#76 Sound Effects. Oh boy, a new toy!

Every kid who grows up watching cartoons understands the value of sound effects. Good sound effects make any story more real, more believable, more funny. From scrambling feet to kabong!, unique sounds add punch to theatre, radio, and television. Thanks to streaming audio, file compression, and musical instrument digital interface, now sounds can even be used to spice up the written word.

An example of a site where one can search for sounds is FindSounds. Another useful resource is Simply the Best Sounds.

Here is a sample of some sounds from FindSounds:

bull moose

barred owl

camel

I was not successful in finding out what sounds a real tasmanian devil makes. The first page of search results all sounded like this.

These are from Simply the Best Sounds:
gong

evil laugh

ocean waves

#75: Google and Beyond, or Desperately Seeking Search Engine Supremacy

I've been using Google as a Search Engine for quite some time, with generally good results. At least, I've always thought I was perfectly happy with Google as a Search Engine. I surely didn't give much thought to the notion that my bias for searching in a particular way could be limiting my results. Then Microsoft conducted a study which revealed that Search Engine branding has an impact on the perceived quality of results. Enter Michael Kordahi, a Microsoft employee. He created a website called "BlindSearch" in response to the study.

When you enter a search query on BlindSearch, you get results from the three most popular Search Engines: Google, Bing, and Yahoo, but you don't know whose results are whose. After viewing the responses to the search, you can vote for the set which you feel best supplied the information you were seeking, and thus learn which Search Engine best served your needs.

I tried a few queries through BlindSearch and, taking into consideration my opinion about the relevancy of the results, cast my votes. Most often, Google came up as the Search Engine I preferred. Bing was second and Yahoo was third. Performance-wise, after four tries, I didn't notice any huge differences between the Search Engines, but there were a few surprises, such as when a search for the most popular books of 2009 through what turned out to be Bing returned a link to a website for books that "explain Buddhism for a modern western audience". It was interesting to try and imagine what exactly happened to that request in cyberspace.

Trying different Search Engines, without knowing their brands ahead of time, probably won't change the way I search in the future, but it did teach me to be aware of Search Engine branding bias.

Hitwise is a website which tracks the volume of traffic to various websites and ranks them by frequency of hits. For the week ending 01/02/2010, Search Engine usage was ranked as follows: Google 64.05%, Yahoo!Search 10.96%, and Bing 8.91%. Google is the most popular Search Engine by far, which jives with my personal choice of a favorite.

It was a real eye-opener exploring Google's features. I didn't know that you could do mathematical calculations in the Google search box, automatically convert measurements (like centimeters to inches or kilometers to miles), instantly find local businesses by zip code, read a Tip of the Day, and much more. With so many ways to improve your searches, it's no wonder Google is extremely popular. I found the sheer number of features a little overwhelming; they have so much stuff to strut! The Google Search Engine reminds me of:





It is a blue-ribbon Mummer's band of Search Engines, elaborate and fancy and fun. With all there was to explore, I didn't spend as much time sifting through the features of the other Search Engines. I noticed that Bing, though, had an absolutely gorgeous home page today, displaying an exquisite photograph of a secluded beach in Greece. Maybe Bing is politely promoting the quest for Nirvana this week. They don't seem to realize that, on New Year's Day at least, some people's idea of ecstasy is being in Philadelphia, at Broad and City Hall, watching the string bands.

#60 Recession Busters

Everyone seems to want to spend less these days. Maybe Oprah was thinking of recession busting when she decided to spring for free food from KFC. Unfortunately the promotion fell flat...really really flat...because KFC didn't have enough chicken to meet the demand. And that was just the first day. But, even though the little people didn't get a free lunch, KFC and Oprah got something for free: a lot of bad publicity, which they "richly" deserved because of their incredibly poor planning.

The moral seems to be, if you want to save money cook for yourself.

Here's a recipe for chicken spaghetti that feeds a lot of people for very little money:
source

Watching Clara Cannucciari was fun and I admire her spunk, but I like Ree Drummond's receipe better because it's baked instead of fried. Her web site, ThePioneerWoman.com, is one place to look for simple and frugal recipes. I regret looking at the site today though, because she posted a recipe for Peanut Butter Pie, and now I'm craving it in a big way.

A good book about growing up during the Depression is Mildred Armstrong Kalish's "Little Heathens". Set on an Iowa farm, Kalish's memoir vividly describes the family's way of life, and helps [this reader, anyway] maintain perspective regarding the current economic "crisis". For example, Kalish writes that "the only things my grandparents spent money on were tea, coffee, sugar, salt, white flour, cloth and kerosene." Can you imagine? Now THAT'S cutting expenses to the bone. My own grandmother at least bought raisins, so my father could take a raisin sandwich for his lunch at school. And speaking of Depression-era cuisine, the book contains recipes for making down-home dishes such as Porcupines and Cotton Tops, as well as good old fashioned comfort foods like meatloaf and apple sauce cake. The recipes may also be found online here. Check out "grandma's hiccup cure", too.

