SENIOR NET NEWSLETTER 07/16/2000
ATT and other Long Distance Providers, from my view: If you are using ATT as your long distance phone service provider you should have been informed, by now, that a major change in the fee structure has been established beginning with the July 1 billing. On the surface it looks ominous but it might not be as bad as it appears. They have a number of options which have different structures (so do the competitors). A keep in mind or FYI: If you choose a plan that has a minimum monthly fee or monthly flat rate, and you have more than one line, the rate structure will be charged for each line. Most of us have two lines into the house with two phone numbers. Each line has a flat rate charged by the Local Phone Provider. In our case the local provider is Sprint and they charge $11.20 per month per line plus a whole bunch of differently named taxes, levees and surcharges as allowed by law plus a fluxuating $.xx per minute charge for Local long distance. All Local providers do this accordingly. Then we choose an appropiate "thief" to be our long distance provider. They inturn charge another line fee that they call Interconnection Service Fee/charge. Until now ATT was $3:00 per line plus the appropiate taxes, levees and surcharges as allowed by law plus a fluxuating $.xx amount per minute. All this for the same blasted lines that Sprint charges for. This Interconnection Service Fee is sometimes mistaken for an Internet Service Fee. (This is not the case and there is no such Internet Service Fee or charge allowed by governments at this time.) I did a thorough investigation of our (the M & S Foust) long distance calling habits (back to January). I looked at times of day and weekend versus daytime and evenings, and have determined that, ATT no longer has the best plan for us. Ironically they were probably not the best in the past. It is very close though. If, however, I allow them to place me in their "default" plan, in other words, let them make the change for us, our monthly long distance fee would substantially increase even though they would be removing the monthly Interconnection fee and its taxes. Nice try ATT. They do have a plan which would be a close second to the competition. I suppose I'll switch and the competition will immediately announce their increase. So, take a bit of time and study. It could save you some bucks. You might want to access the competition for comparison. I also suggest a phone call to question any hidden charges. Expect long waits for a living being to converse with! csg.sprint.com/longdistance/nickelanytime/index.html Don't forget the monthly fee in addition to the per miinute charge. www.wcom.com/for_your_home/products+services/long_distance/ Don't forget the monthly fee in addition to the per minute charge. Also there is a weekly day difference per minute. Dont-ja-just-luv-it, Huh???
THIS WEEK'S SCHEDULE: Tuesday 7/18/00 @9:00 AM Tuesday Newbies (sixth session of six sessions) This is a very basic course in computer techniques for the internet. The next Tuesday morning Newbies will begin July 25, 2000. There is a $12.00 per course charge for this class. Class size is limited so participants should pre register. Skills taught in the beginner classes include mouse techniques like drag and drop, plus very beginner basics for email and browsing the Web. Dave Winkelman provides the leadership for this class. It is not necessary for attendees to have their own computers but it is very difficult to retain information without practice. You really would not try to learn to play the piano with out actual keyboard time.
Tuesday7/25/00 @5:00 PM Tuesday Evening Newbies (first session of six sessions) This is a very basic course in computer techniques for the internet. There is a $12.00 per course charge for this class. Class size is limited so participants should pre register. Skills taught in the beginner classes include mouse techniques like drag and drop, plus very beginner basics for email and browsing the Web. Dave Winkleman provides the leadership for this class. It is not necessary for attendees to have their own computers but it is very difficult to retain information without practice. You really would not try to learn to play the piano with out actual keyboard time.
Wednesday 7/19/00 @9:00 AM Wednesday group of Senior Net Learners: This is an advanced group and we cover a lot of territory. We are kind of free flowing. You never know what will transpire. We will continue addressing Q&A from the group. Also I will have some new areas to explore. New participants are always welcome. It is not necessary for attendees to have their own computers but it sure helps with the learning curve. Mike Foust, and anyone else who wants to jump into the fray, provide the leadership for this session. Intermediate computer knowledge and Intermediate computer skills are necessary.
Wednesday 7/19/00 @ 4:00 PM Wednesday Intermediates (sixth session of seven sessions) Some topics to be addressed include: Basics of maneuvering about the Windows Operating System, copy/paste, drag/drop, editing, saving to various drives, right mouse button options, creating folders and files, uninstalling, deleting, advanced email and browser techniques involving bookmarks, address books, forwarding messages, attachments, and HTML (Hyper Text Markup Language). Dave Winkelman provides the leadership for this class. Beginner computer knowledge and beginner computer skills are necessary. A ton of info is packed into the six sessions.
