Tuesday, September 15, 2015

The Dancing Baby and copyright.

You ever post a video on YouTube and then received a message saying more or less, that you have violated copyright law? The video is from a school's Memorial Day ceremony but because it contains "God Bless the USA" in the background...and I'm pretty sure that we are OK in terms of use, that cease and desist tone does get my attention.  Even after taking numerous classes on copyright in the digital age, that message from YouTube still causes me an anxious moment.  It is a very fluid topic and I still believe that the courts really do not know how to handle it, especially with lobbyist from the movie and record industry pushing in favor of their clients, while other claim it stifles creativity.  Do not get me wrong, working in radio I understand the value in copyright and everyone deserves credit (and more if need be for their work).  

Check out the continuing saga about a mom whom posted a video a video of her baby dancing to Prince's "Let go crazy."  Discuss amonst yourselves.


Monday, July 20, 2015

Adding attachments to your Outlook Web email using Google Chrome.

This issue was like the Hunt for Red October or akin to breaking some World War II military code...the issue was this:  I used Google Chrome and access my email from home using the Outlook Web App.  I got frustrated and started to take it personally that for the life of me, I could NOT figure out how to add an attachment or access some of my contacts using Chrome.  All those functions worked in any other browser I had (IE, Safari on my Mac, etc.) but the IE I have on my PC is vastly outdated because I have been drinking from the fountain of Google.  Finally today I had enough!!  It's summer, it's 97 degrees outside (here in Boston, MA) and I have the WHOLE STINKIN' day to figure this out.

My first attempt was to update Microsoft Silverlight, on one of Google Tech support pages suggested that would do the trick, yea no luck.  Then just for shit and giggles, I went to my OWA (pretty cool...just learn that today, means Outlook Web App!) login page and chose to Use the light version of Outlook Web App, I would be lying if I knew why...it just felt right. Well lo and behold and shut my mouth, now I can add attachments AND my contacts in Chrome.  WHO KNEW?!? 

Thursday, April 30, 2015

Are Millennials damaging the U.S. economy?

I do agree with Mark Twain's saying "There are lies, damned lies and statistics." Sometimes when we compare the United States to countries with a much smaller population, that in itself can skew the numbers and from what I have read, my home state of Massachusetts  would finish in the top 5 worldwide in data like the ones mentioned in this article.  Yet this is disconcerting.  We talk about teaching our students 21st century skills but do those skills translate into being productive in a workplace environment? 

The aspect I found ironic about this post, is that on May 12, 2012, this same media source (The Fiscal Times) posted an article titled: "How Millennials Are Saving the Economy." Discuss amongst yourselves.