As a child born of parents who grew up during The Depression, I have deep roots in thrift; however, in today's world, "denying" one's self during difficult economic times has quite different implications. Hardship then might have meant no meat for supper, or quitting high school to help support the family. Today, I dare say you would be considered a hardship case if you couldn't afford cable TV for a while. (And just in case, you could still watch a show online at www.hulu.com.)

#59 Your Daily Bread

Yesterday I read an infuriating news story. At a time when more and more families are forced to finance basic necessities, many of the largest banks are raising credit card rates! Why? Because the government is looking at credit card reform. And banks want to make as much money as they can, before new legislation takes effect that would limit their ability to tack on extra fees. Unbelievable.

People may say, well don't use credit then! Pay cash! I don't know anyone [my age] who doesn't have credit cards. And here's the reason. They are a necessity if you want to establish a credit history, and the history is needed in order to qualify for a mortgage. Unless you have a fairy godmother, you are required to literally buy into this system if you want to be responsible for putting a roof over your head. And you have to pay all your bills on time, or your FICA score will be adversely affected. I learned a lot by reading the article How Credit Scores Work, and got a perfect score on the credit quiz (yay!). However, PRIOR to doing the reading, I didn't realize that loan inquiries or applying for a credit card can negatively effect your credit score, or that people with less than perfect credit are charged higher insurance rates. Your scores may also determine how big a deposit you will have to pay for telephone, electricity, or natural gas service, and whether or not your application for a rental apartment is approved. One's credit history has many more implications than I ever realized, so I'm pleased this topic is being addressed as an iHCPL learning module. For people like me who would like to be better informed about personal finance, there is also an online guide from CNN money called Money 101 here.

Since I find the current credit/lending/banking situation somewhat exasperating, I have the adopted the following spending plan. It is: If you can't pay for it by the end of the month, don't buy it.

There are many web resources which explain how to develop a monthly budget. Someday, when the word "budget" doesn't immediately induce in me a dizzy spell, headache, and/or angina, perhaps I will actually access one of these resources, such as About.com's Frugal Living site. Bankrate.com's article "8 experts recall their best personal finance advise" was very informative. I liked Neale Godfrey's suggestion: "Step away from the television and the magazines. All they serve to do is show you how stupid you are because you've missed whatever they're talking about..." I also found Peter Navarro's counsel timely and astute: "Take every piece of advice you get from any investment adviser with a barrel of salt. Most are trying to sell you things that you probably don't need or want. Think for yourself."

I looked at the TCDRS web page briefly. I wanted to see my personal account, but the site told me I had to contact a TCDRS representative to get a PIN number first. I called the number listed on the site, but I haven't received my PIN number yet. Hopefully I will get "instant access" sometime soon. Not that I'm impatient or anything. I am a looooong way from retirement. And happily, my retirement fund, however much it is, is earning 7% in spite of stock market fluctuations. Now that's a blessing.

#58 Money and Finance

It took me a long time before I was ready to try online banking and bill paying services. I worried about security issues and identity theft and just did not want to take the risk. Then I got socked with a few finance charges for late payments. Good motivator.

I now use these wonderfully convenient services that are always accessable, even at 11 pm when I suddenly have one of those oh-my-goodness-the-mortgage-is-due-today moments. I love that I don't have to make sure I get to the bank before it closes, stand in line, buy stamps, or listen to an automated answering service in order to take care of business.

My banks offer a variety of security safeguards to their customers. One has 3 levels of security in order to protect my financial information. They use a 128-bit encryption, automatic time out for banking sessions, and password protection. They encourage customers to change their password periodically in order to provide optimum security. Another bank I use offers a $0 Liability Guarantee against unauthorized account activity, and a SiteKey which includes an image I choose, so that I know I am visiting the bank's actual web page and not a "spoof" site. I look for the padlock icon to make sure a site is secure as well.

I'm not thrilled about linking all my bank accounts into one service, using a site such as Mint.com. I'll keep it in mind though. I noticed that the site has received the editor's choice award from PC magazine and other good recommendations; however, my finances won't be affected much by using budget management software. Basically there isn't enough money to manage. I like that on Mint there is a blog which includes tons of financial information and archived articles. There was one called "Strapped for Cash? Take a Fakecation". The writer suggests that if you are longing for a vacation in Paris, for example, but don't have the money right now, you can fake yourself out with a trip to Quebec City. Interesting idea.

