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.

#785 Home Hack -- Spray vinegar around doors, appliances, and along other areas where ants are known to gather and the vinegar will keep them away. (HT: Frugal Gardening)

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#786 Gmail Hack -- If you are reading a message in GMail, press the # key (Shift+3) and that message will instantly move to Trash. Alternatively, select one or more email messages in the GMail list view, press the same # hash key and all the selected GMail conversations will be deleted in one batch. (HT: Lifehacker)

°°°°°° #787 Google School -- To retrieve airline numbers and flight status using your cell phone, just text your flight number to GOOGLE (466453) and you'll receive a message listing arrival/departure times, flight status and even the airline's phone number. (HT: Lifehacker) °°°°°°

#788 HowTo -- Get better at writing.

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#789 Download of the Week -- i-Lighter lets you highlight and automatically save anything you want on any web page - then get it back later from any PC or laptop. After installing the plug-in (available for IE and Firefox), just click the i-Lighter button to turn your cursor into a yellow highlighter. Then select a word, a paragraph, a page, graphics, links or anything else inside your browser. You can also mark up highlighted areas with notes that reappear the next time you visit the page.

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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.