Jeff Gordon-look out for FLASH Gordon!
OK race fans, this league is for you. We talked last week about our associate sponsorship with IRL Rookie of the year Danica Patrick. Millions follow the exploits of drivers like Danica and Jeff Gordon over in NASCAR. But if you REALLY feel the need for speed, check out the Rocket Racing League!
Read More >

The $ound of music
I told you a couple of weeks ago about getting an iPod. Seems I’m not alone.
Read More >

iMap
The neatest thing about America, I think, is when someone comes up with an exciting piece of technology like the iPod; someone else comes along and finds a new way to use it.
Read More >

Mark October 12 are your calendar
Rumors are swirling (why do rumors always swirl?) that Steve Jobs just might announce a new version of the iPod that plays videos. Reporters are being sent invitations to attend a speech by Jobs on the 12th. If true, one question: Will Apple supply eye-buds to go with the ear-buds?
Read More >

Down by the old video stream
The demand for video is increasing daily. Folks are watching video on their computers, PDA’s and their cell phones. (I even heard that some people watch video on TV!)
Read More >

No film, no wires, no kidding
If companies like Kodak make taking and sending pictures any easier, I’ll have to see it to believe it!
Read More >

Off topic

Hurricane Relief Efforts
The long process of re-building lives and livelihoods is underway in states impacted by hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Many folks need to get back to work, and discovering that they need to improve their computing skills. Video Professor has just donated 70 computer tutorials to the Families First Resource Center in Picayune MS for their computer-learning lab. As similar efforts ramp up in the region, we’ll be working with other organizations as well, contributing where we can to make a difference.

Clint would be proud
In Colorado we have something called the “Make my day” law. And for good reason.
Read More >

200 Million Dollars
Estimated cost to business due to lack of productivity during the baseball playoffs and World Series. It seems a lot of folks spend more than a few minutes each day working on office pools, fantasy leagues etc. If it’s any consolation, it’s even worse in March!

That said…
Things can get out of hand however. Keep this in mind the next time you fly out of DIA!
Read More >

Prank o’ the week
Some Navy Midshipmen from Annapolis are spending time at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs as part of an exchange program. Air Force plays Navy October 8, and if you’ve ever been in the military, you know all about rivalries between the service branches. On the AFA campus is an F4 Phantom, a fighter once flown by both the Navy and Air Force. Of course, the one at the Academy is normally painted in Air Force Colors, that is until the Middies painted it blue with Blue Angels logos! The reaction from the AFA cadets? They’re happy to settle it all on the football field. But just to be safe, the folks in Annapolis might want to post some extra guards!

Site o’ the week
If you love to fly, you may be familiar with Captain Meryl Getline. She flies “heavies” for United Airlines. Captain Meryl has a regular column in the travel section at www.usatoday.com . An accomplished pilot for much of her life, she and her husband also maintain a terrific website. Check out the video shot by a crew from another airline landing and taking off in San Diego!
Visit: www.fromthecockpit.com

My cyber door is wide-open 24/7. E-mail me at CEO@videoprofessor.com

John W. Scherer
CEO and Founder-VIDEO PROFESSOR, Inc
Member: Denver/Boulder Better Business Bureau.
To view our report, go to www.denverbbb.org

John W. Scherer VIDEO PROFESSOR BLOG Sept 30 2005

Let’s talk tech and computing!

But first let’s talk about Danica Patrick!
Ok, I did indeed, feel the need for speed. VIDEO PROFESSOR is an associate-sponsor of IRL Rookie of the Year Danica Patrick, for the last two races of this season. You’ll see the Video Professor logo on top of Danica’s helmet from her in-car camera. Danica is also Indianapolis 500 2005 Rookie of the Year. She’s a star with a bright future and we’re proud to be associated with her. Legendary driver Bobby Rahall owns Danica’s car along with CBS star David Letterman.

(With Team Danica at Pikes Peak International Raceway-Danica was a bit busy to pose with us!)

I got to know Danica through some mutual friends, and before you know it, I was a racing fan! Here are a couple of links to learn more about Danica and the Indy Racing League.
Visit: www.indyracing.com
Visit: www.danicaracing.com

Happy Birthday Google
Search engine and money making machine Google, turns seven this week. It’s a noun, verb and likely soon to be an adjective, soon as someone can figure out the proper use. Just your basic story of a couple of guys with an idea.
Read More >

The Skype’s the limit
Today’s tech buzzwords are a crazy mix of upper and lower case letters. eBay, VoIP and while we’re on the subject of weird words, have you ever been “skyped?”
Read More >

Betamax Wars Part Deux
A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away, there were two competing home videotape formats. VHS and Betamax. Beta was better, but VHS won the day. Today, videotape is passé, old-hat, so 20th century. DVDs are the new standard, but what about HD versions? There are (again) two competing formats. Here’s the latest on the battle for your HD viewing dollars and the heavyweights on each side. And once again, the rest of us are stuck in the middle again.
Read More >

Phonies find new ways to Phish
I’ve talked a lot in earlier blogs about “Phishers.” These are crooks that can easily fool you into answering their e-mails or routing you to what appear to be official sites. Their goal is purely to rip you off. While safeguards are getting better, these thieves are getting better too.
Visit: www.videoprofessor.com

Both programs are outstanding learning tools, and one big reason is the level of work put into designing them.

Off-Topic
Louisiana’s two Senators already have come up with the cost of rebuilding their state. 250 BILLION Dollars! Like all Americans, I’m glad to pitch in and help. But does EVERYTHING have to be gold plated?

As for where the money comes from, I think Senator Jon Kyl of Arizona has a very good idea. Take some of the pork from the recently signed highway bill and spend it instead on recovery efforts. But, that would make too much sense. Not a strong suit for the politicos from both parties in DC.

And politicos aren’t the only one’s pointing fingers at each other. The media is too. It seems there was some exaggerating going on.
Read More >


Finally a tip of the hat to authorities in the Lake Charles, LA area. Authorities there are holding 49 looters in a cold and wet concrete building. Each looter (ok, alleged looter) gets one MRE with water on the side each day. I’m sure once the ACLU gets wind of this there will be heck to pay, but for now, the looters (ok, alleged looters) are safely off the streets.

Speaking of baseball, a Denver sports writer wrote a few months ago about taking all the really bad teams each year, and putting them in their own division. It turns out we already have one. The NL-West. What we need is a rule banning any team with a record BELOW 500 from qualifying for any playoff. But, that would make too much sense. Not a strong suit for the folks who run Major League Baseball.

