The Top Blogs In the World?

Over at Valleywag, they've done a beautiful post summing up Time Magazine's article on the World's Best 25 Blogs.  Somehow, they managed to limit it to one page.  Nicely done, Valleywag.

Noted are blogs such as:

The Huffington Post,
Lifehacker
PostSecret
Engadget
Freakonomics

I'm proud to say that I read those already, along with several others on the list.  However, I ALSO noticed that POW - The blog is not on the list, nor is Single Dads.  Perhaps I should endeavour to make that so.  What do you think?

Oh, and check out the article.  There's some pretty decent reading there.

Don't Say "Take This Job And Shove It"

It's time.  You're fed up with your job, you've found another gig, and want to give your two weeks notice?

Try looking at Lifehacker, first, to craft the winning resignation. 

 

But resignation time shouldn't be bridge-burning time, so wikiHow's got some advice on how to quit professionally and with grace.

 

That's Gina for you.  Posted there and on wikiHow.

 

You know what's amazing about posts like this?  Timing.  Wow, they are good.

Something Useful From The Government

...and it's on the Internet.  Who would have guessed that?

Overlooked and difficult to find, there are hundreds of thousands of U.S. government web sites that can help you accomplish a variety of tasks. At the right federal .gov destination you can locate historical documents, keep tabs on Congressional happenings, view presidential paperwork, and a whole lot more.

One of these days, I'm going to write a poem - not like one of those godawful poems that you used to write when you were a sophomore in high school - but a detailed, loving poem as a celebration of the wonders of Lifehacker.  Ah, Lifehacker, how I love thee.

Personally, I've used the CIA World Factbook quite a bit in the past.  Not that I travel that much... well, at all, but if I WERE to go to, say, Guinea-Bissau,I like to know what the most important local imports are that year.

Clipboard2Phone

I love the Internet, and I especially love the free, useful things that I find here.

Clipboard2Phone is a simple script that emails the contents of your clipboard to your cell phone with a key combination you define. Especially useful for sending phone numbers to your mobile - which will most likely make that number callable in one click - Clipboard2Phone comes in handy for quickly transferring any kind of information you need on the go, like a todo list, shopping list, driving directions or just a reminder to your future self.

Sometimes, I don't know what I would do without Lifehacker.   I'm pretty sure that they already know that I have a serious tech-crush on them.

Here's the link. 

Free Stuff For Kids

Lifehacker brings the goods on kids' freeware.

 

KidsDomain has put together a massive list of freeware for kids, sorted by subjects such as Art, Science, Math, Creativity, etc.

There is a lot of stuff here, and it's all free. Try building a train diorama, or printing out one of dozens of free coloring books, or check out the free card games (Caveman Cards, anyone?). This would be a great site to visit with the kids for a few rainy/snowy day activities.

I am so all over this.  If Kids Domain can keep kids occupied in a healthy, educational, and creative way, they certainly have my support.  I will be quite pleased to give them a try, and will probably blog the results, knowing my general geekitude.

Fix Those Finances

Our good friends at Lifehacker have come out big for your personal finances again.

The Simple Dollar weblog ran a series during January called 31 days to fix your finances, tackling finances one step at a time so that by the end of one month, your money ducks should be sitting in a nice, streamlined row.

Oh, Gina.  How we love you.

Check out The Simple Dollar for the details.  They managed to squeeze together a mess of posts into one cohesive unit.  Now pay off that Christmas spending.

Recovery

Have you ever accidentally deleted a file from the recycle bin?  God knows I have.  Most of the time it can be retrieved, but it can be a pain.

Hail Eris!  Hail Lifehacker!  Hail Recovery!

Free Windows software Restoration is a data recovery program for you PC.

Similar to previously-mentioned data recovery software, PC Inspector File Recovery, Restoration is quick and does exactly what it says. Another bonus: Restoration doesn't require installation, meaning you can add it to the list of apps for your thumb drive.

Mark this on the due to be downloaded, and, quite simply, used, even if it only works half the time.  This software is going on the list.

Casual aside, yes, I've known for several years that the recycle bin doesn't really delete your files.  Try to use this particular software for good, not evil.  I might just shred some files and try to recover them with this and see what happens.

Know Your Realtor

You should always remember - in many cases, your realtor is not necessarily your friend.

 

Productivity blogger Jay at Dumb Little Man has compiled a list of questions that he recently used to interview four different real estate agents.