Thursday 7/20/00 @ 9:00 AM Thursday Intermediates (sixth session of seven sessions) Some topics to be addressed include: Basics of maneuvering about the Windows Operating System, copy/paste, drag/drop, editing, saving to various drives, right mouse button options, creating folders and files, uninstalling, deleting, advanced email and browser techniques involving bookmarks, address books, forwarding messages, attachments, and HTML (Hyper Text Markup Language). Yea, we probably learned enough to be very dangerous. Doncha just Love it? Mike Foust provides the leadership for this class. Beginner computer knowledge and beginner computer skills are necessary. A ton of info is packed into the six sessions.
Special Note for all participants in the Intermediate courses now in session: Dave and I were not able to impart the information according to the lesson plans into the six sessions this time, so we are extending both Intermediate courses by one additional session. We want everyone to finish as accomplished computerists.
The Intermediate Group Course Content:
OTHER SESSIONS MEETING ON A REGULAR SCHEDULE: MAC Users: This is an ongoing (no start or finish date) group of Apple Mac owners/users. The group meets every 2nd Thursday each month from 4:30-6:30. Each session is $5.00. The next session is August10, 2000. Clair Falls is the group leader.
Genealogy:This is a four session program costing $20.00 for all the sessions. Sessions are Thursday evenings from 6:00-8:00. Dave Wallace is the instructor. Call KCnet for the next starting date.
Please call Dave Winkleman at KCnet, 893-8111, to suggest other course interests.
CLICK HERE to go to the where am I pictures!
TECHNICALLY SPEAKING: All the tips are from Tipworld: MULTICOLOR TITLE BARS Want to see a neat trick? Right-click the desktop, select Properties, and in the Display Properties dialog box, click the Appearance tab. In the dropdown list under Item, select Active Title Bar. To the right of that option, you'll see two settings, Color and Color 2. Use them to select two colors (or change only one color), and check out the title bars in the preview area! They fade from one color to the other. Pretty slick. When you find a color combo you like, click OK to keep the change. (Note: You can also select two colors for the Inactive Title Bar component.)
ADJUSTING ICON SPACING Not happy with the spacing between your desktop icons--in other words, do you wish there were more (or fewer) icons in a row? Then change your icon spacing. Right-click the desktop and select Properties. In the Display Properties dialog box, click the Appearance tab, then click the down arrow under Item and select Icon Spacing (Vertical). Click the up or down arrow next to Size to change the current spacing, then click Apply to see your change on the desktop. If the icons look too far apart, decrease the Size setting, then click Apply again. Or, if the icons are so close together that they're overlapping, increase the Size setting. (We were able to fit nine desktop icons in each row by changing the vertical spacing to 30.) Follow the same steps if you want to adjust the horizontal icon spacing (also in the Item list). Then, to save these changes as part of a color scheme, click Save As, name the scheme (or type the name of the current scheme), and click OK. Otherwise, simply click OK to close the Display Properties dialog box.
ANOTHER WAY TO CLOSE A BROWSER WINDOW Do you ever have trouble nailing that little X in the top right corner of your Navigator browser window when you want to close it (maybe you end up comically minimizing or maximizing the window instead, launching a short game of chase the X)? Don't get irritated--just shift your emphasis to the other side. You can double-click the top left corner of the window to close it. You probably have a small Netscape helm icon there. Give it a try. Ctrl-W will also do the trick.
