Friday, February 27, 2009

For Bird Lovers And Anyone Else In Need Of A Good Laugh

Cats and dogs aren't the only ones carving out a niche in the lighter side of the Web. Birds have something to squawk about too, as evidenced by this popular YouTube video:


Thursday, February 26, 2009

Test Your 'Net IQ - Quiz #23

For each question in today's quiz you'll be given a statement and you must decide which Internet subject best categorizes it. You have four choices: e-mail, Web browsers, search engines, or social networking.


Test Your 'Net IQ - Quiz #23




  1. Better make sure you "BCC" it!


  2. E-mail

    Web Browsers

    Search Engines

    Social Networking



  3. I like the site so much I'm going to make it my homepage.


  4. E-mail

    Web Browsers

    Search Engines

    Social Networking



  5. Update your profile by adding a new picture of yourself.


  6. E-mail

    Web Browsers

    Search Engines

    Social Networking



  7. I'm going to add that site to "favorites."


  8. E-mail

    Web Browsers

    Search Engines

    Social Networking



  9. I wonder how long it will take the "spiders" to index my new Web site.


  10. E-mail

    Web Browsers

    Search Engines

    Social Networking



Good luck!



Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Watch President Obama's Address To Congress Online

Didn't get a chance to see President Obama's Address to Congress last night? Not to worry--thanks to C-Span.org and YouTube, you can watch it in its entirety online:

Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Listen Up Senior Surfers

Here's some welcome news for those of you who enjoy reading The Senior Surfer but wouldn't mind giving your eyes a rest from time to time. Starting today, you can listen to these posts instead of reading them, if you choose!

To listen to The Senior Surfer, you can subscribe to the podcast (top left-hand sidebar) or simply click on the listen now button that appears at the beginning of every post on the site. Try it now!

Monday, February 23, 2009

Pen That Celluloid Classic With A Little Help From The Web

Got movies on your mind? Not surprising since last night was the Academy Awards. But, have you ever entertained the idea of actually writing a movie? Previously, if you wanted to indulge in such a lofty pursuit--even just as a hobby--you first had to learn how to format a screenplay or buy expensive software to do the trick. No longer. Today there's a site called Scripped.com that will automatically format your screenplay for free! What's more, you don't even have to download it onto your computer--it works directly in your browser!

Want to learn more? Just head on over to their site for all the details! By the way, while their software automatically formats your screenplay, it won't write it for you. For that, you'll need to rely on your own inspiration and creativity! Best of luck!

Friday, February 20, 2009

Watch "Road To The Oscars" Online

Sunday night the 81st Annual Academy Awards Ceremony airs on ABC. Can't wait? Check out "Road to the Oscars" from Oscar.com:

Thursday, February 19, 2009

Microsoft How-To Videos: "Demo: Desktop basics"

If you're running Windows Vista on your computer and want to see a nice overview of its basic functions, you'll appreciate the video below. Confused by terms like "taskbar" or "desktop?" Not to worry--this demo, produced by Microsoft, should clear things up for you!



Demo: Desktop basics

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Test Your 'Net IQ - Quiz #22

Yes, Internet acronyms can be difficult to decipher--especially if you're a newbie. But let's face it, since they're ubiquitous in the World of the Web, it pays to be familiar with the most common ones at least. That's what today's quiz is about. How well do you know your 'Net acronyms? Let's see!

Test Your 'Net IQ - Quiz #22


  1. AIM stands for "AOL Instant Messenger."


  2. True

    False



  3. When you see LOL in an e-mail or chat session, it's shorthand for "Laugh Out Loud."


  4. True

    False



  5. FAQ stands for "Frequently Asked Questions."


  6. True

    False



  7. DSL stands for "Digital Supersonic Line."


  8. True

    False



  9. WWW is not an acronym for "World Wide Web."


  10. True

    False



Good luck!


Tuesday, February 17, 2009

USAtogether.org Helps You Help Veterans

If you like the idea of using the Web to help out veterans in need (see: Have You Heard About The Wounded Warrior Project?"), you'll like the idea behind USAtogether.org. too. I first heard about this site in an article on CNN:


Tech gurus use power of Web to help veterans


According to the article, USAtogether.org is a new Web site where veterans list their needs--be it monetary or otherwise--in the hopes that someone--maybe you--will help. An interesting idea and yet another way the Web helps you help others in need.

Monday, February 16, 2009

Where On The Web To Spend President's Day

What better way to spend President's Day than by exploring the historically significant documents of George Washington and Abraham Lincoln? And you don't have to travel to D.C. to do it--The Library of Congress has made it easy for you to access these special collections online! Just point your browser to the following:

These online exhibits feature thousands of digitized documents such as letters, diaries, drafts of speeches and more! A must-see destination on the Web for history buffs!

Happy President's Day!

Friday, February 13, 2009

If You're Going Online This Valentine's Day

Tomorrow is Valentine's Day and if you're going to be online at all, you might be interested in checking out a couple of sites that are perfect for the holiday. We profiled these sites last year at this time, and they're just as worth noting this year!

Here they are:

The History of Valentine's Day - At this special feature of the History.com Web site, you'll learn everything you always wanted to know about the history of this popular holiday.

Famous Celebrity Romantic Love Letters - Want to know how famous people throughout history expressed affection for their soul mates? You can read their love letters at TheRomantic.com.

All About Chocolate - The holiday just wouldn't be complete without mention of this magical confection. Part of FieldMuseum.org's Web site.