I took the "Do you have a spending problem" quiz, and my results were 60. The average score for my income group was 54, and the average for MSN Money readers was 60, so I feel pretty good about my spending habits. Basically I don't do much shopping. I don't buy bottled water, and I try not to buy non-food related items at the grocery store. I use local businesses to meet most of my needs and therefore I'm not spending a lot on gas. My internet, phone, and cable are bundled, and I don't use banks that charge fees for checking or savings accounts. I frequently save 20% by using a microwave rather than a full size oven. (I didn't know that was what I was doing when I decided I'd rather nuke leftovers than cook, but hey cool.) I liked the reminders for keeping automotive costs low, such as properly inflating your tires and checking www.fueleconomy.gov for the lowest gas prices by location. I would like to save more on utilities. I already watch my thermostat, but being aware of temperature settings can only save you so much. I was surprised the Consumer Reports article didn't mention proper home insulation as a way to save on utility bills.

One thing I did as a result of this exercise was apply for a no fee credit card which gives cash back bonuses. Because I really need a Fakecation fund.

#57 TXT U L8R

I am a dinosaur. I do not own a cell phone, so I've never had occasion to send a text message. A while ago I heard on the news that phone companies make more money on text messages than on phone calls. They certainly made a lot of money off Sofia Rubenstein....or rather her parents. Last month the 17 year old high school junior sent 6,807 messages, which resulted in her family receiving a wireless bill in excess of $1,100 for the month!

When the Texas Gulf Coast was devastated by hurricane Ike, people in this area were extremely thankful for texting. With spotty access to electricity and heavy cell phone use overwhelming available lines, text messaging enabled at least limited communication. In emergencies and natural disasters, hearing an actual human voice probably would have been preferable, but lacking that option, texting meant the world to many families trying to find out if their loved ones were safe.

I borrowed a coworker's cell phone to try and send a message. It was confusing. I think if I ever get my own cell phone I would become comfortable with the process fairly quickly. I'm already familiar with some of the SMS slang from visiting on line chat rooms and message boards, tyvm. Lingo2word.com looked like a good site for staying current with popular shortcuts. OnlineTextMessage.com and txt2day.com allow you to send a free text message to a mobile phone from your computer. You have to take the filters off the library computers for it to work.

According to Paul Saffo, a technology trend forecaster in Silicon Valley, "the act of texting automatically removes 10 I.Q. points". Last year the American College of Emergency Physicians warned that they are seeing many serious accidents involving oblivious texters. The ER doctors cited reports from doctors around the country of injuries involving text-messaging pedestrians, bicyclists, even cooking accidents. Most of the injuries "involved scrapes, cuts and sprains from texters who walked into lampposts or walls or tripped over curbs". Distractions as brief as 2 seconds can cause accidents or near misses while driving a car, according to a 2006 report by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute. I agree with the California Public Utilities Commission temporary ban on the use of all mobile devices by anyone at the controls of a moving train, and think texting should be prohibited while driving an automobile as well.

#56 To Tweet or Not To Tweet

According to TwiTip, a blog that posts news and information relevant to the Twittering community, microblogging is up 964.5% this year. I've hardly gotten started with Twitter, and already I'm reading about "Twitter Fatigue", and an impending "Twipocalypse"? That's incredible! But once I started exploring Twitter, I understood. I think this whole microblogging bubble is largely the fault of Perez Hilton.

If you take a look at Celebrity Tweet, you'll find him everywhere. I saw a few posts by other celebrities such as Robin Williams and William Shatner. Ellen Degeneras tweeted that 2 tickets to her show were hidden at a bus stop between Kenwood and Maple. At least someone benefitted from that information. But there was no escaping the inanities of PH. And boy, do celebrities swear a lot! If you like swearing, and unbridled celebrity self promo, you'll love Celebrity Tweet.

I couldn't figure out how to use the topic search feature on Twitter without signing up for an account, so I did, but then I couldn't decide what topic to search. In the right hand margin was a list of popular queries; that was helpful. I decided to search haiku. Apparently, there is an Easter haiku tweeting competition happening, with the prize being a copy of "The Easter Parade" by Richard Yates, so there were a ton of tweets and a deluge of bad poetry. Other contests with give-aways are easily found...just type "contest" in the search box. Within a few minutes I saw tweets for a John Lennon Songwriting contest, a Jonas Brothers contest, Columbia River Reader's Spring Photo contest, a Logo Design contest, a Jim Beam Remake contest, a Worm Eating contest, and then I stopped refreshing the page....blecck! My innocent search for a bit of poetry literally ended up opening a can of worms.

I haven't decided whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous twits on Twitter, or to take arms against a sea of tweets, and by opposing end them.