Google’s Notebook is a winner imho when I’m doing web research

Friday, May 19, 2006

I "prospect" for my fellow alums for a number of different purposes. What started as doing an alumni ezine morph into agreat job networking tool. Google's Notebook makes the process even easier.

FOr example.

I'm mining Ziggs. I have Zigg search for "manhattan college". It pops ten or so links per page for pages and page. Arghh.  It was too hard to go line by line and not lose one's place. I do this when time permits.

Now, with GNoteBook, I bring up the page with the links. Open each link in a new window.  Highlight what I want name and email. Tap on the note icon and it's capture. Pretty swift.

You need a Google email to use GNoteBook. If you need and invite, yell. 


What is a blog and why should I care?

Saturday, May 13, 2006

What the {expletive deleted} is a “BLOG”?

A blog is an easy-to-use web site, where you can quickly post thoughts, ramblings, rantings, and just about anything else you can tap out with your fingers. Akin to writing on the stall in a public bathroom, and some of them are that crude, it has evolved into a Jay Leno-esque medium. A monologue with some interaction with readers. It’s like Anne Frank's 1944 diary, Samuel Pepys’ in 1660, or George Washington’s. Well ok nothing that great but it is collective knowledge of the great unwashed. As a noun, it’s the diary. As a verb, it’s the act of writing. As an adjective, adverb, or other part of speech: egotistical mental mas … … let’s just say self satisfying waste of time … and let it go at that. Bear in mind that like webpages, blogs tend to be forgotten.

You should care for two reasons: (1) The inet has the memory of an elephant. Once you cast the electrons out into cyberspace, they can never be recalled, canceled, edited, modified, or deleted. So if you says something on the net, be prepared to have it come back and smack you upside the head when you least expect it and at the most inopportune time (i.e., job interview; legal proceeding; unauthorized biography; Fiftieth Wedding Anniversary; Retirement Party; Funeral Eulogy). (2) It can be useful for establish your expertise or brand in the market place. You can use it to advance you Unique Value Proposition or your Unique Selling Proposition.

If you want to read a blog, you can just go to their webpage. Blogs can be annoying to read from a web browser. You have to remember to check them regularly check for new content and find nothing. Most blogs offer RSS feeds that can be read with an RSS reader. You can avoid the “I forgot” or “visit for nothing” problems by using a webpage such as MYYAHOO, or install free software like RSSBANDIT.

If you are interested in starting to BLOG, you can your own one FREE at http://wordpress.com/ or http://www.blogger.com/start.

I have always thought that many of my efforts would be best done as a series of BLOGS based on topical areas so that the readers ship could subscribe based on “channels” of interest. But, I have never put the effort in to make that happen. Too much heavy thinking, planning, and lifting. Any volunteers?

Yell if you need help.


ALUM: A poetry blog … … (un injineers can spel poe-et-tree!)

Sunday, May 7, 2006

MaryAnn McCarra-Fitzpatrick, Manhattan College Alumni – Class of 1989, is now blogging poetry at http://mccarra–poetry.blogspot.com/


Conversed with an interesting fellow alum yesterday.

Saturday, April 29, 2006

http://www.cramerscube.com/

http://profiles.yahoo.com/cramerscube

Vincent M. Cramer

We had a great conversation. He said I just listened. Anyone who knows me know that can’t posibly be true. We had a few laughs about the old days in the Engineering Cafeteria. I told him about my Ds in theology and he shared how he got out of trudging up the hill to the main campue to be be abused as barabarians. Even in those days, he was pretty smart. Not many injineers figured out his escape route. Or, maybe we were just dense. Us injineers don’t think like gazelles.

Anyway, he was kind enough to share some of his thinking in his book. And I pushed some of my tired old ideas (i.e., Jasper Jottings; using alumni connections as a way to establish instant rapport; pay it forward rather than back; the value of loose connections).

During our conversation, I kept some notes. It would have been rude not to. Like a good little Gladwell connector, I linked him with two contacts that might be helpful to him. I kept track of my promises and his. He promised to stop for coffee as he whizzed by my Mount Laurel location. Maybe I’ll still be there; reorg you know.

Hopefully, it was as valauable for him as it was for me.


GONZALEZ RESIGNS AS MEN’S BASKETBALL COACH TO ACCEPT SAME POSITION AT SETON HALL

Saturday, April 8, 2006

http://www.gojaspers.com/article.cfm?doc_id=6689

GONZALEZ RESIGNS AS MEN'S BASKETBALL COACH TO ACCEPT SAME POSITION AT SETON HALL

{Begin Quote}

Riverdale, N.Y. (April 7, 2006)- Manhattan head men's basketball coach Bobby Gonzalez has announced his resignation to accept the head coaching position at Seton Hall University. Manhattan College will begin its search for Gonzalez's replacement immediately, but have set no timetable for the hiring process.