Got a site you think should be on this list? Leave it in the comments section!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Thursday, February 12, 2009

Test Your 'Net IQ - Quiz #21

For each question in today's quiz, you'll be asked to match a popular Internet service with the category it belongs in. Here goes:


Test Your 'Net IQ - Quiz #21





  1. Gizmodo


  2. Search Engine

    Popular Blog

    Social Networking Site

    Online Auction Site




  3. hi5


  4. Search Engine

    Popular Blog

    Social Networking Site

    Online Auction Site




  5. Dogpile


  6. Search Engine

    Popular Blog

    Social Networking Site

    Online Auction Site




  7. TechCrunch


  8. Search Engine

    Popular Blog

    Social Networking Site

    Online Auction Site




  9. eBid.net


  10. Search Engine

    Popular Blog

    Social Networking Site

    Online Auction Site



Good luck!



Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Microsoft How-To Videos: "Use Windows Vista and Internet Explorer 7 to help protect yourself online"

If you have a computer running Windows Vista with Internet Explorer 7 and want to know what steps you can take to be more secure online, watch the video below. Produced by Microsoft, the video covers the basics of online security, like what you can do to protect yourself against identity theft and other malicious attacks that every Web surfer should be aware of. Oh, and it's presented in plain English!


Use Windows Vista and Internet Explorer 7 to help protect yourself online

Tuesday, February 10, 2009

You Can Go A Long Way Without Using Your Mouse

Click. Click. Double-click. Mouse over to the scroll bar, click and scroll down--whew! All that clicking and scrolling can be a pain in the, well--hand. Previously on The Senior Surfer we discussed some keyboard shortcuts that can give you a break. Here's another helpful one we forgot to mention--till now!

Did you know that no matter where you are on a Web page you can move right to the top of the page instantly by using the Home key on your keyboard? And if you want to immediately skip to the bottom of a page just use the End key. You'll find both of these on the right side of your keyboard. Try them out next time you get the chance--your hand will thank you.

Got a keyboard tip you want to share with our readers? Leave it in the comments section!

Monday, February 9, 2009

What You Don't Know About Social Networking Can Sting You

If you're like many people on the Internet today, you've been bitten by the social networking bug. You can't get enough of the type of sites that use the Web to make it easy to connect with your friends and family. But be careful, this bug not only bites-it can sting-if you don't have your guard up. To give you an idea of the type of dangers lurking in the social networking environment, read this cautionary tale that has garnered a lot of media attention recently:

Fears of impostors increase on Facebook (via CNN.com)

The article ends with a series of tips to help you avoid falling prey to scams on social networking sites. A must read for anyone concerned about social networking safety!

Question for discussion: Do you feel safe when you're on social networking sites? If not, what kinds of safety measures would you want the owners of these sites to implement? Sound off!

Friday, February 6, 2009

Test Your 'Net IQ - Quiz #20

Today's quiz deals with some more Internet security terms you should be familiar with. See if you can get them all right!


Test Your 'Net IQ - Quiz #2





  1. Which of the following terms or acronyms may be associated with wireless network security?


  2. WEP

    WPA

    Encryption

    All of the above



  3. Which of the following is a type of Internet threat that could cause your computer to run slower?


  4. A worm

    An SSL

    A WEP key

    A Firewall



  5. My Web browser has a vulnerability. I need to download ________ immediately.


  6. A digital converter

    A security patch

    A USB port

    A RAM doubler



  7. Hackers use a fake Web site to scam unsuspecting users. This Internet threat is better known as?


  8. Web crawling

    Cyber Counterfeiting

    Pharming

    The 419 fraud



  9. Which of the following is the name of an Internet threat that got a lot of media attention recently?


  10. Cassandra

    Conficker

    Python

    Linux



Good luck!


Thursday, February 5, 2009

Featured Google How-To Video: "What's New in Google Earth 5.0"

Google Earth is at it again. Just when you think the program is the height of perfection, they go and try to improve it, and the results are nothing short of amazing. Want to use Google Earth to step back in time and see how a particular geographic area looked like in the past? Check. Interested in plumbing the depths of the deep blue sea? Check. Watch the Google produced video below to learn how to use these features and more from the latest iteration of Google Earth. You won't be disappointed!


Wednesday, February 4, 2009

In Honor Of Black History Month: 5 Sites Worth Noting

Last year, around this time, we listed four sites that help you celebrate Black History Month online. They're just as valid this year-and we're adding one more we think you'll like for a total of five notable sites:


Museum of African American History


Black History Month - Infoplease


The African-American Mosaic Exhibition (Library of Congress)


Black History Month - The History Channel


Films Celebrating Black History Month at YouTube's Screening Room



And here's one of the films from the last site (YouTube's Screening Room).



Tuesday, February 3, 2009

An Inventive Look At The History Of The Internet

Bring up the history of the Internet in conversation and you'll probably be met with more than a few groans. Not surprising, since it can be a pretty dry subject--except, of course, when it's not, like in this fascinating video from YouTube that manages to actually hold your interest with some creative animation while teaching you a thing or two about the history of the "Information Superhighway."


Monday, February 2, 2009

Watch The Super Bowl Ads Online

Yesterday's Super Bowl game will undoubtedly be considered a classic. But how about the Super Bowl ads? Any classics in the bunch? In case you missed them, or if you just want to refresh your memory, Hulu.com has made the commercials available online-and you can watch them right here at The Senior Surfer.



So, which one was your favorite? Sound off in the comments section!