Internet Magic Fridays

Jane Booras is the Editor of numerous newsletters including our Campus Times. She will be sharing how you can find whatever you need - photos, clipart, information, maps, phone numbers - on the Internet.




So one evening you’re watching the classic movie channel and enjoying one of your favorite old black and white movies. “Who is that actor?” you say to your wife (or husband). “Oh, I know who that is, but I can't think of his/her name!” Sound familiar? So we play a guessing game. We rack our brains and throw out a few names. My husband is apt to say, “Oh, yeah! That’s ‘what’s his name’.”

So you wait for the credits to roll. Then one of two things happens. One, since there were no commercials, you have to head for the restroom as soon as you see “The End” come up on the screen. (Ever notice that the new movies don’t say “The End” anymore?) Or, two, the credits run alright, but they are so teeny tiny that you can’t read them – even if you get up and put your nose right up to the screen. Well, darn. How will you ever know who that actor was?

GOOGLE! Just go to your computer and Google the name of the movie. Say, “State Fair” made in 1945. Try it and identify the picture below.

Or, “Slattery’s Hurricane” made in 1949. Same thing. Google it.

Last week, my sister and I flew to Cancun, Mexico for a 5-day vacation on the Yucatan Peninsula. It was wonderful. One day on the way to a snorkeling adventure, the van driver stopped suddenly on a back road. There along the road in the underbrush were several raccoons, along with another animal that looked like a raccoon, but had a long tail like a monkey. The van driver told us what it was, but with his accent, we couldn’t quite get the name. Then my sister remembered that she often googles answers to crossword puzzles when she gets “stuck.”

When we got back to our hotel, we went to the business center where free Internet service is offered and googled “Mexican raccoon-like animal.” Google took us to this web site: http://www.brandywinezoo.org/coati.html. Click on the link and see the results for yourself.

Now mind you, my sister only googles answers after she has exhausted all other options – her brain and her precious crossword dictionary. But when things “niggle” at you for just so long, you have to know! That’s when you Google.

I wonder what ever happened to Encyclopedias. I suppose they are on the Internet now. Let’s google it and see what happens!

Internet Magic Friday

Jane Booras is the Editor of numerous newsletters including our Campus Times. She will be sharing how you can find whatever you need - photos, clipart, information, maps, phone numbers - on the Internet.




So one evening you’re watching the classic movie channel and enjoying one of your favorite old black and white movies. “Who is that actor?” you say to your wife (or husband). “Oh, I know who that is, but I can't think of his/her name!” Sound familiar? So we play a guessing game. We rack our brains and throw out a few names. My husband is apt to say, “Oh, yeah! That’s ‘what’s his name’.”

So you wait for the credits to roll. Then one of two things happens. One, since there were no commercials, you have to head for the restroom as soon as you see “The End” come up on the screen. (Ever notice that the new movies don’t say “The End” anymore?) Or, two, the credits run alright, but they are so teeny tiny that you can’t read them – even if you get up and put your nose right up to the screen. Well, darn. How will you ever know who that actor was?

GOOGLE! Just go to your computer and Google the name of the movie. Say, “State Fair” made in 1945. Try it and identify the picture below.

Or, “Slattery’s Hurricane” made in 1949. Same thing. Google it.

Last week, my sister and I flew to Cancun, Mexico for a 5-day vacation on the Yucatan Peninsula. It was wonderful. One day on the way to a snorkeling adventure, the van driver stopped suddenly on a back road. There along the road in the underbrush were several raccoons, along with another animal that looked like a raccoon, but had a long tail like a monkey. The van driver told us what it was, but with his accent, we couldn’t quite get the name. Then my sister remembered that she often googles answers to crossword puzzles when she gets “stuck.”

When we got back to our hotel, we went to the business center where free Internet service is offered and googled “Mexican raccoon-like animal.” Google took us to this web site: http://www.brandywinezoo.org/coati.html. Click on the link and see the results for yourself.

Now mind you, my sister only googles answers after she has exhausted all other options – her brain and her precious crossword dictionary. But when things “niggle” at you for just so long, you have to know! That’s when you Google.

I wonder what ever happened to Encyclopedias. I suppose they are on the Internet now. Let’s google it and see what happens!

Jane Booras is Editor of the Campus Times Newsletter for Computer School for Seniors (www.cs4seniors.com)

Internet Magic Friday

Jane Booras is the Editor of numerous newsletters including our Campus Times. She will be sharing how you can find whatever you need - photos, clipart, information, maps, phone numbers - on the Internet.

Google is my new best friend. It’s not only the name of a (very successful) company, but it’s bound to become a new verb in the English books! Need to know? Just “google” it.

Google is a search engine that uses text matching techniques to find web pages that are important and relevant to a user’s search. Now, there are other search engines by other providers. For more in-depth information on search engines, go to www.google.com and type in “What is a search engine?” Information on about 225,000,000 sources of information and web pages will pop up. Yup, that’s what I said – 225 million! Choose (click on) one of the first five or so to learn more. Wilkipedia is always a good one to start with.

For instance, last week I was editing a newsletter that featured an article on President’s Day. Since all good editors check and re-check information, I needed to know whether President’s Day should be written President’s Day (singular possessive), Presidents’ Day (plural possessive) or just plain Presidents Day (just plain plural). Now try googling Presidents Day just for fun. You’ll see, as I did, that it came up all three ways! I guess that means that everyone can’t agree, so you can take your pick!

