If the Government started informing us this week that they will be taking over the total education of your children within one month, how would you react?
This would include visual and audible teaching and training on what they should believe about all things. Not just their ABC’s, Reading and Math but about; morals, politics, spirituality, physical and mental health, sexuality, family, fantasy, imagination, how to control their emotions, appropriate and inappropriate emotions, eliminating fear, the modern idea of right and wrong, acceptance of things that make them uncomfortable, who the enemy is and who the enemy is not, how to do triage in their lives about what is important and what is at the bottom of the list, how they should feel about themselves and their own importance, etc...
This indoctrination would take place on a daily basis, every day of the week. While physical education would be taught and exercise would be encouraged, there would be no time set aside for these activities. Great things about nature, natural resources and our earth’s ecosystem would be taught and outdoor exploration would be idolized but there would be no time for that either. Some of you might think that this is a great idea and that the Government should have started doing this years ago, and if you think that way, then you have already been indoctrinated by this method yourself.
Actually this system is already in place and has been in place for several years. It is currently doing the job that it was, maybe unintentionally, meant to do. It is called Television, Movies, Video Games, Books and the Internet.
The problem is not with these devices in themselves but with the who that is behind them putting their opinions and ideas into your child's fertile and eager mind. It may not be the government who is producing this curriculum that is being poured into your child's brain everyday but who exactly are you letting educate and raise your children? If the government decided to do this we would be up in arms but because it is someone that we don’t see or know, that makes it safe?
Parents are too busy with their own lives to educate their children. They have jobs, TV shows, Facebook, YouTube, Movies, parties, games, friends, and of course they have to have their own “Me time”, as if they weren’t spending all of their time on themselves anyway. So, they park their kids in front of a TV, Video game, iPad, iPhone or Computer and they have a built-in babysitter. All the time not realizing what their children are learning from these hidden people who have all of their kid’s undivided attention.
Don’t think that you can stick a book in your child’s hand and feel better about yourself or buy them an eBook reader to get them away from the TV and Video games. Books are just as bad, if not worse. With the new digital books comes a new danger. Anyone and I do mean anyone can write a children’s or young adult book now. There are no editors or publishers needed. You can just stick your agenda into a children’s book and put it up on Amazon. Parents will download it because it’s free or cheap and without reading it themselves, put it on their kid’s Kindle or Nook.
So what can we do? Get your children out in the world and out into life. They need to learn things with you and from you! Spend time with them, teaching them things that you learned in your pleasant memories from childhood. Let your kids go outside, ride a bike, roller skate, horseback ride, jump rope, go barefoot, catch frogs, catch lightening bugs, swing, play in a creek, swim, fish, camp, get dirty. Spend hours each week with your children focusing on them and not on your smart phone.
Don’t let them read a book that you haven’t read first. Don’t let them play a video game without your supervision. Don’t let them watch anything that you haven’t watched first. Don’t trust the internet or TV with your child just because you need some “Me time”.
Showing posts with label computer. Show all posts
Showing posts with label computer. Show all posts
Friday, July 6, 2012
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Windows Live Writer
Finally got a new computer and am in the process of setting it up. It had this blogging program on it, so I thought that I would give it a try. Since I am still on a dial-up out here in the wilderness of southern Indiana, I thought it would be a great idea to be able to blog when I am offline. It seems to have lots of bells and whistles, so far I am impressed.
The unrelenting Summer heat has relented today and it was just in time for us to get our first load of hay in the loft. I didn’t think that we would be putting any square bales in the loft this year because reasonably priced, good quality square baled hay is a thing of the past. I thought that we were going to try to get by with just big round bales but we fell for it again and this hay is another disappointment. These bales are half the size of the hay that we got a few years ago for half the price. It is so light and loose that it won’t stay on the elevator.
In this tough economy everyone is trying to get rich by ripping off their neighbor. Small farmers or hobby farmers have to have their own hay equipment and their own hayfield in order to survive anymore. We can sit and reminisce with the Grandkids this winter about how you used to be able to buy good clean hay without weeds in heavy, long, tight bales for $2.00 per bale.
Now let’s see how Windows Live Writer publishes to blogger.
