Stephen's Untold Stories

NEW BLOG!!

2006-05-17T22:56:00.000-05:00

Please visit my new blog at:http://stephenrahn.com/blogI will no longer be updating this page.

Audioblogger.com test

2005-12-06T18:35:00.000-05:00

Okay...this is it!!

2005-11-13T15:15:00.000-05:00

I went out and bought my own domain and hosting.It is http://stephenrahn.comMy new blog will be at:http://stephenrahn.com/blog (feed available)I will also be putting all of my photos at:http://stephenrahn.com/photosI have also added a Wiki at:http://stephenrahn.com/wikiFinally, I created a PhP bulleting board at:http://stephenrahn.com/forumPlease help me with your feedback on these new projects!

Another Blog Change

2005-11-10T23:03:00.000-05:00

Yes, I'm switching to Word Press! I'm very excited about it, so please visit me there from now on.http://srahn.wordpress.com

Yahoo! Pirate Map

2005-11-09T22:22:00.001-05:00

Arrrrrrgh!!Yahoo! Pirate map

Running Excel from a Server

2005-11-08T21:50:00.000-05:00

Here's a preview of a new feature of Excel 12.Excel Services is brand new server technology that will ship with Office 12. Excel Services supports loading, calculating, and rendering Excel spreadsheets on servers. There are two primary interfaces: a web-based UI that lets you view spreadsheets in the browser, and a web services interface for programmatic access. Link to Article

ClustrMaps!

2005-11-08T19:47:00.000-05:00

Teacher gleans federal kudos for bookless classroom

2005-11-07T16:54:00.000-05:00

This is outstanding!! From Utah:Jerry Mangus' textbook-less teaching has dazzled the U.S. Department of Education. Mangus, who teaches fifth- and sixth-grade math at Plymouth Elementary, uses only computers to teach fractions and other numerical concepts to kids. He's built computer labs in his school, each of his students has his or her own machine, and their test scores have leaped. For his

Firefox gains on IE

2005-11-06T10:15:00.000-05:00

Good news!!More than one out of 10 surfers use Firefox as a browser, according to a study by web analytics firm OneStat.com. Although Mozilla-based browsers have a total global usage share of 11.51 percent - an increase of 2.82 per cent since April 2005 - Microsoft's Internet Explorer still dominates the global browser market with a global share of 85.45 per cent. Its share has slipped 1.18 per

I hope nobody opens this!

2005-11-04T00:14:00.000-05:00

Real Time HTML Editor

2005-11-04T00:09:00.000-05:00

This is quite impressive. You can type in some code and see the results immediately.Real Time HTML Editor

OpenOffice Tutorials

2005-11-02T23:41:00.000-05:00

Thanks to Jeff Giddens for this link to some OpenOffice tutorials!OpenOffice Tutorials

Google Looks to Work on OpenOffice

2005-11-02T23:37:00.000-05:00

I have been a supporter of OpenOffice for some time now, and I am very intrigued to learn that Google is also interested.IN THE FIRST DEVELOPMENT IN the Sun Microsystems-Google pact since its announcement last month, a Google executive has said that the company intends to hire programmers to beef up OpenOffice, Sun's open source office utility suite. Doing so would position the product for a

Tech Support Caller Warning System

2005-10-30T18:45:00.000-05:00

Thanks to my friend Tracy for sending this!Click Image for Larger Version!

iPod Bluetooth Accessory

2005-10-30T12:08:00.000-05:00

It looks like I'll be spending more money on my iPod pretty soon.BlueTrip delivers the pristine CD-quality sound that iPod users desire in a high-quality home stereo environment. Using Bluetooth technology, BlueTrip can transmit up to 30 feet away from your stereo, without the traditional barriers of line of sight, walls, ceilings or windows that limit other remotes. With BlueTrip, you are free

New Teachers in Arizona Must Prove Skills Via Videotape

2005-10-29T16:57:00.000-05:00

This is something that more states may decide to institute. Novice teachers in Arizona will soon have to pass a test of classroom skill via videotape to get a long-term license. The new requirement is expected to make Arizona one of just three states that require a videotaped lesson to advance from an initial credential to a more permanent one, according to data collected by Education

