Cool update to Blogger

Cool update to Blogger and another reason to update your browser and add visuals to your blog posts:

Blogger currently offers five dynamic views for its public blogs. These views are only accessible if allowed for by the blog author.

Flipcard:http://uniqueedtechie.blogspot.com/view/flipcard

Mosaic: http://uniqueedtechie.blogspot.com//view/mosaic

Sidebar: http://uniqueedtechie.blogspot.com/view/sidebar

Snapshot: http://uniqueedtechie.blogspot.com/view/snapshot

Timeslide: http://uniqueedtechie.blogspot.com/view/timeslide

These views require modern browsers such as Internet Explorer 8+, Firefox 3.5+, Chrome or Safari. Many elements of these views will not work should you have an older browser.

These dynamic views will work on your blog if all of the following are true:  See the Blogger article for the blog settings required for your blog.

What do you think of the dynamic views?

Unwanted Text Messages and E-Mail on Wireless Phones and Other Mobile Devices

If you registered your phone number with the NDNC registry...your registration will not expire. Telephone numbers placed on the National Do Not Call Registry (in the U.S.) will remain on it permanently due to the Do-Not-Call Improvement Act of 2007, which became law in February 2008. Read more about it at http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2008/04/dncfyi.shtm.

National Do Not Call Registry FAQs

In July 2003, you could register your cell phone number in the National Do Not Call Registry (U.S.). With so many people using smart phones sometimes unsolicited text messages bypass your service provider's domain registry. Can't remember if and when you submitted your number to the NDNC registry? Verify if and when your phone number was registered. 

Domain Names

This is a list of Domain Names to which marketers may not send unsolicited e-mail because the messages go to wireless devices, including cell phones and pagers. These names were provided by wireless providers to protect their customers. This is not a list of spammers. 

The purpose of the domain name registry is to protect cellular and other commercial mobile radio service (CMRS) wireless consumers from unwanted commercial electronic mail messages, by identifying, for those who send commercial electronic mail messages, Internet domain names used to transmit electronic messages to CMRS consumers.

CAN-SPAM: Unwanted Text Messages and E-Mail on Wireless Phones and Other Mobile Devices

File a complaint electronically

Follow the online wizard to report the violation.

The options to file a complaint: Disability Access to Communications Services adn Equipment, Junk Fax, Telemarketing, Prerecorded Message and Do Not Call, Wired Telephone, Wireless Telephone, Broadband Service adn VoIP, Broadcast (TV and Radio), Cable, and Satellite Issues, Tower Light Outages or Signal Interference.

You can file FCC Form 1088G - Call or Message to Wireless Device (Cell Phone or Pager) Complaint. Please choose a convenient method, online, phone, mail, or fax to file your complaint. We highly recommend using our online form. This will ensure that all required information is received.

Online Form – Recommended Method Approved by OMB 3060-1088

FCC notice required by the Privacy Act and the Paperwork Reduction Act

Phone - FCC Consumer & Mediation Specialists are available Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. ET to answer your questions and assist you in filing a complaint. Call toll-free at 1-888-CALL-FCC (1-888-225-5322) voice or 1-888-TELL- FCC (1-888-835-5322) TTY.

For all the other methods, download/print the complaint form: Form 1088G English (PDF) or Form 1088G Español (PDF)

Postal-Send your complaint to the following address, making sure to include copies of all supporting information.

Federal Communications Commission

Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau

Consumer Complaints

445 12th Street, SW

Washington, D.C. 20554

Fax-The completed complaint form may be faxed toll-free to: 1-866-418-0232. Be sure to include all required information to prevent delay in the processing of your complaint. 

So if you receive one of those unwanted text messages or calls promising you something that seems to good to be true...don't just delete...report it.

Take Them a Meal

I wanted to share this link for Take Them A Meal.

TakeThemAMeal.com  For those times in life when filling their table will warm their hearts.

Simplifying meal coordination so friends, family, neighbors and co-workers can show they care. You can find Take Them A Meal on Facebook too.

We recently had a coworker lose a child and this link was shared for those who want to do something and opted to sign up to Take Them A Meal.

The story behind Take Them A Meal: We realized that meal scheduling is done not just when tragedy strikes, but when babies are born, when friends are receiving medical treatments, and in so many other situations. 

