The Basic Internet Necessities
Using the internet is an important part of what many people do each day. I became heavily dependent on it when I went to college a decade ago. That’s when I found out just how valuable a resource it could be to education. Since then, the amount of time I spend online has grown. Today, I spend about three to four hours each day online. It’s a hazard of my job, scientist and teacher, and one of my hobbies, web development. There are a few important tools that everyone should have to make life easier online: Firefox, Trillian, and a good webmail account.
The most popular web browser is Internet Explorer simply because it’s what comes with all Windows computers. According to the computer world though, the best web browser is Firefox. It can be fully customized to match how each person uses the internet. It even comes with a standard built-in search box that lets you choose which search engine to use. My favorite standard feature though, is the tabbed browsing. You can open multiple web pages in a single window and easily switch between them by clicking the tabs at the top of the window. Closing a tab closes the web page and you can close them all at once simply by exiting the browser. I don’t really have a favorite add-on feature because I use quite a few of them. Probably the two that I use the most are the Web Developer toolbar and ColorZilla color finder extensions. They’re both valuable tools for anyone that’s into building web sites. I could go on and on about why people should use Firefox but the simple truth of the matter is that it’s a better, faster, and safer web browser. Also, did I mention it’s free?
Instant messaging, or chatting as the kids say, has been around nearly as long as the internet but was made popular by AOL and it’s millions of users. Now, there are so many instant messenger services available that it’s hard to keep up. The most popular are AIM, Yahoo! Messenger, and ICQ. I have accounts for each of them and it used to get crazy when I would have all of them running at the same time. It got to the point that I didn’t like using them anymore. Then, I was watching a show called The ScreenSavers and they were talking about a program they used that worked with all the popular instant messenger services. The program is Trillian from Cerulean Studios and it has made instant messaging fun again. Trillian allows me to access all my accounts at the same time, it’s loaded with features and easy to use. Also, did I mention it’s free?
Where would we be today without email? We can send someone a letter without paper, envelopes, stamps, or waiting. When you sign up with an internet service provider they usually give you one or more email accounts. It’s actually better to use on of the free webmail services like Yahoo! Mail and Google Mail. Web access allows you to check your email from any computer with access to the internet. They also have features that will automatically scan for viruses and filter spam mail, the two biggest worries with using email. The only problem with Google Mail is that you will need an invitation from someone with an account in order to sign up, but I do have plenty to give away. Also, did I mention they’re free?
That’s it in a nut shell. If you use the internet as much as I do these are the tools that you shouldn’t do without. They will make your online experience easier, and that also means more enjoyable. These are my basic internet necessities and by now you should know the best part, they’re free!
The Perfect Comic Book Character
About seven years ago, a friend of mine gave me a couple comic books to read. They were the first two issues of a new comic book series called Fathom. She had already read them and said the main character was perfect for me. That day I found the perfect comic book character and my fascination with her began. I followed the series through the end of volume one and collected every issue I could find. So who is this perfect character? Her name is Aspen Matthews.
Aspen Matthews is a beautiful woman with a mysterious past. She was rescued at sea from a cruise ship that had been missing for ten years by Captain Matthews, a navy officer who adopted her as his own. Having always had a love for water, as a teenager she became an Olympic swimmer who nearly won Gold until she was disqualified amid controversy after a blood test revealed unusually high levels of oxygen in her blood. She decided to focus on college where she earned multiple degrees in marine biology. She became an expert in her field and earned a position at Deep Marine Discovery, a high-tech underwater research lab studying species that inhabit the bottom of the ocean. This began her double life above and below the surface. Her search to learn more about her unknown past revealed that she is really the daughter of the former leaders of an aquatic race that dwells in the depths of the ocean. This discovery will change her life forever as she battles an evil aquatic race that’s trying to annihilate the human race. Through it all, Aspen continues to search for clues from her past in order to balance the turmoil between the two worlds she inhabits.
It’s easy to see why Wendy said Aspen was perfect for me. Let’s see, a female marine biologist who battles evil in the ocean. Did I mention she is an awesome surfer and loves dolphins? It’s as if her character was created just for me. That’s why I’m working on getting up to speed with volume two. I’m glad they’re finally continuing with the series. It’s the perfect comic book with the perfect character.
Global Warming: Fact or Fiction?
“Humanity is sitting on a ticking time bomb. If the vast majority of the world’s scientists are right, we have just ten years to avert a major catastrophe that could send our entire planet into a tail-spin of epic destruction involving extreme weather, floods, droughts, epidemics and killer heat waves beyond anything we have ever experienced.” This is a quote from Al Gore’s An Inconvenient Truth. Fact or fiction? I haven’t seen the movie or read the book yet, but I for one believe that the writing is on the wall and has been for some time.