Sunday, February 21, 2010
The Horses Ate My Computer
Our beautiful white farm is quickly turning to mud. This is not good, I know that we must have mud before we can have Spring and grass, but mud is so muddy.
We are trying to figure out where we can come up with the money for gravel to cover the muddy mud that was once our driveway. We still have a hay bill that is not paid and continue to need more hay.
I gathered a little money at the end of 2009 and at the beginning of 2010. We both decided that money would be used to purchase a new computer that we desperately need, as ours is now operating solely on prayer.
I shopped a little for a new computer but by the time that I put together the system that I wanted, an iMac, I didn't have enough money and would have to wait to gather some more money. Low and behold, instead of gathering more money, that which I had started to dwindle.
The horses haven't completely eaten my entire computer yet. But they have a good start on it. Even if that money isn't used to pay for hay, it will be used to pay for things that hay money should have paid for. So, in the end, the horses will have eaten my computer or perhaps my new computer will be used to cover the mud in the driveway.
It would be nice if the horses could pay for their own feed like they used to, but those days are gone. We do have someone coming to look at some horses today and hopefully they will purchase one or two and my computer will be saved.
We are trying to figure out where we can come up with the money for gravel to cover the muddy mud that was once our driveway. We still have a hay bill that is not paid and continue to need more hay.
I gathered a little money at the end of 2009 and at the beginning of 2010. We both decided that money would be used to purchase a new computer that we desperately need, as ours is now operating solely on prayer.
I shopped a little for a new computer but by the time that I put together the system that I wanted, an iMac, I didn't have enough money and would have to wait to gather some more money. Low and behold, instead of gathering more money, that which I had started to dwindle.
The horses haven't completely eaten my entire computer yet. But they have a good start on it. Even if that money isn't used to pay for hay, it will be used to pay for things that hay money should have paid for. So, in the end, the horses will have eaten my computer or perhaps my new computer will be used to cover the mud in the driveway.
It would be nice if the horses could pay for their own feed like they used to, but those days are gone. We do have someone coming to look at some horses today and hopefully they will purchase one or two and my computer will be saved.
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Sitting Can Be Deadly
Experts: Sitting too much could be deadly - Yahoo! News
This is my excuse for not blogging in months...
This is my excuse for not blogging in months...
Friday, December 26, 2008
Fruitcake
This Christmas was nearly perfect, my Sister-in-law made and gave us her delicious fruitcake. I know that Christmas Fruitcake is usually a joke but hers is just wonderful and I had been thinking about it before Christmas, wondering if she would make it. She hadn't made it for us for many years. My DH and I are already arguing over it but he is working today and I am here all alone with it.
The only reason that Christmas wasn't completely perfect was because I didn't get any electronic gadgets this year. I always enjoy Christmas night when it is all over and I get to figure out how my new gadgets work. Any kind of gadget will do, radio, computer, printer, clock or even kitchen gadgets. But I didn't need any new gadgets this year except a computer and that is something that I have to pick out for myself.
I did get a new antenna for my Police Scanner, so I need to reprogram the scanner because I am sure that I can pick up a lot more stuff with it that I couldn't get without an outside antenna. I only listen to it during the winter months and during storms. You can find out road conditions with a scanner that you can't get with a regular radio.
My luck being what it is though, our local Police Department just announced that they are getting a new radio system that can't be monitored with scanners.
The only reason that Christmas wasn't completely perfect was because I didn't get any electronic gadgets this year. I always enjoy Christmas night when it is all over and I get to figure out how my new gadgets work. Any kind of gadget will do, radio, computer, printer, clock or even kitchen gadgets. But I didn't need any new gadgets this year except a computer and that is something that I have to pick out for myself.
I did get a new antenna for my Police Scanner, so I need to reprogram the scanner because I am sure that I can pick up a lot more stuff with it that I couldn't get without an outside antenna. I only listen to it during the winter months and during storms. You can find out road conditions with a scanner that you can't get with a regular radio.
My luck being what it is though, our local Police Department just announced that they are getting a new radio system that can't be monitored with scanners.
