What A Slacker!

People Pets and the Internet Pt2

Add comment May 3rd, 2009

People and their pets seem to be flocking to social networks. Most can be found on sites like Twitter and facebook, while many are still holding out over at MySpace although it is dropping in popularity.

Popping up all over the internet is a new breed of social networking sites. These new sites are catering specifically to the pet owner and their pets. Sites like YouPet, Cute as Hell and Pikapet are strictly on Topic pet only sites. And yes, your pet is welcome, actually expected, to have his own profile. There are other sites to like People Pets that are offshoots of the human centric sites. So if your pet, like mine, is so inclined set him up with his own profile on Twitter, facebook or the like and watch his virtual friends pile up.

People Pets and the Internet

Add comment May 2nd, 2009

Pets on the interwebs. Search any social network on the internet these days and you will most certainly find a bunch of pet lovers. Search MySpace, facebook or Twitter just a little harder and you will find the pets that belong to those very same pet lovers. Yes, there is a growing number of pets who blog or have their own web pages, and they connect with each other on these social networks.

Take my big boy Boris for example. I blog about him quite often, what is he does, his new toys, etc. When we first got him I even started a blog about his care and growth. Then we both got sick and the blog fell to the wayside. Recently I started dealing more with facebook and Twitter (as MySpace is yesterdays news) and found myself one night setting up accounts for Boris. So now you can follow the exploits of this kitty cat across the web via his blog (he took it over how), twitter and facebook.

I will continue to write about him here, as he is just too darn cote not too (besides he tends to ignore the fact that he has three older sisters who don’t play on the web — you know how it is for us older folks).

Will Real Levar Burton Please Stand Up

Add comment February 3rd, 2009

I recently signed up for Twitter after hearing about it for a rather long time from all my techno geek friends. (You’ll see whataslacker’s Tweets over there on the bottom of the right-hand column there.)

Basically it is micro blogging at its best. You type a 140-character post, or tweet, and it goes out to all your followers (we don’t have many, so if your on Twitter check us out and follow us). One of the things I like best about it is that I can post from my cell phone when I am out and about. (I don’t have a smart phone or even internet access on my cell phone. I’m not really complaining because it is free; work pays for it.) I could even get the tweets from my friends right to my phone via text messages (thank goodness for unlimited texting).

So last night when I was on Twitter poking around to see who was there and who I might wish to follow I found LeVar Burton, yes the real LeVar Burton. Apparently someone had been impersonating him on Twitter for quite a while so he came in to clear his good name and decided to stay. He also found (like me) that blogging is not dead as many microbloggers would have you believe, because sometimes 140 characters is not enough to really express yourself.

One of the unique features he has over at LeVarBurton.com is an audio version of the blog. Not really a podcast, but similar. It is Mr. Reading Rainbow himself reading his post to you. Pretty cool. So you can choose to simply read the blog, listen to it or do both at the same time. A very novel approach, I look forward to hearing/reading more from Mr. Burton.

So while I have always been leery of celebs on the web as more often than not it is an impostor or just an over zealous fan, I was glad to find the real LeVar Burton as well as fellow TNG alum Wil Wheaton on the web. Glad to see that some big stars out there are reachable even if only via the web. Thanks guys!

Deal Alert: Fly Fusion Under $20

Add comment January 15th, 2009

You might remember how a raved about the digital Fly Fusion pen in  a past post. Well, hopefully these are still available over at your local Target. Run back to the toy clearance aisles and you’ll find these once $80 pens for under $20.

Go now, Target will be cleaning out those rows of cheap toys and sending them off to the local Goodwill which will mark it back closer to the orginal prices.

Review: Fly Fusion Pentop Computer

Add comment September 25th, 2008

LeapFrog FLY Fusion Pentop Computer is more than just a digital pen. It is an educational tool as well. It is made by Leapfrog so we adults that are using it sometimes feel like we are using a kid’s toy more than a productive piece of equipment. I would say that the fly fusion is geared more toward the junior high (oops I am showing my age there, I mean middle school) and high school crowds, but college students and adults can also use it.

As you write on special paper with the pen it scans your text into the pen then you download your notes to your PC where you can store, email, edit and organize them. You can get additional math and language programs for the pen as well. All your applications can be accessed through a control panel on the fly fusion notebooks. You can even play MP3s through the pen.

Since I’m not in school I don’t really need the added test prep or math programs, but the composition and language programs could be of some use. For the most part the pen work s pretty well. I do have to fix a few errors once my handwriting is converted to a word document, but I would need to proof read a typed document as well. For $ 79 you get the pen, a very thin notebook and $10 download card to use with the enclosed software so you can add games and other apps right away. If you head over to the online store you can pick up additional notebooks, ink, memory cards, a case and other goodies.

I bought the Target exclusive black pen because I thought it looked classier. Well it doesn’t any more because nothing else comes in black. So my pen now looks like Frankenstein. Also the ink is only about 2 thirds that of a regular pen so you’ll want extras right away and I have not seen the ink refills in any store just online. Ink is available in blue, red or green but not black. I like the pen it is nice to carry a tablet and pen with me instead of my laptop. If you do a lot of writing (blogging) you might want to take a look a the fly fusion for under a hundred bucks it is a handy tool to have.