Not all real estate agents work the same way, so it's best to get your expectations right out on the table from the beginning.

Found in Dumb Little Man.  Hat tip:  Lifehacker.  Of course.

 

Anyone that's ever dealt with real estate buying or selling real estate should be completely aware that it truly IS about the money.  The original link deals more with selling, but the same idea goes for buying.  Due diligence.  Live it.  Learn it.

 

Save Interest Dough

Lower your credit card interest rate.

 

Financial weblog Sound Money Tips says that chances are you can lower your credit card interest rate with one simple phone call, especially if you've done your homework.

 

Lifehacker.

 

Notice how I've been posting all of these things about credit, consumerism, and shopping lately?

 

Why, you ask?

 

'Tis the season.  Save some cash, and don't let the holidays bankrupt you this year.

 

 

 

 

 

Working For The Man

...and why you should not do it.

 

It's funny that when people reach a certain age, such as after graduating college, they assume it's time to go out and get a job.  But like many things the masses do, just because everyone does it doesn't mean it's a good idea.  In fact, if you're reasonably intelligent, getting a job is one of the worst things you can do to support yourself.  There are far better ways to make a living than selling yourself into indentured servitude.

Here are some reasons you should do everything in your power to avoid getting a job:

Via the Steve Pavlina Blog.

Found via The Hack.

 

I've been toying with this idea for some time now.

 

Really, I have been.

 

The problem is that, after so many years of working, your soul is beaten down to a pulp.  You can't think straight:  you get confused, then all verklempt.  However, it IS possible to make money and not work like a dog.  I've seen it happen.  At one telecommunications company that I worked at that will remain nameless, we used to joke that you could actually feel your soul, dripping out of the soles of your feet, and pooling under the desk chair in your tiny cookie-cutter cubicle.  Bleech.

 

However, this man, he does have some very good idea.  The question is: Do you have the guts to implement them?  That's something to truly think about.

 

So.  There's your good news from me today.

Blog From Email

I've been blogging from email for some time, but this particular app seemed quite well timed for me, especially since I have had so many problems getting that to work lately.

Software blog Download Squad gives the scoop on BlogMailr, a free tool that lets you add posts to your blog just by sending e-mails.

Glory be to Lifehacker! We love you, Gina.

Incidentally, the link to the BlogMailr is right here. Yippie!

I'd also like to add that you should expand your mind and listen to Littlefeat. I am doing that right now.

Update: The first time I posted this today failed. What timing. In other words, you need this app.
Update x2: The second time that I've posted this today failed. Arrgh.

Write A Novel In A Month

There's a novel approach.

 

So you've always wanted to write a novel, eh? Well you've got 2 days to brainstorm your plot because November is National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo.) Join thousands of other wrimo's who've committed to pounding out a 175-page (50,000 word) novel during the 30 days of November.

 

Thank Lifehacker for this.  Heh heh.

 

From the actual website:

 

National Novel Writing Month is a fun, seat-of-your-pants approach to novel writing. Participants begin writing November 1. The goal is to write a 175-page (50,000-word) novel by midnight, November 30.

Valuing enthusiasm and perseverance over painstaking craft, NaNoWriMo is a novel-writing program for everyone who has thought fleetingly about writing a novel but has been scared away by the time and effort involved.

Because of the limited writing window, the ONLY thing that matters in NaNoWriMo is output. It's all about quantity, not quality. The kamikaze approach forces you to lower your expectations, take risks, and write on the fly.

Make no mistake: You will be writing a lot of crap. And that's a good thing. By forcing yourself to write so intensely, you are giving yourself permission to make mistakes. To forgo the endless tweaking and editing and just create. To build without tearing down.

You know, I think that I might try this, since I've been working on a book idea anyway.  Scary, but it sounds fun.

Open Source Madness

Seriously, I'm so sorry that I forgot to mention this particular bit of info.  Want Open Source?

 

We post scads of free downloads here on Lifehacker, but today instead of pimping yet another Google product, I'd like to tip my hat to the open source developers who release innovative, useful products that make our lives that much easier every day - because it's our right, not privilege, to control our own data.

Open source roots are in the Unix operating system, but these days many "free as in speech" applications are available for Windows as well - and today I've got a list of my top 10 favorites.

None of these cost a dime to download and use, but do donate whatever and whenever you can to the projects that benefit you the most.

You know that's got to be Lifehacker.  Sigh.  I would devote some quality time reading that article, if I were you.