Internet Use by State

2005-10-27T21:40:00.000-05:00

Percentage of households that had a computer and Internet access in October 2003: From the U.S. CensusLink to stats

Rock and Roll Biographies

2005-10-25T20:28:00.000-05:00

Some really interesting tidbits!Rock and Roll Biographies

Flock Browser

2005-10-24T20:48:00.000-05:00

I just tried out the new Flock Browser, and I must say that I like it so far. It has a neat interface, and it supports tabbed browsing. It also allows you to post directly to you blog, as I am doing right now!!Flock Browser (It's Free!)

Quotes from Emo Phillips

2005-10-23T22:12:00.000-05:00

I always liked his humor, even though he is completely bizarre. Here is a list of some of his best quotes. A computer once beat me at chess, but it was no match for me at kick boxing. The way I understand it, the Russians are sort of a combination of evil and incompetence... sort of like the Post Office with tanks. I got some new underwear the other day. Well, new to me. Here is the

Cool sites built with Ajax

2005-10-22T20:35:00.000-05:00

Some these are very cool!Ajax programming techniques have recently generated lots of buzz for good reason: they can be used to create interesting browser-based applications that do things many thought impossible with typical web browsers (in particular, a certain Ajax technique can send and receive data to and from a server without requiring the browser to refresh or reload).Link to Site

Very Cool Periodic Table

2005-10-22T20:32:00.000-05:00

This is one of the best I've seen.Periodic Table

Art Pad - No mess

2005-10-22T20:23:00.000-05:00

Here is a completely online way to do some drawing!Art Pad

Get a Dose of Daily Art

2005-10-20T22:37:00.000-05:00

I've posted this before, but it deserves a repeat. One of my favorite blogs is the Your Daily Art blog by Martha. Today's entry is about one of my favorite artists, Francisco de Goya.

Notepaper Generator

2005-10-19T20:57:00.000-05:00

This is a pretty simple site, but it will generate some nice lined paper for taking notes the old-fashioned way!Notepaper GeneratorThanks, Jeff!

The Top 101 Web Sites For Teachers

2005-10-16T22:30:00.000-05:00

Tim Stahmer, an Instructional Technology Specialist in Farifax County, Virginia, has an excellent resource site for teachers. You can choose your category on the left side of his site, and he has some outstanding resources for teachers of all levels.The Top 101 Web Sites For Teachers

Jupiter's Red Spot

2005-10-15T23:57:00.000-05:00

Jupiter's Red SpotOne of many great photos from NASA.Click here to see more!

Online Spreadsheet

2005-10-15T20:58:00.000-05:00

There are several online word processors, but here is a good online spreadsheet. You don't need to have Excel to do some good work with a spreadsheet. All you need is a web browser!Num SumThanks Jeff!

Next Generation Internet creeps closer

2005-10-12T21:19:00.000-05:00

This is some very interesting news.Rollout of the next generation of Internet Protocol technology is moving ahead with Lucent Technologies and Global Crossing announcing that the companies are starting to deploy IP version 6 (IPv6) systems. In essence, IPv6 simplifies IP networking with improved routing and offers better security capabilities. By enabling devices to configure their Internet

World's Largest Plane

2005-10-10T16:00:00.000-05:00

Wow!Photo Gallery

Wireless industry comes together for faster Wi-Fi

2005-10-10T15:49:00.000-05:00

Very good news about the N standard for wireless networks. More speed and better distance!A group of 27 technology companies said on Monday they would collaborate on a new, faster Wi-Fi wireless Internet connection standard for computers and other portable devices. The new Wi-Fi standard is known as 802.11n and follows the 802.11a, b and g standards. The n-version is billed to be two to 10 times

Images done completely in Photoshop

2005-10-04T23:26:00.000-05:00

These are unbelieveable.Link to Site

Online Interactive Whiteboard

2005-10-04T22:45:00.000-05:00

This looks very promising.Writeboard.com

Google Total and Xtra Google

2005-10-04T22:42:00.000-05:00

A couple of all-in-one Google sitesGoogle TotalXtra Google

What is Web 2.0?