Link for the infrequent FAQs

Additional links include: find a meal schedule, create a meal schedule, sample schedule, schedule ideas, recipes & tips, (in)frequently asked questions, send them a meal, our story, and contact information. 

Two Schools will win $10K for their library

Two schools will win $10K for their school library. Donate 5 points and your school receives and entry between March 15, 2011 and April 30, 2011.  The regular Rewards for Schools program is available also, so you can find your school and view the wish list submitted by the school coordinator.

You can donate your Coke Reward points to a registered school to Refresh Your School's Library Sweepstakes between March 15, 2011 and April 30, 2011. I would donate to my daughter's alma mater...but after 5 years of email and F2F requests no one has registered Butler High School in Augusta, GA. 

I received and email stating that local schools in my area need support, so they will receive my donation. Check the site for more details but some of the basics (eligibility, prizes, contest timeline) are listed below.

Eligibility:  The My Coke Rewards for Schools Refresh Your School Library Sweepstakes (the "Sweepstakes") is open only to schools that are registered and in good standing in the My Coke Rewards for Schools program both at the time the Sweepstakes ends and when the drawing is conducted ("Schools"). The program is located at www.mycokerewards.com/schools (the "Website"). Schools that are not registered may visit www.mycokerewards.com/schools for registration directions; registering is free. For Schools to be eligible for the My Coke for Schools program, they must be academic institutions servicing kindergarten through 12th grade which are: (i) located within the 50 United States (or the District of Columbia), (ii) listed on the Market Data Research database ("MDR Database") at the time of enrollment, and (iii) also listed at www.mycokerewards.com/schools. The Sweepstakes is subject to all applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations and is void where prohibited by law.

Sponsor: The Sweepstakes is sponsored by Coca-Cola North America, a division of The Coca-Cola Company, One Coca-Cola Plaza, Atlanta, GA 30313. Administrator: ePrize, LLC, One ePrize Drive, Pleasant Ridge, MI 48069. 

Prizes: 2 Grand Prizes: $10,000 to be used for the School's library collection, fulfilled as a gift card, terms and conditions apply. Approximate Retail Value ("ARV"): $10,000. 

Coke Reward for Schools post 8/10.2010

Where else do you tinker?

I have been using milSuite, which is touted as social media behind the Department of Defense firewall. Great place to connect with other professionals while feeling the parallelisms in public and the military education systems.

*To access milSuite, one needs a CAC or AKO/DKO credentials. The milSuite team has a presence on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Flickr.

As I transitioned back to Georgia I have not been lounging around like stagnated swamp water. I have a fantastic opportunity to work with some terrific officers in the U.S. Army as a Course Manager in one level of an officer's professional military education (PME), in addition to my own educational pursuits, and giving scholarship and Google product workshops at the local library.

One of the pilots I am working on is to implement electives. I facilitate the Social Media elective. Many people assume that the military only does training, when in fact we have some well known colleges such as U.S. Military Academy aka West Point, Naval War College, Army War College, U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, Air War College...which make up one part of Professional Military Education (PME). I do not participate in the education versus training argument as I leave that to the great debaters because I move forward with people who are focused on the learning.

When you Google PME or Professional Miltary Education the results are varied. The U.S. Code: Title 10 contains the links to the chapters on Armed Forces, the U.S. Naval War College has a page with a description and resources about Joint Professional Military Education, Cornell University Law School has links with descriptions for the U.S. Code, which includes Title 10 Subtitle A > Part III > Chapter 107 Professional Military Education, and Wikipedia has an article on Joint Professional Military Education.

There are a few of us who are active on milBook who still blog publicly, just not necessarily about information that may violate the Department of Defense and service specific social media policies. Working with the military has its own set of unique challenges just as the local public school system (RCSS) does, but the parallelisms exist. You are reminded that we are all human beings and the power of sharing knowledge, skills, and abilities goes beyond any walled learning environment, or whether your career field involves a two way rifle range or crossing busy streets.

We are also in the process of implementing a milWiki portal to encourage and empower learners to share information whether they are attending the residential course, future students, or alumni. Little by little we are making a difference, whether through milBook, milTube, milWiki, or milBlog. As we embark on round two of the electives option, I look forward to sharing concrete experiences, lessons learned, and connecting with people who are knowledge sharers, lurk and learners, virtual mentors, and/or the next best thing since sliced bread. 

So where have you been tinkering?

Comments, recommendations, and/or check the block of the Reaction boxes are always welcome.