Introducing Tech Talk. Think “Dear Abby” but instead of relationship advice the topic is technology. If you have any questions about software, hardware, internet, programming, web pages, blogs, video games, video consoles, cell phones, money saving technology, local tech resources, security, error messages, virus, spyware, or any other topic concerning technology that you would like answered write to Tech Talk. The questions and answers will be printed and available on “The Contemplation”.
Evergreen Country Shopper
Attention: Tech Talk
P.O. Box 408
417 9th Ave. W.
Ashland, WI 54806
Email: techtalk@soketnetto.com
Previous weeks the Tech Talk article covered general information about free online office suites, business applications (http://tinyurl.com/ttonlinebapps) and online creative/design applications (http://tinyurl.com/ttonlinedesign). This week’s topic:
Local Resources
- City of Ashland home page: http://www.ci.ashland.wi.us/
- Ashland Ward Maps: http://www.ci.ashland.wi.us/node/10
- Ashland City Council Home Page: http://www.ci.ashland.wi.us/list/5
- Ashland Mayor and Council: http://www.ci.ashland.wi.us/node/686
Chequamegon FreeCycle
(http://groups.yahoo.com/group/cheqbayfreecycle/)
A grassroots nonprofit movement of people who are giving (& getting) stuff for free. It’s all about reuse and keeping good stuff out of landfills. The Freecycle Network is made up of 4,885 groups with 7,017,000 members across the globe. It’s a grassroots and entirely nonprofit movement of people who are giving (& getting) stuff for free in their own towns. It’s all about reuse and keeping good stuff out of landfills. Each local group is moderated by a local volunteer (them’s good people). Membership is free.
Cheap Barter Trade
(http://finance.groups.yahoo.com/group/cheapbartertrade/)
Post your unwanted saleable items for cheap prices, for barter or for trade here. Post your wanted items too and state what you would like to pay, barter or trade for to get it. Work, chores, rides etc., are also acceptable for trades. Apartment posts and businness specials are OK to post too. Just be reasonable, polite and fair in your dealings, and please don’t post the same things over and over. It can overwhelm peoples inboxes. Thanks. This is for the Lake Superior area folks, around Ashland/Bayfield WI and beyond a bit, like Ironwood, Hayward and Hurley. Please share this group with all your friends and family, even your enemies ; ) so we can get big enough to skip the cost of newspapers for our advertisements. thanks. Good deals to you.
AshlandWI
(http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ashlandwi/)
Ashland Wisconsin, Local Lake Superior Group Club. There’s always time for Home Town News!! Post Photo’s, Messages, Links, News about Ashland. Due to high spam those who would like to truly like to join please send a message. All messages will be pre-approved by the moderator before posting to the board to prevent spam.
Ice Fishing
(http://groups.yahoo.com/group/icefishing_AshlandWI/)
Fishing pics, tips, humor for the Ashland WI area. Also some local pics and drinking pics.
NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD Photo by Ryan Brady
Ashland Birders
(http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ashlandbirders/)
An electronic network of individuals interested in birds of the Chequamegon Bay area of northern Wisconsin. The group’s primary function is to exchange current sightings, behavioral observations, and photographs of local area birds. Members are encouraged to share their knowledge of the local avifauna and engage in discussions concerning bird distribution, identification, habitat, and behavior. Observations of all flora and fauna are also welcome.
Latest good bird: NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD
Lakeshore east of oredock, Ashland, Wisconsin
31 December 2009
Photo by Ryan Brady
Although this species occurs every few years during the spring and summer months, this is only our second winter record in the Chequamegon Bay area.
NW Radio Scanner
(http://groups.yahoo.com/group/NorthwestWisconsinRadioScanner/)
Radio monitoring devoted to Northwestern Wisconsin AND Northeastern Minnesota. Help fill in the scanning information gaps and incident alerts for this part of the state.
Ashland Bujinkan Buyu Dojo
(http://groups.google.com/group/buyu)
Bujinkan martial art practitioners in the Ashland, Wisconsin area.
Sustainable Chequamegon
(http://groups.google.com/group/sustcheq)
(http://allianceforsustainability.org/)
Sustainable Chequamegon an initiative of the Alliance for Sustainability in the Chequamegon Bay Region of Northern Wisconsin.All people interested in participating in a community dialog about sustainabiltiy in the Chequamegon Bay Region are welcome to join the group.