Quote o’ the week
“Don’t you get it?” Senator John McCain of Arizona to MLB Union Chief Donald Fehr during Senate hearings on the use of steroids in professional baseball. I guess the only thing we have to fear, is Fehr himself.
Read More >

Site o’ the week
Another variant of the sun clock we showed you a few months ago. I like this version better. As Chicago sings, “Does anybody know what time it is, does anybody really care?” But if you do, enjoy!
http://www.fourmilab.ch/cgi-bin/uncgi/Earth/action?opt=-p

My cyber door is open. E-mail me 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

John W. Scherer Blog Sept 23 2005

Let’s talk computing!

Actually, let’s talk infomercials!
We just shot a new infomercial this past weekend. What you’ll see at home is the final, polished thirty- minute version put together by Chip Hopkins and his talented production team. But I want to show you all the work that goes into the production of an infomercial.

By the way, Chip and his team have won the coveted Aurora Gold Award for Video Production for the second year in a row. More on that in future blogs.

Two teams here at VIDEO PROFESSOR worked very hard on the infomercial, our marketing team and our production team. Not only do we have to develop the key messages and themes of each infomercial, but also we have to produce something that’s exciting and informative.

Dozens of our employees spend weeks planning in advance. We have to choose a location, in this case, Park Meadows Mall here in Denver. A shopping mall is a great place to recruit folks like you to try the many titles from our library of VIDEO PROFESSOR computer lessons.


The night before was pretty much an all-nighter as all the cameras, lighting, computers and pieces of the set were all set into place. We had to be ready to go when the mall opened Saturday morning.

The mall location provided us lots of room to work with. We were able to design a set that gave us plenty of “people” room! In this newest version, I have my anchor position with my excellent co-host, Laurel. But we also added an area for a “focus group. We got together with these folks and talked with them about what they knew about computing and more importantly, what they still wanted to learn and how they wanted to learn.



We then turned them loose at several computer laptop stations we set up and got them learning. We even had some folks try and learn with those bulky and hard-to-read instruction manuals to compare how fast they could learn compared to the folks using our lessons.

The contest between bulky and technical manuals and our VIDEO PROFESSOR tutorial lessons was in fact, NO contest!

I also had the chance to stop by the various workstations and visit with our users. Just like you, they have different interests in what they wanted to learn. Some worked on the basics, others worked on advanced skills with programs like PowerPoint and Excel. I’ve been teaching people how to operate their computers for over 18 years and it’s still wonderful to hear people say how fast and easy it is to learn a new skill, or improve existing ones.



Of course, because this was an infomercial, the cameras and microphones were everywhere. But it was spontaneous and unrehearsed. What you’ll see actually happened. And when our new infomercial begins airing around the country, you’ll also see first hand how quickly folks learned, and how good they felt about it.

And this is what makes it so much fun to come to work each day.

One special moment came when Laurel and I were taping a segment, and one of our guests came up to excitedly show us a picture she’d been able to create after just spending a few minutes with our lesson!


We wrapped up shooting at about 6pm. Then the hard work began again, this time in reverse; tearing everything down, packing it up and loading it on the truck for the trip back to the office.

Now our production team is hard at work, beginning the process of screening then editing dozens of hours of tape from the many cameras.

An infomercial is just half an hour. But hundreds and hundreds of hours go into making it. And all these pictures give you a chance to see the many talented and hardworking people that make VIDEO PROFESSOR so successful.

Site o’ the week
Here’s a collection of just plain silly stuff. Just once I’d like to meet one of the people that sits down and creates this stuff!
http://www.ertdfgcvb.ch/

My cyber door is open. E-mail me at CEO@videoprofessor.com

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

John W. Scherer VIDEO PROFESSOR Blog for Sept 16, 2005

Let’s talk computing!

Katrina Scam Alert!
There are a lot of people looking to cash in on your generosity to help victims of Hurricane Katrina. I just did a Google search using “Katrina Aid Help” as search words and got 39,700,000 hits! Many obviously are for legitimate charities like the Red Cross and Salvation Army. Most are not. They’re scams.
Read more >

Others are already receiving scam e-mails, claiming to be legitimate charities but all they want is your money in their offshore bank accounts.

Legitimate charities like the Red Cross do not use these tactics; you go to their official websites and make your donations. They don’t solicit by e-mail.

America is digging deep to help. But be careful when and where you donate. Work with the established charities like the Red Cross and Salvation Army. If you have any doubts about a charity, check them out by visiting www.charitynavigator.com. This non-profit organization monitors charities, and provides you with information you need to know before you give.

Another good way is to donate is through your local church or club and you can also visit the websites of your local newspapers and broadcast stations, as they list legitimate sites to donate to. Our employee group, Seasons Club, is actively working with several relief organizations to get the right help to the right people.

Americans are responding like never before, but like everything else, look before you leap, or in this case, give.

Infomercial Info
We’re shooting a new infomercial this weekend. They’re fun to do, but our team here at VIDEO PROFESSOR puts in some incredible work getting it all done. The VIDEO PROFESSOR infomercials you see on TV run 30 minutes, but days and days of work go into planning, we’ll shoot for approximately 8 hours on Saturday, then dozens more hours are spent editing it all together. I’ll have some pictures and “behind the scenes” views of it all in next week’s blog.

Bill Gates on the record
Microsoft Guru Bill Gates is pitching software developers to work together to support existing and planned software products from Microsoft. Gates is keeping his focus on the future, and is encouraging others to team with him to do the same thing.
Read more >

Google Google GOOGLE GOOGLE
Can Google get any bigger or better? Like weather in Colorado, wait 15 minutes and you’ll find out! They have a new “Industrial Strength” blog search in Beta. Once again they surprised everyone, by not surprising everyone. Because at Google, the hits just keep coming.
Read more >

Mini, not Mega
Everyone, it seems, has a digital camera. And based on the popularity of our Photoshop tutorial, you’re doing all sorts of wonderful things with pictures and graphics (See site o’ the week below) But if you think digital imaging is something new, think again. The folks at Kodak were thinking digital 30 years ago!
Read more >

Friends, Romans and fellow iPod users, lend me your ears
I’ve joined the iPod generation. I too wear the white ear buds. You may have chosen a different brand of MP3 player, but we share the ability to work out, chill or whatever, listening to our favorite music. But what impact are those ear buds having on our ears, Bud?
Read more >

Spelling Checker?
Any of you who work with Word can appreciate how helpful the spelling and grammar functions are. If you don’t have a lot of experience with Word learn more about our Video Professor Word lesson.

That said, the English Language is an interesting one, and it pays not to totally depend on this neat little function. As a matter of fact, quite a few people personally “eyeball” the blog before I post it each week. But I did come across this article, which is great fun and shows the perils and pitfalls of depending entirely on technology! And a good reason to include English skills in your educational plans!
Learn more >

Off-topic
I’ve had a chance to watch part of the confirmation hearings for Chief Justice of the Supreme Court Nominee John Roberts. He’s a lock for the job, likely to win confirmation in the full Senate by 70 votes or more. The Senate Judiciary Committee has the role of conducting hearings to learn more about the nominee. Senators of both parties get to ask questions, but not necessarily get answers. But some Senators (and you know who you are) need to understand the question part. A couple of Senators have the term confused with speeches. One “question” lasted 8 minutes. Followed by silence. Because it wasn’t a question. A waste of time and bugle oil.

