Avoid Wasting Time on the Internet

Let’s face it, anyone who uses their computer for more than an hour or two wastes valuable time absentmindedly surfing the internet.

Most avid computer users aim for optimum efficiency in their web browsing. Some common methods of increasing efficiency are creating shortcuts on your desktop, making tabs, or using the favorite option.

Here are some tips I’ve found to help cut back on idle surfing.  Bear in mind that the point of this post is to increase productivity by cutting back on idle browsing; not to increase efficiency (i.e. reducing amount of clicks).

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For the last year or so I have had my favorite websites strewn across the tab bar on my Firefox browser. Unfortunately, such easy access to my favorite links caused me to perpetually check my email/news ticker/twitter account, close the window, and then check my email again (you’ve all done it- don’t judge me). Recently, I created folders of shortcuts on my tabs bar. Adding these folders has added one extra click to getting to my preferred links and caused me to cutback on my idle surfing.

Some people use timers to be more aware of time spent on task and to ration break time.

More severe sufferers of idle surfing can be helped using web based applications.  Leechblock is an application for Firefox that allows users to specify cites that they which to block and for how long they are blocked.   [https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/4476]

How do you prevent yourself from surfing the web all day?

New Apple Tablet Steals the Market

The Onion lampoons the iPad saying that Apple CEO Steve Jobs stayed up the night before the presentation sticking iPhones to a cafeteria tray.  Jobs’ said that 75 million people already know how to use the ipad, those iPone, and iPod touch users.  With that in mind the similarities between the iPad and the iPhone cannot be denied; as I see it, scale is the major difference.

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The thing that intrigues me about the iPad is not what it can do, its what the competition cannot do.  The Kindle e-reader that Amazon released in late 2007 has likely met its end, at least in the four hundred dollar category.  Barnes and Noble’s Nook, another e-reader, priced at two hundred ninety-nine dollars, will likely fare the storm against the five hundred dollar iPad.

If price is no issue, no other gizmo really comes close to the iPad’s versatility.  ten hours of battery life, 3g capability, lots of applications, and gobs of accessories make the iPad the new everything tool.  However all of this versatility does seem to cut Apples market a bit.  How many apple products does one need?  I certainly do not expect to see someone with a iPhone, an iPad, and a macbook pro.  I will be interested to see comparisons of relative sales between the products.  Truly, the iPad could replace all of these.

With all the hype, and the excellent release Apple and Jobs have given the iPad, I’m wondering if it bakes cookies? (I’m sure there is an App for that)  I will save final judgment for when people start getting these gadgets and discovering if they do in fact fit the bill.

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Independent Book Stores in Greenville

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In my estimation, book stores may be some of the best places in the entire world.   I particularly esteem independently owned book stores.  (Due to job hunting I cannot comment on big box book stores- But, all book stores have their place.)

I found a new book store today The Open Book on Pleasantburg Road in Greenville, right across from The Fresh Market and just before Laurens Road.  Lot’s of seating and a friendly staff mean I will probably be studying here in the future.  Limited selections of books mean I might not be buying my paperbacks here.  But antique books are interspersed with the selections; I may be tempted.

As the Page Turns is another excellent independent book store close to Furman University.  This store is in the shopping center with Publix near Duncan Chapel Road.   This store has quite a large selection and has a program that awards purchasers with ten dollars off after spending one hundred dollars.

If you are closer to Greer you might consider checking out Silver Chair Book Store.  This store is perfectly charming, although I understand that their hours may be very limited.

If a Christian book store is more your flavor mosey on down to Cross Way on East North Street.  Here you will find a huge selection of books, cd’s and other paraphernalia.

While not being independent, The Book Rack sells and buys paperback books (no hardback books).  Relatively high prices for used books, but not as expensive as ordering online and paying shipping and handling.  This store has a tremendous selection of paperback novels.  Located near Bob Jones University.

This list is by no means exhaustive, it simply includes my favorites.  More to come as I enjoy them.

Wikipedia Needs Your Help

An appeal from Wikipedia founder, Jimmy Wales

Today, I am asking you to make a donation to support Wikipedia.I started Wikipedia in 2001, and over the past eight years, I’ve been amazed and humbled to see hundreds of thousands of volunteers join with me to build the largest encyclopedia in human history.

Wikipedia isn’t a commercial website. It’s a community creation, entirely written and funded by people like you. More than 340 million people use Wikipedia every month – almost a third of the Internet-connected world. You are part of our community.

I believe in us. I believe that Wikipedia keeps getting better. That’s the whole idea. One person writes something, somebody improves it a little, and it keeps getting better, over time. If you find it useful today, imagine how much we can achieve together in 5, 10, 20 years.

Wikipedia is about the power of people like us to do extraordinary things. People like us write Wikipedia, one word at a time. People like us fund it. It’s proof of our collective potential to change the world.

We need to protect the space where this important work happens. We need to protect Wikipedia. We want to keep it free of charge and free of advertising. We want to keep it open – you can use the information in Wikipedia any way you want. We want to keep it growing – spreading knowledge everywhere, and inviting participation from everyone.

The Wikimedia Foundation is the non-profit organization I created in 2003 to operate, grow, nurture, and protect Wikipedia. For ten million US dollars a year and with a staff of fewer than 35 people, it runs the fifth most-read website in the entire world. I’m asking for your help so we can continue our work.

Imagine a world in which every single person on the planet has free access to the sum of all human knowledge. That’s where we’re headed. And with your help, we will get there.

Thank you for using Wikipedia. You’re part of this story: please make a donation today.