Sunday, December 14, 2008
In a Fog
Not only is this the most stressful time of year but it is also the time of year that I chose to get sick. Stuffy, foggy, watery eyes, runny nose, headache, can't sleep and grumpy. I woke up like this yesterday morning, then was fine during the day but as soon as night approached it all came back. I went to bed at 8:30 after taking two NyQuil Sinus liquicaps, slept well until around 1:00 am, then tossed and turned, couldn't breath. I am hoping it will pass when the sun comes up.
I would like to be down and depressed, everyone I know has high speed internet, they tell me all the things that they can do online. I continue to sit here in this seat, click on a link and wait and wait and wait. I have no control over that though, nothing that we can afford comes to our area, nothing comes to our area period. Our only option is Satellite and it is too pricey and too unreliable.
I also need a new computer, this one is on it's last legs. I need a new camera, we need to sell horses (our constant money drain), my DH needs a permanent job, we need a house. I need some socks.
We were reading a local article online the other night about a 6 yr. old girl who told someone that she didn't believe in Santa Claus because he had never brought her anything for Christmas. Of course, the person that she told this to went out and bought her a bunch of stuff. We laughed about it because my 5 yr. old Granddaughter had recently told me the very same thing. My Son commented that Santa had never brought him anything either. I said that in all of my 50 years, Santa Claus had never brought me anything, people sure are gullible
Then there were my plans of milking Calico all winter and having Paris kid in the spring, then start milking her after her babies are weaned and breed Calico to kid in the fall.
A perfect plan, except that Calico is faster than a speeding bullet, more powerful than a locomotive and is able to leap tall buildings in a single bound. She got out of her barn stall, somehow got out of the barn and lured Cooter through his electric fence. I found them together happily eating what was left of my little pine tree in the yard.
Like I said, I would like to be down and depressed but I am reading "The Last Full Measure" by Jeff Shaara and reading about what those men went through during the Civil War makes it a little hard to feel sorry for yourself.
I would like to be down and depressed, everyone I know has high speed internet, they tell me all the things that they can do online. I continue to sit here in this seat, click on a link and wait and wait and wait. I have no control over that though, nothing that we can afford comes to our area, nothing comes to our area period. Our only option is Satellite and it is too pricey and too unreliable.
I also need a new computer, this one is on it's last legs. I need a new camera, we need to sell horses (our constant money drain), my DH needs a permanent job, we need a house. I need some socks.
We were reading a local article online the other night about a 6 yr. old girl who told someone that she didn't believe in Santa Claus because he had never brought her anything for Christmas. Of course, the person that she told this to went out and bought her a bunch of stuff. We laughed about it because my 5 yr. old Granddaughter had recently told me the very same thing. My Son commented that Santa had never brought him anything either. I said that in all of my 50 years, Santa Claus had never brought me anything, people sure are gullible
Then there were my plans of milking Calico all winter and having Paris kid in the spring, then start milking her after her babies are weaned and breed Calico to kid in the fall.
A perfect plan, except that Calico is faster than a speeding bullet, more powerful than a locomotive and is able to leap tall buildings in a single bound. She got out of her barn stall, somehow got out of the barn and lured Cooter through his electric fence. I found them together happily eating what was left of my little pine tree in the yard.
Like I said, I would like to be down and depressed but I am reading "The Last Full Measure" by Jeff Shaara and reading about what those men went through during the Civil War makes it a little hard to feel sorry for yourself.
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Google My Life
I guess that I am totally dependent on Google to run my life. I use igoogle for my home page, gmail for my e-mail, Google Reader for my favorite blogs, website articles and my blog comments. Google is my only search engine. Google maps and driving directions help us find our way, Blogger and Blogspot for my blog. I use Google bookmarks. I did use the Google desktop search for finding things on my computer before my hard drive got so bloated that I needed to get rid of some of the excess fat, I also use Picasa2.
I get a little frustrated when I lose something around the house. I sometimes want to sit down and type in the item in a Google search to find out where it is. Then I sadly remember that Google doesn't have my house categorized and indexed, or at least I don't think that they do. Google does know too much about me, it serves me ads about horses, chickens, goats, children, vet supplies, farming, pets, internet technology and electronic gadgets.
It is really pretty scary, they will probably come up with a chip to install in our brains soon to help our memories and give us access to a huge knowledge database. They will have us in a category and index us along with all of our thoughts. We will no longer be human but walking, talking googlebots.