Site o’ the week
Photoshop is an absolutely wonderful picture-editing tool and our award-winning tutorial really shows you just how powerful an editing tool it is.
Check it out >

I found this site, worth1000.com, which shows you some of the neat work you can do with Photoshop and your computer, plus a lot of imagination!

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

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

JWS Blog – Week of September 9th

What goes around comes around
I’m so accustomed to seeing the world rely on aid from the United States when natural disasters strike, that it comes as a welcome surprise to see that over 94 countries have offered disaster relief to the victims of Hurricane Katrina. Donors include long-time US allies such as Australia, Japan, Germany, Canada, France and Britain, and also from countries where our relations have been strained: Cuba, Venezuela and Iran. My hope is that by seeing Americans in need, some of the anti-American sentiment felt around the world will soften.
Read more >

When a picture is worth a thousand words
Victims of Hurricane Katrina who are worried about their property have turned to Google Earth to find out if their homes remain standing. Google was quickly able to add over 4,000 post hurricane images taken from a Cessna jet as overlays to its’ database of satellite images. Visit Google Earth >


Teaching and the Internet
There’s hardly a school left in America that isn’t connected with the Internet. A recent survey found that while most students felt that using the Internet helped them with their schoolwork, teachers weren’t as interested in including Internet based curriculum in their lesson plans. Read more >

Try my lesson: Learn the Internet.


“Web gangs” . . . 21st Century mobsters
Is your vision of a hacker a teenage boy, sitting in his bedroom trying to hack into his schools’ computer to change his grades? Think again. Gangs of high-tech criminals are hard at work searching for ways to steal your money. And I’ve just heard that Internet crime is up 20% from this same time last year.

I can’t stress how important it is for everyone to educate themselves about computer security. By ignoring Internet security you face rogue hackers taking control of your PC and using it for identity theft and the distribution of spam and pornography.

Learning how to guard your sensitive information is the key to preventing identity theft. No current or new technologies will be able to prevent the misuse of your personal information once it has been stolen.
Read more >

Learn how you can protect yourself and your PC with Video Professor’s Internet Security Lessons.

Site o' the week
I’ve always heard that slow and steady wins the race . . . after climbing for 14 months, NASA’s Spirit rover finally completed a 270 foot climb to the crest of Mars’ Husband Hill, named after Rick Husband, commander of the fallen shuttle Columbia crew. Spirit is rewarding researchers with spectacular panoramic views of the plains below.
View the photos >

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

John W. Scherer
CEO and Founder
VIDEO PROFESSOR, Inc
Member: Denver/Boulder Better Business Bureau. Check out our report.

Let’s Talk Computing!

VIDEO PROFESSOR Computer Literacy Day in Modesto, CA.
Much of this week’s blog is about a very special day I got to spend in Modesto, CA. You may recall that earlier this summer we conducted our July 4th Sweepstakes. The Grand Prize was a 2006 Chrysler 300C, and yes, it has a HEMI!

The winner is Corlene Goff of Modesto. She visited our site to order our Excel tutorial lessons, noticed the sweepstakes and entered. It was my pleasure to present her with the keys to her new car on Monday, August 29th at Central Valley Chrysler. (If you live in the Modesto area, I really recommend owner John Gardener and his staff, an absolutely terrific automobile dealership)
















John W. Scherer presents Corlene Goff the keys to her new Chrysler 300C!
















John and Corlene check out her new ride!

Corlene is a wonderful person and I enjoyed visiting with her. Another company had bought her company, and as a result and through no fault of her own, she’s looking for a new job, and that’s why she was working to improve her computer skills. It felt great to see her drive that gleaming Chrysler 300C off the showroom floor! Corlene also told me the Excel lessons really helped her!

To view the list of major prizewinners click here.

After we gave Corlene her car, we then went over to Johansen High School in Modesto. Anytime we’re involved in an event in a community around the country, we always make a point of donating our lessons to various civic organizations, schools or other groups involved in computer literacy.

Prior to our trip, we spent quite a lot of time working with the Modesto School District’s computer folks, and the more we got to know about their efforts, the more we knew we had to do something truly special.

So we decided to make available free access to our VP Online tutorials to each of the 20,000 High School Students in the Modesto area! We made the official donation at Johansen High School in their state-of-the-art computer lab, but again, the offer is available to all the students in the district.

We were thrilled by all the students, teachers, school board and civic officials who turned out to greet us. Mayor Ridenour officially declared this special Monday as “Video Professor Computer Literacy Day." Congressman Cordoza’s office and the County Board of Supervisors also presented special proclamations.
















Modesto Mayor Jim Ridenour officially proclaims August 29, 2005
“Video Professor Computer Literacy Day”

Most importantly, we showed the good that can come when businesses, schools and government work together. As a result, these high schools students now have an additional teaching resource to improve their computing skills and they’ll have the same access from home if they have high-speed Internet access.

I want to extend my most personal and deep felt gratitude to the entire Modesto Community for their warm hospitality!

Hurricane Survivors need all our help.
Like me, I’m sure you are absolutely stunned at the devastation left in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. The clean up and recovery efforts will take years, and so many people have lost everything they have. The most basic needs of fresh water, food and shelter are challenging authorities throughout the regions hit hardest.

Right now, the American Red Cross is your best way to help out. What they need most is money. Visit their website at www.redcross.org to learn how to donate. And you can give in confidence knowing that your money will be put to good use. Charity Navigator (a non-profit organization that rates the efficiency of charities) gives the American Red Cross four out of four stars.

Site o’ the week
I haven’t made it past 250 with this one; maybe you’ll have better luck! (Most folks usually do!) Click here.


My cyber door is open, e-mail with questions, comments and ideas at CEO@videoprofessor.com

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

John W. Scherer VIDEO PROFESSOR Blog for August 26, 2005

Let's talk computing!

Sweepstakes winner announced. Modesto Schools win too!
I'll be in Modesto, California on Monday August 29th for two good reasons. First I'm awarding the grand prize in our July 4th Sweepstakes. Corlene Goff of Modesto will get the keys to a 2005 Chrysler 300. Corlene entered our sweepstakes while ordering our Excel Tutorial. And later in the day, I'll be donating $270,000 in VP Online Lessons to High School Students in the Modesto School System for the 2005-2006 school year. The students will be able to access VP Online from their computer labs at school, or from home if they have high-speed Internet access. To see all the sweepstakes winners click here.

To learn more about VP Online, just click here.