For as long as I’ve been in education, I have taught the very concepts and ideas that the movie is founded on. Global warming is something that disturbs me. The majority of scientists agree that we are to blame for global warming. We know what causes it yet we look the other way. We know how to stop it yet we choose not to. It’s just not convenient for us to do anything because it would mean disrupting our way of life. Eventually it will get to the point that we won’t have a choice in the matter and Mother Nature will make the decision for us.
So what exactly is global warming? Carbon dioxide and other gases warm the surface of the planet naturally by trapping solar heat in the atmosphere. This is called the green house effect and makes our planet habitable. However, burning fossil fuels and clearing forests dramatically increases the amount of carbon dioxide in the Earth’s atmosphere. Because carbon dioxide has the highest heat-trapping ability of the greenhouse gases, global temperatures are rising.
So how will this effect us? Remember last year’s record number of named storms? A rise in global temperature means a rise in ocean surface temperatures. This is important because that is where extreme weather such as hurricanes and tropical storms draw their energy from, the warmth of the ocean water. The higher the ocean surface temperatures, the stronger and more frequent the storms. In the past, hurricanes would follow warm water currents like the Gulf Stream. That is how the Outer Banks of North Carolina where the Gulf Stream hugs the coast became know as hurricane alley. The current would lead the hurricanes to land as they grew in strength feeding on the energy from the warm water. But in recent years, with the water temperatures rising storms are free to follow alternate paths and still be able to gain strength. Surface water temperatures are higher than they’ve ever been in the Gulf of Mexico and so are the number of storms finding their way into those waters. It’s simple, warmer water equals more and stronger storms. This is just the tip of the iceberg so to speak.
So what do we do about it? That’s where the problem lies. Until the people in charge recognize that there is a problem, it will be a difficult struggle to do something. There are many organizations out there that are growing in numbers to spread the word and effect change. Organizations like Natural Resources Defense Council, stopglobalwarming.org, and Al Gore’s An Inconvenient Truth campaign are raising awareness and putting pressure on politicians to wake up and get a clue before it’s too late. With each passing election the problem seems to grow and nothing gets done. Individuals need to make their voice heard.
For now, there are some simple things that people can do to make a difference. Cut back on the use of fossil fuels by walking or riding a bike as often as possible, plant trees instead of cutting them down, and recycle, reduce, and reuse. There are many more things that can be done and each of the organizations I listed has great advice on how to do your part. Talking about it may raise awareness, but it won’t matter if people don’t get involved and do their part. Let’s save this planet before it’s too late.
Keep Your Eyes on the Road
One of my biggest pet peeves is when people try to do other things while they drive. Like talking on the cell phone, putting on makeup, smoking a cigarette, or reading a paper. In my book, any one of these things are just not safe to do behind the wheel. They distract the driver and prevent them from paying attention to what they’re supposed to be doing, driving the car. Well, today I watched in total amazement as a woman managed to do all four things I mentioned at the same time while drive down the road.
This insane lady had her cell phone tucked between her shoulder and ear and a cigarette in her mouth while she put on eyeliner with one hand and read what appeared to be a letter that she was holding with her other hand which was grasping the steering wheel. I wanted to pull up beside her and yell at her but I was afraid something bad would happen. Somehow she was able to keep the car between the white lines. I’m still trying to figure out how she did it. If this were a commercial it would have a caption that read “professional driver on a closed course” but this lady was just plain insane and very lucky.
Preparing for a Much Needed Vacation
It’s been a long time, seven years to be exact, since I had a real vacation. Ever since I started teaching, the time just wasn’t there to take one. Whether I was coaching, conditioning, or taking classes, something always stood in the way. This time things are different, and even if they weren’t nothing is going to stand in the way of this trip. I’m going to see my daughter with a short detour to visit a good friend. This is more than just your basic garden variety vacation. It’s a vacation like it should be with no distractions or schedules to meet, just letting things happen as they may.
I’m leaving in a few days, but I’ve been preparing for weeks now. The physical preparation took a couple days. My things are already packed and ready to load in the van. The details are worked out for taking care of Will and my aquariums. Everything’s ready and in place except in my head. The mental preparation is where I’m battling in my mind. The drive will be a breeze. I’ve made trips this long plenty of times before so it’s not even a thought. I feel like I should have a plan or strategy, but that’s not what I want it to be like. I want it to be relaxing and peaceful while I enjoy every second along the way. I live in a place now where nature has been pushed aside in the name of progress, but I’m venturing to places where nature still abounds, places where I will feel right at home. I’m going to clear my head and just go along for the ride as long as it will last.
I’m extremely excited and thankful for being invited to take this trip. I get to spend valuable time with people in my life whom I love and cherish but distance keeps away. This vacation is also about more than spending time with my daughter and visiting friends, it’s about spending time with myself and being in a better place. I’m long overdue for a cleansing of the heart, mind, and soul. This vacation will afford me that opportunity. We’ll just have to see where it takes me.
