Tag: travel

Traveler

marksuper

Mark at the “Home of Superman” rest stop.

We are on the road for 6 weeks and I assumed there must be some app or service to automatically track the trip and allow images and comments to be added along the route. Finding something to fit this purpose was more difficult than I had anticipated. There are plenty of apps for planning a trip, but I found few options for documenting a trip. We also tend to make decisions as we go so I wanted something that would be flexible.

The app I am using (Android only) is called The Traveler. The app is a project of Ball State University. I think this is pretty cool. I have encountered a few glitches with the app (see the image that follows – there should be an image icon rather than the way point marker), but I can live with this.

travelermap

We have had to drive hard to get to Orlando for the FETC conference. 1600 miles in three days does not leave a lot of time for photography.

The social component of the service is pretty interesting. You can follow our progress online. I intend to add many more images during the conference and then in the weeks that follow. This app would seem a way to offer students an interesting virtual tour.

 

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Blogger Update

Blogger.com, now a Google service, has been updated and certain features may interest educators looking for a safe and simple blog opportunity for their classes. These features can be quickly explored by following the “Take a Tour” link from the blogger start page. The features that would seem to suit the needs of educators wanting to provide security for students and create a simple environment within which students can post include the opportunity to add multiple authors to a blog (team blog) and limit viewing to those whose emails are contained within a designated list.

One potential issue – as I read the instructions, users must have a gmail account for permanent access (some type of short term guest pass exists). I know that schools often block Gmail access. My wife contents this is the case because gmail accounts can be created outside of the control of the school and the email addresses are not necessarily identifiable names of individuals.

For those not put off by these restrictions, blogger.com appears to have some very nice features and the blogger is given considerable freedom is setting up his/her blog according to personal preferences.

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Chickens

We are having a great time in Hawaii. One strange thing – there are chickens everywhere. Very early in the morning just as the sun is coming up, I can hear the surf and the roosters crowing. It is difficult for my still foggy brain to place exactly where I am.

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Spring Break 2007

I didn’t do the Spring break thing when I was a college students, but now that I am old I take the opportunity when I can. This year Cindy and I, two of our daughters, Jimbo (a sigificant other), and grand daughter Addison are taking a break in Hawaii (Kauai).
Addison and grandpa on the runway

Addison and grandpa ready for takeoff.

Kauai

Condo view

Surf is up

Huge surf today

I have an amazing record of having a server go off line while I am gone. Sure enough, the server I operate for the department and my book resources cannot be accessed. I used to think having a server go down when I am out of town was some punishment for taking a break. Here is my new hypothesis – when the university has breaks, the physical plant folks like to work on the electrical systems.

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