 

Really, I should do a plug to another long-forgotten post that I made about subjects similiar to this right here in POW - the blog.

 

But I won't.

See what I did there?

 

 

 

Hack Your Life

Hey all!

 

Sorry that I haven't been blogging too much lately; just got a new job, trying to get a new place... probably a lot of you know how it is.  For me, what suffered?  My blog.  My poor, sweet blog, that never did anything to anyone.

 

However, let's remedy that.

 

Immediately.

 

So... did you ever want to be a regular?

 

The Urban Monarch blog describes how you can go about becoming a regular at your favorite restaurant.

 

That sounds fun. 

 

Next we have this little blurb:  Google Maps for your webpages.

 

Previously-mentioned Google Maps mashup site Wikimapia has put together a tutorial for quickly and easily adding a Google Map to any web page in 30 seconds using Wikimapia.

 

Both of the above tips come via The Hack.  Use it, love it, make Lifehacker your friend.

Fear of (Free) Flying?

Then take a look at this article on frequent flyer miles on the Consumerist .

You're broke. Your woman has left you. But bigger than your heap o' troubles is a pile of Frequent Flyer miles, sitting in neat, invisible little stacks, to be exchanged for a trip to Hong Kong, Amsterdam or any other far-flung clime with easily accessible and cheap companions.

But with Frequent Flyer programs becoming increasingly impenetrable; with free tickets being harder and harder to come by; with airlines increasingly trying to parlay free ticket requests to be used for hotels and restaurants... how can you guarantee a posh seat on a free jumbo jet?

Sure, The Consumerist has this.  But how did I find it?

 

Show Lifehacker the love.

 

 

 

Emurse

I found this yesterday, but figured I'd save for a rainy day.

Although outside it's HOT, here it is:  Emurse.

 

Emurse has got to be one of the most useful sites I've come across lately. Not only can you create a resume using their handy dandy template tool, but Emurse also allows you to download your resume from anywhere AND gives you the choice to instantly turn your resume into a web site so employers can find you.

 

How found?  Lifehacker, kiddies.  I can't express the love enough.

 

I've yet to use the service, but it suuuuuure looks interesting.  Lots of feedback as well.  I say check it out.  Template?  Download anywhere?  WEBSITE?  Yeah, baby.  Not to mention a mess of things I haven't mentioned yet.

 

 

 

 

For All You Shaver Haters Out There

I've got some shaving help for you.

 

I hate shaving! Thankfully I don't have the same problem as some other men which requires me to shave every day, but even at every second day it's a hassle. Is there anything simple I can do to slow my facial hair growth so that I need only shave, say, once a week at most?

 

Metafilter, via Lifehacker, yet again.

 

I friggin' HATE shaving.  I'm not sure of anyone that I know that likes it.

 

Straight razors, anyone?  Where?

 

 

Think We'll All Get Snowed?

Ah, yes.  Really, wasn't it a no-brainer that the new White House Press Secretary would come from Fox News?

 

After several days of speculation, the inevitable has come to pass: Fox News bobble-head Tony Snow has agreed to take over as Scott McClellan's successor .Snow, who had recently battled colon cancer, was awaiting clearance from his doctors. He's expected to be introduced Wednesday morning as the next White House Press Secretary .

 

Props, Sploid.

 

You know what I really enjoy about politics these days?  You almost always know exactly what to expect.

 

I hate politics.  It makes me cranky.  I watch the news, I wish I hadn't, I go to bed, and stay awake all night long, my girlfriend becomes unhappy, then I just want to kick something, preferably in the groin.

 

Therefore, to combat the political bent that this post unfortunately took, just because I was in a bad mood, here :

 

How to get up when you really want to.

 

You may thank Lifehacker for that, because technically speaking, they rock.

 

 

 

The Definitive Free Software List?

Could it be?

There's not much to say about this one. It's a gigantic list of free software broken up into categories for easy browsing. Let's get ready to downloooooooad!

 

All hail Lifehacker.  God love 'em.

 

 

 

 

Book Bloggin'

Sigh.  I should have bought Lifehacker flowers for Valentine's Day.

 

The New York Times reports on previously-mentioned blog publishing software BookSmart, which will download and reformat your blog into book form, print and help you sell copies to your fawning readers and internet admirers.

 

Of course this is a good idea.

 

Speaking of which, I'm happy to say that I'm re-emerging into the world.  Hello, people.