WiFi. Better left to private enterprise instead of government?
WiFi is a terrific way to compute while you're on the go. I use it often when I'm traveling. A lot of cities have grand plans about creating wireless networks for the citizenry. But many cities that have a tough enough time keeping the trash picked up on time are discovering that high-tech is highly challenging. And it's causing some local governments to step back and rethink what certainly is a good idea, but something else entirely to execute.

Hackers 1-Air Force 0
A nasty surprise for half the officers in the Air Force. Hackers snatched a lot of important and personal information for thousands of officers. And if a military system can be accessed so easily, think how vulnerable you could be.
Read more >

26 Minutes
An unprotected computer running Windows XP experiences an average "survival" time of 26 minutes on the Internet before hackers identify it as vulnerable, according to the SANS Institute, a cooperative Internet security organization. (Source: Christian Science Monitor) To read the complete article, click here.

Keep up-to-date on keeping your computer and your identity secure with our free information section on our website.
Visit: www.videoprofessor.com

Google: Noun, verb, now adjective?
Google continues to innovate, raise cash and make us a Google society. What's next for the search giant?

Digital Cameras. Which is right for you?
If you already don't have a digital camera, chances are you soon will. They're awesome and there's a huge variety to choose from in quality and price. So take your time, shop around and you'll find the right one for your needs and budget.

One of the great tools to get the most out of your digital pictures is Photoshop. Our team has created a super tutorial. In fact it won the prestigious Aurora Gold Award for its design and execution. Here are just some of the tutorials we offer to turn you into a digital picture superstar!
Visit: www.videoprofessor.com

Speaking of Digital Cameras
Most of you have seen the HP "Frames" advertisements. Most folks in the commercial business rate these spots among the best of the year. I agree. So how do they do it?
Read more >

Planet Earth-Find out exactly where "You are here" is!
This is an absolutely fascinating way to tour the country. It takes some patience because there are no state lines or boundaries. In other words, you first have to find out the general area of the country you live in, then slowly zoom in and find more detail. Some rural areas have less detail than metropolitan areas, but this is a fun tool to use with your kids. (Or vice-versa!)
Visit: www.flashearth.com

Off Topic Department

Profiles in Lack Of Courage
You may recall Ward Churchill; a Prof at CU-Boulder who called victims of the 9-11 attacks "Little Eichman's" among other things. Churchill also claimed to be of Indian heritage when he applied for his job at CU, allegedly to get an inside track using Affirmative Action. So far he hasn't been able to prove that except for an honorary certificate. He's also accused of plagiarizing several articles and other works for use in his own. All this and more stirred quite a ruckus, and CU launched an "investigation." What was supposed to take several weeks, took several months. The committee's conclusion? To appoint another committee. When that group is put together, it's estimated they'll spend another five months "investigating" as well.The fact Churchill is a fraud (1st Amendment applies to me too, Ward) has been shown in countless articles by some very distinguished journalists. But CU would rather sweep it under the rug. (Again) Attendance at CU, along with revenues is down this semester. I wonder why?


Le Garbage
Lance Armstrong's winning 7 straight Tour de France victories has upset no small number of the locals. Some French rag now claims Lance used an illegal drug in 1999, his first victory year. But as the Rocky Mountain News' Bernie Lincicome reports, where there's France there's sour grapes!
Read more >


Site o' the week
Ok, Yale is one of the world's top universities. But I had no idea they were into miniature golf! But I have to admit it's addictive!
Visit: http://omega.med.yale.edu/~pcy5/flash/miniputt.swf

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

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

John W. Scherer VIDEO PROFESSOR Blog for August 19, 2005

Let’s talk computing!
I certainly enjoy putting out my weekly blog. Like most bloggers, it’s a true learning experience as I experiment and communicate.

One thing I’ve discovered is the enormous number of articles on all things related to computing and technology. So I’m going to shift gears here a little bit, and share just a small sample of the informative articles out there on the web! Computing and technology are incredibly interesting and each week I’ll try and pick out some of the best ones for you to check out yourself.

-JWS

Vigilance paying off
You may have already read about the latest worm infecting computers this week. The good news is the infection rate is very low, especially when compared to past worms and viruses. Why? People are paying more attention and keeping their computers updated with the latest safeguards. That very good news.
Read more >

We maintain a special section on our website here at VIDEO PROFESSOR with current news about keeping you, your identity and computer safe. It’s free to anyone.

Don’t beat us. Join us!
Hackers are the bane of all us computer users, law enforcement agencies and the government. But some government agencies are finding out that an enemy can become an ally.
Read more >

High Speed Internet Access growing at HIGH SPEED!
More and more companies are competing with each other to provide affordable high speed Internet access. Consumers are the big winners as more choices are available and prices keep going down. We’ve noticed that trend with the number of people switching to our VIDEO PROFESSOR ONLINE learning. If you have high speed Internet access, you can stream our complete library directly to your computer for a very economical monthly fee. Over 35 titles are just a click away. No CD’s, just the best in computer learning right to your computer. And just like all our products, you can try it out free for 14 days with no obligation.

VIDEO PROFESSOR ONLINE is the future of computer learning, it’s a service we are now marketing to agencies of the Federal Government under our General Services Administration contract.

And we’ll have an exciting announcement involving VIDEO PROFESSOR ONLINE and a major school district for you shortly.

To learn more about VIDEO PROFESSOR ONLINE, just click here.

A tip o’ the hat to AOL
The good folks at AOL won a major lawsuit against a world-class spammer. So what is AOL going to do with the loot it won in the suit? Give it to customers in what they’re calling the AOL Spammer's Gold Sweepstakes. Prizes include bars of gold and even a Hummer. (You might need to sell one of those gold bars just to fill the Hummer’s gas tank!)
Read more >

AOL customers can enter by logging on to aolhummer.onlinepromo.com

Wheel of Fortune
You iPod owners are very familiar with that snazzy little wheel on the front of the unit. All you need is a thumb to enjoy all those tunes. Definitely something a company wants to patent! But in this case, you’ll be surprised who did!
Read more >

Good deal brings out the worst in people
I first heard about this story this morning. Seems a school district decided to sell some used laptops to local folks for just fifty bucks each. A heck of a deal. But it quickly turned into one heck of a mess! Next time they should try eBay!
Read more >

ICE: A life-saver in an emergency
This has to be the winner of our “best idea” award. As just about all of us have cell phones, emergency response pros recommend you have a special listing on your cell phone called ICE. It stands for “In case of emergency.” The phone number should be someone you trust to speak for you in case you’re in an accident or incapacitated.
Read more >