2005-10-04T22:37:00.000-05:00

You've probably heard a lot of references to Web 2.0, and here is a good article which discusses it.What is Web 2.0?

Get a list of free WiFi spots for your iPod

2005-10-02T12:49:00.000-05:00

Very cool!Now when you are on the road you can look up a free hotspot quickly and easily right from your iPod. No, the iPod isn't wi-fi enabled (yet). wiPod uses the Notes functionality of the iPod OS to store the database in an easy to use format.Link to site

More Great Palm Stuff

2005-10-02T12:46:00.000-05:00

A great site from About.comLink to Site

The Greatest Inventions of all time

2005-10-02T12:42:00.000-05:00

At least according to Encyclopædia Britannica. Some interesting choices: Astroturf Dry Cleaning Margarine Potato Chips Viagra Complete list

I think this Blog needs...

2005-10-01T13:31:00.000-05:00

Great sites from Ken Leebow

2005-10-01T13:18:00.000-05:00

Ken Leebow has one of my favorite blogs. Here are a couple of great sites he recommended.Soople - An easy advanced search method for Google.SoopleYahoo - Same thing for YahooThanks Ken!

Create Office Files Online for FREE!

2005-09-29T23:26:00.000-05:00

I just finished trying this out, and I must say that I was very impressed. ThinkFree Office!

iPod Subway Maps

2005-09-29T16:06:00.000-05:00

These can be very helpful, but some of the cities don't want their maps to be distributed this way. See the site for details.iPod Subway Maps

School Handheld Blog

2005-09-29T15:55:00.000-05:00

A school in Louisiana has a blog about their experiences using handheld computers. Here's an excerpt:Imagine this -- 81 degrees - 76% humidity -- and 15 students on the parking lot with their Palm Zire 72s! Yes, it was hot; however, the students seemed to enjoy the project. Prior to our journey to the parking lot, I beamed the students an Excel spreadsheet in which they would use to gather data

Broadband through electrical outlets

2005-09-29T15:50:00.000-05:00

This looks very promising.The common electric socket will serve as your home's connection to broadband with a new chip developed by Matsushita Electric Industrial Co. — doing away with all the Ethernet cables or the hassle of hooking up to a wireless network device. The advantage is that the lowly electric socket is everywhere. Right now, a broadband outlet still isn't usually available in every

Google's 7th Birthday!!

2005-09-27T22:20:00.000-05:00

Classic Apple Ads

2005-09-27T21:57:00.000-05:00

How many of these do you remember?Link to Gallery

An evening with Google's Marissa Mayer

2005-09-27T21:51:00.000-05:00

This is some great stuff!The prime reason the Google home page is so bare is due to the fact that the founders didn't know HTML and just wanted a quick interface. In fact it was noted that the submit button was a long time coming and hitting the RETURN key was the only way to burst Google into life. Due to the sparseness of the homepage, in early user tests they noted people just sitting looking

Help for Dyslexia

2005-09-27T21:26:00.000-05:00

This looks very interesting. If you have dyslexic students or children, it seems worth looking into. There has been growing innovation to combat dyslexia, especially for children, in the form of computer software. However, relatively little design research has been done in the area of typography and type design that might support dyslexics

Bees cook invaders to death

2005-09-26T23:08:00.000-05:00

Bees are pretty cool! (or hot, I guess)Honeybees that defend their colonies by killing wasps with body heat come within 5°C of cooking themselves in the process, according to a study in China.At least two species of honeybees there, the native Apis cerana and the introduced European honeybee, Apis mellifera, engulf a wasp in a living ball of defenders and heat the predator to death. A new study

Microsoft Vista to start in seconds?

