#43 Buying and Selling Online

The Guinness World Record for the most successful internet trade belongs to Kyle MacDonald. On July 12 2005, MacDonald used a free online classified service called Craigslist, to post about his desire to trade one red paperclip for something bigger and better. MacDonald pursued this bartering chain for approximately one year, and ultimately traded a movie role for a two story house in Saskatchewan.

Online buying and selling sites are so convenient and easy to use, they have flourished. Almost everyone I work with has made a purchase from eBay, the online auction and shopping site. PayPal is a business (owned by eBay) which makes transfers of money over the internet secure.

One of the things I like about eBay is the Advanced Search feature. With this tool, you can refine your search by price range, catagory, specific seller, location, or listings ending within a certain time period. I used this option to select listings within 25 miles of my zip code when I wanted to buy a cabinet. I was able to locate an item, win an auction, and pick it up right away without having to worry about shipping. I also used a local yard sales site to sell my car. There was no charge for me to post my advertisement, and I quickly found a buyer. It was wonderfully simple and painless.

It was not wonderfully simple and painless to view the "What is PayPal?" video. I could not find this video anywhere on PayPal's web page. Many online stores accept the PayPal form of payment, such as The Sharper Image, Omaha Steaks, Barnes and Noble, 1-800-Flowers, etc., but my favorite store, Amazon, does not. They will, however, accept a "PayPal debit card".

#44 A Fine How Do You Do (That)

Online "How To" sites are fun to explore, but I'm not sure just how seriously one can take them. I enjoyed looking at a few topics on eHow, such as "How to Add Solar on a Tight Budget", and "How to Survive Tough Economic Times With Your Dog", and while the instructions were amusing I came away a bit dissatisfied with the content. One subject, "How to Properly Inflate Your Tires", said it featured a video. "Now this could be useful," I thought as I skipped off to learn how to do that job correctly, once and for all. Unfortunately, I was not happy with the video. In fact, I felt like a victim of bait and switch marketing. I clicked on that story particularly because I wanted to see a video of proper inflation technique, but instead of enlightenment I was subjected to an extremely short clip of someone's radio controlled car navigating their driveway. Ummm....huh?

I did like that you can choose to write for eHow and earn cash for articles. I also signed up to receive the "eHow of the day" email. Some examples of the email alerts I've received thus far include: "How to Vote Conscientiously" on 11/2, "How to Get a Ride to the Polling Stations" on 11/4, and "How to Deal With Your Presidential Candidate Losing" on 11/5.

Other "how to" sites include WikkiHow, HowStuffWorks, Instructables, Quamat, ExpertVillage and VideoJug. At HowStuffWorks.com, I enjoyed watching 5 year old Emilien Combaret solve the Rubik's cube in less than 2 minutes but I didn't learn the protegy's secret, because the video was more like a news report than it was instructive. Instructables.com had such a wide variety of information, including How to Make a Senegalese Style Drum, and How to Build a Sarcophagus, I found it a bit intimidating. I began to think that probably the only thing you wouldn't find posted there is how to build a nuclear bomb. Actually I checked. And I was shocked to find an article. It turned out to be a joke though, involving protecting oneself with some lead, building a rocket, and procuring a quantity of beans.

So far, the video I've liked the best was one I found on VideoJug.com.







General Etiquette:The Fist Bump: America's Handshake


I think that covered Fist-Bump etiquette very well, thank you.

Now I'm off to further explore the virtual cornucopia of learning on "How To" sites. I absolutely HAVE to find out "How To Use Tree Spirits for Self Transformation".

#38 Console Gaming

I have fond memories of the arcade games I played as a kid. Every summer my family would pack up the car for a week in Cape May, New Jersey, to relax and enjoy lazy days at the beach. We would take our chairs, towels, and a picnic lunch and spend the day making sand castles, swimming, digging for clams, and exploring the stone jetties. We always put our beach umbrella up next to Frank's Playland, an arcade on the boardwalk. There you could buy refreshments and fritter away quarters (doled out sparingly by my parents) on skee ball, pin ball, poker, and many other games. As the years passed, I spent less and less time on the beach, and more and more time playing pinball. I had a favorite machine, called Mibs.

I never really caught the Pac Man craze, but when Pong came out, my friends and I were fascinated. The idea that computers were not just for geeks collecting data, and that you could actually have one in your home, was exciting! Pong was not sophisticated enough to create many passionate players that I know of, but Nintendo was another story. Nintendo systems were hugely popular in the 1980's. At arcaderetro.com you can still play my favorite Nintendo game, Duck Hunt. Duck Hunt was my introduction to sight alignment and foresight focus, skills needed to accurately shoot the Nintendo Zapper Light Guns and also real firearms.

The successful marketing and popularity of Nintendo home gaming systems created a huge demand among consumers for more sophisticated graphics and games. Today's gamers can choose to purchase Microsoft's Xbox 360 ($250), a Sony Playstation 3 ($400), and Nintendo's Wii ($350), among other game systems. Which of these systems is best for library purposes? I have no idea. An interesting blog, called Library Garden, also posed this question. The opinions expressed there leaned toward endorsements of Nintendo's Wii, for several reasons: the availability of games geared towards both genders, the ability to download classic games, the symplicity of controllers, and an interactive system which enhances social opportunities.

But I would still like one of these:

#37 Get Your Game On @ The Library

Whether or not games and gaming belong in a library is still a controversial subject. Statistics show that introducing video, console, and web-based games into library settings promotes interest in other traditional services libraries provide; however, there are still many who are not quite convinced that libraries should move in this direction.

The New York Times published an article on 3/22/08 called "Taking Play Seriously at the Public Library with Young Video Gamers". Jack Martin, the assistant coordinator for young adult services at a New York Public Library branch, states that "in addition to simply helping bring kids into the library...games have the potential to be a great teaching tool."