Jimmy Wales

Founder, Wikipedia

Sherlock Holmes…Elementary…

This years holiday smash turns out to be, well…rather elementary.  I’ll award 7 stars out of 10;  quirk, costumes, and music save “Sherlock Holmes”- as well as digital effects.  Jude Law’s Dr. Watson is easily the most memorable character, although Robert Downey Jr.’s stock is sure to rise as a result of his quirky performance.  Not being familiar with the book’s, I cannot commentate on accuracy, but the movie has piqued my interest.

The soundtrack is excellent.  It kept my interest throughout the whole film.  Banjo’s and broken piano’s are used to their full effect.

A second “Holmes” is already in development.  I have high expectations, perhaps higher than the first, which will likely serve as another stumbling block.

The Water is Wide- Pat Conroy

I finished reading “The Water is Wide” by Pat Conroy. Set in a recently de-segragated in a semi-fictional South Carolina, “Water” is a semi-autobiographical tale of an optomistic-to-the-point-of-foolish teacher who goes to teach on an island that is decidedly uneducated. I would hesitate to agree with any reviews that call the book heart rending or anything of that nature. I approached the book very much how I approached Walden II, it was interesting to observe a culture (through the medium of the story) that is so far removed from what I know. And Yes, I think everyone should sing James Brown.

Frugal Friday: Saving Money at Aldi’s

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I just saved a ton of money at Aldi’s.  One opened in my home town about ten years ago; I never shopped there.  What I discovered today was grocery shopping with none of the frills, and therefore, none of the prices that come with the extras.  In short, Aldi’s is a lot like a Costco or Sam’s Club, but you don’t have to buy 90 lbs of rice or a membership.

Some things that Aldi’s “doesn’t do”
-Grocery Bags
-Bag Boys Bagging Personnel
-Elaborate displays
-Name Brands (there are some)
-wide range of options

For lack of all of this, Aldi’s is cheap.  I got the same thrill saving money as I do when I walk around the Fresh Market just to look and drool.

I also thought the buggy system was interesting.  In order to use a buggy you must remove it from the corral by inserting a quarter which you get back when you return your buggy.  No buggy herders, fewer stolen buggies = Save money.

If you want to spend less, try Aldi’s.

Mark Zuckerberg Open Letter

It has been a great year for making the world more open and connected. Thanks to your help, more than 350 million people around the world are using Facebook to share their lives online.

To make this possible, we have focused on giving you the tools you need to share and control your information. Starting with the very first version of Facebook five years ago, we’ve built tools that help you control what you share with which individuals and groups of people. Our work to improve privacy continues today.

Facebook’s current privacy model revolves around “networks” — communities for your school, your company or your region. This worked well when Facebook was mostly used by students, since it made sense that a student might want to share content with their fellow students.

Over time people also asked us to add networks for companies and regions as well. Today we even have networks for some entire countries, like India and China.

However, as Facebook has grown, some of these regional networks now have millions of members and we’ve concluded that this is no longer the best way for you to control your privacy. Almost 50 percent of all Facebook users are members of regional networks, so this is an important issue for us. If we can build a better system, then more than 100 million people will have even more control of their information.

The plan we’ve come up with is to remove regional networks completely and create a simpler model for privacy control where you can set content to be available to only your friends, friends of your friends, or everyone.

We’re adding something that many of you have asked for — the ability to control who sees each individual piece of content you create or upload. In addition, we’ll also be fulfilling a request made by many of you to make the privacy settings page simpler by combining some settings. If you want to read more about this, we began discussing this plan back in July.

Since this update will remove regional networks and create some new settings, in the next couple of weeks we’ll ask you to review and update your privacy settings. You’ll see a message that will explain the changes and take you to a page where you can update your settings. When you’re finished, we’ll show you a confirmation page so you can make sure you chose the right settings for you. As always, once you’re done you’ll still be able to change your settings whenever you want.

We’ve worked hard to build controls that we think will be better for you, but we also understand that everyone’s needs are different. We’ll suggest settings for you based on your current level of privacy, but the best way for you to find the right settings is to read through all your options and customize them for yourself. I encourage you to do this and consider who you’re sharing with online.

Thanks for being a part of making Facebook what it is today, and for helping to make the world more open and connected.

Mark Zuckerberg

Cyber Monday

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Yesterday, all of the advertisements were flashing “Cyber Monday Blah Blah Blah”.  In case anyone was wondering Cyber Monday is a marketing term devised by www.shop.org based on the fact that 77% of online retailers report an increase in sales on the first Monday after Thanksgiving.  This phenomenon was first observed in 2004 and brought to light in 2005 when the New York Times reported that Americans were returning to work and the high-speed Internet connections.

I’m more inclined to think that consumers are sheep.  If you give a day a name, and tell people what other people are “doing” then that person is likely to join in.

Here’s an interesting movie that talks about consumption.

Tips for Substitute Teachers

Substitute teacher.  The words strike joy into the ears of children in schools everywhere- an easy target- a free day. 

With those preconcieved notions firmly entrenched into children”Sub’s” have hard job. 

The life of a vagabond public educator is not without perks: You only work when you want to.  You don’t have to do lesson plans or grade papers- your work stays at work.

Here’s some observations I have made:

Getting the Call: Find out the teachers name, what school, and what subject.

Arrival: Get there early! Get to your job a few minutes earlier than you are required to.  If something can go wrong- It will.

Attire: Dress how you want to be treated.  I wear a tie.

Lesson Plan: Follow the teacher’s plans.  They know things you don’t know.

Discipline: Start off firm- you can always soften up.  Be consistent.  If you say you are going to do something- Do it.