2005-09-26T21:37:00.000-05:00

I'll believe this when I see it.A Windows Vista computer starts and shuts down as quickly and reliably as a television, typically within 2 to 3 seconds. Windows Vista processes login scripts and startup programs and services in the background so you can start working right away. You'll also shut down and restart your computer less often by using the New Sleep state, a simple one-click on and off

Gmail Tips

2005-09-26T21:36:00.000-05:00

I've been a big fan of my Gmail account for quite a while. Here is a site with some great tips.Gmail Tips

HANDHELDS - Benefits come with costs

2005-09-25T16:15:00.000-05:00

This article is from the Kansas City Star. It requires registration, which is free but annoying. I have posted the entire article. Since integrating handheld computers into her curriculum at Olathe Northwest High School, Misia Hollenbeck has seen the benefits firsthand. “Motivation, first of all, to complete assignments has increased,” the special education teacher said. She’s seen her students

Free Antivirus program for your home

2005-09-25T12:32:00.000-05:00

There are a couple of good free antivirus programs for you home. Here is another one.The latest version of avast! antivirus kernel features outstanding detection abilities, together with high performance. You can expect 100% detection of In-the-Wild viruses (viruses already spreading between users) and excellent detection of Trojan horses. Resident protection (the real-time protection of the

Complete Archive of my old blog

2005-09-24T16:01:00.000-05:00

I've already moved over some of them, but here they all are on one archive page.Blog Archive

Brain-Based Learning: Possible Implications for Online Instruction

2005-09-24T15:59:00.000-05:00

Dr. Stephanie Clemons from Colorado State University has written a very interesting article on this subject:Issues concerning student learning involve how they accept, retain and process information delivered in a course. This paper briefly defines and describes brain-based learning, a theory that is under investigation in higher education, and offers suggestions on how that theory may be

Photos of Area 51

2005-09-22T21:45:00.000-05:00

Some of these are really interesting!Link to Site

Free Internet Filter

2005-09-19T21:48:00.000-05:00

Naomi is an advanced internet filtering program, easy to use and totally FREE, intended for families and parents in particular.Naomi is able to constantly monitor all internet connections, protecting children from inappropriate online material - such as obscene or violent contents; pornography, boylove and erotism in the form of images or texts; sites that popularize drugs; gambling games;

Awesome Flash Tutorial Site

2005-09-19T21:40:00.000-05:00

Simply incredible.gotoAndLearn

Google Blog Search

2005-09-18T22:13:00.000-05:00

Google now has its own blog search portal! Google Blog Search

Redneck Video

2005-09-18T20:46:00.000-05:00

This might be the funniest video I've ever seen, except for the fact that it reminds me of family reunions back in South Georgia. It is a slideshow of redneck images set to the theme from "Deliveance." It is over 16 megs and it requires Quicktime, so be advised. Redneck Video

Summer fun!

2005-09-18T20:33:00.001-05:00

I am NOT related to these people!

Things that only happen in movies

2005-09-18T20:33:00.000-05:00

These all look correct to me! Plain or even ugly girls can become movie star pretty simply by removing their glasses and rearranging their hair. You will survive any battle in any war UNLESS you show someone a picture of your sweetheart back home.Should you wish to pass yourself off as a German officer, it will not be necessary to learn to speak German. Simply speaking English with a

10 reasons NOT to buy an iPod Nano

2005-09-18T20:32:00.000-05:00

I like my iPod, so I won't be getting one of these. Here is a funny list of reasons not to buy one: The name. It’s so Mork and Mindy. “Hello. I’m Mork. Nano, nano ipod!”The iPod condoms—um—“tubes” come in pink. Pretty! Unlike the mini, it doesn’t look like a pregnancy test stick, so I can carry it around without fearing that someone will pee on it.500 songs? I can live with that.The “

Online Rubik's Cube

2005-09-18T20:28:00.001-05:00

Back to the 1980s with this one.Rubik's Cube!

Ever Played Penguin Baseball?

2005-09-18T20:28:00.000-05:00

You must try this! Penguin Baseball

Are you a child of the 1980s?

2005-09-18T20:27:00.002-05:00

If you have a few minutes, then you might want to try this quiz. Where's the Beef??

