Funny Friday - Non-Confrontational: Laid Off

Happy Thursday - Seminars

Weird Wednesday - Newspaper Clips

I can't believe that someone actually paid for these "classifieds." Very funny though.

Tip Tuesday - What Is Greasemonkey?

Allow me to dive right into the topic as there is a lot to cover on this one.

The Greasemonkey Firefox extension associates a bit of JavaScript with specific web pages and runs it every time you visit, dynamically changing the appearance and/or functionality of those pages. On the geeky side, Greasemonkey basically allows users to install JavaScript that make on-the-fly changes to most HTML-based web pages. Wikipedia says:

As Greasemonkey scripts are persistent, the changes made to the web pages are executed every time the page is opened, making them effectively permanent for the user running the script.

These scripts do not actually change the web site itself, but it changes the way Firefox interacts with the HTML on a web page to make it act in a way that is more user-friendly and/or befitting of one's needs. This change only occurs in your Firefox browser and only for the current session. It does not change any coding on the server side or to the web site itself. It simply changes how Firefox reads the code on the page and redisplays it to you with the aesthetic and functionality based on the directions/code of the script(s) you have installed. Every time you visit the web site, the script changes the page for you without you noticing it. There is no delay in the changes visible to the naked eye, usually.

Greasemonkey Hacks, a book by Mark Pilgrim, says:

Greasemonkey allows you to write scripts that alter the web pages you visit. You can use it to make a website more readable or more usable. You can fix bugs that the site owner can't be bothered to fix themselves. You can alter pages so they work better with assistive technologies that speak to a web page aloud or convert it to Braille.

Some scripts allow you to auto-fill forms. You can even automatically retrieve data from other sites to make two sites act as one ... very close to mashups.

By itself, Greasemonkey does none of these things. In fact, after you install it, you won't notice any change at all, until you start installing what are called "user scripts."

The "Swiss Army Knife" of Firefox extensions may seem like it requires a bit of rampup to get going, but it does not. You simply install those "user scripts" without as much as restarting your browser. There are literally thousands already written for you. To install these user scripts, first you must install the Greasemonkey Firefox extension. Then head out to Userscripts.org and search for a web site or page you'd like to see optimized and in what manner and you're sure to find something.

Let's say you want to make Gmail work better with filters & labels. To be specific, you really like folders and you wished that Gmail could work with folders instead. I'd head to Userscripts.org and search for "Gmail folders." The more you search, the more you'll see how things are listed. Side note: I personally made my gmail combine filter-use with labels and displays them as folders. It has truly changed how I use Gmail (see the screen shot on the side). If you like, I'd be more than happy to share with you how I've done that. Let me know in the comments, or shoot me an email to the ahmadism [squigly thing] gmail [dot] com

Greasemonkey allows you to stipulate what pages (and sub pages/directories) to run the script of your choice on. And the reverse is also true. Greasemonkey allows to exclude certain sites/pages as well.

Some of you know me well enough to know that I'm a bookmarklet collecting fool. I don't want to spend too much time on what bookmarklets are, just know that they are JavaScript code that you run ad-hoc on whatever page you deem fit. To make them accessible to you, you put bookmarklets as links in your bookmarks/favorites. Usually right on your toolbar as shown in the image on the side. Whereas Greasemonkey scripts run on specified URLs, bookmarklets are on-demand. I use mine in place of extensions, especially toolbar extensions, whenever possible. This helps keep Firefox running smooth without any risk of bugs, viruses, etc. that come by way of extensions. Finally, bookmarklets run on Google Chrome (I'm a Firefox fan/user, personally) and on the iPhone (not an owner of one) without any glitches, apps, etc.

Among the bookmarklets that I use, which also exist as a Greasemonkey script, is "linkify."
Linkify basically converts text links to clickable hyperlinks. It turns plain text links into real clikable links. Attempts to catch links like google.com. I don't want that running on all pages, or a set of pages. Instead, I want to run it whenever I want to run it. And I have a version that opens up the links in a new tab, converts plain text email addresses, as well, etc.

Some of the must-have Greasemonkey scripts, which make sites work sooo much better and I use include:

• Ahmadism.com's own Launch in New Tab (LiNT): Launches, all included sites YOU specify, in a new window/tab. A simple but very useful script especially for job boards. Simply specify the URL's you want this to apply to.
• Google Account Multi-Login: Replaces "Sign Out" link on Google pages with a select box of accounts. This is a must-have for all who have more than one Gmail account.
• YouTube HQ 720p Ultimate: This script successfully seeks out the HIGHEST available quality for YouTube, and loads it on the page without refreshing.
• GMailTo: Opens mailto: hyperlinks in gmail compose. I have mine to exclude https://*.yahoo.com
• Check Range: Lets you check or uncheck a range of checkboxes by clicking the first checkbox and then Shift+clicking the last checkbox.
• Folders4Gmail: Which does what I mentioned earlier and allows you to organize your labels in a folder-like hierarchy.

