Face it–most computer applications have a spell check feature that removes the pressure of us having to really know how to spell. They do a good job at trying to guess what we really meant when we mangle the letters of a word. Programs like Microsoft Word show us right away when a letter is misspelled, and sometimes even fix the most common errors automatically. This can perpetuate bad spelling habits as we aren’t even reminded that we have made a mistake. However, with so much content being typed directly into web forms, our spelling safety net is gone, exposing our ignorance to the world.
Blogs, forums, Wikis, feedback forms, commenting systems–all of these ask for input directly into the browser, but alas, Internet Explorer (still the most popular browser) does not have a spell check tool. Some of us type or copy the text into Word (or any other program that has a spell check), do our proofing, and then copy into the form. This is hardly elegant.
Enter ieSpell, the Spell Checker add-on for Internet Explorer. I have been using this for a few weeks, and I can’t believe I had been getting along without it. It is available free, and once installed adds a button to your Standard Toolbar and some options to your Tools menu. You can expect it to work just like your Word spell checker, however personal dictionaries are not shared, so you will have to build this as you go.
A Massachusetts elementary school has banned the game of “tag” during recess. That’s just crazy. Of course there is a concern for safety and probably the self-esteem for the child who is always “it”, but c’mon, playing tag is a classic recess game–no equipment or special field, and playable with any amount of participants. (willing or not).
Kids need to play games and run around. Sometimes when they run they fall. Sometimes they bump into each other. Sometime they even get hurt. This is how they learn and grow and become physically active. We lock up our kids inside enough protecting them from the terrible world. They are eating junk and getting fat and we are not telling them to sit still and don’t move too quick or you might get hurt.
All parents are cautious, but when I see my 3-year old chasing my 1-year old, they are both laughing and having a great time. They need to learn about what too fast is and playing too rough so they can behave appropriately.
When I was in elementary school we have a friendly, tag-like game called “kill the guy with the ball.” Someone was given the ball, and the rest of us chased him and dog-piled until someone else stole the ball and ran away. I never understood the motivation to actually want the ball. In junior high, we had a gym class activity that was officially called “war ball” by the gym teachers. This was what we consider official dodge ball today.
I’m sure my grandfathers played games like “beat the guy with the stick”, but my point is that we probably shouldn’t be progressing to games called “sit quietly in place and avoid any eye contact that might hurt another’s feelings.”
I’m all for saving the world one person at a time, but I don’t understand the celebrity adoption craze lately. Madonna has been visiting Malawi (which I had never before heard of) first denying then actually moving forward in adopting a young “orphan” boy.
At first account, the boy’s father and grandmother were delighted. I know cultures and language are different across this big blue marble, but in English, an orphan is a child without parents — typically a father and mother.
The one-year old boy, now revealed with the rock-star like name of David Banda, did lose his mother as she gave birth to him. The father placed him in this “orphanage” for his own well-being, but never expected him to actually be adopted. (It kind of reminds be of a pawn shop.)
It also appears that is a really good to be a high-profile celebrity with tons of money, as all of the red tape and usual procedures which are put in place to protect the child from crazies were waived for the “material girl”.
(note to self: become high-profile celebrity with tons of money.)
Everyone has experienced seeing a huge full moon rising in the distant sky. And we all have our theories on why the moon appears bigger when it is lower in the sky. Some include refraction through the atmosphere, the tilting of our head, etc. But the truth is, the moon’s apparent size remains the same at any point in the sky.
This is hard to believe when you are driving toward this huge orb, but alas it is. If you were to hold a ruler out at arms length and measure the diameter of the moon at any point in the sky, it would be the same. Our minds are playing a trick on us with something called the Ponzo Illusion:
The Moon, when it’s on the horizon, is interpreted by your brain as being farther away. Since it’s the same apparent size as when it’s high up, your brain figures it must be physically bigger. Otherwise, the distance would make it look smaller.
However, tonight’s moon will be about 12 percent larger than other full moons because it is at its closest point to the Earth along its elliptical orbit.
iTunes 7 is now available. I loaded this up over the weekend and am pretty pleased with some of the new features. I wasn’t really interested in upgrading until I learned that a whole new batch of (real) games are now available for the (fifth-generation only) iPod–one of my favorites, being Zuma by PopCap. (more…)
Does anyone even watch survivor anymore? I usually find myself watching the first season of most of the reality shows. If I like the show I may watch a second season, but after I go through the process, I feel as if I am investing more time than it is worth. It’s the same game with different players.
The current season of Survivor has raised some controversy to raise some ratings, by forming teams based upon race–African-American, Asian-American, Caucasian and Latino. This arrangement has created quite a debate suggesting that the creators of the show are racists.
Personally, I think it is an interesting experiment. People are different, and in life people do tend to work, play, and live with other people of similar groups. Our thoughts and actions regarding these differences are what determine our racial prejudices.
I also can’t help but think about the Olympics. Don’t the Olympic Games divide people by nations which typically are comprised of a similar racial group? Do we deem these games as racist?
If you want to accuse someone of being racist, I would question the CBS network itself. I commute daily to Grand Central Terminal in NYC and they plaster huge posters on the walls and floors for advertising. The current ad campaign is for CBS with posters for many of their new prime-time shows. Every season when they do this, I find it quite noticeable that all of the huge TV-head faces are all white. Perhaps having a bit of color on Survivor will be refreshing.
As I wrote about a few days ago, my iPod has not been feeling well. After numerous resets and much frustration, I decided to visit the Apple store on 5th Avenue. (more…)
Breaking up over the phone is cowardly. Breaking up using instant messenger is cowardly and modern. Firing 400 people using email is cowardly, modern, and efficient. (more…)
I use my iPod every day–on the train, walking to work, sometimes in the car. Every once in a while it malfunctions. Sometimes it appears I no longer have any content loaded. Other times I get a sad iPod icon. Sometimes the apple symbol stays on the screen and nothing happens at all. (more…)
Global warming, melting ice caps, and holes in the ozone have not been a big concern to me. Avian bird flu doesn’t worry me, but I am very concerned if the latest problem becomes an inter-species issue–it seems that the genitals of polar bears are shrinking!
I use my iPod every day–on the train, walking to work, sometimes in the car. Every once in a while it malfunctions. Sometimes it appears I no longer have any content loaded. Other times I get a sad iPod icon. Sometimes the apple symbol stays on the screen and nothing happens at all.