Why would anyone want to do this?

2005-09-18T20:27:00.001-05:00

For some reason, some guy invented a Twister game you play with your fingers on your computer monitor. If you really want to try it, here is the link.

Everything You’ve Always Wanted to Know About Tetris

2005-09-18T20:27:00.000-05:00

"In a recent US study at the Harvard Medical School’s department of psychiatry, 27 Tetris players spent seven hours a day, for three days, playing the game. Many had ‘Tetris dreams’." This site has it all!

Online Rubik's Cube solver

2005-09-18T20:25:00.000-05:00

I used to be able to solve these pretty quickly.Link to Site

A great Art blog

2005-09-17T22:14:00.000-05:00

Your Daily Art is a great blog that I recently found. "The format is simple and the purpose is to show you a piece of art, give you a little background, and leave the rest up to you." I like this very much!!

Firefox Easy Delete Button for Google GMail

2005-09-17T13:04:00.000-05:00

Check out Gmail Delete Button for Mozilla Firefox

2005-09-16T21:41:00.000-05:00

Milton and the Red Stapler One of my favorite movies is Office Space. If you've seen it, you know that the red stapler plays a prominent role. This site has a recap of the stapler and its importance to our hero, Milton.

2005-09-16T21:37:00.000-05:00

Today's Front Pages You can view the frontpages to 438 newspapers in 45 countries. A very cool use of Flash! Link to Site

2005-09-16T21:32:00.001-05:00

NOAA Photos Here are some devastating photos from the Gulf Coast. Link to Site

2005-09-16T21:32:00.000-05:00

More Katrina Photos I have tried not to post too much about Katrina, but I wanted to post this site. These are some of the best pictures I've seen. Link to Gallery

2005-09-15T22:25:00.000-05:00

Strange Pair

2005-09-15T22:24:00.002-05:00

Liger on display For those of you who've never seen one, a Liger is a cross between a Tiger and a Lion. I've always thought they were interesting creatures. This one is in a zoo in Siberia.

2005-09-15T22:24:00.001-05:00

Could it be?? An Ivory-billed? I grew up in Southeast Georgia, and I heard stories of the Ivory-billed Woodpecker. It became an almost mythical bird to us, as they were supposedly extinct. I did have some great uncles who claimed to have seen them, but they were always telling silly stories. Well, it seems as if the bird has been sighted in Arkansas. They even have a Web Site!

2005-09-15T22:24:00.000-05:00

A Zonkey? A Deebra? I know I've been on an animal posting kick lately, but I had to include this one. It seems that a Zebra and a Donkey have started a family. Link to Article

2005-09-15T22:23:00.000-05:00

Dog Walking Record An Australian man has attempted to set a world record for walking the most dogs singlehandedly. Andrew Larkey tried to get his name in the Guinness Book of Records by walking 19 dogs at once in Sydney. The attempt began chaotically with Mr Larkey being pulled in 19 directions at once. But he eventually managed to single handedly control 11

2005-09-15T22:22:00.001-05:00

Red Panda stands like human I've always been intrigued by Red Pandas, and here is a photo of one that enjoys standing up. " A red panda at Chiba Zoological Park is drawing fans with its unusual ability to stand on two legs for long periods. The panda, nicknamed "Futa-kun," is a 2-year-old male. Red pandas, also known as lesser pandas, occasionally stand on their hind legs,

2005-09-15T22:22:00.000-05:00

Odd Animal Combos Here is a site with lots of photos of odd animal combinations. Link to site.