I get a little frustrated when I lose something around the house. I sometimes want to sit down and type in the item in a Google search to find out where it is. Then I sadly remember that Google doesn't have my house categorized and indexed, or at least I don't think that they do. Google does know too much about me, it serves me ads about horses, chickens, goats, children, vet supplies, farming, pets, internet technology and electronic gadgets.
It is really pretty scary, they will probably come up with a chip to install in our brains soon to help our memories and give us access to a huge knowledge database. They will have us in a category and index us along with all of our thoughts. We will no longer be human but walking, talking googlebots.
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Wasted Time
I have spent a whole week working on my computer. It is very disturbing to have so much work to do and not being able to do anything because of having to tinker around with an old clunker.
I tried to weed out the problem by the process of elimination, occasionally finding a fix that worked for one day and then the same problem returned the next day. I was truly beating my head on the desk but that didn't help either.
As of this minute my computer is fixed but it may be a different story tomorrow. The poor thing is a dinosaur and should have been retired a long time ago but I keep putting band-aids and duct tape on it and feeding the squirrel that runs the gears vitamins and power drinks to keep him going but he has developed a bad cough and wheezes a lot.
I don't deal with change very well, I like things to just stay the same. I love new technology and gadgets, if they would just stop being obsolete by the time you figure out how to get them out of the clamshell plastic packaging.
I tried to weed out the problem by the process of elimination, occasionally finding a fix that worked for one day and then the same problem returned the next day. I was truly beating my head on the desk but that didn't help either.
As of this minute my computer is fixed but it may be a different story tomorrow. The poor thing is a dinosaur and should have been retired a long time ago but I keep putting band-aids and duct tape on it and feeding the squirrel that runs the gears vitamins and power drinks to keep him going but he has developed a bad cough and wheezes a lot.
I don't deal with change very well, I like things to just stay the same. I love new technology and gadgets, if they would just stop being obsolete by the time you figure out how to get them out of the clamshell plastic packaging.
Saturday, October 18, 2008
Zone Alarm
My slow dial-up connection is holding me prisoner tonight. I started a download of the Zone Alarm Firewall at 8:00 this evening and it is now 12:30. I am very sleepy but I cannot go to bed and leave the connection open all night. I thought about setting my alarm to get up and shut the computer down when the download is complete but I know that I would just keep hitting the snooze button.
My download is 79% done right now and I wouldn't have to even do this download if it weren't for either a Microsoft Update or an AVG Update that killed my internet connection. This same thing happened to me back in July with a Microsoft Update and I got it fixed somehow. This time I couldn't fix it without totally uninstalling Zone Alarm.
I may be wasting my time anyway because I may install this new Zone Alarm Firewall and lose my connection again. Microsoft or AVG is doing something that makes Zone Alarm have a nervous breakdown or something. I am going to shut off the Automatic Updates from Microsoft, but since I got an update from AVG at the same time, I can't say for sure who the culprit is. I don't have time to figure out how to fix their messes in either case.
Good Morning! I ended up going to bed and setting my alarm, I finally woke up enough to disconnect the connection after hitting the snooze button around five times. I am going to do some more research on my computer problem before reinstalling my new copy of Zone Alarm. I will try to find out if there is a fix or if the offending update has issued a patch for the problem.
My download is 79% done right now and I wouldn't have to even do this download if it weren't for either a Microsoft Update or an AVG Update that killed my internet connection. This same thing happened to me back in July with a Microsoft Update and I got it fixed somehow. This time I couldn't fix it without totally uninstalling Zone Alarm.
I may be wasting my time anyway because I may install this new Zone Alarm Firewall and lose my connection again. Microsoft or AVG is doing something that makes Zone Alarm have a nervous breakdown or something. I am going to shut off the Automatic Updates from Microsoft, but since I got an update from AVG at the same time, I can't say for sure who the culprit is. I don't have time to figure out how to fix their messes in either case.
Good Morning! I ended up going to bed and setting my alarm, I finally woke up enough to disconnect the connection after hitting the snooze button around five times. I am going to do some more research on my computer problem before reinstalling my new copy of Zone Alarm. I will try to find out if there is a fix or if the offending update has issued a patch for the problem.