Off-topic: Why so little “we” and so much “me?”
Finally, Terrell Owens is one fine football player. Just ask him. He’s in a squabble with the Philadelphia Eagles. He signed a contract for a lot of money, so did the team and now they expect him to live up to his word. Terrell thinks otherwise. He wants more. Some say the Eagles’ need Owens and should cough up the extra cash. But to their credit, management is saying we have a deal, and if your word doesn’t mean the paper it’s written on, then stay home and watch. Good for them. Great teams have had great stars over the years, but for some sad reason, it’s becoming more and more about “me” instead of the team. I have no issue with anyone trying to make as much as they can in life, especially in a sport where the average career last around four years. But a deal is a deal, and if Terrell (and his agent) were smart enough to realize it, having a season that exceeds expectations brings in that much more money in commercial revenue. There is still plenty enough room for ‘we” in sports, life and anywhere else. Bill Williamson of NBCsports.com has some insightful commentary.
Read more >

Site o’ the week
If you’ve noticed the shipping department where you work is low on FedEx boxes, this might be the reason why. But not a bad solution when your apartment has to be absolutely, positively, furnished overnight!
Visit: www.fedexfurniture.com

My cyber door is wide open, so send me e-mails at CEO@videoprofessor.com

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

Daylight Savings Blog Time

Peter Jennings 1938-2005
Long-time ABC News Anchor Peter Jennings died this week of lung cancer. He told viewers four months ago about his condition, speaking in a raspy voice brought on by the disease. He had a long and distinguished career. A long-time cigarette smoker, Jennings had quit, but picked up the habit again after the 9-11 attacks. This is a good opportunity to encourage friends who smoke, to quit. And to kids who think smoking is somehow “cool,” to never start. Dana Reeve, who inspired us all with her courage and support of her late husband Christopher Reeve, announced she has Lung Cancer. In this case, she never smoked at all. The American Lung Association and the American Cancer Society have excellent resources on their websites to help us all learn more about the disease.
Visit: www.lungusa.org
Visit: www.cancer.org

Welcome Home Discovery and Crew
Millions breathed a collective sign of relief as the Discovery Space Shuttle landed safely on Tuesday. Waived off a landing at Cape Kennedy due to weather, the shuttle appropriately landed at Edwards Air Force Base in California, still home to the folks who have the “Right Stuff.” The 14-day mission was stunner and a nail-biter. For NASA, the big question is “what’s next?” Because of foam breaking off the main tank during the ascent two weeks ago, the shuttle fleet is again grounded. And what is the follow-up to the shuttle program that is already scheduled for retirement in 2010? But for now, it’s mission accomplished to a very brave crew. NASA’s website has some spectacular pictures of the mission. And the hi-res pics make excellent screen shots for your computer.

President signs new Highway Pork, uh, Bill.
What’s in the new highway bill signed this week? And what part of the 286 BILLION does your state get? (Some call it pork)
Read more >

The winner of the “Doesn’t Have a Clue” award is…
…National Hockey League boss Gary Bettman. Just off the season that wasn’t, the league is allowing Todd Bertuzzi back to play. Bertuzzi as you’ll recall, is the player that blind-sided Colorado Avalanche player Steve Moore, slamming his head into the ice and breaking his neck. The NHL says Bertuzzi deserves a “second chance.” Moore may never get a second chance to play because of his injury. But wait…. there’s more! Rocky Mountain News Sports Columnist Dave Krieger weighs in.
Read more >

And the runner-up is….
…Major League Baseball. Apparently it’s ok for players to rough up folks like they do in hockey, get a slap on the wrist and then go right back on the field. No harm, no foul? Hardly.
Visit: msn.foxsports.com

Let’s talk about computing! Scamville, Nigeria
Scamming un-suspecting Americans is a cottage industry in a little town in Nigeria. As hard as it is to believe, people actually believe it when they get an e-mail telling them they’ve won a lottery, or selected to receive millions of dollars from an estate from someone they never knew or met. The real dose of reality hits when they look at an empty bank account instead.
Read more >

For the latest news you can use about such scams, viruses and attacks on your computer visit this special section on our website.
Visit: www.videoprofessor.com

Spamville, CO
A notorious spammer cuts a deal, and promises to behave in the future. I hope it’s true but will believe it when the check clears.
Read more >

21st Century Mischief
Leave it up to kids to find new ways, and technology, to get into hot water in school. Read more about the Kutztown 13!

Is it real or is it DreamWorks?
It wasn’t all that long ago that animated features were painstakingly hand-drawn, frame-by- frame by the great animators at studios like Disney and Warner Bros. The creativity remains, but now computer technology is taking the art form to a whole new level. And it’s only going to get better.
Read more >

Microsoft announces new security patches
90% of computers users use Windows-based systems. Windows is incredibly popular, a fact not gone un-noticed by hackers and other thieves. Microsoft just announced several new patches to keep you and your system safe.
Learn more >

Will extra sunlight mean tech woes?
Now for the tech impact of the highway bill. With it comes a change in Daylight Savings Time starting in 2007. Legislating some additional evening daylight was easy, but the impact may be entirely different. Seems a few of our gadgets could have some issues!
Learn more >

Site o’ the week
Here’s a fun way to learn a little bit about geography in a high-tech way!
Visit: landmark.mapsgame.com

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

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

The Dog Blogs of Summer

Stem Cell Debate-Facts Needed
The debate over Stem Cell Research is once again under the spotlight as Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist broke ranks with President Bush, calling for federal money for research funding. The coverage since then has been all political, but little if any about the research itself, what it does along with the medical and ethical issues. It's incredibly complex, but we hope the media works harder to explain it to all of us living here along Main Street USA.

Ambassador John Bolton
Like it or not, he's our new guy at the United Nations. The politicians dillied and dallied, so the President acted and exercised his Constitutional Right to appoint Bolton. The U-N claims to be focused on reform. Maybe Ambassador Bolton can help. With the Oil for Food Scandal, nations with the worst human rights records in the world serving on the Human Rights Commission and a brewing scandal about re-modeling U-N Headquarters, (which we'll end up mostly paying for) things certainly can't get any worse.

"A good day in space"
Those were the words of Astronaut Steve Robinson after an un-planned, and never done before spacewalk to the bottom of the Space Shuttle to remove some filler material from between insulation tiles. Just another day at the office! Follow the mission at www.nasa.gov

Rafael Palmeiro: Steroids Timeline
March 17, 2005: "I have never used steroids. Period,"-Excerpt from testimony by Baltimore Orioles player Rafael Palmeiro, given under oath, before the United States Congress.

August 1, 2005: Rafael Palmeiro suspended for ten games by Major League Baseball for using steroids.

Here's some interesting Q&A on the subject from Tom Verducci of CNNsi.
Read more >

What's next for Rafael? Possible perjury charges from Congress.