To make your searches faster and easier, go to www.toolbar.google.com. From this site you can download a Google toolbar (it’s free).

The toolbar will then be installed at the top of your screen so you don’t have to input www.google.com each time you want to search for something. Just type it in the space on your google toolbar and your off and running!

Jane Booras is Editor of the Campus Times Newsletter for Computer School for Seniors (www.cs4seniors.com)

Internet Magic Fridays

Jane Booras is the Editor of numerous newsletters including our Campus Times. She will be sharing how you can find whatever you need - photos, clipart, information, maps, phone numbers - on the Internet.


I only have one medical problem. One. Whenever I develop a new ache, pain or mysterious malady and look it up in the Internet, it always says the same thing:

“Usually due to aging.”

So you see? There is only ONE thing wrong with me.

When you get to be a certain age, stuff happens. And something different pops up every day. Seems like I’ve Googled them all at one time or another. Maybe you have too.

Back and joint pain? “Usually worsens after age 65.” Love that word they use: degenerative.
Headache? “May be due to anything from an eye condition to a brain tumor, but definitely worse as you get older.”

Gastrointestinal problems? Acid reflux? Yup. “More common in older people.”

You get the picture. See these happy people looking up symptoms on the Internet? In a few minutes those smiles will be gone.

In all seriousness, be cautious when checking medical symptoms on the Internet. First, make sure you go to a reputable website. Here’s some good advice about health information on the Internet from AARP:

http://www.aarp.org/health/staying_healthy/prevention/a2003-03-17-wwwhealth.html

Another site I find helpful and easy to navigate is:

http://www.webmd.com/

Sometimes you can really scare yourself by Googling symptoms. However, you can find valuable information and, many times, calm your fears. And that could make you complacent about following up on something potentially serious. Better to leave the diagnosis up to the real live doctors.

Another thing I notice is how seniors really do like to talk about their infirmities, especially to each other. In the atrium before and after church, you’ll find huddles of seniors checking up on each other. Things like, “What did the doctor say this week?” The nice thing about that is there is always a willing ear to listen. But don’t take a deep breath, because as soon as you pause, the other guy will jump right in with his issues. As I always say, seniors have issues.

Guess it’s a matter of having common interests - just as when a group of young mothers get together, they can’t seem to talk about anything but their kids.

Let me advise you to follow a balanced, nutritious diet, get plenty of exercise and have regular checkups at your doctors’ offices. And you’ll be just fine. As for Internet symptom-checking, use your discretion!

Jane Booras is Editor of the Campus Times Newsletter for Computer School for Seniors (www.cs4seniors.com)

Internet Magic Friday

Jane Booras is the Editor of numerous newsletters including our Campus Times. She will be sharing how you can find whatever you need - photos, clipart, information, maps, phone numbers - on the Internet.

I do a lot of stuff on my computer.  Spend many hours there each day.  I work, do research, blog, play an occasional game of Super Bounce Out, interact with friends and relatives on Facebook, and lots and lots of email.

 One thing I do NOT do on my computer is diet.  I have just never understood Internet dieting.

Now dieting I DO understand.  I should, as I’ve been doing it on and off for over 50 years.  But dieting on the Internet mystifies me.

 

Just Google “Diet” and see what comes up.  I dare you.  I just did it, and got 164,000,000 items!  That’s one hundred sixty-four MILLION!  Not as big a number as the national debt, but it gets your attention.  Next I went to “The Latest Diets” on webmd, which is a pretty reliable site:

 

 http://www.webmd.com/diet/evaluate-latest-diets. 

 

There they conveniently list every current diet craze from A to Z (Atkins to The Zone).  You can click for more information on the Biggest Loser Diet, Cabbage Soup Diet, Cheater’s Diet, Cookie Diet, Hallelujah Diet, 3-day Diet, 3-Week Diet, Shangri-La Diet (seriously!), and my favorite, the Fat Smash Diet.  You get the point.

Each diet selection has its own website, of course, its own experts, and its own “program” to guarantee that you will lose weight safely and easily.  Many require that you “journal.”  That is, write down every bite of food you put into your mouth.  I guess that’s to remind you what you have in the house to eat.  As you read yesterday’s journal, you see  you ate “1/2 cup of peanuts” yesterday, and suddenly you remember there are peanuts in the pantry, so you go running to get a handful!

Many diet programs enable you to look up and record the calories you have eaten that day.  Try Googling “Calorie Counter.”  There are millions of them on the Internet.

 

 

No, I think dieting happens far away from the Internet.  I don’t need an email or blogging Internet “buddy” to encourage me, nor calorie counters, journals or nutritional information.  At my age, I know what to put in my body and what not to put in my body.  It’s not on the Internet, it’s in my mind and in my mirror.

So yes, I certainly recommend you invest a part of every day at your computer and on the Internet.  It’s a wonderful world of information, fascination, stimulation, practical help and entertainment.  As for dieting, I recommend instead that you click below and enjoy this lovely Internet minute.  I think I’ll go get a cookie…

 

http://susie1114.com/LiveALife.html

 

Jane Booras is Editor of the Campus Times Newsletter for Computer School for Seniors (www.cs4seniors.com)