{End Quote}

Surprised he stayed as long as he did. Not a very well kept secret. I hope he extracted a lot of money from them. Anyway, we’ll see if Brother President can work his “small budget magic secret” (i.e., can’t afford to pay a lot, economics of a small school, so let me find the best up and coming talent who wants a chance to break into the big time by working for substandard money, all the while knowing that if he’s good, he’s gone). While creating a lab for testing coaching fitness, MC does get the benefit of good coaching for whatever time we can have them. Interesting strategy born out of necessity.

Since I have a CGC meeting on Monday, it should make for some interesting table talk. I doubt I'll have any "scoops" but I will enjoy the insight into his thinking. :-)


The weaknesses of search engines: You don’t know how much they miss!

Sunday, March 26, 2006

http://pacpub.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=16358744&BRD=1091&PAG=461&dept_id=425716&rfi=6

03/23/2006
End of the run for coach 
By: Carolyn M. Hartko , Sports Writer 

{Begin Quote} 

Brian Jost will retire in June after 33 years of coaching cross-country and track and field at SBHS.

 The South Brunswick sports community had no way of knowing it at the time, but an injury to a Manhattan College sprinter in the late 1960s would have a profound effect on future runners at South Brunswick High School.

{extraneous deleted}

Over the summer, Mr. Jost and his wife of 33 years, Catherine, are moving from Perrineville in Millstone Township to Solivita, an active-adult community in central Florida, about 20 miles south of Disney World. Their grown children, 24-year-old Katie and 22-year-old Patrick, are expected to be frequent visitors, especially for the free room and board so close to the theme park.

Ms. Jost is wrapping up her 35th year as an elementary school teacher in Strathmore School in the Matawan/Aberdeen school district. Like the seasoned educators they are, the Josts did their homework before choosing Solivita as their new home.

{End Quote}

This story illustrates the weakness of the search engines. They don’t find it all! And, you don't realize it. Here's a story on the internet. Findable if you know where to look and know that it exists. But, invisible to the major search engines.

I happen to glance over my local rag. We get it because Frau Reinke likes it. It just aggravates me with the liberal leftist statist drivel. Appologies for why taxes have to go up. Or, why we aren’t getting our fair share of this state program or that federal program. Or isn’t it good that the state collectivist education program put on an anti-drug program. That one just sets me off in so many directions it isn’t funny. I usually read the rag for ammo to for my blog or to stick thought provoking comments in theirs.

Anyway. Front page bottom I find a Jasper story! Huh? I’ve lived here for too many years. I thought I knew all the Jaspers in town. And here’s pops up one. Worse than that, it never showed on any search engine.

My alumni ezine attempts to be the The Journal of Jasper Accomplishments. Whie the search engines are great at somethings, they are obviously terrible at these things. So I need all my readers to become reporters, collectors, and detectives in the effort. I know I can’t do it with automated tools alone.

Now on a liberty perspective, here is a story about two teachers retiring on state pensions with good benefits. THe taxpayers of the Peoples Republic of New Jersey will be paying that forever. I have no doubt that they played by the rules and followed all terms of their contracts. But it just illustrates the basic unfairness of government employment. You get into "public service", work for 30 years, and then live out the rest of your life on the public. Not only can't the State afford that but it is unamerican.

We have to get the gummamint out of education. They fail to educate. They are ruinously expensive. And, it is not fair to make everyone pay for services that they get no benefits from. I don't pay to feed your chioldren, clothe them, shelter them. So why do I have to pay to badly educate them.

No where in society to we have lifetime employment, with a generous guaranteed retirement, with jobs that have such a poor output. In the free market, it is "serve and survive" or "fail and die".

The first thing that we need to eliminate is government education. The second is state pensions. And, the third is gumamint "jobs"!

Now you know why I don't read the local rag. It aggrevates me on many levels.


Obits — just heard about a fellow alum

Saturday, March 25, 2006

and I am bummed. Sigh.


An adoptee looking for info

Thursday, March 23, 2006

Had an interesting experience today. Out of the blue, this fellow calls me on my cellphone. He found a webpage I did for my fellow high school alums. My thought was that, since we wanted to find the “lost” members of our class, I throw up a webpage with everyone’s name on it. This way if they googled their own name, maybe our page would be findable. Seemed like a good idea. It even found a few. This fellow was lookking for his birth parents. He googled his dad’s name and found my page. It has my phone number on it ti make it easy for the lost to “report in”. He used it to get me to help him. I guess I am a sucker for this stuff so I messaged everyone I had to get info. We had two people with positive contributions, one who misunderstood, and one who asked the question if their were privacy issues. I don’t think there are any and said so. But what do I know. Jury still out if the adoptee will be happy. It was an interesting experience.


Anyone want to ask what a Jasper is? Or, yesterday’s recipe for turtle soup?

Sunday, March 19, 2006

Overcoming a vast disparity in talent, the Manhattan College Men’s Basketball team demonstrated why the games are played. Maryland helped of course. Starting with their coach publically being force to play the NIT by the legal eagles, and finishing with the Maryland team forgetting their lessons. I was astonished to see them not pound the ball into the center. But, if you go in with a “failure vision”, then all to often it comes true. I thought it was intersting that the Jaspers packed their bags as if they were going to lose. I would have packed as if, assuming, I was going to win. But then, I’m here and they are there. ;-)  An amazing job in the face of overwhelming odds.


