Know when to Buy new tech gadgets

Bookmarks for November 4, 2011:

From the "What I Learned Today" Blog:

• Decide.com
  
  Know when to buy new tech gadgets or when to wait.
  
  

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Related posts:

1. Book Gadgets


2. Generations and their Gadgets


3. New Google Gadgets

Preserving Your Digital Pictures

Preserving Your Digital Pictures: From GovGab: "Digital photography made it simple for us to easily share pictures with our friends and families, and store them in a way that didn't take up a lot of space.

But what happens if your computer crashes and your hard drive gets wiped clean? If you don't have your photos backed up, all those memories will be lost.

You can prevent that by using these tips from the Library of Congress to make sure your pictures stay safe.

1. Figure out where you currently store your digital pictures. Is it on your camera card, on the computer or somewhere online?
2. Select which pictures are the most important. If you don't have many you can back them all up, but if you have hundreds or even thousands, select the pictures that are the most meaningful to you for back up.
3. Organize the pictures in a way that makes sense. Store them in a separate folder, give them clear descriptions and identify important people in the picture.
4. Make two copies of your important pictures. You can keep one copy on your computer and then use either CDs, DVDs, an external hard drive or some other data storage system to keep a back up copy.
5. Once a year, check your photos to make sure you open all the files.

For more tips on preserving your photo memories, go to digitalpreservation.gov."

Michigan Offers Online Mapping Tool -- MI-HUNT -- For Hunters

Michigan Offers Online Mapping Tool -- MI-HUNT -- For Hunters: From the RedTape Blog: "The Michigan Department of Natural Resources and Environment (DNRE) introduces a new tool for selecting your next hunting, trapping, boating or camping spot: an interactive mapping application called Mi-HUNT.

Mi-HUNT is a cutting-edge, Web-based application that allows users to view and navigate through all public lands open to hunting and trapping in Michigan. Mi-HUNT displays multiple layers of information, which can be turned on or off to fit your specific outdoor recreation interests and trip planning needs.


The interactive layers of Mi-HUNT allow the user to view:

• all state game and wildlife areas;
• huntable lands by vegetation types;
• the topography and foliage cover of huntable lands;
• recreational facilities such as forest campgrounds, trails, wildlife areas and boat launches; and
• street maps and directions to huntable areas.

To get started using Mi-HUNT, click here


This project is supported by the 2009 Hunting Heritage Partnership, a grant program of the National Shooting Sports Foundation, Inc.



Source : DNRE News Release, September 28, 2010.

Original post blogged on b2evolution."

Bikes for Rent in Muskegon

The Muskegon County Convention and Visitor's Center reports that "the Union Depot has bikes for rent through October. Now is a great time to check out bike trails. Cool temps. Kids are in school. They`re open 8-5 / M-F"

The Great Backyard Bird Count

The Great Backyard Bird Count: From GovGab
"Want to be a part of an international project? Look no further than your own backyard! Tomorrow is the start of the 13th annual Great Backyard Bird Count, when beginning bird watchers and experts alike across North America count the wild birds they see in their backyards, parks, or wildlife refuges.

The event, which is a joint project of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, The Audubon Society, and Bird Studies Canada, is cosponsored by the National Resources Conservation Service and the National Science Foundation.

During the four-day event, which runs through President's Day, participants use checklists to count birds for 15 or more minutes a day and then enter the results online. You can explore real-time maps and charts to see what other people are reporting in your state or anywhere in North America, and you can tweet about your findings, too. If you took some great snapshots of our fine feathered friends during the count, consider entering them in the photo contest.

Results from the count help researchers compare the timing of birds' migrations with past years, and determine if populations of individual species are increasing or declining, among other things. Additionally, information from the Great Backyard Bird Count and other citizen-science surveys go into a bird database that is used by scientists around the world.

Can't participate in the count every day? You can submit surveys for fewer days. Don't think you can tell a flicker from a sapsucker? See these resources for identifying birds and learning more about them. Don't have enough birds to count in your yard? Visit these resources for attracting, feeding, and housing birds to prepare for next year's count.

Are you participating in this year's count? If so, what birds have you seen?
"