Bull Mastiffs Playing Tricks

Videos Online

Flip Video Camera’s have made uploading into YouTube so easy. kickyoutube site is an easy way to download youtube videos. Teachertube was also a useful site. Another library has uploaded instructions on how to present email training sessions for beginners and a look at some of the images in Picture Ipswich. I tried Dailymotion, and Vimeo and found they both need users to be registered before uploading.
I then played around with YouTube and Google Video and searched for “Queensland dust storms”Searching for and playing the video of: Staff Training : Indigenous Knowledge Centre (IKC) administrators came together in Cairns, Australia to share their experiences and learn new skills, was informative and interesting.
Ma searched for Bull Mastiff videos to upload and found a good one on doing doggy tricks:

More Google

Google translate will convert the entire webpage or selected text into your specified language. I use it regularly for translating Foreign Language cataloguing information eg book titles, authors, publishers etc. Students use it to convert English to a LOTE subject they’re studying. The conversion isn’t always 100% accurate and sometimes only gives a rough example.
I was delighted with the results of searches in google books. Searching for my old childhood favourite author L M Montgomery brought back many happy memories.
I enjoyed playing with igoogle and had created my own igoogle homepage during previous SLQ technology training. I found it to have regular, current and correct updates of weather, local, national and international news and other added features. The animated frog image was a hit with everyone who viewed the page.
Google maps is handy as a training source. I use it to create my own personalised maps, add local businesses and friends homes to the map, to create and add reviews to locations.
Google calendar could be used on a library homepage for patrons to see all the upcoming events in the library

Web Browsers

Ma has been at it again, learning all about Web Browsers this time and these are her notes:
The video "What is a web browser" would be very useful for beginner internet class. The most popular browsers are Windows Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, Apple Safari, Google Chrome, and Opera. Smartphones and PDA’s use web browsers specially designed for them. Google Chrome is a very fast browser, easy to navigate and very useful for downloading large files. The Google Chrome release notes , in the left directory, is a very useful source for current Google Chrome information.
Mozilla Firefox has lots of options for the Fashion Your Firefox list, I’d find this useful in most library environments.
Internet Explorer 8, Firefox, Opera, Chrome and Safari are free to download. Some of the impressive features on Firefox are location aware browsing, zoom settings and add ons.
Popular mobile browsers are iPhone’s Mobile Safari, Palm Pre’s WebOS, Opera Mini 5, Google’s Android mobile OS and Blackberry Storm.
I enjoyed Brian Tong from Cnet’s video on comparing browsers and iphones display of a web browser is useful for people who don’t have access to an internet computer.

Podcasting

Ma is making me listen to all the new things she’s learning. Podcasting is our new technology for today. She’s listened to ‘Podcasting in Plain English’ and is now planning all sorts of new training for the CLS libraries. Country libraries could promote their events, training, author talks or exhibitions and make them available as podcasts and videocasts for those who couldn't be there. Showing patrons how to use iTunes and audiobookcutter will help isolated patrons keep up to date with technology.
Going through the Podfeed.net Directory to find Podcasts was very easy and searching using Directory, then Arts, then Literature, then The Butcher Block podcasts was quick and uncomplicated.
Learn Out Loud was great for self development for everyone and the ABC National Podcasts: Just in, is a innovative way of helping our CLS libraries patrons keep up to date. Isolated patrons unable to listen at set times can download and listen in at their chosen time.

Mashups

Ma is learning all about Mashups. I thought it was all about my favourite subject – food. However, she viewed David Berlind’s video of ‘How Mashups are Created’ and now we know what a technology Mashup really is. The clip was very clear and informative.
Music and photographic mashups are a very interesting concept.
Historic images of the New York Library site, with the 360 degrees view, was amazing. Using Flickr and Google Street view makes it so easy to see the rest of the world without leaving home.
Then we looked at Houses for Sale in our area using Google Maps. It was easy to find our suburb and the houses for sale, for rent etc. We could even move the Google Map around to look at the rest of the street. The markers on the map are very clear and easy to navigate around.

