One of the things that has been very disappointing to me in the past when dealing with the purchase and maintenance of computers is the built-in-obsolescence of so many of them. Seems to me that the minute you buy a new computer, it is already obsolete! And when I go to a name brand store, such as Staples, or Best Buy, and get a so called “great” package deal (free printer included!) and then end up needing some kind of maintenance on the computer I’m hit with a huge repair bill. Terms such as “proprietary” are thrown at me as an explanation of the cost.Â
I’m always encouraged by my friends in the IT business, to bypass the chain stores and buy a Custom Computer that is not proprietary. I’ve been told that buying Custom Computers can actually be cost effective both in the original purchase price, and in the ability to repair or upgrade. I’ve been thinking about taking a look at some Custom Laptops and see what they have to offer that would entice me to buy a Custom Laptop rather than a pre-bundled deal. I still think that laptops are more expensive than they should be, considering the technological advances that have been made in recent years.
One of the things that worries me about the economy is how the budgets for the school systems keep getting cut back and the children are getting the short end of the stick. Teachers are being laid off, bus runs are being eliminated, after school activities are being eliminated. Because the late buses have been eliminated, there are fewer opportunities for the students to stay after school to meet with their English or math tutor to get the extra English or math help that they need in order to pass their Standards of Learning Tests.
That’s why so many students are turning to, and benefiting from free online tutoring that they can take advantage of in the comfort of their own homes. If they don’t have Internet access at home, they can go to one of the many local libraries and use their computers there. The Information Highway is truly the Road to Learning in this day and age!
Although I don’t condone the actions of the Senator, it seems to me that when the Senator asked the students who they are, the students should have told him their names and what they were doing. This does not bode well for the politician!
One of the things that I’ve noticed lately is that we seem to have bins full of tote bags and backpacks and a variety of purses in our basement, and in our bedroom closet. Not a gift giving occasion goes by when someone doesn’t give us some kind of tote bag, saying “everyone can use another tote bag.” And my wife seems to be on the constant look-out for the perfect purse.
Her favorite everyday purse is actually a very small backpack. It has a loop on the top that can used as a purse handle, and detachable shoulder straps that can be manipulated to turn the bag into a fanny pack or a backpack. I have to admit that it is a very clever design and I can understand why she likes it – when she gets tired of carrying it one way she can change the straps around and carry it a different way. She was lamenting to me earlier tonight that the stores no longer sell her purse – she hasn’t been able to buy a new one like it in over two years. I don’t know what she is going to do when this one finally falls apart!