New Series Begins the Week of February 10th - So join us

Reminder that our next series begins one week from today on February 10th

and will continue until the week of May 5th...

During this series, no classes will be held the weeks of

• Monday-Friday, Feb 17 - Feb 21st, 2014 February/Winter Break
• Monday-Friday, Apr 21 - Apr 25th, 2014 April/Spring Break

Your dates & times will remain the same as the series that is just finishing.  If however, you need to make a change or know of anyone who would like to join our classes, please speak to Denise Moloney as soon as possible.

For those of you who have completed the Beginner and Internet series, we will be introducing some new topics which many of you have asked for during this new series, including:

·       Cloud Computing

·       Review of Microsoft & Google email features

·       Social Media such as Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest & Instagram

·       Media Players &Music Basics

·       Wi-Fi, Getting on Line without Cables

·       Online Security updates & changes

·       Online Shopping & using Pay Pal...

As always we welcome and encourage your feedback as to how we might improve this program and if there are topics you would like us to be discussing...

These are your classes, so speak up!!!

Your next Computer Class Series Begins the week of August 19th

On behalf of our entire team we hope you have enjoyed a healthy, fun filled summer break and are now ready to get back to playing with your computers and learning about all this changing technology.....

We have a wonderful new ten (10) week series planned based on topics you and fellow classmates have asked us to cover.  If you haven't registered to attend a class, be sure to contact Denise Moloney as soon as possible...

Our goal is to help everyone get comfortable with your computers and other portable devices – For some students, who are just getting comfortable with the computers and technology we will help you work with other students who are also just beginning in one of two levels....

• Beginners: We will help you understand computer basics, laptops, etc & begin using the Internet
• Intermediate 1: Spend the entire series playing with the Internet & email

For those students, who have been taking classes for a while and are comfortable with the basics, then our series is what you might be interested in.  Our goal for our afternoon students this series, is to help increase your understanding of the computer filing system using Windows Explorer, Flash Drives & Memory Cards and using Cloud Computing with SkyDrive, Google Drive, Syncing your emails, calendar and contact list to all your devices; We will spend lots of time on the ever changing world of the Internet – terminology, shopping safely, video websites and the last few weeks our goal is to get everyone comfortable with music on your computer and other devices...

WEEK 1 & 2...WINDOWS EXPLORER –ORGANIZE YOUR COMPUTER

Understanding your computers filing system

Copying & Pasting vs. click ‘n drag

Copying to & from flash drives & memory cards

Please bring a flash drive- we will:

Create folders, sub-folders & rename photos & documents & more

WEEK 3 & 4 CLOUD COMPUTING, SKYDRIVE, GOOGLEDRIVE & SYNCING

What is cloud computing all about & how it makes your life easier’

Learn to safely store photos & documents in the clouds

Using your cloud’s address book & calendar for easy access

Syncing between your PC & Phone, Tablet

How to use your calendar – new & repeat events (daily-weekly-yearly) & more

WEEKS 5, 6, 7 & 8 INTERNET – EVERYTHING YOU NEED/WANT TO KNOW...

How’s & why’s of using the popular browsers??

Customize your browser with your Favorites/Bookmarks, tabs & lists

Meaning of: Virus, worms, Trojans, Spyware, malware, cookies & more

Shopping safely –Searching, how to pay safely

YouTube & HuLu – downloading & streaming??

Setting up accounts so you can save & upload video’s

WEEK 9 & 10 – WORKING WITH MUSIC ON YOUR DEVICES...

How to play & save CD’s on your computer

Using the “clouds for music”

Find & listen to your favorite radio station, Jango & Pandora

Understanding iTunes & others, purchasing & burning music to cd’s

Summer is winding down and it’s time to begin our next 10 week computer class series this week starting on Monday, August 20^th at Union Tower II and Tuesday-Thursday at Union Tower I....  Taking these classes will help to ensure you don’t need instructions from someone like this little fellow…so consider joining us with a friend so that you have someone to motivate you to use your new skills and if you have ideas or suggestions for topics that you would like us to teach, be sure to let us know… 

These are your classes and we want to be sure you are learning the skills important to you…And as always we welcome your comments and suggestions about what it is you want to learn during these classes, not only about application software – such as Internet Explorer, Email, Word, Picasa and Power Point and others, but all of this technology that is changing continually

