Bedlam Time!

This should be a great game in Stillwater tonight as the University of Oklahoma Sooners visit the Oklahoma State University Cowboys.  Major BCS implications on the line.  But, this game is big regardless of national championship aspirations!  This is BEDLAM, anything can happen.  So, buckle up and enjoy the ride!

Spartans Lose One, Win One!

Woe is me, the Spartans failed to perform in their basketball game agains Maryland yesterday!  But, they seem to be back on track today against Oklahoma State!  Granted it is early in the season, but I can already hear the chants of “over rated, over rated . . .” from all of my non-MSU basketball fans.  Luckily there are still a lot of games to be played before March . . . plenty of time to perhaps prove themselves worthy of this high early-season ranking.  Because we all know that the true season doesn’t really start until March.  However, we must still position ourselves for the March invitation to “dance.”  Hopefully, this was just one of the few bad outings that we have this year and that we’ll be running on all cylinders by March (we looked much better today against Oklahoma State).  Ever the optimist.

And, speaking of Michigan State University, I recently was informed that my former residence hall has undergone a major rennovation.  I almost didn’t recognize Snyder-Phillips Hall — quite a dramatic “new look.”  Gone are the gothic brick and ivy; replaced by glass and pillars!

Check out the new look here. 

Go Green nonetheless!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Here are a couple of poems in honor of today (from http://homepages.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~homespun/tpoems.html).

Holiday Letters

T is for turkey on Thanksgiving Day,
H is for “Hurry, I’m hungry!” we say.
A is for Auntie, she works and she mends,
N is for Native American friends.
K is for kitchen, the oven’s on low,
S is for silverware, set in a row.
G is for Grandma, the one we love most,
I is for inside, where we’re warm as toast.
V is for vegetables, eat them we try,
I is for icecream on top of the pie.
N is for never do we have enough dressing,
G is for Grandpa, who gives thanks for our blessings.

A Thanksgiving Alphabet

T…Turkeys, tablespreads, being together,
H…Happiness and homes to protect us from all weather,
A…Aunts and uncles, a reunion in Fall,
N…Nieces and nephews, family members all!
K…Kind-hearted kin coming over for dinner,
S…Surely you’ll have fun, but you won’t get thinner!
G…Gourds and pumpkins, mouths open wide.
I…Indians and Pilgrims we remember with pride.
V…Very special times-there could even be snow.
I…Imagine what it was like at Plymouth long ago.
N…Never forget how the settlers led the way,
G…Giving thanks and blessing this special day.

Author Unknown

City Crime Rankings for 2008-2009 Released!

From CQ Press, check out how your City stacks up across the nation.  Tulsa . . . not looking so good — in the top 40 (37th) of cities with the highest crime rates.

http://os.cqpress.com/citycrime2008/citycrime2008.htm

What’s All the Hype Over Skype?

A simple four-letter word . . . FREE!   While I do not yet have a microphone installed on my computer (my old equipment is really in need of some updating — these new web 2.0 technologies are a bit advanced for my once “state of the art” system that is now grossly deficient), I did take the time to watch the YouTube video tutorial!  Wow, what an exciting technology.  And the best part . . . the price (free!).

I don’ t think that this technology will be completely replacing phones anytime soon, but it can certainly be yet another tool in your toolbox — a way of keeping in touch with whomever you want, with whatever device you choose, whenever you want, and from whereever you are; why not!  Whoa! 

So many choices, so little time . . .

Hooked on Phonics?

True story . . . (received this one via email today).

While learning to read, a five-year old pointed at a picture in a zoo book and said “Look at this!  It’s a frickin’ elephant.” 

Upon hearing this, the teacher took a deep breath, and asked . . . “What did you call it?”

“It’s a frickin’ elephant!  It says so on the picture!”

And so it does.  Hooked on phonics . . . ain’t it wonderful?

African Elephant

Top 50 Homeland Security Blogs!

This just in from the blogosphere!

http://www.criminaljusticeusa.com/blog/2008/top-50-homeland-security-blogs/

Penn State Rolls!

Okay, not quite the result that I was hoping for, Michigan State was clearly outplayed yesterday!  So, Penn State is Rose Bowl bound while my 9-3 Spartans (second place finish at 6-2 in the Big Ten) will settle for another (the Outback Bowl, perhaps?).   But they will be playing in a bowl nonetheless — for the second year in a row!  Hopefully the start of a string of bowl games that will become the legacy of Mark Dantonio as he turns this program around and makes them contenders in the Big Ten for many years to come.  Well done guys!

Now, on to College Basketball and the Road to the Final Four . . . next up: Maryland on Thanksgiving Day (6:00 PM CST start time on ESPN)!

Go Green!

Are You Ready For Some Football?

Well it is the final week of the season (at least it is in the Big Ten) and the Spartans are playing for a share of the Big Ten title!

The other “big” game is the Michigan/Ohio State rivalry.

Then later in the day, Oklahoma versus Texas Tech.  Wow, college football is the best!

Needless to say, I’ll probably be glued to a television all day tomorrow.

Go Green!

“You Dirty Rat . . . “

Now that I have completed the SLA 23 Things Program, I’m finding that there is now a “void” in my life that needs to be filled . . . so, I’ve decided to move on to the SLA Innovation Laboratory and join the rest of my SLA “lab rat” colleagues as they explore even more new softwares and programs.  Of course I will continue to play around with the 23 Things (and any other new ones that surface on the scene), but the Innovation Laboratory will actually allow me to expand on some of the learning that took place during the 23 Things. 

Let the experimenting continue!

One software that I’ve already started exploring as a part of my job (information literacy instruction and tutorial building) is SnagIt — a great way to capture pages, screenshots, etc. for insertion into PowerPoint presentations, php files, etc.  Very easy to learn and use (at least so far so good).