Extension Inbox from 2012
This spring, take time to clean your computer both inside and out. Last week, I explained how to clean the exterior. This week, I’ll tell you how to clean up your operating system and files.
Begin by removing unnecessary desktop icons. A cluttered desktop simply slows down the computer’s initial boot time, especially if you have saved documents or photos to the desktop. Move these files to the My Documents folder.
Technology can play a role in all four seasons recognized by Mississippians – hunting, athletic, farming and hurricane. June 1 is the official start of hurricane season, so now is a good time to figure out how to protect and use electronics if a major storm threatens our coast.
Before the storm…
The hot days of summer are here, and children everywhere are lining up for snow cones, heading out to summer camps and splashing around in pools. While these lazy days are fun, recent statistics suggest that children can forget up to two months’ worth of knowledge from school over the summer. Unfortunately, teachers have to spend four to six weeks at the beginning of the school year re-teaching children what they forgot during their break.
Home renovation projects always look easier on television than in reality. Viewers may never see the teams of professionals brought in to do the real work.
This past week, my brother and I discovered that a surprise renovation project for our parents could have gone smoother if we had used a few home-renovation apps in the process. We decided to take the plunge and surprise our parents by updating their kitchen while they were out of town, and some basic apps could have made a difference in our results.
Independence Day celebrations often make me pause to remember where my family has come from and the sacrifices they made to live here in the United States.
If your family came over by boat, try looking at the passenger lists available at http://www.immigrantships.net/. You can search by the name of the ship or the port of departure. If your ancestors came through Ellis Island, try http://www.ellisisland.org/.
During the summer months, many teens venture into their first jobs, and others take trips to distant locations. Apps on their ever-present Smartphones can be helpful when they find themselves responsible not only for themselves but also for children.
There are free or low-cost apps that can help teens in almost any situation, whether they are mowing lawns, lifeguarding, babysitting, or taking vacations.
Computers can lead patients and their doctors to valuable health information, but the Internet should not replace medical relationships when it comes to accurate diagnoses and treatments.
Friends and acquaintances have often confided to me their recent diagnoses of incurable exotic diseases. Before my brain can determine if this illness requires multiple casseroles and dessert or just a trip to a fast-food restaurant, they reveal that they have not seen a doctor yet.
“I looked it up on the Internet, and I have all the symptoms,” he or she will tell me.
Summer is slipping by, and school supplies are already making their way into large bins at local stores. The back-to-school marketing event is an excellent time to consider purchasing a new computer; many stores will have them on sale beginning in August.
The beginning of a new school year also signals the time when teachers will be learning about their students’ special needs, including food allergies.
Many parents are spending money on computers to help students have a competitive edge in the classroom. One way to cut costs during these difficult economic times is by downloading “freeware,” or software that is made available for free.
Computer technicians and enthusiasts -- the ones who really know what they are talking about and keep the rest of us going -- are few and far between. The challenge to making your life easier is to find those who are genuinely knowledgeable and helpful and keeping them happy after you’ve found them.
QR codes, or quick response codes, are popping up all over the place. They are showing up on the back of my bills, business cards, and even the church bulletin! QR codes are those squares containing three large black boxes on the perimeter of the square and many smaller black boxes within the square. The smaller boxes can form either a random pattern or an actual image.
Students across the state are hitting the books and buckling down for a great school year. Likewise, teachers across the state are engaging youth in science, technology, engineering and math activities…but there are only so many hours in a school day, and teachers cannot do it all.
Groups like Mississippi 4-H can help fill in the gap and interest kids in careers in technology fields. The Mississippi State University Extension Service’s 4-H youth program partners with local organizations to bring robotics to the classroom and after-school clubs.
There is just no escaping technology these days. As I entered a new, swanky restaurant on one of my travels, I saw the host tapping away on his iPad. He explained there would be a 15-minute wait and asked for my cell phone number. This particular restaurant has joined a growing number of businesses replacing their pager systems with text messaging.
With Isaac charting a course in the Gulf of Mexico, now is the time to make sure your house or business is ready to weather any storm.
Before the storm…
Take steps to prepare for you and your loved ones to be safe in the event of a disaster or evacuation. You want to be ready to grab important items and head for a safer location. Checklists for emergency supply kits are available on many websites, such as http://www.ready.gov.
As Southerners at the start of the 2012 football season, it seems only fitting that we dedicate a little time to discussing technology and football. Most of my friends have their priorities in this order: football, tailgating and technology.
I am a tried and true Mississippi State University football fanatic, and I think it’s hard to beat the cowbell app for Android and iPhone. The Bulldog faithful can download that app for free from Google Play. Simply shake your phone to imitate the cowbell or tap the football roster button to see who made the big play.
Many things have changed since Hurricane Katrina hit our beautiful state seven years ago, including how we communicate with one another. Since Katrina, many private companies and federal agencies have developed smartphone apps to help with natural disaster preparations and recovery.
Anyone living with students knows the challenge of creating a science fair project. For those of us who procrastinate, the challenge is even bigger.
When I was growing up, students had to do a science project every year starting in first grade. By the time I got to high school, I was a pro. I knew what I was going to do my project on; I would even do the project weeks ahead of time.
Having recently returned from a family vacation, I am all set to show off the more than 800 digital photos I took. In days gone by, we would have hooked up the slide projector and clicked through the carousel in a darkened living room. Today, we have more options.
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and if the men in the National Football League can wear pink, surely the rest of us can use technology to prevent, diagnose and beat breast cancer.
Research shows that one in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer, and early detection is important.