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.#660 Language Tools -- FSI Language has free foreign language courses created by the Foreign Services Institute (the main training facility for American Foreign Service Officers and personnel) Courses are available in Cantonese, Chinese, French, German, Greek, Portuguese, Spanish, Swedish, Turkish, and Vietnamese. (HT: Lifehacker)
#661 Gmail Tip -- When sending a message, type the name of the recipient you want to appear in your Contacts and then place the email address inside <>. That will auto-add the name to your address book formatted. For instance, rather than: joecarter@example.com in the To: box, use Joe Carter
#662 Word Keyboard Shortcut -- Ctrl+Shift++ -- Apply superscript formatting
#663 Know Your Fallacies -- Complex Cause: The effect is caused by a number of objects or events, of which the cause identified is only a part. A variation of this is the feedback loop where the effect is itself a part of the cause. (Ex. The accident was caused by the poor location of the bush. (True, but it wouldn't have occurred had the driver not been drunk and the pedestrian not been jaywalking.))
#664 Google School -- Google AdSense can help you track down the owner of a website.When you use your browser's view-source feature, just use the Find command (usually invoked with Ctrl-F) to look for that line of code, which comes with the string "google_ad_client”. (HT:Google Tutor)
#665 HowTo -- Make your own fabric softener sheets.
#666 Home Hack -- Parents Hacks has an interesting home security tip:
If you think someone is trying to get into your house, just press the panic alarm on your car key fob. Test it. It will go off from most everywhere inside your house and will keep honking until your battery runs down or until you reset it with the button on the key fob chain. Also good for parking garages.
(HT: Lifehacker)
#667 SoYouWanna -- Learn about Opera.
#668 Download of the Week -- Windows Live Writer is a desktop application that makes it easier to compose blog posts. Writer provides true WYSIWYG blog authoring, allowing you to know exactly what your post will look like before you publish it. Writer also knows the styles of your blog such as headings, fonts, colors, background images, paragraph spacing, margins and block quotes and enables you to edit your post using these styles.
Writer also includes other views including HTML source-code editing and web preview mode.
#669 Writer's Tips -- Cut big, then small. Prefer the simple over the technical. Use shorter words, sentences and paragraphs at points of complexity. (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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Downloaded Live Writer over the weekend, and it's a winner in my book. About the only fault I can find with it is that to make certain formatting changes, one has to switch over to the HTML code view from WYSIWYG view, but poor, pampered soul that I am, I'll get over it. ;)
posted on 10.04.2006 2:08 PM3
Speaking of fabric softener sheets, I saw a funny clip on Nickelodeon the other day, where they recommended putting one of these sheets in the back of your pants, so when you fart it comes out smelling sweet. Funny.
posted on 10.05.2006 11:41 AM