Laptops-don't leave home without one
Here's a terrific article from the Chicago Tribune about the increasing numbers of colleges requiring students to have laptops. I was especially interested in the every last line, about the importance of students being able to actually use them properly.
Read more >

I get the opportunity to talk with people all over the country when I'm traveling or shooting infomercials. My constant surprise is hearing from so many people, including students that they discovered there is way more to computing that just sending e-mails or the Internet. And that's why we offer so many different tutorials on the ever-increasing amounts of software programs installed on those laptops the schools want you to have with you!
Visit: www.videoprofessor.com

The Internet: New Crystal Ball?
When they write the definitive history of mankind, it's likely the Internet will rank right up there with the invention of the wheel. The Internet is the equivalent of the industrial revolution, that's how much it's changed the way we think, shop, communicate and live our lives.
Read more >

Navigating the net is awesome, but for many it remains unexplored territory. Plus there are tips and tricks even seasoned pros might not know! Our Internet tutorial remains extremely popular for just that reason.

Prime (Rib) Time Gambling
In case you've ever been bored waiting in line at a casino buffet, here's a new way to keep your mind occupied and lose money faster than ever! Yep! Wireless gambling is coming soon to a casino near you.
Read more >

Santa Maria Foundation
Good corporate citizenship is important to us at VIDEO PROFESSOR. We support non-profit organizations of all sizes that offer computer training as part of their programs. One such group is the Santa Maria Foundation. They were kind enough to send us this picture of one of their students working with our Windows lessons! It made our day!














(Photo courtesy: Santa Maria Foundation)

Site o' the week
I have no other comment about this one other than GOOD LUCK!
Click here >

My E-Door is open 24/7. Send me e-mail at CEO@videoprofessor.com

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

Le Tour de Blog

Vive le Lance!
Ok, let’s skip all the hyperbole about Lance Armstrong being the best this or that. Let’s just recognize the fact that he won an unprecedented 7 wins in Le Tour de France, beat cancer and has handled himself through it all with class and dignity earning respect from people around the world. He took on a career challenge and won it and then some. Life presented him with a challenge no one would ever want to face and he beat that too. And Lance showed class by going out on top. Unlike too many great athletes who too long tried to hang on, then slowly fade away; Lance will be forever young and forever at the top of his game.
www.lancearmstrong.com

Regrets? Yes. Apologies? No!
It turns out the man British authorities shot and killed last week was not connected to the bombing attacks in London. But after two bomb attacks in two weeks, this man was told to stop, instead ran and didn’t stop when ordered to. Plus he was wearing a heavy coat in summer. Authorities had no choice. Who really is responsible? The terrorists themselves. The dead man is a victim of the terrorists, not the authorities.

Smile, you’re caught on camera
British Authorities are doing a marvelous job of rounding up, or at least identifying suspects in the two bombing attacks. One reason is the thousands of security cameras they use. The bad guys are caught literally in the act and the pictures posted on the Internet, Television and Newspapers. One irony is that many of the suspects live on welfare. In other words, their food, shelter and bomb-making money was paid for by the people they’re trying to kill.

Space Shuttle-Success and setbacks.
The Space Shuttle Discovery returned to orbit July 26, carrying 7 Astronauts and America itself, back into space. I hope you had a chance to see the incredible shots from the camera mounted on the external fuel tank, looking back at the earth as the shuttle headed to orbit. Absolutely spectacular. Currently the shuttle is docked to the International Space Station. When, as we pray, the shuttle returns safely to earth, the fleet is once again grounded. A big chunk of installation on the main fuel tank broke off during the launch. IF the shuttle ever flies again, it will be a long time. Follow the current mission at
http://www.nasa.gov/returntoflight/main/index.html?skipIntro=1

Labor Pains
The equivalent of a Tsunami, F-5 Hurricane and 7.5 Earthquake hit the labor movement this week as the two largest unions in the country bid adieu to the AFL-CIO. The main complaint? The AFL-CIO spends too much on politicians, and not enough to help its own members.
Read more >

Vista
Microsoft has announced the name of its new software suite, up until now code-named Longhorn. The official name is Vista. (Sorry Texas fans!)
Read more >

When it comes out, we’ll have a tutorial about it! While you’re waiting its release, upgrade your existing skills with a visit to www.videoprofessor.com

Space view a click away
Microsoft has also launched a Beta version of its new virtual earth mapping service. Test it out!
virtualearth.msn.com

And it appears the folks in Redmond are using the new service to wipe out (literally) their competition!
Read more >

NASCAR’s biggest stars outside looking in?
It’s a real possibility that NASCAR’s two biggest stars might not make the Chase for the Nextel Cup. To qualify, drivers must be in the top 10 in points or within 400 points of first for the final ten races. Right now 4-time champ Jeff Gordon is in 15th/541 points out. Dale Earnhardt Jr is in 14th/537 points back. They have just 6 races to go to qualify.
www.nascar.com
www.jeffgordon.com
www.dalejr.com

Back to school time
Is it just me or does school seem to start earlier and earlier each year? I do see in the stores that the back-to- school sales are underway. And I just bet you think your kids are wizards on the computer. But take a minute and ask them about what they really know. E-mail or Internet skills? Very likely. But how about advanced word-processing, photo editing, graphics and using spreadsheets? It will do you good to check out some VIDEO PROFESSOR tutorial lessons that might be good additions to the back to school backpack.

Kids and the Internet-Safety first
9 out of 10 kids have access to the Internet. And there’s plenty of good stuff on it for kids of all ages. And plenty of bad stuff as well.
Read more >

Making your computer an effective and SAFE tool for your whole family is important to all of us here at VIDEO PROFESSOR. I want to remind you about our special site dealing with computer security. It’s full of good and FREE information, plus the latest articles available to keep you and your family safe.

A back to school helping hand
For too many families, back to school shopping is just a dream. The money just isn’t there for badly needed school supplies. Thankfully there are people in your community doing something about it. Maybe even at your own place of business like we do here at VIDEO PROFESSOR. So pick up a few extra pencils, or notebooks or whatever you can afford, and donate them to kids who otherwise couldn’t afford them. You’ll feel especially good when you do.

Site o’ the week
Ok, let’s test that brain of yours. Up for the challenge?
www.gamesforthebrain.com

My cyber-door is open 24/7, drop me an e-mail anytime 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 .

Houston, we have a Blog

And the nominee is
President Bush has chosen John G. Roberts Jr as his nominee to replace Sandra Day O’Connor on the United States Supreme Court. Roberts serves on the DC Court of Appeals, getting a Unanimous Consent Vote from the same United States Senate that now has to confirm him for the Supreme Court.

Roberts is a Summa Cum Laude Graduate of Harvard Law School, as an attorney argued 39 cases before the Supreme Court, he clerked for Chief Justice William Rehnquist and again, the Senate gave a unanimous thumbs-up for his spot on the very high profile DC bench.

