You know those little orange buttons you see when "virtual surfing"? They have three little white half-rainbows in them. The technology world calls them RSS (Really Simple Syndication) feeds. Recently I downloaded Google reader which allowed me to subscribe to some of my favorite websites. Using Google reader allows me to check updated news or sports stories without having to visit the actual web page.
RSS feeds are not just for personal use. Many business institutions use RSS feeds to facilitate business practices, especially financial institutions. The Federal Reserve sends RSS feeds to their outlets for updated bank rate changes. Investment firms use RSS feeds to monitor changes in stock prices also.
RSS feeds are pragmatic in many arenas. Last week I could not have told you what an RSS feed was, now RSS feeds will be an everyday part of my life.
Check out the following website to read about financial institutions using RSS feeds.
http://www.feedforall.com/finance-companies-use-rss.htm
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Thursday, June 23, 2011
This ain't Pop's version of Qwiki!
I'm sure most of you are friends with Mark. I'm even willing to wager that Mark was your very first friend on the FB when you opened your account. Remember now?
Mark Zuckerberg (still good to know that the Z button works on my keyboard) the CEO of Facebook was portrayed in the movie The Social Network along with the character of Edwardo Severin as foes in a lawsuit over ownership rights of the FB. Remember?
In January of 2011 Severin, along with You Tube co-founder Jawed Karim, invested $8 million dollars in Qwiki. An information website that is supposed to be the next wikipedia of where to eat, socialize, vacation, etc. Check out Qwiki at; www.qwiki.com.
Read all about it at; http://articles.nydailynews.com/2011-01-20/news/27096220_1_facebook-co-founder-facebook-ceo-mark-zuckerberg-eduardo-saverin
Read all about it at; http://articles.nydailynews.com/2011-01-20/news/27096220_1_facebook-co-founder-facebook-ceo-mark-zuckerberg-eduardo-saverin
By the way and for what its worth Severin won the suit and made off with 5% ownership stock in Facebook or in dollar terms $2.5 billion.
Goo goo g'joo,
The Walrus
Webs Not to See through these Eyes?
Has anyone ever coined the term "virtual surfer" and not referred to a late 90s headset with face mask?
I'm referring to you, me, and them that......sorry! In the middle of the last sentence I actually Googled (when will this be a word in Websters) "Virtual Surfer" and found an article called Surfing Virtual Waves in Second Life, (http://www.surfertoday.com/surfing/5081-surfing-virtual-waves-in-second-life) check it out if you want to waste some time.
Like "snow" in the Inuit language "virtual surfer" may as well take on many con notations.
The point I was trying to make is that anyone who owns or knows how to turn on and operate a computer is probably a virtual surfer. Anyway, here is a list of a few websites that have enabled me to become the procrastinator that I am.
1.) Market Watch - As of late I've been on this site more than any other. I am taking a Securities and Investment class this summer and we are playing a virtual (there it goes again) portfolio game. Anyone who is into the stock market or just likes to gamble this site is for you. http://www.vse.marketwatch.com/Game/Homepage.aspx
2.) Dictionary.com - I'm not kidding. I love this site. I actually have this site bookmarked on my tools bar right after Investopedia. Words pop come to me when I'm writing in which I am unsure of their exact meaning, so I look them up to assure myself that I was indeed correct (run on sentence?). I've probably used this site 20 times for this blog. I'm not going to bother posting a link for this site nor the next.
3.) You Tube - Enough said!
By the way and for what its worth the videos on the left side of this blog are from the 3rd website. In no particular order I have; The Black Crowes performing Oh Sweet Nuthin' (a Velvet Underground tune) during the taping of Cabin Fever. The other two are Phish performing Meatstick this past NYE and Brian McCanns triple on Chipper's BD....classic slide into 3rd base!
Goo goo g'joo,
The Walrus!
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
I am He as You are He as You are Me and We are All Together!
Good Afternoon,
Summer is officially here, but I can't tell. Can you?
My name is Kael Silcox. This is my next to, next to last semester of school and I will have my third college degree. The first two were in Industrial Electrical Technology and Electronics Technology which I earned from South Georgia Technical School.
I've worked in hardware retail for most of my life. The other part I spent eating "corn-flakes" waiting for the van to come pick me up. Anyway, I decided to pursue a four year degree in business merely as an insurance policy in lieu of the inevitable. Now that I can see the end of this four year arrangement I have come to realize that there are just a handful of things that will remain constant in the future. Which have me thinking.......
1.) Taxes (not the same song). I will file and I will pay reluctantly year in year out. I'm not pursuing an accounting degree because I can't sit behind a desk everyday, allow my face to grow long, nor have I ever yearned to wear a corporation's tee-shirt.
2.) Health Care. People are going to get sick and endure ailments of all sorts. It is not in my genetic make-up to facilitate rehabilitation for these people. My hat is off to the nurse Lucys who maintain the ability and patience to see these people fly in the sky to a better place.
3.) Technology. The evolution of technology is a perpetual beast. In today's standards you either keep up or remain an ape and lack the necessary skills to communicate with the world around you. With a technical background in electronics as well as a four year business degree I have my sights set, like a pig from a gun, to be a technological walrus.
Goo goo g'joob,
The Walrus!
Summer is officially here, but I can't tell. Can you?
My name is Kael Silcox. This is my next to, next to last semester of school and I will have my third college degree. The first two were in Industrial Electrical Technology and Electronics Technology which I earned from South Georgia Technical School.
I've worked in hardware retail for most of my life. The other part I spent eating "corn-flakes" waiting for the van to come pick me up. Anyway, I decided to pursue a four year degree in business merely as an insurance policy in lieu of the inevitable. Now that I can see the end of this four year arrangement I have come to realize that there are just a handful of things that will remain constant in the future. Which have me thinking.......
1.) Taxes (not the same song). I will file and I will pay reluctantly year in year out. I'm not pursuing an accounting degree because I can't sit behind a desk everyday, allow my face to grow long, nor have I ever yearned to wear a corporation's tee-shirt.
2.) Health Care. People are going to get sick and endure ailments of all sorts. It is not in my genetic make-up to facilitate rehabilitation for these people. My hat is off to the nurse Lucys who maintain the ability and patience to see these people fly in the sky to a better place.
3.) Technology. The evolution of technology is a perpetual beast. In today's standards you either keep up or remain an ape and lack the necessary skills to communicate with the world around you. With a technical background in electronics as well as a four year business degree I have my sights set, like a pig from a gun, to be a technological walrus.
Goo goo g'joob,
The Walrus!
Monday, June 6, 2011
Good Morning World
Today is a day of first and hopefully not the last of many. We survived the rapture due to a mathematical error which got me thinking. With all the technologies and information systems in place how could anyone mess that up? The odd thing is the fact that Harold Camping only has to be right once!
Now, summer semester begins and I'm looking forward to our IS Management class. Good luck everyone.
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