#100 Firefox/Google Hack -- Google Send to Phone for Firefox is an extension that enables you to send short text messages of web page content to your mobile phone. For example, you might text message yourself a phone number, an address, or directions that you find on the Web. (You can also send them to other phones that have text messaging but you need to know their service provider.) (HT: Lifehacker)
#101 Gmap Pedometer -- So your ready to train for the upcoming marathon but aren't sure how far around your neighborhood you need to run to cover 26 miles. Thanks to Gmap pedometer you can use Google's mapping application to help record distances traveled during a running or walking workout.
#102 USB Drive Helper -- Saving a file to a USB drive can be tedious, especially if you also want to save the file to the My documents folder in Windows. Putting your USB drive on the Send To list, though, can speed up the process. Here's how: Insert the flash drive, open My Computer, and right-click on the removable drive icon. Choose Create Shortcut. Name the shortcut and drag it to the desktop. Next, choose Start > Run, type sendto in the command-line box and press Enter. Now drag the USB-drive shortcut from the desktop into the Run window and close the window. To verify that you've added the USB drive, open My Documents, right-click on a document and choose Send To. the USB drive should be listed. (HT: Computer Shopper)
#103 Know Your Fallacies -- Argumentum Ad Ignorantiam (argument from ignorance) - Arguments of this form assume that since something has not been proven false, it is therefore true. Conversely, such an argument may assume that since something has not been proven true, it is therefore false. (This is a special case of a false dilemma, since it assumes that all propositions must either be known to be true or known to be false.) (Example: Since scientists cannot prove that global warming will occur, it probably won't.)
#104 Film School Hack -- Using the free tools offered at machinima, an emerging cinematic medium that uses videogames to shoot short films in the computer-animated style of Toy Story and Shrek, you can direct and produce your own computer-animated short film. (HT: Popular Science)
#104 Email Hack -- Send out a quick email without launching Groupwise, Outlook, or Outlook Express. Right-click an empty area on your desktop and select New > Shortcut. Type mailto: in the Shortcut wizard. Then name your shortcut. Now you can just double-click the shortcut to open a blank email message. (HT: Computer Shopper)
#105 HowTo -- Computerize Your BBQ Experience
#106 Word Hack -- When using Microsoft Word I often get frustrated when trying to copy a snippet of text (i.e., the first part of a URL) because the program wants to grab the entire word. To regain control over your cut-and-paste jobs, go to Tools > Options > Edit and uncheck the box that reads “When selecting, automatically select entire word.” (HT: Computer Shopper)
#107 SoYouWanna -- Learn about Opera
#108 Math Hack -- "Measuring probabilities," says Amir Aczel, "is a simple as counting." Simply count the possibilities of an event and divide this number by the total number of possibilities (assuming the possibilities are equally likely). For example, what is the probability of rolling an even number on a six-sided die? Since there are three even numbers (two, four, six) out of six equally likely numbers, the answer is 3/6 = 1/2, or fifty percent. What if you have a deck of fifty-two playing cards, what is the probability of drawing an ace? Since there are four aces out of fifty-two cards equally likely to be chosen, the probability of an ace is 4/52 = 1/13 = 0.0769, or about eight percent.
#109 Writer's Toolkit -- #3: Beware of Adverbs
See also: The Yak Shaving Razor Archives
Have a useful recommendation for making life more pleasant? Send them to me at jpcarter[at]evangelicaloutpost.com.
1
Joe,
Every time I go to the Forum, I get a "critical error" "debug mode" message. Just wondering if the forum is down or my computer is somehow messing up...?
posted on 07.13.2005 5:15 AM2
Joe,
Every time I go to the Forum, I get a "critical error" "debug mode" message. Just wondering if the forum is down or my computer is somehow messing up...?
posted on 07.13.2005 5:15 AM3
THIS IS A GREAT ONE!!! I have already blogged about it...ROCK ON!!!
posted on 07.13.2005 8:52 AM4
You can also send texts directly to your phone (or anyone else's, for that matter) - usually regardless of the mobile carrier, through your instant messaging program. If you're using AIM or any AIM client (Trillion, Gaim, etc.) just open a new instant message box from the drop down menu, then in the "To" field type +1 (the country code US #s) and the full number (ie. "+19995551212"). To add an icon to your buddy menu just choose to add that buddy after you've sent a message to it, then name the phone.
No idea where I first learned this, maybe lifehacker, maybe somewhere else, but I find it easier than using the firefox hack, as I'm usually on IM when I'm online.
posted on 07.14.2005 9:04 AM5
Just the other day I was wishing I had something like the GMap Pedometer. Thanks for linking to it!
posted on 07.14.2005 10:31 AM