The Constitution gives the power to the President to make that decision with the Senate in an “advise and consent” role. We urge both Republicans and Democrats to avoid the ugly confrontations of recent nominees including Robert Bork and Clarence Thomas. With approval ratings of the Congress at just 28%, we just may see an actual civil discourse.

But the problem will come from special interest groups. Their special interests will purely be their own, and that’s mainly fund-raising. The bigger the stink they raise, the easier it is to rake in the cash. And that’s a hole in the system that desperately needs to be fixed. We also urge the media to keep the focus on the nominee, his skills or lack thereof and to not provide a platform for every Tom, Dick and Mary who wants to be on TV.

Golf’s past, present and future in one weekend
An interesting weekend indeed as Jack birdies 18 at St. Andrews and says goodbye to a game he helped shape perhaps like no other. At the same time Tiger Woods stakes his claim to the throne, winning and dominating at St Andrews, firing birdies like fish in a barrel winning his 10th Major. And oh yeah, Michelle Wie is going pro.
www.pga.com
www.lpga.com

It’s all downhill from here
Lance Armstrong is expected to win (handily) his seventh and final Tour de France on Sunday, July 24. Hope you’ve had a chance to watch at least part of the coverage on OLN. Just like Tiger, there’s Lance and then there’s “not exactly.” Vive le Lance!
www.letour.fr

Hank Jr. is warming up
NFL camps are set to open. That means office pool sheets are being drawn, fantasy teams put together and more wear and tear on the carpet around the office cooler. Here are the training camp schedule and locations. Football fanatics who haven’t purchased an HDTV might want to start shopping. Once you’ve watched football in HD, there is no turning back!
View the whole story >

Flip Flop Flap
Some members of the Northwestern University Women’s Championship Lacrosse team visited President Bush at the White House and created a fashion stir. Several members of the team wore flip-flops to the meeting with a President who has a strict suit and tie dress code. In a town where political flip-flops are nothing new, these flip-flops caused quite a flap! Oh yeah, a pair is for sale on Ebay!
View the whole story >

Will that be left or right tonight?
Sony (Yes, the one and only) has come up with a solution when two people want to watch different shows on the same screen.
Learn more >

Of course, now the argument will be who watches what show on what side of the screen. But it’s a start.
View the whole story >

iVID?
Not a company to rest on its laurels, Apple has a new “vision” for its wildly popular iPod.
Learn more >

Can convenience and security co-exist?
Google continues to be the go-to place to search and Wall Street continues to be ga-ga over Google. But at what risk to your personal security? Some folks worry about your privacy. But should you?
View the whole story >

We have a security resource center on our own website. It’s updated regularly with the latest information on protecting your personal security and it’s free!
Learn more >

Gates says IT gap widening
Microsoft’s Bill Gates has a problem. He’s having a harder and harder time finding qualified computer scientist engineers here in the United States. At the same time, he’s finding more and more qualified candidates in other countries. Could outsourcing be the culprit?
View the whole story >

Tech Talk (and the news is good)
Companies like IBM and Intel are reporting good financial results, proof that companies are spending on computers, the companies that make them are buying chips to run them and you can bet companies like Microsoft are developing the next generation of productivity software to run on them. Maybe it’s time for you to make sure you know everything there is to know about the current generation of productivity software! E-mail and Internet skills aren’t enough to cut it these days. It’s all about Excel, Office, PowerPoint and much more. Computing skills make a great future shock, shock absorber. Check out an incredible variety of computer self-tutorials on our website.
Visit: www.videoprofessor.com

Keyword is keyboard
Computers are constantly being innovated and improved. More razzle-dazzle per click. And that innovation includes computer keyboards. Check this out!
Visit this link >

Two to beam up
We note the passing of actor James Doohan, certainly best known as engineer Montgomery Scott from Star Trek. His family plans to send some of his ashes into space via Space Services Inc., a company that launches small amounts on a rocket, which Scotty certainly would have referred to as a “bucket o’ bolts.” (No Warp Drive) Best known as Scotty, least known as a hero of World War II, landing on Juno Beach on D-Day with his fellow Canadians and being wounded during the attack.

Also passing this week, Gerry Thomas, inventor of the TV Dinner. Thomas was a salesman for Swanson foods at the time who sold 10-million of them the first year at a buck a piece. Thomas got a bump in pay up to 300 bucks a month plus a thousand dollar bonus. Not bad money back in 1954. Little known fact: The idea wasn’t to eat them in front of the TV, but that the design was shaped like the screen of a TV.

Site o’ the week (And a possible answer to a question)
A recent study shows on average, that American workers waste two hours a day. I think I just found out why!
www.stealthswitch.com

My cyber door is wide-open 24/7. E-mail me at CEO@videoprofessor.com
John W. Scherer
CEO and Founder
VIDEO PROFESSOR, Inc
www.videoprofessor.com
Member: Denver/Boulder Better Business Bureau. View our report at www.denverbbb.org

Blogs are like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re going to get.

London Update-the Terrorists next door
London authorities apparently have already identified the bombers who attacked the city last week. Especially frightening is the four homicide bombers were native born, and the typical kids next door. One was an active cricket fan, another the young father of an 8-month old child. Somehow, someone planted a seed of hatred that resulted in them killing themselves and 53 others. Plus injuring hundreds more. Worst of all, they all carried British passports and could have entered our country very easily. Others may already have.

How do you say stupid justice tricks in German?
Remember the havoc caused last year by the Sasser Computer Worm? This nasty little bug was created by a German Teenager, Sven Jaschan, and it must have been “national slap on the wrist day” in Germany as the kid got a suspended sentence, even though he continued to update the virus when it was already creating cyber havoc around the world. Computer viruses are just among the many things you need to be aware of these days and we make it a point to keep you up to date on the latest news and protections available to you as part of our website. This information is free and open to anyone to use. Check it out. You’ll be glad you did.
Video Professor Personal Internet Security

Bernie.CON
Ex-WorldCom CEO Bernie Ebbers, will now be referred to by number with his address for the next 25 years being a Federal Prison in Mississipi. Responsible for the biggest corporate fraud in history, looting investors to the tune of 11-BILLION dollars, he’ll be doing his partying in the license plate division from now on. Once in a while, but nearly often enough, justice is served and the guilty are punished. His greed wiped out a lot of honest, hard-working people’s savings and retirement plans. Would you like the top or lower bunk Mr. Ebbers?
Read more

Speaking of a billion
Just how much is a billion anyways? Well, a billion seconds ago it was 1959. A billion minutes ago, Jesus was alive. A billion years ago our ancestors were living in the Stone Age. And the Federal Government spends a billion dollars every 8 hours and 20 minutes.