Online Applications and Tools

Ma has been playing at the computer again. This time she’s been playing with Google docs. She found lots of interesting templates especially for the SLQ Green Team and said it’s handy having the web address hyperlink at the end of each template. She uploaded a Word document called Exchange Checklist and shared it with L2TD@slq.qld.gov.au. When it’s almost completed it can be shared with the CLS libraries. Everyone can add their specific library requirements, add it to their own computer files and use it every 12 weeks when they return an Exchange.
Then she experimented and found useful templates for Family History. Overseas family connections can add photographs and information. She might even be competition for Ancestry.com!
The Freebies for Productivity included very useful sites like Jott and Whiteboard.
Slideshare.net was very helpful to use, especially for sharing information like Climate Frontline. CLS libraries will find Slideshare very useful for promoting their specific area.

Mum is on Facebook and keeps in daily touch with her overseas friends. She likes using Facebook because she can see everyone’s photographs and gets to know what they’re all doing that day.
When Ma went away to Africa she left messages and photographs each day for us to see. Not everyone could see them, just the people she selected in the secured section. She is a part of a group raising funds for libraries in East Timor. They have Facebook too. Everyone can see when their next booksales are. This saves sending the dates out on their mailing lists.
Dad uses CommonCraft 3 minute videos when he want to find out what new Social Networking ideas are around. They have easy information on all the latest Social Networks, RSSs, Bookmarking, Flicker, Tags and lots more.
Ma uses the IFLA Facebook, she went to an IFLA conference in Durbin and is going to the one in Brisbane in 2010.
My family aren’t into Twitter, they SMS each other all the time.

Wikis

Mum's been introduced to the world of wiki-ing - she's been reading other Wikis and has even moved on past Wikipedia. She's checked out other libraries' Wikis, their Tips and Tricks, Photos and Latest News sections. We all have to listen to her babble on about how useful Wikis are for libraries, education, even gardening! She found one that's about building model boats, and best of all, several about Bull Mastiffs.
When we were reading Wikis about my type of doggie we realised that the comments aren't always correct, they're just that person's opinion. Like Bull Mastiffs are lazy - oh plllleeeesssssseee! One bad apple gives the rest of us a bad name.

End of Holidays

Returning from holidays is enought to make a big girl cry.

Maybe Mum will take me to the park today to see Ned Collie.

That will really cheer me up!

Home from Holidays

Home from holidays. I left the sunny Whitsundays just to return to cold cement on the garage floor. Veeerrrryy depressing.

Easter Bunny

Last year Roger the Dodgy Rabbit tried to tell me the Easter Bunny is really Mum and Dad. I was very sad and didn't believe him but thought I'd better check it out.

This year I pretended I was asleep but kept one eye open. Then I really did fall asleep.

Next year I'll be older and can stay up longer.

Holidays

Woof wooooffffff, we're going on holidays. A break from the Palm Tree Terminator [Dad] and his noisy chainsaw! I'm going to try out this Easter Egg Hunt:

http://www.youareadog.com/2006/04/easter-egg-hunt-just-for-dogs.html

It's just for doggies and their friends.

It's Raining

It's raining outside and there's no way I'm going to get my paws wet! Mum's washing basket makes a nice warm bed.

Photographs

My Ma's learning how to create a blog and now how to add photographs. I must work out my best angle, poses, and work on my cute look in the glass sliding doors before Ma takes my photo.

Outing

Mum's home today! I just l-o-v-e it when she's here all day. Food, cuddles and fun! We'll go for a drive to the Dog Park and Ned Collie might be there. I wish Mum would make a sign:

Maryna Mastiff
loves
Ned Collie

Ned Collie is a real villian but 'ladies love outlaws like babies love stray dogs'.

My Day Tuesday

Today Mum & Dad left me at home alone for the whole day. S-o-o-o boring. I played one of my favourite games, Catch the Fly. I dug up a bone from the garden and left it in the sun to get smelly. I wait near the bone and pretend I'm asleep. Then I pounce on the flies and catch them. You must pretend to be asleep or they won't settle on the bone.