I just got a new MacBook for use in my classroom, I like to have it plugged in all the time but someone told me this was a bad idea? Is it?
For most people who own laptops, they are habitual... they either run their laptop down until the battery is dead or use it plugged in all the time. I rarely see people who change their habits or are somewhere in the middle. You might have heard someone tell you "don't leave your laptop plugged in all the time, the battery will stop working"!
Is this true?
This was certainly true in the 80's and 90's with the older Nickel-Metal-Hydride laptop batteries. Manufacturers would have suggested that the you drain the battery completely before recharging, otherwise the battery cells would quickly lose their ability to hold a charge. And if you left it plugged in all the time, the batteries would get so hot that they would expand and no longer function. I think we've all been there once in our laptop-lives...
However, with the newer Lithium-Ion batteries, the guy at Best Buy might have told you that you don't ever have to completely drain it the way you needed to with older nickel-metal-hydride laptop batteries. Well, the guy at Best Buy might have sold you a decent laptop, but he gave you bad advice. If you want to get the most out of your battery, this is false. For one thing, if your plugged-in laptop gets hot while you use it and the battery is charged fully, all you're doing is exposing the battery to heat. By exposing it to heat for prolonged periods of time is will make it age more quickly. But heat isn't the only danger your battery daces... another big battery killer is high voltage! This includes the high voltage maintained by a charger—after the battery is full. With most laptops, you can keep the battery just below a full charge by keeping it active. Doing things like using wireless, running a DVD or playing music makes the computer use parts of your laptop that use extra power. Also, changing your settings on your laptop to "optimize for performance" will use more power. These things help. And when you do charge it for a long time, do it when the computer is off, not just asleep, to avoid unnecessary voltage hitting your battery.
You need to be careful about charging only if your computer doesn't include battery-management software. Many PC manufacturers like HP, Lenovo, Sony, and Samsung preload software on your laptop that manages your battery for you. It keeps track of the charge and is capable of adjusting the power getting to the battery to optimize its lifespan. For computers that don't automatically optimize charging, the advice on how often to charge and discharge their batteries varies. Apple recommends getting battery juices flowing by using the computer unplugged from time to time—though not too many times, since Li-ion batteries have limited charge cycles (each cycle is from complete charge to complete discharge).
But keep in mind, no matter what you do, Li-ion batteries will eventually lose capacity. For average users, expect to get about two to three years of good charges.
Bruce is the author of four books: Sands of Time, Towering Pines Volume One:Room 509, The Star of Christmas and Philadelphia Story: A Lance Carter Detective Novel. He also has a new novel coming out in November 2012, Towering Pines Volume Two: The Sound and The Fury. Follow Bruce's Novel releases by subscribing to his FREE newsletter!
Tuesday, April 1, 2014
Foodie Review: Union Jack's Old Congo Inn in Barto, PA
Union Jack's Congo Hotel
373 Hoffmansville Road
Barto, PA 19504
610-754-0189
This sure seems like a great place! My wife went here one time for a party and they had a sampling of the food -- she said the wings are incredible and we must go there for their Wednesday Night Wing Night!
So we did...
We've been there three times now and each time the wings have been great! The sauce is tasty and they have many flavors... want it hot? They got that... want it sweet? Yup... want a mix? Try the Carib-BBQ or the TexMex!
The wings were very good, the service was very good -- very friendly! I have only two criticisms of the place so far... they have no kids menu and the sauce on the wings does not last... What do I mean by that? So they have a rule, you can't order wings just to take home.. no problem there. But we order 20 and usually had 4 or 5 left... we take them home.. the next day the flavor is gone... nothing wrong with them, they just lose their flavor... and I'm a big fan of leftover wings and chicken!! I love going to KFC, getting an 8 piece, eating 2 or 3 and then savoring the left overs all week.
All in all, we will continue to eat there -- maybe even try a non-wing night.
Overall:
Atmosphere: 3/5 - Noisy and bar-like but not offensive.
Service: 4/5
Food: 4/5
Price: 4/5
Overall: 3.75/5
Pros: Excellent wings, great wing-night prices, good sauce!
Cons: So-so chicken fingers, no kids menu - had to order my little guy a full meal.
Go Again: Definitely!