INTERESTING SITES: EMPIRE STATE BUILDING A U.S. National Historic Landmark, this Art Deco masterpiece reaches more than a quarter of a mile into the air. So it isn't surprising that this is perhaps the only building in the world that can boast a Web site suitable for a Hollywood celebrity. Read the ESB's storied history and inspect its star-studded guest list, from Fidel Castro to the King of Siam. If you want to find out more, consult the searchable trivia database. You can also find out everything you want to know about the building, how to get there, when the observation decks are open, how to lease office space, even the exterior lighting schedule. If you aren't among the 117 million people who have peered from its observation decks, then head for the Web cam and admire the view from your computer screen. There's even a section for kids and a Filmography that includes "King Kong." Maybe ESB is a celebrity after all? www.esbnyc.com
AN UNOFFICIAL NETSCAPE FAQ Still searching for solutions to thorny problems? Try the Unofficial Netscape FAQ, prepared by Netscape "Champions" (a group of Netscape-designated gurus) and available at www.ufaq.org
Pete Griffin sent the nest two along: They are law type sites and they are loaded with useful legal information in addition to access to a lot of official papers pertaining to our nation's birth. www.phillylawyer.com www.phillylawonline.com
RAGING SEARCH It seems that nowadays most Internet search engines are crowded with stock prices, news headlines, horoscopes, and sports scores. It's refreshing to find one with nothing more than a logo and a search input box. Meet Raging Search, a new, simplified search engine from the folks at AltaVista.com. Besides the uncluttered interface, what makes Raging Search different from other popular search engines, like Lycos.com and Excite.com? How about fast, uncluttered, and customizable search results. You can display up to 50 listings at a time, filter out adult content, and even make listings more compact. Its database of over 350,000,000 Web pages makes it one of the most comprehensive search engines out there. And so far (keep your fingers crossed), there are no annoying banners ads either! www.raging.com note: Google has 1,040,000,000 web pages in its data base. www.google.com
DEFORMED FROGS IN MINNESOTA: This one sounds gruesome but instead it is very interesting. Unfortunately, this isn't the subtitle for "Teenaged Mutant Ninja Turtles XIII." It's actually the brainchild of the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, which is caring for seven deformed Northern Leopard frogs. Found in the wild, these frogs probably wouldn't have survived for long. The agency started finding deformed frogs in 1993. Scientists are still trying to figure out if their abnormalities are the result of pollution or simply a natural occurrence. There are close-up photos and descriptions of each frog's unfortunate defect. Check out the frogs (living quite happily in their frogquarium) on a live Web cam, or peruse archives of past images if you happen to visit when it's nighttime in St. Paul. www.pca.state.mn.us/hot/frogs.html
Simpli New Simpli.com has been redesigned to improve search, navigation, and results retrieval. Part of that redesign is the new SimpliYours, which lets you register to keep a record of your search queries. As you add to your SimpliYours history, your searches should become more targeted and useful. NetZero recently purchased Simpli.com, which may mean that your stored personal record could become part of their marketing database. www.simpli.com www.netzero.com
THE FINANCIAL TIMES This Web site is the electronic version of the highly respected Financial Times, a daily newspaper covering business and financial markets around the world. You're likely to find stories covering China, Mexico, and Finland in the same issue. Read global news by industry or by region. Look up stock quotes and check the performance of financial markets around the globe, from currencies to commodities, from the Hang Seng to the NASDAQ. There are also insightful columns, special reports, and concise profiles of several countries and industries. Even if you aren't a business or finance person, the world news coverage is excellent. There's even an opportunity to speak your mind in subject-oriented online forums. Don't wait any longer, it's time to join the global economy. www.ft.com
OK!! I'll throw in a few cute ones this week. www.justsaywow.com/addicts.htm www.justsaywow.com/oops.htm www.justsaywow.com/possible.htm www.justsaywow.com/resign.htm www.justsaywow.com/yourownbank.htm
DIDJA KNOW?: DID ANYONE INVENT ICE CREAM? Clearly it was not one person who created this gift to humanity, for surely he or she would have already been awarded the Nobel Prize. Short of world peace and cures for terrible diseases, what better mark of progress and civilization could there be than the advent of ice cream in general and, if I may say so, chocolate ice cream in particular? Ice cream debuted in China 4000 years ago among the nobility in the form of a milk and rice concoction packed in snow. Fruit ices and a form of sherbet followed. In the Middle Ages travelers brought these treats back to Italy, where it was still a dessert reserved for the upper crust. Improved cheaper refrigeration techniques in the 16th century brought ice cream to the masses, probably the most important dot on the timeline of history until the discovery of antibiotics 400 years later. Source: EXTRAORDINARY ORIGINS OF EVERYDAY THINGS
THE DRUNKEN CRASH I've often heard people remark that when a drunk driver hits another car, the intoxicated person is better off because he or she is so relaxed the effect of the crash is minimized. Well, in reality, this isn't true. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, researchers found that the survival rates and serious injury rates for the inebriated is worse than it is for the sober. On the other hand, researchers found that bracing yourself doesn't have much effect either. As I am sure most of you know, the real difference is found in the use of proper restraint (that is, seat belts--although restraining from drinking and driving works too).
FAST FACTS: The dust bowl was a series of dust storms that swept through the Midwest in the 1930's that destroyed crops and killed livestock. I have the same experience every time I clean under my bed. Orville Wright was at the controls during the Wright Brothers famous flight. The flight lasted only 12 seconds. It's hard to pilot a plane where you have someone behind you saying, "If you don't let me steer I'm going to tell mom." KID'S 20TH CENTURY QUESTIONS & ANSWERS BOOK
HOW BIG OF PREY ARE EAGLES CAPABLE OF KILLING? An eagle can attack, kill, and carry away an animal as large as a young deer. The harpy eagle of South America feeds on monkeys.