Monday, September 1, 2008
Firefox 3.0.1
I finally got around to downloading Firefox 3.0.1 and a new Google toolbar to go with it. I love being able to access my Google bookmarks from my toolbar but found that they would not show up with the new Firefox browser. The bookmark button on the toolbar kept asking me to sign-in, which I did but the sign-in never worked.
Here is the fix for anyone having this same problem; Just go to "Tools" in your Firefox browser, then select "Options" then click the "Privacy" tab. Under the "Cookies" section, you should have "Accept cookies from sites" checked but I don't accept cookies from third parties and that was my problem with the bookmarks. You just need to click on the "Exceptions" button and then type "google.com" in the box at the top, then choose "allow". This will allow Google to place a cookie on your computer as a third party and will fix your bookmarks.
At first, I didn't like the new Firefox browser. It seemed slower for some reason but after cleaning out my cache and cookies, then rebooting my computer, I think that it actually is faster and I need all of the speed I can get with this painfully slow dial-up connection.
Here is the fix for anyone having this same problem; Just go to "Tools" in your Firefox browser, then select "Options" then click the "Privacy" tab. Under the "Cookies" section, you should have "Accept cookies from sites" checked but I don't accept cookies from third parties and that was my problem with the bookmarks. You just need to click on the "Exceptions" button and then type "google.com" in the box at the top, then choose "allow". This will allow Google to place a cookie on your computer as a third party and will fix your bookmarks.
At first, I didn't like the new Firefox browser. It seemed slower for some reason but after cleaning out my cache and cookies, then rebooting my computer, I think that it actually is faster and I need all of the speed I can get with this painfully slow dial-up connection.
Friday, July 11, 2008
Microsoft Update
I have my computer set to do automatic Microsoft or Windows Updates. On Wednesday an update finally got itself downloaded with my slow dial-up connection. So Wednesday evening it asked me if the updates could install themselves. I allowed the installation right before I went to bed along with the shut-down and restart process.
The next morning when my Husband got up, he kept dialing up and trying to go somewhere, anywhere and it behaved as if the browser wasn't receiving an answer from the internet. He was online but all of the web was blocked. He tried redialing several times but always got the same response.
So he woke me up and explained the problem, I thought maybe the update had disabled my Firefox browser. I opened up Internet Explorer and got online with it and had the same results.
I decided to use the handy dandy system restore feature. I clicked START then HELP AND SUPPORT then chose SYSTEM RESTORE. It let me choose not only the date to restore to but also the time. I choose the time when the update had installed itself, just to make sure that the update was the problem. Sure enough that was the problem. I got online and all was well with the world again.
The update returned and I let it install itself again, sure enough the same problem occurred. I did the time machine thing again and shut off the automatic Microsoft Updates. Then I got online to see if anyone else was experiencing this same problem and couldn't find anything. Maybe they just haven't been able to get online to complain yet.
The next morning when my Husband got up, he kept dialing up and trying to go somewhere, anywhere and it behaved as if the browser wasn't receiving an answer from the internet. He was online but all of the web was blocked. He tried redialing several times but always got the same response.
So he woke me up and explained the problem, I thought maybe the update had disabled my Firefox browser. I opened up Internet Explorer and got online with it and had the same results.
I decided to use the handy dandy system restore feature. I clicked START then HELP AND SUPPORT then chose SYSTEM RESTORE. It let me choose not only the date to restore to but also the time. I choose the time when the update had installed itself, just to make sure that the update was the problem. Sure enough that was the problem. I got online and all was well with the world again.
The update returned and I let it install itself again, sure enough the same problem occurred. I did the time machine thing again and shut off the automatic Microsoft Updates. Then I got online to see if anyone else was experiencing this same problem and couldn't find anything. Maybe they just haven't been able to get online to complain yet.
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
All Done
My computer is officially backed-up. That very painful job is completed. Now if I can just do that every time I add new pictures, videos, get new emails or write a new Word document, I will be safe. Yeah, right! Like I am going to do that. But seriously it would be easier to back up just a few new items than to back up the whole system that tied up my computer from Sunday night until Tuesday night. That is way to long and I need to get a faster USB port.