At the web site of the Carnegie Mellon University Libraries, there is even an online games page featuring two educational, arcade style games. The first is called "I'll Get It!" and involves helping patrons find a variety of research materials. The faster and more accurately you respond to requests, the more points scored. The second game is called "Within Range". In this game, the player must correctly shelve books according to their Library of Congress classifications. I played both games and rather enjoyed them for oh, about 10 minutes. Tops.

The evolution of our libraries is a national phenomenon. No longer quiet places to read or study, libraries are quickly becoming dynamic multi-purpose community centers where resources are concentrated and accessible to the public. Computer games and gaming programs are not only ways to make learning fun, they are marketing tools that help libraries promote a teen-friendly image and encourage young adults to become more familiar with library services which may be of interest to them.

Harris County residents are fortunate to have access to a wonderful system of public libraries. Special programs directed at teens are one way libraries are making a positive contribution to the communities they serve. Gaming programs may be what motivates young people to walk in the door, but the impact on participants seems to be much broader than merely creating multitudes of new Guitar Heroes.

#36 Online Role Playing Games

1. Although I know it is very popular among young people, I didn't enjoy playing Runescape. As a novice, I found it difficult to get around, plus I burned an awful lot of shrimp!
2. Where are the directions for taking and posting a screenshot of my avatar?

# 35 I'm Game, Moderately

Once upon a time, when library employees started the original iHCPL program, one of the first tasks assigned was to think about the ways we learn. By doing this, and by reading the blogs of other program participants, I became more conscious of the variety of ways people learn. It was through blogging that I realized how much of a kinesthetic learner I am. A tactile/kinesthetic learner learns best by doing and from hands on experiences, role plays, and other methods that physically involve them in the learning process.

Playing games is a kinesthetic learning experience, but of course games appeal to other kinds of learners as well. Not only do games have built-in motivators (fun!), but they seem to enhance learning and retention. Eli Neiburger spoke about the benefits of "gaming" at the Texas Library Association's 2008 annual conference. He pointed out that games are already a huge segment of the entertainment industry in the United States (second only to books in media sales), and that this popular media is helping, rather than hindering learning. In "Everything Bad is Good for You", writer Steven Johnson argues that because playing video games requires a variety of cognitive skills, the mental exercise is highly beneficial and actually improves IQ. There is undoubtably much evidence to support the value of video games as teaching and learning tools.

I tried the games FreeRice and WordSplay, and they were okay, but I prefer Pogo.com for recreational games. A Pogo subscription is not expensive. Members can choose from a tremendous variety of games with great graphics. Prizes and other goodies such as badges are offered as incentives. (Well, the prizes and incentives are kind of ... meh ....but the games are still great.) In your game room there is a chat feature, so if you have a question or comment about the game, you can post and get an immediate response from another player. You can invite your friends to come out and play with you, too. I have improved my Scrabble game tremendously by playing against some very competative opponents on Pogo. For what that's worth.

Computer games took a giant leap forward with Nintendo's Wii game console and its wireless controller that is able to detect movement in three dimensions. It's as if a room full of engineers, salesmen, and marketing people sat down and tried to come up with an idea to put that infuriating "video games are too sedentary" argument to rest. The new WiiFit goes on sale on May 19th for $90.00. According to studies though, the fact that Wii players use more energy than users of other game systems does not mean these games can substitute for regular exercise. (Enthusiastic Wii gamers can still develop tennis elbow, appropriately called "wiiitis", if they wish, by playing the video version of the sport.)

I like games. I also like Aristotle. Once upon a time, he advised moderation in all things.

#34 Geocoding and Geocaching

1. Washington D.C. is a great place to visit. The place abounds with history, great architecture, and has wonderful museums like the National Gallery and the Smithsonian. When I was there, there was so much to do that I missed touring the Washington Monument. Here it is, and it's coordinates are 38.888820, -77.033019.



View Larger Map

Note: I was in D.C. during the summer, and it was quite hot, so I ducked inside Union Station to get some relief from the heat. It was wonderfully cool, but I ended up staying inside a loooooong time because of the fantastic shops. It was even a browsers paradise! So ladies, and gents if you are so inclined, from the Washington Monument, follow The Mall west to the Capital, and then head north. On the map, Union Station has a blue "Metro" marker. I love those mixed maps with the satellite view and street names, and the click and drag feature.

2. There is actually a geocache or two near our library, too terribly convenient for this exercise to resist investigating. Here is the url:

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?guid=009a3107-8e42-449c-800c-a1437a3f2afd

As you can see, I still have trouble posting an actual link. :(
The GPS coordinates are N 30° 00.267 W 095° 09.288 . The cache is located near the recycling center, and is described as the traditional small box; actually it's supposed to be a waterproof match container with a log book inside. This cache was hidden by a man who, according to his profile, is a Nuclear Medicine Technologist. I always wondered what a Nuclear Medicine Technologist would do for fun. Anyway, I never did find the cache. The area is littered with trash from the recycling bins, glass, and is rife with fire ants. I poked at some stuff on the ground with a big stick, which I carried in order to defend myself against hostile insects, potential snakes, and lethal germs. I did find a small waterproof container, but it was a chewing tobacco tin with actual chewing tobacco still in it. Ewwwww! I concluded that, while I like the idea of a treasure hunt, I don't think I'm cut out for the "surprises". Maybe I just haven't found the right cache to seek. One individual who posted on this particular page has already found 827 caches, so somebody is indeed having a good time playing the geocaching game. Hey, I have an idea. Maybe there are some caches hidden in Union Station!?

Postscript: I looked up caches for the 20002 zip code. No caches in Union Station.