ARE FLAMINGOS NATURALLY PINK? Flamingos are not naturally pink. They get their color from their food, tiny blue-green algae that turn pink during digestion.
HOW MANY EGGS DO HENS LAY ANNUALLY? In one year, hens in America lay enough eggs to encircle the globe a hundred times.
WHEN DO DUCKS LAY EGGS? Ducks will only lay eggs in the early morning.
QUOTES: "If you keep saying things are going to be bad, you have a good chance of being a prophet." --Isaac Bashevis Singer
"On the human chessboard, all moves are possible." --Miriam Schiff
"I don't want to get to the end of my life and find that I just lived the length of it. I want to have lived the width of it as well." --Diane Ackerman
But the fact that some geniuses were laughed at does not imply that all who are laughed at are geniuses. They laughed at Columbus, they laughed at Fulton, they laughed at the Wright brothers. But they also laughed at Bozo the Clown. --Carl Sagan (1934-1996) "The greatest test of courage on earth is to bear defeat without losing heart." --Robert G. Ingersoll
"A life of reaction is a life of slavery, intellectually and spiritually. One must fight for a life of action, not reaction." --Rita Mae Brown
"Things don't turn up in this world unless someone turns them up." --James A. Garfield
"Do what you can, with what you have, where you are." --Theodore Roosevelt
THIS WEEK'S CUTIES:
A rabbi and a priest get into a bad car accident. Both cars are totally demolished, but amazingly neither of them is hurt. After they crawl out of their cars, the rabbi sees the priest's collar and says, "So you're a priest. I'm a rabbi. Look at our cars...there's nothing left, but we are unhurt. This must be a sign from God." The priest says, "I agree, this must be a sign from God." The rabbi says, "And look at this. Here's another miracle. My car is completely demolished, yet this bottle of Manichewitz wine didn't break. Surely God wants us to drink this wine and celebrate our good fortune," and he hands the bottle to the priest. The priest agrees, takes a few big swigs, and hands the bottle back to the rabbi. The rabbi takes the bottle, puts the cap on, and hands it back to the priest. The priest says, "Aren't you having any?" The rabbi says, "No, I think I'll wait for the police."
Career Ambition- From Bill Hamm A father is asked by his friend, "Has your son decided what he wants to be when he grows up?" "Yes, he wants to be a garbage collector." he replies To this his friend responds "Strange ambition to have for a career." "Well, he thinks that garbage collectors only work on Tuesdays!"
THINGS YOU'D LOVE TO SAY AT WORK....... BUT CAN'T: From Bud Casselberry, I think. I hope you all remember those work days.
I don't know what your problem is, but I'll bet it's hard to pronounce.
I see you've set aside this special time to humiliate yourself in public.
I'll try being nicer if you'll try being smarter.
It sounds like English, but I can't understand a word you're saying.
I can see your point, but I still think you're full of it.
I like you. You remind me of when I was young and stupid.
You are validating my inherent mistrust of strangers.
I have plenty of talent and vision. I just don't give a damn.
I'm already visualizing the duct tape over your mouth.
Thank you. We're all refreshed and challenged by your unique point of view.
What am I? Flypaper for freaks!?
Yes, I am an agent of Satan, but my duties are largely ceremonial.
And your crybaby whiny-butt opinion would be...?
Do I look like a people person?
This isn't an office. It's Hell with fluorescent lighting.
Sarcasm is just one more service we offer.
If I throw a stick, will you leave?
I'm trying to imagine you with a personality.
Can I trade this job for what's behind door #1?
How do I set a laser printer to stun?
I thought I wanted a career, turns out I just wanted a paycheck.
Jim Rockwell forwarded the next two. Two robins were sitting in a tree. "I'm really hungry", said the first one. "Me, too" said the second. "Let's fly down and find some lunch." They flew to the ground and found a nice plot of plowed ground full of worms. They ate and ate and ate and ate 'til they could eat no more. "I'm so full I don't think I can fly back up to the tree", said the first one. "Me either. Let's just lie here and BASK in the warm sun", said the second. "O.K." said the first. They plopped down, basking in the sun. No sooner than they had fallen asleep, a big fat tom cat sneaked up and gobbled both of them down. As the cat sat washing his face after his meal, he thought . . . (Are you ready for this one?) (You sure?) (Okay, here goes) "I just love baskin' robins
IDIOTS AT WORK... I was signing the receipt for my credit card purchase when the clerk noticed that I had never signed my name on the back of the credit card. She informed me that she could not complete the transaction unless the card was signed. When I asked why, she explained that it was necessary to compare the signature on the credit card with the signature I just signed on the receipt. So I signed the credit card in front of her. She carefully compared that signature to the one I signed on the receipt. As luck would have it, they matched.