I found a potential MC student … maybe

Sunday, March 19, 2006

http://bxcutie124.blogspot.com/2006/03/i-got-accepted-into-4-colleges-already.html#comments 

Well, you could do yourself a lot of good choosing Manhattan College. Assuming you mean http://www.manhattan.edu and if you don’t why not? I read your “go for two and transfer” strategy. I recall the old adage that “it’s not the depth of the well but the size of the bucket”. MC can help you challenge yourself. It’s all about finding your niche in life. I think that MC has an great record of turning out amazing individuals out of rather ordinary people walking in. Read about our alums at http://www.jasperjottings.com that I edit. It is no “house” propaganda. You can reach me at http://public.2idi.com/=reinkefj if I can be of further assistance. F. John Reinke Manhattan College Class of 1968


Manhattan College Jaspers nip Maryland

Saturday, March 18, 2006

In one of the best efforts I have seen by a Jasper team since winning the MAAC regular season game, the Jaspers brought their A game to College Park Maryland. Despite being razzed by Frau Reinke and one of my best friends who happens to be a Maryland alum, I was strong. I never doubt that if we had a lotta luck we could win. Bottom line: they did! Go Jaspers.


Go Jaspers

Wednesday, March 15, 2006

Interestingly, Manhattan’s win against FDU (I was a guarnteed winner since I am an alum of both schools.) now pits them against Maryland. One of my best friends is a Terp. So, we’ve been exchanging barbs. About state skools. And turtle soup. It would really be HUGE if the Jaspers can pull of an upset!


In my never-ending search for my fellow alums … …

Monday, March 6, 2006

http://spaces.msn.com/yokofreak/PersonalSpace.aspx?_c11_PhotoAlbum_spaHandler=TWljcm9zb2Z0LlNwYWNlcy5XZWIuUGFydHMuUGhvdG9BbGJ1bS5GdWxsTW9kZUNvbnRyb2xsZXI%24&_c11_PhotoAlbum_spaFolderID=cns!FD252979295C7BEE!218&_c=PhotoAlbum

RSSBANDIT tumbled out the following item from PUBSUB. It was a photo from MSN that mentioned MC. Fascinating pictures of a beautiful young women. It’s a snap peak into her life over several years. Entrancing.


Something went wrong

Sunday, March 5, 2006

Sent a reinkerambling to distributejasperjottings. I must be getting senile!


Considering the question: eamil, web, or rss

Sunday, February 26, 2006

Can jasperjottings be improved by going to a blog?


While I shipped my alumni ezine on time … …

Sunday, February 26, 2006

… I didn’t correct the date in the message. That’s going to confuse some people. Lot’s of reasons and excuses but it upsets me that I goofed it up. Sigh.


Weekly ezines shipped

Sunday, February 19, 2006

Alumni and Ramblings shipped,


Emergency fix on alumni site

Monday, February 13, 2006

The index was broken by old pointers to the prior hosting site. Arghh. End of the month I should be able to nuke it. Unless I find more problems.


JOTTINGS: I went out of my way to help. Pushed aside my desire to rant.

Saturday, February 4, 2006

Would you consider posting this volunteer opportunity on Jasper Jottings?

Many thanks,

Rosemarie Coppola-Baldwin, ’96

Assistant General Counsel for Litigation and External Affairs NYC Department of Homeless Services

***********

On February 27, 2006, the Department of Homeless Services will conduct the Homeless Outreach Population Estimate (HOPE 2006). Teams of volunteers will canvass streets, parks, and subways to count the number of people living on city streets. This important information will be used to help homeless people leave the streets for a better life. You can be a part of the solution!

If you are interested in volunteering for this important event, please review the following information or go to www.nyc.gov\dhs for registration material.WHO

Anyone who shares our commitment to helping the homeless of New York City is encouraged to volunteer. We will provide you with all the training you will need on the night of the survey and every team will be led by an experienced team leader.

If you have social service experience or have participated in HOPE before and are interested in being a team leader, please indicate your experience on the registration form.

WHAT

Each team of 4 – 5 volunteers will be led by an experienced social service provider. Teams will be assigned to a small study area and will be responsible for determining how many homeless individuals are in that area and collecting visible demographic information. Transportation to a shelter will be available for any street homeless individual interested in receiving services.

WHEN

Volunteers will meet at 10:30PM on Monday, February 27. After a brief training and orientation, volunteer teams will disperse throughout the City to count the number of individuals living on the street and in public places from midnight until 4 AM.

HOPE will only be re-scheduled in the event of extreme winter weather. HOPE will not be cancelled for rain or light snow. The extreme weather date is Monday, March 6. In the event of extreme weather, registered volunteers are advised to check the DHS website or call 1-800-994-6494 on the day of the event to check for cancellation.

WHERE

Volunteers will report to training sites located throughout each borough.

Prior to the event, DHS staff will contact you with your meeting location.

Whenever possible, we will place you in the neighborhood of your choice.

For additional information, e-mail hope@dhs.nyc.gov.