Space Shuttle return to flight delayed.
Better safe than sorry. They’ll fly only when everything is A-OK. Follow the mission at
spaceflight.nasa.gov

School drops textbooks for laptops
Time for this blog to act as a future shock-shock absorber. A school district in Arizona is dropping textbooks and replacing them with laptops with all course materials available online. Actually, Arizona is taking a leadership role in computing, kids and education.
Read more

The future is now, you can be part of it or be left behind, but either way the world is moving ahead assuming you have knowledge of, and access to, computer technology. If you want to keep up, look no further than www.videoprofessor.com and we’ll help you get to the Promised Land.

New meaning for home-grown
Ok, now things are getting a little weird.
http://www.newsdesk.umd.edu/mail/mail_form.cfm?ArticleID=1098

NHL’s new deal not such a good deal.
Players and owners are trumpeting their new agreement. So far neither side has apologized to the fans yet. And get this; the new deal results in an average 24 percent pay CUT for the players. Plus the deal makes some assumptions that there will be revenue this season. Only if fans forgive and forget. Not all will, as baseball found out. Plus, no TV deal. Brilliant.

The “A’s” have it
Make it 8 wins in a row for the American League in the All-Star game. Many are wondering why the American League has been so successful. Maybe it’s because they score more runs than the National League.
www.mlb.com

But Major League Baseball’s many problems were showcased by the appearance of Texas Rangers Pitcher Kenny Rogers. He’s been suspended for 20 games for assaulting (caught on tape for all to see) a news photographer. The photographer ended up in the hospital, Rogers ends up in the All-Star game. Nice message.

All hail the Golden Bear
Jack Nicklaus wraps up arguably the most brilliant career in the history of golf this week, suitably at the historic links of St. Andrews, a course he’s bested twice. Hail and farewell.
www.pga.com

BCS Poll
The folks who run the Bowl Championship Series have simplified the way they decide who is #1. Now anyone with a Master’s Degree in Statistics can figure it out in just a few minutes.
Learn more

Summer Learning Series
You’re online right now! Did you know that our complete library of computer tutorials is just a click away? VP Online is the hot, new way, to improve on existing computer skills and learn new ones. Check it out at Video Professor Online

Site o’ the week
I never understood Rock-Paper-Scissors. For those who do, enjoy!
www.gotused.com

John W. Scherer
CEO and Founder
VIDEO PROFESSOR, Inc.
www.videoprofessor.com
Member: Denver/Boulder Better Business Bureau. To view our report go to www.denverbbb.org

Frankly my dear, I don’t give a blog.

Rule Britannia
Just a day after celebrating winning the 2012 Olympic Games, the people of London joined the front lines in the war against terror. The British are rough and resilient and in the words of Winston Churchill “will never surrender.” We can take comfort in knowing the enormous quality, courage and professionalism of the men and women of our armed forces charged with taking the war on terror to the enemy. Last week in the blog we talked about my day aboard the Guided Missile Cruise USS Lake Champlain. Here’s more on my trip!
http://www.johnwscherer.com/JohnWSchererLeadersToSea.html

Kettle and the Pot Part Deux
The American Media has made a point of showcasing alleged shortcomings of the justice system down in Aruba. The case of Natalee Holloway continues to be a mystery. But fair is fair. Perhaps the Aruban Media should come up here and look into why our “justice system” continues to allow child molesters with extensive criminal histories to roam free, seemingly at will, around the country.

More stupid justice tricks
The folks at Budweiser caught some employees smoking pot (and doing other things) on the job. As they get PAID to bottle Bud, they were disciplined. End of story? Wrong! http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8475583/

Lance in France Part Sept
American cyclist Lance Armstrong continues his quest for a 7th win of the Le Tour de France. No racer has won more victories and Armstrong is racing in his final Tour. Bon chance Lance!
http://www.letour.fr/

Return to Space
The Space Shuttle Discovery is set to return to space July 13th. It’s been over two years since a shuttle has flown. Of note is that un-manned probes are enjoying huge successes. The Mars Rovers just keep on roving well beyond expectations although except for Saturday Nights, life on Mars is pretty dull. Cassini continues to send back awesome data and pictures from Saturn and Deep Impact has given us the first, true, “up close and personal” look at the innards of a comet. (Turns out they’re giant snowballs) I think the universe really isn’t all that complicated, just very big. Check it all out at www.nasa.gov.

Pac-Man at 25
How’s this for a computer game? First you have a yellow blob with a mouth. It roams around the screen swallowing little pills. At the same time the little yellow blob with the mouth is chased by four ghosts named Clyde, Inkey, Pinky and of course, Blinky. It’s worked for 25 years as Pac-Man celebrates its Silver Anniversary! http://www.fortwayne.com/mld/newssentinel/living/12006276.htm

Beware of “Spear-Phishers”
We’ve talked about Phishing here before. In most cases, Phishing e-mails are easy to spot and defend against. Now there’s something new. It’s called “Spear Phishing” and it presents a whole new set of challenges. These e-mails are only sent to small groups, and mimic your company’s own e-mail addresses claiming to be from your HR or IT departments for example. Spear Phishers get e-mail addresses from your websites etc. So be very, very careful.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,3274129a28,00.html

Identity Theft of any kind is a priority for the entire team here at Video Professor. You can stay “in the know” by visiting our special site as often as possible. http://www.videoprofessor.com/products/personalinternetsecurity/personalinternetsecurity.html.

On-line shopping safe… if you take a few precautions
One of the true benefits of the Internet is on-line shopping. No crowds, no parking hassles and everything is delivered to your front door. But like everything else, and we quote President Reagan in saying it, “trust but verify.” http://www.ccnmag.com/news.php?id=3516

A new and improved Internet?
One of the fathers of the Internet is working on a new one!
http://www.wired.com/news/infostructure/0,1377,68004,00.html?tw=wn_18techhead

Work in an office? Would you like to?
The KEY office skill is Microsoft Office. It’s a powerful and extremely useful suite of office tools and if you feel the need to succeed, a must-have skill. Our Office Tutorial will help you. During these lazy, hazy days of summer, take a few minutes each day to make sure your computer skills are the best they can be. http://www.videoprofessor.com/products/learncomputerbasics/learnmicrosoftoffice/learnoffice.html

iWood
Remember the kids who sat next to you in wood working class? Their stuff always turned out better than yours. Wonder what happened to them? http://www.bit-tech.net/modding/2005/07/05/wood_ipod_zapwizard/1.html

Site o’ the week-EXTREME Shredders
Ok, I was looking for shredders. You know, something to shred documents you don’t want crooks to find. During my search I found this company; http://www.ssiworld.com/watch/watch-en.htm and if your shredding needs go to the extreme, these folks might be able to help you out! Tim the Tool Man would approve!

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
www.videoprofessor.com
Member: Denver/Boulder Better Business Bureau. See our report at www.denverbbb.org