Daily Link

Intro to Computers: Quiz

milstead — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 19:22:17 +0000

Here’s the file and software management quiz!

Holy Batboat! Stealth ship chases whalers!

milstead — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 06:28:22 +0000

milstead — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 05:56:11 +0000

iRobot’s Soft Morphing Blob ‘Bot Takes Its First Steps

FF to 2:00 and brace yourself. You will sleep with the light on after watching this seething orb “walk”.

Intro to Computers: Video Blog Post

milstead — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 21:06:40 +0000

Today’s blog post will focus on adding a video to your blog and writing a relevant post.

1. Locate a school appropriate YouTube clip that relates to your blog topic.

2. Add the clip to your post using these handy instructions.

3. Write about the video.

4. Now look at ways to promote your blog online. Promote yourself.

Intro to Computers: your next blog post

milstead — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 20:39:37 +0000

PROFILE POST

Today’s post will focus on a particular person, place, or event related to your field. This post gives a outline and provides information for your readers.

Here’s some more information about your profile post:

Profile posts are similar to case studies but focus in on a particular person. Pick an interesting personality in your niche and do a little research on them to present to your readers. Point out how they’ve reached the position they are in and write about the characteristics that they have that others in your niche might like to develop to be successful.

This description outlines a profile of a person, but it applies just as aptly to a place. Here’s some examples –

If your subject is mountain biking, perhaps you could outline the characteristics of a particular course, explain why bikers like to race there, and highlight the special features that make that course unique.
- If this is your subject, you could also talk about a particular mountain biker!
If your subject is food, you could discuss a restaurant that specializes in a particular food or drink. Talk about the atmosphere, the varieties of food, and the location.
- If this is your subject, you could also talk about a chef!
If your topic is video games, you could focus on a particular “world” or level, discussing the challenges, the landscape, or the chanracters involved.
- If this is your subject, you could also talk about a specific character!

Make sure that differentiate – this is not a review (that’s another type of post)! Save your critique for later, this is a fairly impartial look at the person or place. Let your readers make up their own mind.

After you choose your topic, take some time to do some research. You should be able to provide some detailed desciptions to your readers, and chances are that you don’t know everything about your topic. Get the info and then put it into your own words – plagurism is a BIG DEAL in the blogosphere.

You post should be 500 – 700 words.

Here’s some examples of great profile posts:

A profile of blogger Gary Vaynerchuk

http://www.copyblogger.com/gary-vaynerchuk-secret/

A profile of pianist Al Haig:

http://www.jazzwax.com/2009/05/al-haig-march-15-1954.html

A profile of the Nikon d5000 swivel screen dslr camera

http://digital-photography-school.com/nikon-d5000-swivel-screen-dslr

A profile of Latin Jazz vibraphonist Cal Tjader:

http://www.chipboaz.com/blog/2007/08/06/legendary-latin-jazz-bandleaders-cal-tjader/

VIDEO: Crazy flight up valley

milstead — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 06:38:21 +0000

Watch the super slo-mo version of the fog bound brush VERY close to the right side of the aircraft. Then listen to the nervous laughter as pilot and passengers inspect damage to aircraft and, hopefully, fell very lucky.

Video on maxtrescott.com.

Computer Graphics: Solar House

milstead — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 16:11:04 +0000

This project is inspired by the recently completed Solar Decathlon competition. View the contest rankings and links to all competitors here.

The purpose of the contest was to create and build a one story house no larger than 800 square feet. There were 78 pages of rules for the contest. Our guidelines will be a bit simpler.

Using Sketchup, create a house that meets the following requirements:

-is no larger than 800 square feet in it’s footprint (the area that it covers)
-uses available surfaces on the house for solar panels
-points the solar panels south for maximum sunshine
-has at least one bedroom and one full size bathroom with walls
-interior doors are at least 8 inches thick
-has a kitchen
-has at least one door and windows on at least two walls

Programming: Building your first custom Google Map

milstead — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 20:32:31 +0000

Part 1: Follow this link for a great tutorial that gives you control over a Google map.

You will create the page in Dreamweaver.

Here’s the tutorial.

Upload your custom map to your website and email the link to rmilstead@tamdistrict.org. Type “MAP” in the subject line of your email.

Useful link: longitude/latitude finder – clickable map

Part 2: Now that you have enjoyed the basic functions of a Google Map check out the Google Map Developer resource (you a developer now!) and start with Basics following the link on the left hand menu.

Yuppie 911

milstead — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 04:13:45 +0000

Too much.

My letter to Michael’s craft store

milstead — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 22:04:29 +0000

Went shopping for a some DIY gear at the San Rafael Michael’s store this morning. Here’s what I sent them when I returned home.

“Recently, I had an interesting – not bad- experience in your San Rafael store. Armed with a 40% off coupon I asked two salespeople “what should I buy” with this great deal. They didn’t have any ideas. More interestingly, they didn’t ask “what do you do?”

Which leads me to the conversation that I had with another customer. Another guy. I flashed him the coupon and asked the same question. Our minds went to Dremel tools (no), Leatherman Tools (no) and a variety of other DIY gear that would be a great fit for Michael’s. Not available. We agreed that Michael’s is in a position to reevaluate WHO their customer is and, frankly, not worry about gender products. Given that Radio Shack is abandoning the home DIY’er while DIY is on the rise (see http://www.makezine.com/) even in these tough times you have a real opportunity to increase your business while not losing sight of your core customer. I’ll save you the consultant’s fee and give you direction: remove your limited toy section (why compete against Toys R Us?) and fill that space with soldering gear, basic robotics stuff, and align yourself with Make Magazine. If it sells then expand. If it doesn’t then bring back Thomas the Tank Engine.

Imagine families, hipsters, and grandmas all shopping happily at your store, finding the gear and guidance that they will never get at a large hardware store. Imagine your class schedule expanding to cover not just traditional crafts but basic soldering, using the Lilypad Arduino (http://tinyurl.com/yj4663h) or entry level model rockets.

Your have my number. Good luck.”

I’ll post their response.