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SeniorNet News

FVTC Senior Computer Users

 

March 2009

www.srnet-foxvalley.org

Issue 197

Membership ~ FVTC Coordinator: Judy Williams ~ Tel:  (920) 735-4864 ~ e-mail: seniornet@fvtc.edu

 

Local SIG Meetings

General Meeting - Friday, March, 20 1:30-3:30PM,
   FVTC-Appleton, Room F108  (Entrance 6 is best)

 

Resource Sharing (formerly “Novice”) SIG

 Wednesday, March 18 , 2:00-3:00PM, Room G203b

Internet SIG

 Wednesday, March 18, 3:30-4:30PM, Room G203b

Scanner/Photo SIG

 Tuesday, March 24, 2:00-3:00PM, Room G203b
Genealogy SIG

 Tuesday, March 24, 3:30-4:30PM, Room G203b

Regional SIG Meetings

Waushara SIG

 Thursday, March 26, 1:30 -3:30PM, at FVTC-Wautoma

 

Genealogy SIG

 Thursday, March 26, 3:30 - 5:00PM, at FVTC-Wautoma

 

FoxMUG (Apple/Mac)

  Wednesday, April 1, 6:30PM

  For information, check their Web site
        www.foxmug.com

 

 

MARCH 20, 2009

  Dr. Robert Dedmon, speaker at the March 20 SIG meeting, practiced general internal medicine 1964-1976 at Theda Clark Medical Center in Neenah before serving Kimberly-Clark as Vice-President for Medical Affairs for over 20 years. During his tenure at Kimberly-Clark, he was responsible for preventive health programs and also international travel health for employees and their families. In retirement, he continues his involvement with professional societies concerned with international travel health, tropical medicine, and infectious diseases. Dr. Dedmon will discuss how to search online for medical information for travelers.

 

FEBRUARY 20, 2009     By Gladys Schwandt

  Mark Joel, Major Account Representative with Waste Management, Inc. gave an interesting presentation on recycling. We learned that approximately 95% of their work deals with paper and cardboard. Electronic items such as televisions, radios and computers are shipped to Minneapolis, MN for special handling to keep mercury and other chemicals out of landfills.  Waste Management provides removal of confidential materials for many Fortune 200 companies and provides those clients with date of destruction and certification that nothing they handle is ever available to the public.  Mark answered many questions about types of items that can be safely recycled and how some things can be processed and reused.  He also stated that many retailers will take your old electronic items for proper disposal when you purchase new refrigerators, computers, etc., if you request it.   The two states most adapted to recycling are California and Wisconsin – something we can take pride in!

 

RESOURCE SHARING SIG    By Linda Young

  During our February Resource Sharing meeting our facilitator, Jerry Sobiesczyk, took us on a visual tour of Windows Vista. He showed us how you can use the Aero feature to have multiple windows open at one time and flip to which ones you need and how easy it is to see what information or pictures are in the files. Vista makes it much easier to organize and search for your "stuff".

INTERNET SIG     By Linda Young

  The Internet SIG involved discussions on Routers, Wireless Cards, and Wireless equivalent protection. We also talked about the importance of  setting up passwords for these accounts.

 

SCANNER/PHOTO SIG     By Linda Young

  One member related a success story telling how she downloaded Zero Assumption, a free software program that Marv Schimmelpfenning told her about, and was able to recover some pictures she had lost from her digital camera card.
  Then Jerry Sobiesczyk had us do a project using the Cloning Tool in Adobe Photoshop 6. Using this tool, we were able to make repairs and improvements to a picture using the Healing Brush to repair blemishes and take out unwanted areas on a picture.

GENEALOGY SIG     By Mary Klein

   In February we looked at some clues for reading handwriting. The problems addressed included dated scripts, damaged materials, odd spellings, archaic words and identifying signatures. The other handout included at least one Web site for every US state. We looked at the variety of Web sites available.

  In March we will look at British Commonwealth (including British Isles, Wales, Scotland, Australia, British India, Ireland, Canada) Web sites, finding Mexican ancestors, and a new miscellaneous list.

WAUSHARA SIGs     By Alice Waypa

  The presenters for the February 26 SIG were Mark Joel, Major Account Representative with Waste Management Inc., and Scott Schuman, Director of Waushara County's Parks and Solid Waste Dept. Their topic was Recycling Computers and other electronics (TVs, cell phones, VCRs, cassette decks, CD players, and video cameras). Mark talked about how to dispose of e-waste. Electronic waste accounts for 70% of the

heavy metals currently found in landfills. Electronic products often contain hazardous materials like    mercury and lead; but may also have valuable materials, such as glass, copper, aluminum, and plastic which could be recycled. Waste Management (www.thinkgreen.com) and Sony (www.sony.com/recycle) are partners in a Take Back program. Some other retailers, such as Best Buy (www.bestbuy.com/recycle/), have also begun similar programs. Check the Web site or in the store for current information. Another Web site with information about recycling e-waste is  www.earth911.com/electronics/

  Scott Schuman talked about recycling in Waushara County, including what items the sites will and will not accept. We discussed the recent changes in the policies of the State Department of Corrections and Badger State Industries (www.buybsi.com/computer.html), and learned that the Redgranite Correctional Institution is no longer a collection site for old computers. Because of  this, Waushara County is trying to arrange a new place for the collection of household computers and other electronics.

 

FEBRUARY MAILING CREW

  Thanks to Arlene Clark, Millie Gray, Barb Johnson, and Al Vigil for preparing the February newsletter and envelopes for mailing.

 

NEW SIG TREASURER and NEWSLETTER EDITOR

  From its early days at FVTC until the present, SeniorNet has benefitted from Alice Melchior’s time and talents. Alice was one of the first SeniorNet instructors and, more recently, has served as SIG Vice President and Treasurer. As Treasurer, Alice has run our monthly drawing, and also helped arrange for the Holiday Luncheon in December. In accepting Alice’s resignation as SIG Treasurer, the Steering Committee (on behalf of the membership) expressed appreciation for her years of service. Thank you, Alice !

  Responding to the call for help, Millie Gray stepped forward and has been appointed to fill the current term as Treasurer.

  Responding to another call for help, James Tank has volunteered for the position of Editor of the SeniorNet Newsletter.

 Welcome Millie and James !