Mac Users
(http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/cbamug/)
| Who: | Any and all Macintosh users, from novice to expert, in the Chequamegon Bay area. SWITCHERS WELCOME!  |
| Why: | To see new products, share ideas, provide peer support, and have a good time! |
| When: | Third Tuesday of “even” months (February, April, June, August, October, December) |
| Where: | Location varies – see below for the next “hot spot” |
| Cost: | Consider us an “open source” MUG — no cost to belong, but we value your other contributions to the group |
| Mailing List: | Yahoo! Groups mailing list (please join!) |
| MUG Ambassador: | Brent Rossow — email cbamug@mac.com |
| Next meeting: | February 16, 2010 @ 7:30 pm Deep Water Grill, 808 W. Main Street, Ashland, WI TOPIC: TBA |
Nap Advocates
(http://tinyurl.com/ttcheqnap)
Do you still enjoy Naptime? Do you miss kindergarten naptime of long ago?
Are you one of those people that fall asleep regularly on any piece of comfortable furniture (or not so comfortable) on campus you can find, like in the Student Center?
Do you think that a visit to the library is incomplete without the fabled comfort of napping on a desk?
Then you are right for this club. Take your next nap knowing that there are many people in this world just like you.
Viva Kindergarten Naptime!
Beer Club
(http://tinyurl.com/ttcheqbeer)
Devoted to the creation and appreciation of beer, fine and otherwise.
PFLAG
(http://tinyurl.com/ttpflag)
Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG) is a national non-profit organization with over 200,000 members and supporters and over 500 affiliates in the United States. This vast grassroots network is cultivated, resourced and serviced by the PFLAG National Office, located in Washington, D.C., the national Board of Directors and 13 Regional Directors.
The parents, families and friends of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender persons, celebrate diversity and envision a society that embraces everyone, including those of diverse sexual orientations and gender identities. Only with respect, dignity and equality for all will we reach our full potential as human beings, individually and collectively. PFLAG welcomes the participation and support of all who share in, and hope to realize this vision.
PFLAG promotes the health and well-being of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender persons, their families and friends through: support, to cope with an adverse society; education, to enlighten an ill-informed public; and advocacy, to end discrimination and to secure equal civil rights. Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays provides opportunity for dialogue about sexual orientation and gender identity, and acts to create a society that is healthy and respectful of human diversity.
Chamber Music
(http://www.ashlandchambermusic.org/)
The Ashland Chamber Music Society is a volunteer organization working to provide a venue for local and regional musicians to perform chamber music within the Ashland area. We are incorporated as a 501(c)3 corporation. While our primary focus has been and remains to be the classical music genre, we have found the community to be quite receptive to the presentation of non classical music in a chamber setting.
Piano Button Concerts are held at the United Presbyterian-Congregational Church, 214 Vaughn Ave, Ashland. A carefully restored Mason & Hamlin grand piano is available for the musicians. The building’s wonderful acoustics are complemented by its historic architecture.
EZ Riders Saddle Club
(http://www.ezriders.net/)
The Chequamegon EZ Riders Saddle Club is Wisconsin’s northern-most WSCA Saddle Club. We are located near Lake Superior’s Chequamegon Bay, near the town of Ashland. Our horseshows usually take place in Iron River, Wisconsin, which is on US Hwy 2, approximately 45 minutes east of Duluth, Minnesota.
The club has been in existence for over 25 years. Every year the EZ Riders host two 2-day horseshows in our area. Our primary focus as a club has been to encourage and support all disciplines and aspects of horsemanship. We focus on education for our members, as well as the general public. Each year we work with the local 4H leaders to present clinics and schooling shows for the area youth.
The horseshows contain a large variety of classes including halter, driving, reining, jumping and a wide assortment of games. Overnight stabling is available on the show grounds as well as camping with electric and water hookups. Show dates this year are June 10th/11th and August 19th/20th. All of our horseshows are open shows and we invite anyone who is interested in a fun, competitive weekend to join us!
Located in Bayfield County, there is an abundance of natural beauty for anyone who enjoys trail riding. There are many miles of untraveled, sandy forest roads in the Chequamegon National Forest, as well as marked trails laid out specifically for horseback riding in the Horseshoe Lake Horse Camp. Each year our club sponsors a trail ride in the Mount ValHalla Recreational Area, followed by a hot meal back at the chalet.
For more information on the saddle club, the trail riding, local stabling, or horseshows, please contact Lori Skaj at Infor@ezriders.net or call 715-765-4678.
Chequamegon Bird Club
(http://chequamegonbirdclub.org/)
The Chequamegon Bird Club was formed in Medford, Wisconsin, in 1981 by renowned ornithologist, Sam Robbins. As a result of the enthusiastic response he received as a guest speaker on a local radio program, Robbins was asked to teach a 1 hour class at the university center. The formal organization of the Chequamegon Bird Club was at the request of the students of that class. The membership number now stands at more than 40 members.
Meetings are held monthly with programs to help improve birding skills. Members who travel to birding hot-spots throughout the world share highlights of their recent travels.
The Chequamegon Bird Club began after author and ornithologist, Sam Robbins, conducted classes on bird watching and identification and that the group that met with him wanted to continue to meet and learn. For prospective members, it may be helpful to review some of the programs and activities we have enjoyed in the past.
