Yak Shaving -- [MIT AI Lab, after 2000: orig. probably from a Ren & Stimpy episode.] Any seemingly pointless activity which is actually necessary to solve a problem which solves a problem which, several levels of recursion later, solves the real problem you're working on.#650 Font Hack -- Ever wanted to find a font just like the one used by certain publications, corporations, or ad campaigns? WhatTheFont, a free, online font recognition system, can help you find it. Upload a scanned image of the font and their database will find the closest matche. If WhatTheFont can�t figure it out, you can submit the image to the WhatTheFont Forum where font enthusiasts will help you out.
#651 Search Hack -- Google Blogoscoped has merged Google Sets with Google Images to come up with a image search engine that searches for related images. For instance, if you search for Chicago, you'll also get related pictures of Dallas, New York, Atlanta, Cleveland, etc. You can also use two terms separated by a comma, i.e., "cats", "dogs".
#652 Word Keyboard Shortcut -- Ctrl+Shift+D -- Double underline text
#653 Know Your Fallacies -- Genuine but Insignificant Cause -- The object or event identified as the cause of an effect is a genuine cause, but insignificant when compared to the other causes of that event. Note that this fallacy does not apply when all other contributing causes are equally insignificant. Thus, it is not a fallacy to say that you helped cause defeat the Tory government because you voted Reform, for your vote had as much weight as any other vote, and hence is equally a part of the cause. (Ex. Smoking is causing air pollution in Edmonton. (True, but the effect of smoking is insignificant compared to the effect of auto exhaust.))
#654 Google School -- Combining "intitle:" with "index.of:" (i.e., intitle:index.of:) will search for pages that contain the text "index of" (the period is a wildcard that can represent any single character). This gets you into some interesting stuff that you wouldn't normally be able to find with just the generic "intitle". (HT:LifeHacker)
#655 HowTo -- How to control garbage disposal odors.
#656 Firefox Hack -- Mungo says blah has a useful explanation of how to use Firefox's "Clear Private Data tool" to delete all cookies in Firefox on closing, except for those from selected domains that you choose.
#657 SoYouWanna -- Learn the basics of HTML.
#658 Download of the Week -- AM-DeadLink is a freeware program that detects dead links and duplicates in your browser bookmarks. If a bookmark has become unavailable you can verify it in the internal preview and delete it from your browser. Additionally you can download FavIcons for all your Favorites and bookmarks. Works with Internet Explorer, Opera, Mozilla and Firefox.
#659 Writer's Tips -- Cut big, then small. Prune the big limbs, then shake out the dead leaves. (HT: PoynterOnline)
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.
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Joe,
The problem with the SoYouWanna article on HTML is that it is only legacy HTML with no or little mention of XHTML and CSS. I am currently volunteering to teach a bunch of 7th graders web design at my local public middle school and I am having to unteach them so they will not use legacy HTML and tags. IMO, anyone who wants to learn HTML should learn W3C standards compliant HTML.
Heres a great free online resource:
http://www.w3schools.com/
Here is a link to Amazon to the book I am using with the Middle Schoolers. The kids LOVE it.
http://tinyurl.com/hgq2z
Scott
posted on 09.27.2006 9:11 AM2
Clearing Cookies:
Thanks for the hack on clearing cookies. There was great article in the Washington Post about a week or so ago on the importance of clearing cookie when shopping online--especially when shopping for flights or hotel rooms. The hidden cookies from, say, Podunk Airlines site will tell them that you've come back to investigate the same flights again, leading them to believe you can't find the deal you want. So do they offer you a better deal? No, they offer you worse deals, assuming you're getting desperate at that point. Other cookies tell them you've also shopped at Fratz Airlines and what deals they were offering.
So, class, always clear your cookies before revisiting a shopping site (I suppose that would include Orbitz, Expedia and the like).
posted on 09.27.2006 2:04 PM