I am feeling much better, by the way. I am still not 100% but better than yesterday. I still have the sore throat, swollen glands, headache and general body soreness, but the fever has not come back.
I am feeling much better, by the way. I am still not 100% but better than yesterday. I still have the sore throat, swollen glands, headache and general body soreness, but the fever has not come back.
Monday, April 21, 2008
Backing Up
No, a major earthquake didn't bury me in rubble. I am still here but not doing so well. First off my computer quit on Sunday, I was online and looking at a site that I visit very often, when the screen went black and then the blue screen of death showed up. I powered down, then waited a few minutes before trying to restart.
She did reboot and I was thankful but I knew this was a sign that I should backup my system. I have a Maxtor hard drive for that purpose but I am very lax in taking the time to do it. So, on Sunday evening I started the back-up and here it is 24 hours later and we are still backing up. The whole process will probably take around 36 hours. So, here I am typing this blog on my antique laptop with Windows 98.
I started this blog on Monday the 21st and am finishing it on Tuesday because I had been just a little sick for the last 3 weeks but nothing too serious but it got serious on Monday evening. I had had a slight sore throat and had been very tired for quite awhile but on Sunday evening I developed a nasty headache and the glands in my neck became swollen and painful. On Monday morning, my whole body ached, my joints and muscles hurt. I asked my good friend and RN about it and she said it sounded like Mono, I thought that I was too old for that but I did have the symptoms.
I eventually got a high fever and was not able to hold anything on my stomach. I couldn't take anything for the fever or the pain because I couldn't keep it down. I am better right now but my DH says that I am definitely jaundiced. The fever and headache are gone and I can eat again but I still have the soreness, fatigue, sore throat and swollen, sore glands. I just hope that the fever doesn't return tonight.
Now back to my computer problems, remember that doing a backup of your computer is very important, when I got that blue screen on Sunday, I was terrified. I have so many pictures and videos of the Grandkids on there and they would have just been lost if that hard drive had not come back to life.
My desktop is a Dell and it is getting some age on it by computer standards but it has been a great computer that has not given my any problems whatsoever. It has also given me a sense of false security because I think that it will always be there and that is just not possible. The moral of this story is to back-up you system, even if it does take 36 painful hours when you can't use your computer! When this backup is complete, I will probably take the hard drive that has the backup on it to my neighbor's house for safe keeping.
She did reboot and I was thankful but I knew this was a sign that I should backup my system. I have a Maxtor hard drive for that purpose but I am very lax in taking the time to do it. So, on Sunday evening I started the back-up and here it is 24 hours later and we are still backing up. The whole process will probably take around 36 hours. So, here I am typing this blog on my antique laptop with Windows 98.
I started this blog on Monday the 21st and am finishing it on Tuesday because I had been just a little sick for the last 3 weeks but nothing too serious but it got serious on Monday evening. I had had a slight sore throat and had been very tired for quite awhile but on Sunday evening I developed a nasty headache and the glands in my neck became swollen and painful. On Monday morning, my whole body ached, my joints and muscles hurt. I asked my good friend and RN about it and she said it sounded like Mono, I thought that I was too old for that but I did have the symptoms.
I eventually got a high fever and was not able to hold anything on my stomach. I couldn't take anything for the fever or the pain because I couldn't keep it down. I am better right now but my DH says that I am definitely jaundiced. The fever and headache are gone and I can eat again but I still have the soreness, fatigue, sore throat and swollen, sore glands. I just hope that the fever doesn't return tonight.
Now back to my computer problems, remember that doing a backup of your computer is very important, when I got that blue screen on Sunday, I was terrified. I have so many pictures and videos of the Grandkids on there and they would have just been lost if that hard drive had not come back to life.
My desktop is a Dell and it is getting some age on it by computer standards but it has been a great computer that has not given my any problems whatsoever. It has also given me a sense of false security because I think that it will always be there and that is just not possible. The moral of this story is to back-up you system, even if it does take 36 painful hours when you can't use your computer! When this backup is complete, I will probably take the hard drive that has the backup on it to my neighbor's house for safe keeping.
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