This new series which begins all week starting Monday, August 20^th will continue thru November 1^st…No classes will be held on Monday, September 3 for the Labor Day Holiday or on Monday, October 8^th for the Columbus Day Holiday

There are a few seats still open for Beginner, Internet and more Advanced classes-so be sure to talk to Denise Moloney

During this new series, our more advanced students will continue to focus on Word Skills in Word Email & Power Point: We will spend the first few weeks with Word Tables making sure you are comfortable creating and editing a personal medial information form; we will then review some of the new features offered by email services, then work with organizing photos on our computers and flash drives; learn more about new features offered by Picasa for photo editing – including easily uploading Picasa photos to Walgreen’s & Facebook; and finish out the series spending several weeks creating slide show presentations with Power Point……

Look forward to seeing you all soon…

New Computer Class Series Begin Next Week-November 1st

Just a reminder that our new series will begin next Tuesday, November 1st at 9am at Union Tower I - 11th floor . This series will continue thru January 2012..

For those of you who attended the current series, please know that your seats will be held for you on the same day and time for the upcoming new series, unless you make changes with Denise...

Other than a few new students who are just beginning their classes, we will be discussing a lot of great topics that you've askedfor during this new series, including:

• Updates on changes using Internet & Email
• Helping you get comofrotable using our class and other blogs
• Reviewing Word Processing Basics, using clip art, creating labels and tables & more
• Using our Flash Drives & organizing what’s on your flash drive and in your computer folders
• Social Networking including Facebook and
• A favorite topic we’ll cover after the holidays: tips on using your new holiday toys..

If you know of someone who may be new to the world of computers (or new to the Union Tower Family) be sure to encourage them to talk to Denise and join in... It's always enjoyable to register with a friend so you have someone to motivate you to use your new skills

And of course, keeping the classes full always help to ensure the continuation of the program

For those of you at Union Tower II, next month I will schedule time in early December to review the Skype with anyone who is interested, so for those who want to join our classes can without having to drive in the cold weather.. we will work out the specific details for this in the upcoming weeks..

As always, if you have ideas or suggestions for topics that you would like us to be teaching, be sure to let us know… These are your classes and we want to be sure you are learning the skills important to you…

Enjoy your Holidays-Classes Resume in 2011

Just a quick reminder that as of today, our computer classes are over now until after the holidays.

On behalf of all of us, we wish you and your families a wonderful holiday season and fabulous and healthy 2011 ahead... Still not quite sure where this year went...

Our current computer class series will resume the week of January 3rd, 2011 and continue thru February 3rd…..

Until then have a safe, healthy and happy holiday...

Cherie Houston, Bob Donovan, Jean McCarty, Jack Bowes, Michael Guerino & Kevin Bachelder

No Computer Classes-Monday, Oct. 11th-Columbus Day Holiday

No computer classes will be held Today, Monday, October 11th at Union Tower I or II due to Columbus Day Holiday; We will see you all next Monday, October 18th…

A few Trivia Facts and/or myths about the voyage of Christopher Columbus:

• Most likely the biggest myth of all is that Columbus set out to prove the Earth wasn't flat. Actually it was a well accepted fact in the later 15th Century that the Earth was a sphere, the only unknown was just how big a sphere it was. Columbus believed that it was a small sphere that if sailed west he would reach the Indies in the shortest time (his calculations underestimated the size by one-fourth). It was actually the Portuguese who won the race to the Indies by having sailed east around Africa in 1499
• While it is true that Columbus sought funding from Queen Isabella (who actually never sold her crown jewels to finance the trip), it is King Ferdinand of Spain who rightfully claimed credit for brokering the deal. Half of the financing of the 1st voyage was from a private Italian investor.
• Columbus is widely thought to be Italian (Genoese), however his actual origins are much a mystery. There is very little known about him prior to 1470; it seems many counties from France to Portugal and even Spain wish to claim him as a native son.
• The maiden voyage included the Santa Maria, the Pinta and the Nina - weather was idyllic for sailing and the 90 men were well supplied and no man died. However on the voyage home the Santa Maria was shipwrecked during a hurricane on Christmas day in 1492 - 39 men volunteered to stay behind on the northern coast of present day Haiti - all believed died at the hands native Indians).
• Columbus changed course on his voyage to follow a large flock of migrating birds and in doing so sighted bonfires which were lit on the beaches of San Salvador to keep fleas out of native huts and the New World was discovered.
• Christopher Columbus died in 1506 still believing he discovered India.
• The term 'Indians' in reference to American Natives is due to Columbus's belief that he landed in India.
• No known portrait was painted of Columbus in his lifetime, 71 originals were exhibited at the Chicago Columbian Exposition in 1893
• Columbus died penniless and jailed. Actually, he died at the age of 55 at his home in Valladoild, Spain a relatively rich man having amassed a wealth of gold found in Hispaniola. In 1500 after his third voyage back to Spain he returned in chains but shortly won his freedom back but not all his privileges promised by the Spanish crown.
• All told seventeen ships and over 1,200 men made up the 2nd voyage in 1493. The first women sailed at a ratio of 1-to-10 on the third voyage in 1498
• Columbus Day was "created" by the retail industry to increase sales - Absolutely not true - Yes it is an adopted holiday celebrated with a day off, but Columbus Day is celebrated around the world. The first U.S. recorded celebration was in New York on October 12th, 1792 in celebration of Italian-American heritage. President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1937 proclaimed October 12th to be Columbus Day a national holiday. In 1971 the holiday celebration date was changed the 2nd Monday in October. Now due to the politically correct movement some have come to call the formally known Columbus Day as "Discovery Day."

Computer Classes Begin Monday August 16th

We hope everyone has enjoyed their summer break... weather certainly has been wonderful - although a little hotter and more humid than some might like...

Our next 10 week Computer Class Series begins next week, August 16th and will run thru the end of October:

• Monday, Wednesday & Friday mornings 9am, 10am & 11am at Union Tower I
• Tuesday & Thursday mornings 9am, 10am & 11am at Union Tower II

The seat you have had in the past will be waiting for you - if you need to make a change on your day of the week or time - or know someone who might like to join in - please contact Denise Moloney ASAP... I believe we still have 2 or 3 spots available...so spread the word

This series we will be covering a variety of topics that you've requested, such as...

• Finding and Organizing whats on your computer, using Windows Explorer
• How to add, delete & clean up your files & folders
• How to copy & paste - Again!!
• How to save items and copy items to and from your flash drives
• How to use SKYPE to make free calls & video calls
• Using the Internet to shop & bank on line - lots of security tips and recommendations for registering on websites safely

And much more...

On behalf of Bob Donovan, Jean McCarty and Jack Bowes, we all look forward to seeing you all again for another great series... Cherie Houston

Last week of classes

This is our last week of computer classes (June 28th-July 1st) at Union Tower I & II before we break for the summer recess. No computer classes will be held July 5th thru August 13th.

If you have not saved your information currently on your classroom computer to your flash drive and would like to, bring your flash drive to class this week and we will be sure that is done. No classes will be held this Friday, July 2nd

The next series begins the week of August 16th and your seats will be waiting for you. The August schedule is posted both in and outside all classrooms for your reference. If you know someone who would like to join our classes have them contact Denise Moloney at the UT I office.

We hope you have a wonderful summer - check the blog often - as we will continue to post helpful hints and information... and as as always if there is a topic you would like us to cover in the blog/newsletter - just let us know.. remember we are always just an email away....

On behalf of myself, Bob Donovan, Jean McCarty and Jack Bowes, we hope you and yours have a wonderful, safe & healthy summer.. Cherie Houston

NEW SERIES BEGINS THIS WEEK

Greetings everyone and we hope you are all ready to begin another new series this week..

Can you believe it's November 1st already?? We have some wonderful new things planned for you this series - we encourage you to practice either at home or in the computer labs when there are no classes... The more we practice - the easier this all becomes - and the better we get at what we're doing... And we encourage you to ask questions - it's how we all learn from each other...

Bob will be taking great care of you and I'll see you all for some classes in December... so in the meantime - enjoy YOUR class blog - let us know what else you'd like to see included in this blog and always feel free to share it with others...

Enjoy the great weather you are having and I'll see you all soon. Cherie H.