2005-09-15T22:20:00.000-05:00

Educational Grants Here is a link to our department's current list of educational grant opportunities. There are some really good ones! Educational Grants

Mr. Picassohead

2005-09-15T22:12:00.000-05:00

If you are really bored, you can create your won Picasso-style image. Mr. Picasso Head

2005-09-14T22:19:00.000-05:00

Great site for CSS and Javascripts One of the best you'll find.QuirksMode.org is the personal and professional site of Peter-Paul Koch, freelance web developer in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. It contains more than 150 pages with CSS and JavaScript tips and tricks, and is one of the best sources on the WWW for studying and defeating browser incompatibilities.QuirksMode.org

2005-09-14T21:31:00.000-05:00

Google Katrina Search Google has launched this week a separate search service for people and information in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. The site searches the databases of a variety of organizations for information on friends or family who may have been affected by the hurricane. Google Katrina Search

2005-09-13T22:19:00.000-05:00

Microsoft Showcases New User Interface for Office “12” Core Applications Microsoft is making radical changes to its Office interface. You can see some hig resolution shots at this website. New Office Preview

Rules for "Calling Shotgun"

2005-09-12T22:11:00.000-05:00

Have you ever called "shotgun" when you were about to take a ride with someone? Of course you have. I'll bet you don't know all of the rules, so here they are. Shotgun Rules " The history of calling "Shotgun" goes back to the days of covered wagons and the Wild West. On a trip across the plains, the driver of a wagon would hold the reins of his horse team and concentrate on driving.

2005-09-10T22:19:00.000-05:00

Keep track of your favorite MLB team with RSS Major League Baseball has added RSS feeds for each team to its website. I have the Braves and A's on my list. MLB RSS

2005-09-09T22:18:00.000-05:00

$7 a gallon? The attorney general in Tennessee has charged a gas station owner with price gouging for charging $7 a gallon for gas. If convicted, the owner would have to pay a whopping $1,000 fine. That'll show him! Link to Article

A very interesting Blog

2005-09-08T22:18:00.000-05:00

This blog is written by an E.M.T in London, England and it has some fascinating insights. It used to be titled "Why I Hate Humanity," but as he says, "the antipsychotic medication seems to have kicked in." Random Acts of Reality

2005-09-06T22:18:00.000-05:00

Wacky Uses for Products Who knew that you could use Alka-Seltzer to unclog a drain? Or use Crayola chalk to stop slugs? Or use Listerine to prevent dandruff? It's all here! Wacky Uses Website

2005-09-01T22:17:00.000-05:00

New Orleans Journal I can't believe this guy has been able to post this much. Some great stuff here. New Orleans Journal

2005-09-01T22:15:00.000-05:00

Malaysian city to create giant wireless hotspot I hope more American cities will do the same. Hasan Nawawi Abdul Rahman, mayor of Ipoh which is in northern Perak state, said residents within five kilometres (3.1 miles) of the city council would have wireless access by year's end. "We are aiming to provide wireless broadband in a five kilometre radius from the Ipoh city council

2005-08-29T22:15:00.000-05:00

Windows XP free downloads From Microsoft: The best things in life are free. You’ll find more than 5,000 downloads from over 2,000 companies in our Free Downloads Center.Link to site

2005-08-29T22:14:00.000-05:00

Tennis the the toughest sport Here is an outstanding article by Justin Gimelstob, who has been a playing pro for a while. Tennis is the only sport that requires both aerobic and anaerobic conditioning, as well as the highest level of hand-eye coordination, all while placing the burden of success and failure solely on the athlete. Tennis is a year-round, international sport, in

2005-08-28T22:13:00.000-05:00

World Sunlight Map This is the best sunlight map I've seen. Take a look at the Gulf of Mexico right now. World Sunlight Map

2005-08-25T22:13:00.000-05:00

WWII color photos Very interesting. WWII Color Photos

2005-08-22T22:12:00.000-05:00

New College Football Poll College football has a new poll - the Harris Poll. 114 voters will help decide the BCS teams beginning this fall. Some famous names are: Terry BradshawAnthony MuñozSteve LargentLou HoltzRaghib "Rocket" IsmailBoomer Esiason Here is the complete list.

2005-08-21T22:12:00.000-05:00

Things that only happen in movies These all look correct to me! Plain or even ugly girls can become movie star pretty simply by removing their glasses and rearranging their hair. You will survive any battle in any war UNLESS you show someone a picture of your sweetheart back home.Should you wish to pass yourself off as a German officer, it will not be necessary to learn to speak