Right now the FLY Fusion Pentop Computer is only $50 at Amazon.

I Want It Wednesday: Livescribe Pen

1 comment September 24th, 2008

Digital pens are so cool. I first saw the livescribe pen at Target and boy does it look sweet (I am writing this using the fly fusion digital pen), The Livescribe Pulse Smartpen looks to be more geared to college students and business people over the LeapFrog FLY Fusion Pentop Computer. Live scribe also records the audio as you write and it can be played back with just a tap of the pen on your tablet. With digital pens you don’t have to lug your heavy laptop with you just a pen and paper is all you need. Bloggers are going to love this new toy. Simply hand write your posts then upload them to your PC. Proof read and cut and paste, viola you’re all done. (If it works, but reports/reviews say the LiveScribe pen does not convert your handwriting to text just yet.)

Search For A New Web Host Begins

Add comment August 24th, 2008

I just found out my current web host is going to be raising their pricing soon so next year my services will be costing me more. I don’t want to lose my blog or my other pages just because I can no longer afford the hosting. So I am on the search for a new hosting provider. Looking not just for cheap web hosting but also added bonuses like high storage and traffic bandwidth plus mySQL databases, PHP, and other resources as well so I need some help. That’s where the folks over at WebHostingGeeks.com come in handy. They have reviews and ratings for many hosts. So I get to do my research all on one handy website. Now just to figure out which one I’ll be going with. Thanks to this site that should be pretty painless. With needing to host my blog that should not be any problem either, they have a review of the best blog hosting site too. Lots to look over and lots to think about.

Make Money Using Others Sites

1 comment August 20th, 2008

I just stumbled on this site that lets you make money simply by using their website. YouSayToo.com

Sign up, write your blog posts and reap the benefits of their adds. The more popular your content the more money you make. Might be a nice side blogging opportnity for some. at least it is worth a look-see, right?

World Looks for Ages of Chinese Gymnasts

11 comments August 13th, 2008

Okay, so I guess Bela and I are not the only ones out there questioning whether the Chinese girls were of the minimum 16 years old for Olympic gymnasts. Here is a list of what the world is searching for on this matter (not like it matters as we’ll never know the truth. The Chinese government says they are 16 so therefore we must all believe them to be 16 even if they are only 14 or younger). Besides they did an amazing job and have the gold medal to prove it.

Top 50 (or so) Searches on the Chinese Gymnasts here at whataslacker.com

1. deng linlin teeth
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Well it looks like Deng Linlin’s teeth have given them away. The Chinese really should have instructed her to keep her mouth shut so we wouldn’t see them. If this is happening on my little site I would like to see what is happening on Yahoo or Google right about now. I am just having fun watching this whole thing unfold. It really all seems to be about the teeth.

Way Cool Creepy Papier Mache Halloween Props

Add comment July 19th, 2008

There’s this guy that is doing amazing Halloween displays. His main medium is papier mache. I stumbled across his site the other day, Stolloween.com, This guy’s work is amazing.

I wish I had half his talent. If I did, I would be armpit deep in papier mache right now. Once I get a few things planned out for my displays this year I might have to try out some of these techniques he shows off. If mine work out I will certainly post them here. If they don’t I’ll just make mention of my failures.

Big Blogger Boo-Boo

Add comment July 8th, 2008

Well I guess enough is enough. They caught my little blog posts at work and called me on them. Even though I never said where I worked it was obvious to them or anyone who knows me that I was referring to them, I guess they did not like having a mirror held up to their faces. I really thought they would fire becoming yet one more casualty in the freedom of speech and right blog wars. Apparently I did come pretty close to getting let go. So I self censored. I edited my posts to remove any offending text (at least what I thought was offending any way) and I won’t post any more of my feelings when it comes to my job. So for now it is business as usual at least until that other foot drops and I finally become another blogger fired for writing their feelings online.

The Scream Continues…

Add comment July 3rd, 2008

Today sucked.

This week sucked.

I suck.

My week started out horribly. It never had anything even close to a good point at any point. Then it ended just a horribly.

To be honest I have to wonder why I am still here on this planet.

Not feeling well I went in to drink some milk (hoping it would settle my stomach – it did not). As I was drinking it I noticed some of the magnetic poetry on the fridge.

Drink milk and dream.

Okay so I drank the milk all I need now are the dreams. Will they be nightmares? Most likely I will be trapped, attacked and killed repeatedly during the night. Why shouldn’t my dreams mimic my life?

I hope to be back to my regular bitchy self soon. Either that or just gone.

Now back to your regularly scheduled programming.

Nutty Squirrels Stealing My Internet

Add comment June 10th, 2008

Remember I said Comcast came out and looked everything over and that my outside lines were chewed by squirrels. Well those nice guys sent me the pictures they took while hanging out on top of the pole with those nutty squirrels.

Take a look at what those rodents did to the lines. No wonder I lost my internet and tv!