Bruce is the author of four books: Sands of Time, Towering Pines Volume One:Room 509, The Star of Christmas and Philadelphia Story: A Lance Carter Detective Novel. He also has a new novel coming out in November 2012, Towering Pines Volume Two: The Sound and The Fury. Follow Bruce's Novel release by subscribing to his FREE Newsletter: Click Here to Subscribe
373 Hoffmansville Road
Barto, PA 19504
610-754-0189
This sure seems like a great place! My wife went here one time for a party and they had a sampling of the food -- she said the wings are incredible and we must go there for their Wednesday Night Wing Night!
So we did...
We've been there three times now and each time the wings have been great! The sauce is tasty and they have many flavors... want it hot? They got that... want it sweet? Yup... want a mix? Try the Carib-BBQ or the TexMex!
The wings were very good, the service was very good -- very friendly! I have only two criticisms of the place so far... they have no kids menu and the sauce on the wings does not last... What do I mean by that? So they have a rule, you can't order wings just to take home.. no problem there. But we order 20 and usually had 4 or 5 left... we take them home.. the next day the flavor is gone... nothing wrong with them, they just lose their flavor... and I'm a big fan of leftover wings and chicken!! I love going to KFC, getting an 8 piece, eating 2 or 3 and then savoring the left overs all week.
All in all, we will continue to eat there -- maybe even try a non-wing night.
Overall:
Atmosphere: 3/5 - Noisy and bar-like but not offensive.
Service: 4/5
Food: 4/5
Price: 4/5
Overall: 3.75/5
Pros: Excellent wings, great wing-night prices, good sauce!
Cons: So-so chicken fingers, no kids menu - had to order my little guy a full meal.
Go Again: Definitely!
Bruce is the author of four books: Sands of Time, Towering Pines Volume One:Room 509, The Star of Christmas and Philadelphia Story: A Lance Carter Detective Novel. He also has a new novel coming out in November 2012, Towering Pines Volume Two: The Sound and The Fury. Follow Bruce's Novel release by subscribing to his FREE Newsletter: Click Here to Subscribe
Foodie Review: Christine's Creekside Inn in Birdsboro, PA
Christine's Creekside Inn
1250 Green Hills Road
Birdsboro, PA 19508
610-582-8150
I have had Christine's Creekside Inn on my "to try" list for some time now. We haven't been there mostly because of its location. It is in a beautiful, but out of the way, location. We just don't get out that way much. When a friend said he'd found a nice Groupon for Christine's, we were on our way!
As I mentioned, the location is beautiful! The building is old and rustic, which is nice and quaint. When you walk in, it is a little confusing but once you walk up the stairs the hostess is right at the top - so no need to figure out the disjointed dining room, bar, dining room set up. They got it.
We were seated in the larger room which overlooks the creek. Thus the name... It is a nice view, but the dining room is very loud. There isn't much to be done about it, it is what it is. But if you want a slightly quieter dinner, you might ask to be seated in the front dining room.
We ordered their appetizer sampler which featured steak bites, chicken and mushrooms. It was delicious - but could have been a little larger for the price. For our entrees; my wife ordered the chicken francaise, I ordered the chicken marsala and my friend ordered the steak diane. The wait for our food was long... and we had our 2 year old with us. This is a god time to mention that the servers were very good and attentive. They took a moment every so often to stop and say hi to our little guy which helped keep him entertained enough to not lose his little mind during the long wait for our dinner.
Once the food arrived, it was easy to see that the kitchen does a nice job. The food looked appetizing and smelled yummy. My friend's steak was done just the way he asked it (just this side of still mooing) and his report of it was positive. He said the sauce could have been more flavorful, but he wasn't complaining. My wife enjoyed her chicken, and I stole a bite and can concur that it was good. But it could have used a touch more sauce. My chicken marsala was prepared in a light, broth based sauce. I prefer the reduction method of preparing chicken marsala that make the sauce thicker and with a deeper flavor. So, while it was not what I like, for what it was it was fine. Next time, I'll order something lese.
Which brings us to the big end, would we go back? Sure we would. The experience was positive and the food was good. The issue is the cost. It was a $150 dinner without our Groupon (with the groupon it was about $75 I think). I don't have $150 dinners very often, but if I am planning one I'll consider Christine's. If we get another Groupon, we will certainly. go.
Overall:
Atmosphere: 4/5
Service: 5/5
Food: 4/5
Price: 3/5
Overall: 4/5
Pros: Food is good, service is very good. Creek is nice.
Cons: Loud and pricey!
Go Again: Yes, for a special occasion or a Groupon.
Bruce is the author of four books: Sands of Time, Towering Pines Volume One:Room 509, The Star of Christmas and Philadelphia Story: A Lance Carter Detective Novel. He also has a new novel coming out in November 2012, Towering Pines Volume Two: The Sound and The Fury. Subscribe to Bruce's Free Mailing List: Click Here to Subscribe.