Field trips have been taken to Horicon Marsh, Rex Ruesch farm, Taylor County Blue Heron rookery, Krug’s Game Farm, Emu ranch, Raptor Center at Antigo, Hawk Ridge, the Taylor County Historical Museum, and Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum. Our picnics have been held at Timm’s Hill, Cherokee Park, the Medford School Forest, Simek Library, and various member homes. If you would like to be contacted when we are taking our next field trip, contact Gayle Davis, our trip coordinator.
Programs: We have benefited from viewing slides taken by members and slides from the Wisconsin Ornithological Society. Movies and videos from our files and from the Medford Public Library have been shown. Members have produced and shared bird videos. Topics and speakers have included specialists on bird banding, raptors, four seasons in the north woods, Sandhill Crane counts, other bird counts, various wildlife areas, International Crane Foundation, the Leigh Yawkey Museum, bird breeding trends in national forests, evolution of birds, birds and birders as seen by cartoonists, ways of attracting birds, West Nile Virus, migratory game birds, bird identification, central Wisconsin grassland conservation, effects of global warming on birds, and bird eggs and incubation. Some theme sessions have included specific birds such as Baltimore Orioles, stories of favorite birds, “Books on Your Bookshelf”, and “Nature’s Lunch Box” a potluck of foods found in the wild for birds and people. Non-bird topics have included bear tagging, wolves, bats, invasive species, butterfly gardening, DNR budget cuts, and the Ice Age Trail.
How-to sessions included making suet balls and birdhouse and feeder construction. Nature photographers have shared their expertise in how to photograph birds. Wood carvers have displayed their work.
Other activities have included poster contests, a booth at the fair, highway cleanup, seed sales, sales at the Farmers’ Market, and displays at a Land Stewardship Conference. We have raised funds to send a youth leader to a session at the Trees for Tomorrow camp.
Northland Sports
(http://www.northlandcollegesports.com/)
The only college that has free admission to all athletic events! I never went to Northland College, but going to the games is a must.
Northland College News
Northland Hockey secured third place in the North Division of the MCHA and playoffs are this weekend, Good Luck Players!
Women Basketball head into the UMAC tournament ready to defend their title after winning the title over the Northwestern College Eagles last season. The Jills finished the regular season with an overall record of 18-7 including a 12-2 UMAC record.
Men Sports
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Women Sports
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City planner’s wet dream is to have a University or College within city limits. One of the biggest problems of Ashland, WI is the weak relationship between the City of Ashland and Northland College. This relationship must be fixed to establish growth for both college and main street. City planners know that one way to ensure progressive growth to a city center is to have college students graduate and stay. College graduates are more likely to have the entrepreneur spirit and willing to take risks with small businesses. The only way to strengthen this relationship is to go to the games, events and start making a presence at “Visitor Days”, orientations, and even graduations.
Don’t just make a donation . . . attendance is always better.
You can get the sport calendar imported your personal calendar (http://www.northlandcollegesports.com/calendar.aspx) and keep up with txt messages, rss feeds and newsletters.
Ashland Moving Forward
(http://www.ashlandmovingforward.org/)
Ashland Moving Forward is a group of people from our great community which encompasses not just the City of Ashland, but all the surrounding areas. We come from all walks of life and are diverse in our political beliefs and ideals. We are united in our desire to improve the lives of all people in the Chequamegon Bay area. We will do this by encouraging positive action at a local level.
We will start by holding our current leaders accountable for their actions and behavior. We intend on pursuing candidates for local offices who are forward thinking and who treat their elected position with the responsibility and dignity that the people who elect them deserve. We will encourage positive dialog on ideas to make our community grow and prosper, and try to eliminate the political bickering that does nothing but stand in the way of progress. By looking for leaders who can look at the issues and bring forth discussion in a civilized manner, there is much we can gain as a community.
Positive political action is not partisan, liberal, or conservative. It is a right we need to demand as citizens of the United States.
It is a right that Ashland Moving Forward is here to foster at the local level.
Local Blog Spotlight
ShutterWi
(http://shutterwi.blogspot.com/)
“Photos and notes from on the road. Always carrying a camera and taking the time to capture a moment. A biologist at heart a network administrator by happenstance. Living in Ashland Wisconsin on Lake Superior’s Chequamegon Bay. “
Skip Ashland’s paper The Daily Press for local event photography, head on over to ShutterWI .
RSS Feed Available (http://shutterwi.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default?alt=rss)
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I adore your writing skills about Tech Talk : Local Resources for Ashland, WI | The Contemplation
What’s shakin’?
Well, I was confused but I guess the picture is much more clear. Thanks God for your blog and the cyber world. Best Regards, Verderame Essie
Goodbye!