IDIOTS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD I live in a semi-rural area. We recently had a new neighbor call the local township administrative office to request the removal of the Deer Crossing sign on our road. The reason: many deer were being hit by cars and he no longer wanted them to cross there.
IDIOTS IN FOOD SERVICE My daughter went to a local Taco Bell and ordered a taco. She asked the individual behind the counter for "minimal lettuce." He said he was sorry, but they only had iceberg.
IDIOT SIGHTINGS Sighting #1: I was at the airport, checking in at the gate, when the airport employee asked, "Has anyone put anything in your baggage without your knowledge?" I said, "If it was without my knowledge, how would I know?" He smiled and nodded knowingly, "That's why we ask."
Idiot Sighting #2: The stoplight on the corner buzzes when it is safe to cross the street. I was crossing with an intellectually challenged co-worker of mine, when she asked if I knew what the buzzer was for. I explained that it signals to blind people when the light is red. She responded, appalled, "What on earth are blind people doing driving?"
Idiot Sighting #3: At a good-bye lunch for an old and dear coworker who is leaving the company due to "downsizing," our manager spoke up and said, "this is fun. We should have lunch like this more often." Not another word was spoken. We just looked at each other like deer staring into the headlights of an approaching truck.
Idiot Sighting #4: I worked with an Individual who plugged her power strip back into itself and for the life of her could not understand why her system would not turn on.
Idiot Sighting #5: When my husband and I arrived at an automobile dealership to pick up our car, we were told that the keys had been accidentally locked in it. We went to the service department and found a mechanic working feverishly to unlock the driver's side door. As I watched from the passenger's side, I instinctively tried the door handle and discovered it was open. "Hey," I announced to the technician, "It's open!" "I know," answered the young man.- "I already got that side."
CLASSIFIED AD'S- Bob Yoxtheimer Taken from classified ads in Louisiana newspapers:
FREE YORKSHIRE TERRIER. 8 YEARS OLD. HATEFUL LITTLE DOG.
FREE PUPPIES: ス COCKER SPANIEL - ス SNEAKY NEIGHBOR'S DOG
FREE PUPPIES...PART GERMAN SHEPHERD - PART STUPID DOG
GERMAN SHEPHERD 85 lbs. NEUTERED. SPEAKS GERMAN. FREE.
FOUND: DIRTY WHITE DOG. BEEN OUT AWHILE.. BETTER BE REWARD.
1 MAN, 7 WOMAN HOT TUB- $850/offer
AMANA WASHER $100. OWNED BY CLEAN BACHELOR WHO SELDOM WASHED.
SNOW BLOWER FOR SALE... ONLY USED ON SNOWY DAYS.
2 WIRE MESH BUTCHERING GLOVES: 1 5-finger, 1 3-finger, PAIR: $15
COWS, CALVES NEVER BRED... ALSO 1 GAY BULL FOR SALE.
NORDIC TRACK $300 HARDLY USED, CALL CHUBBIE
SHAKESPEARE'S PIZZA - FREE CHOPSTICKS
GET A LITTLE JOHN: THE TRAVELING URINAL THAT HOLDS 2 ス BOTTLES OF BEER.
GEORGIA PEACHES CALIFORNIA GROWN - 89 cents lb. - NICE PARACHUTE: NEVER OPENED - USED ONCE SLIGHTLY STAINED
FREE: FARM KITTENS. READY TO EAT.
AMERICAN FLAG 60 STARS - POLE INCLUDED $100
TIRED OF WORKING FOR ONLY $9.75 PER HOUR? WE OFFER PROFIT SHARING AND FLEXIBLE HOURS. STARTING PAY: $7 - $9 PER HOUR.
EXERCISE EQUIPMENT: QUEEN SIZE MATTRESS & BOX SPRINGS -$175.
OUR SOFA SEATS THE WHOLE MOB AND IT'S MADE OF 100% ITALIAN LEATHER.
JOINING NUDIST COLONY! MUST SELL WASHER & DRYER $300.
OPEN HOUSE BODY SHAPERS TONING SALON FREE COFFEE & DONUTS
FOR SALE BY OWNER Complete set of Encyclopedia Britannica. 45 volumes. Excellent condition. $1,000.00 or best offer. No longer needed. Got married last weekend. Wife knows everything.
I hope you enjoyed this communication and can attend one or more of the sessions scheduled for this week.