1250 Green Hills Road
Birdsboro, PA 19508
610-582-8150
I have had Christine's Creekside Inn on my "to try" list for some time now. We haven't been there mostly because of its location. It is in a beautiful, but out of the way, location. We just don't get out that way much. When a friend said he'd found a nice Groupon for Christine's, we were on our way!
As I mentioned, the location is beautiful! The building is old and rustic, which is nice and quaint. When you walk in, it is a little confusing but once you walk up the stairs the hostess is right at the top - so no need to figure out the disjointed dining room, bar, dining room set up. They got it.
We were seated in the larger room which overlooks the creek. Thus the name... It is a nice view, but the dining room is very loud. There isn't much to be done about it, it is what it is. But if you want a slightly quieter dinner, you might ask to be seated in the front dining room.
We ordered their appetizer sampler which featured steak bites, chicken and mushrooms. It was delicious - but could have been a little larger for the price. For our entrees; my wife ordered the chicken francaise, I ordered the chicken marsala and my friend ordered the steak diane. The wait for our food was long... and we had our 2 year old with us. This is a god time to mention that the servers were very good and attentive. They took a moment every so often to stop and say hi to our little guy which helped keep him entertained enough to not lose his little mind during the long wait for our dinner.
Once the food arrived, it was easy to see that the kitchen does a nice job. The food looked appetizing and smelled yummy. My friend's steak was done just the way he asked it (just this side of still mooing) and his report of it was positive. He said the sauce could have been more flavorful, but he wasn't complaining. My wife enjoyed her chicken, and I stole a bite and can concur that it was good. But it could have used a touch more sauce. My chicken marsala was prepared in a light, broth based sauce. I prefer the reduction method of preparing chicken marsala that make the sauce thicker and with a deeper flavor. So, while it was not what I like, for what it was it was fine. Next time, I'll order something lese.
Which brings us to the big end, would we go back? Sure we would. The experience was positive and the food was good. The issue is the cost. It was a $150 dinner without our Groupon (with the groupon it was about $75 I think). I don't have $150 dinners very often, but if I am planning one I'll consider Christine's. If we get another Groupon, we will certainly. go.
Overall:
Atmosphere: 4/5
Service: 5/5
Food: 4/5
Price: 3/5
Overall: 4/5
Pros: Food is good, service is very good. Creek is nice.
Cons: Loud and pricey!
Go Again: Yes, for a special occasion or a Groupon.
Bruce is the author of four books: Sands of Time, Towering Pines Volume One:Room 509, The Star of Christmas and Philadelphia Story: A Lance Carter Detective Novel. He also has a new novel coming out in November 2012, Towering Pines Volume Two: The Sound and The Fury. Subscribe to Bruce's Free Mailing List: Click Here to Subscribe.
Foodie Review: The Tilted Kilt in Allentown, PA
Tilted Kilt
2835 Lehigh Street
Allentown, PA 18103
610-791-2100
As soon as this place opened, we went... it was that simple.
Location:
The location is a curious one, right on the border of Allentown and Emmaus area at the end of the Auto Mile on Lehigh Street. I look around and wonder if *anything* beside the McDonald's that I can see from the front can actually survive here. But the moment I walked in I was struck by the size and ambience of the place. It was like walking into a large, busy pub. That being said -- the place is VERY loud. If that's an issue for you, you won't enjoy your meal. The bar is large, there are a lot of tables and dozens of scantily clad women.
Ambience:
A word about the scantily clad women: the outfits are super cute. And throwing all politically correctness aside for a moment, I found them to be very attractive in the outfits. Yes, they aren't perfect -- but they aren't plastic dolls either -- they are women. If you are going to see hotties in little skirts and bare bellies with boobs popping out, this is the place. To balance the scales, there were a number of young, good looking guys in kilts too (bus boys, no need to worry -- the cute girls are your waitresses). Let's put it this way: The girls at the Tilted Kilt make Hooters look like Old Ladies. The only real downside was how many of them looked painted. There were a couple of girls with visible tramp stamps and tummy tats that I found killed the illusion. Not my thing... Note that while were were there they had bag pipes playing every fifteen or twenty minutes. Fun the first couple of times, annoying after that. Another notable thing: there are TVs a-plenty. Looks like a great place to have a couple of beers and watch EVERY football game at the same time.
Service:
Our waitress was very cute, friendly and was TERRIBLE. She got out order wrong, brought out the wrong food and our dinners came out exactly thirty seconds after our appetizers came out. Not cool. But she was visible, refilled drinks when asked and corrected her mistakes quickly -- but she still made more than one. Her tip reflected that.
The Food:
For appetizers we ordered the Drunken Clams and Irish Nachos (they were on special for $5). They were both very good. The clams has a little spice to them, which was very welcome and the chips that the nachos toppings were on were very good. I ordered the spicy jalapeño burger, my wife ordered the irish dip (think french dip), my friend got the fish and chips and little man for chicken fingers. My burger was delicious. The meat was cooked perfectly, the mayo sauce was tasty and the jalapeños were fresh. The bun was soft and slightly warm. My only complaint was that beyond the peppers it had no hot spice to it at all. A very minor thing, but I was hoping for it. A solid A- on the burger. My buddy said more than once how he enjoyed his fish and chips -- I didn't taste it but he really enjoyed it. My wife said the irish dip was so-so. The meat was ok but the roll was kind of hard -- a definite no-no with a dip sandwich. She did convey that the sauce was delicious. I stole one of little man's chicken fingers (he's only one year old, so he wasn't going to eat it) and they were freshly breaded hunks of white meat chicken -- A+. We got a mixture of garlic fries and regular fries. I have to agree witha previous reviewers. They were just OK. I was hoping for a Red Robin french fry experience but didn't get one. A solid B.
Overall, this place was great and we had a good time. A fun atmosphere, hottie waitstaff, moderate pricing (we all ate with apps for a total of $60) and very good food. I just reallllly hope the service improves. The girls are cute, but that only goes so far.
Overall:
Atmosphere: 4/5
Service: 3/5
Food: 5/5
Price: 5/5
Overall: 4.5/5
Pros: Great food, good prices, fun atmosphere.
Cons: Bad service.
Go Again: For sure!
Bruce is the author of four books: Sands of Time, Towering Pines Volume One:Room 509, The Star of Christmas and Philadelphia Story: A Lance Carter Detective Novel. He also has a new novel coming out in November 2012, Towering Pines Volume Two: The Sound and The Fury. Follow Bruce's Novel release by pointing your RSS reader to BruceASarte.Com's RSS feed or his Food BLOGS by clicking here.
2835 Lehigh Street
Allentown, PA 18103
610-791-2100
As soon as this place opened, we went... it was that simple.
Location:
The location is a curious one, right on the border of Allentown and Emmaus area at the end of the Auto Mile on Lehigh Street. I look around and wonder if *anything* beside the McDonald's that I can see from the front can actually survive here. But the moment I walked in I was struck by the size and ambience of the place. It was like walking into a large, busy pub. That being said -- the place is VERY loud. If that's an issue for you, you won't enjoy your meal. The bar is large, there are a lot of tables and dozens of scantily clad women.
Ambience:
A word about the scantily clad women: the outfits are super cute. And throwing all politically correctness aside for a moment, I found them to be very attractive in the outfits. Yes, they aren't perfect -- but they aren't plastic dolls either -- they are women. If you are going to see hotties in little skirts and bare bellies with boobs popping out, this is the place. To balance the scales, there were a number of young, good looking guys in kilts too (bus boys, no need to worry -- the cute girls are your waitresses). Let's put it this way: The girls at the Tilted Kilt make Hooters look like Old Ladies. The only real downside was how many of them looked painted. There were a couple of girls with visible tramp stamps and tummy tats that I found killed the illusion. Not my thing... Note that while were were there they had bag pipes playing every fifteen or twenty minutes. Fun the first couple of times, annoying after that. Another notable thing: there are TVs a-plenty. Looks like a great place to have a couple of beers and watch EVERY football game at the same time.
Service:
Our waitress was very cute, friendly and was TERRIBLE. She got out order wrong, brought out the wrong food and our dinners came out exactly thirty seconds after our appetizers came out. Not cool. But she was visible, refilled drinks when asked and corrected her mistakes quickly -- but she still made more than one. Her tip reflected that.
The Food:
For appetizers we ordered the Drunken Clams and Irish Nachos (they were on special for $5). They were both very good. The clams has a little spice to them, which was very welcome and the chips that the nachos toppings were on were very good. I ordered the spicy jalapeño burger, my wife ordered the irish dip (think french dip), my friend got the fish and chips and little man for chicken fingers. My burger was delicious. The meat was cooked perfectly, the mayo sauce was tasty and the jalapeños were fresh. The bun was soft and slightly warm. My only complaint was that beyond the peppers it had no hot spice to it at all. A very minor thing, but I was hoping for it. A solid A- on the burger. My buddy said more than once how he enjoyed his fish and chips -- I didn't taste it but he really enjoyed it. My wife said the irish dip was so-so. The meat was ok but the roll was kind of hard -- a definite no-no with a dip sandwich. She did convey that the sauce was delicious. I stole one of little man's chicken fingers (he's only one year old, so he wasn't going to eat it) and they were freshly breaded hunks of white meat chicken -- A+. We got a mixture of garlic fries and regular fries. I have to agree witha previous reviewers. They were just OK. I was hoping for a Red Robin french fry experience but didn't get one. A solid B.
Overall, this place was great and we had a good time. A fun atmosphere, hottie waitstaff, moderate pricing (we all ate with apps for a total of $60) and very good food. I just reallllly hope the service improves. The girls are cute, but that only goes so far.
Overall:
Atmosphere: 4/5
Service: 3/5
Food: 5/5
Price: 5/5
Overall: 4.5/5
Pros: Great food, good prices, fun atmosphere.
Cons: Bad service.
Go Again: For sure!
Bruce is the author of four books: Sands of Time, Towering Pines Volume One:Room 509, The Star of Christmas and Philadelphia Story: A Lance Carter Detective Novel. He also has a new novel coming out in November 2012, Towering Pines Volume Two: The Sound and The Fury. Follow Bruce's Novel release by pointing your RSS reader to BruceASarte.Com's RSS feed or his Food BLOGS by clicking here.
What do algebra and QR codes have in common? The answer is Slackmath. Developed by Geoffrey Slack, an innovative math teacher, this site contains dozens of PDFs of algebra, geometry and pre-calculus problems next to corresponding QR codes. It works well with any iOS or Android device, as well as all computing platforms and browsers.
So how does Slackmath work? Select a topic such as Order of Operations from one of 13 skill categories (i.e. Functions, Equations and Expressions) and access the PDF provided. Once the sample problems on the document are complete, the learner can check responses by scanning the QR code—which will not only reveal the correct answers but better yet, a video explanation of how to actually solve the math problems can be viewed as well.
QR Code readers are freely available to any phone or tablet that has a camera built-in. Not using a device that has that? No problem! Just open the PDF on any device, then click on the QR code to access the instructional video.
Want to see Slackmath in action? Then check out a sample video below.
So how does Slackmath work? Select a topic such as Order of Operations from one of 13 skill categories (i.e. Functions, Equations and Expressions) and access the PDF provided. Once the sample problems on the document are complete, the learner can check responses by scanning the QR code—which will not only reveal the correct answers but better yet, a video explanation of how to actually solve the math problems can be viewed as well.
QR Code readers are freely available to any phone or tablet that has a camera built-in. Not using a device that has that? No problem! Just open the PDF on any device, then click on the QR code to access the instructional video.
Want to see Slackmath in action? Then check out a sample video below.
Slackmath uses QR codes to teach and learn math in a meaningful and engaging way. It’s a pretty simple yet very powerful tool—one that incorporates math, multimedia and mobile technology. Besides that, Slackmath is perfect for learners to practice a variety of math problems and then obtain immediate feedback. This is a fantastic website and way to integrate smartphone and/or tablet technology into your class to flip your classroom!
~~~~~
Bruce has worked in educational technology for over 18 years and has implemented several 1:1/BYOD programs. He also has served as a classroom teacher in Computer Science, History and English classes. Bruce is the author of five books: Sands of Time, Towering Pines Volume One:Room 509, The Star of Christmas, Philadelphia Story: A Lance Carter Detective Novel and The Insider's Story: A Lance Carter Detective Novel. Follow Bruce's Novel releases by subscribing to his FREE newsletter!
Be sure to check out Bruce's Allentown Education Examiner Page, his Twitter and his Facebook!
~~~~~
Bruce has worked in educational technology for over 18 years and has implemented several 1:1/BYOD programs. He also has served as a classroom teacher in Computer Science, History and English classes. Bruce is the author of five books: Sands of Time, Towering Pines Volume One:Room 509, The Star of Christmas, Philadelphia Story: A Lance Carter Detective Novel and The Insider's Story: A Lance Carter Detective Novel. Follow Bruce's Novel releases by subscribing to his FREE newsletter!
Be sure to check out Bruce's Allentown Education Examiner Page, his Twitter and his Facebook!
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