If you have not given Greasemonkey a chance and use Firefox, now is the time to jump on board. Greasemonkey will give you a new perspective on the Internet and your favorite web sites by allowing you to take control of what they do and how it feels.

So let's hear it, fellow Greasemonkey users: What user scripts do YOU have installed? Let us all know in the comments.

This Week's Career Advice - Technology: Try to Keep Up

As I was telling a colleague and friend of mine over lunch today, I'm amazed at how a new generation that graduates college and goes on to join the workforce still does not know that IE is a browser, that Firefox is an alternative (a much better one too), what a browser is/means, etc.

I expected this younger generation to be on the "up & up" regarding most things internet and online social media. I'm kind of surprised, to be honest.

Then you have the older generation; more specifically, the baby boomers ("the generation born between 1946 and 1964" -census.gov). They are about to become a major force here in the US; very possibly redefining communication, advertising, services and ultimately how we all work and deliver. In 2006, baby boomers turned 60. The State of Utah was the only State "where baby boomers constituted less than 25 percent." (source)

I'm not sure what percentage of the baby boomers are not computer / internet savvy (got a statistic source? Please share in the comments), but according to a recent Sprint commercial, at least 26% of all adults don't know what Twitter is. Whether one should know what Twitter is, or whether Sprint's information is accurate is still up in the air. What it all implies, however, is that there's a lot of opportunity for education on such topics as basic computer use, the internet, email, online social media, etc. And given the convergence of technologies, like phones and laptops for example, I wouldn't be surprised if that education didn't need to cover a slew of other things.

I digress.

Technology is becoming more and more a way of life. The internet specifically, and all it contains, is how we pay bills, check our account balances, communicate, socialize, meet our future spouse, shop, look for jobs and even register for unemployment.

Knowing how to post a blog, do a search, use your email, etc. will no longer be sufficient. One must stay ahead of the curve to compete in the workplace. "But technology is evolving too fast," you might say. That is true. Staying abreast of the trends and knowledge can only help you. There are many ways to do so, one of which is via RSS feeds. Ironically, I had read recently that as little as 3% of us know what and how to use RSS feeds.

Now imagine knowing what you know today, and matching it up with the needs of baby boomers, for example, in as little as 5 years from now. What will you bring to the table at your place of employment?

First, I urge you to watch the below approx. 5-minute video ...



Let's this up a notch, shall we?
I read a year or two ago about research and an experiment that took place where data was stored in the air. Yes, in thin air. That data was retrieved off of an island a few miles away (I want to say close to 100 miles away). I've searched for this source of info. but I cannot seem to find it. Heck, I spent almost 2 hours looking for it. So if you find it, please let me know in the comments. Back to the topic at hand. Data is being stored in thin air. Imagine the possibilities.

The above video talked about how "we are currently preparing students for jobs that don't yet exist, using technologies that haven't yet been invented, in order to solve problems we don't even know are problems yet." It may sound surreal. But take these next two videos into consideration, and think how close to reality it may be.






These videos are of MIT students and how they turn the internet into a sixth human sense. Read more about that here.

Perhaps data in the air and virtual interfaces are still quite a ways from becoming reality. Microsoft's Surface®, Apple's iPhone® and HP 's Touchsmart PC®, however, are current realities. Earlier when I mentioned convergence between a laptop and a phone, I think of exactly the HP Touchsmart PC®.

I've only scratched the surface as you can imagine. And more so on the hardware side. Now think in terms of marketing, design, collection of data & statistics, database administration, email campaigns, TV, print, conversion, coding, usability and QA. Heck, just for QA alone I could write a paper. To give you a glimpse, a Software Quality Assurance team (SQA) usually will test a web site on Windows, Mac and may be even a Linux box. The same site is reviewed under at least 3 browsers with several versions of each. You start adding mobile phones into the mix and you just added several operating systems (the iPhone's, Google's Android, Symbian, Windows Mobile, etc.), along with all the mobile versions of the browsers. When you add things like Microsoft's Surface® and HP's Touchsmart PC® and you quickly can see how much more complicated this gets.

To many of you, being equipped with knowledge regarding Technology may not seem at the core of what you do. It will undoubtedly, however, help you do your job better/smarter and faster. It is your responsibility; and some would argue your obligation to yourself, career and family; to try and keep up.

Ahmadism.com offers Tip Tuesdays, which often contains tech. tips. Be sure to subscribe to the site or at least that day (see the side panel).

Inspirational Monday - Quotes

We all come across challenges in our lifetime. And occasionally, a word you hear from a family-member, a friend, on TV or on the Web can make the difference and give you the renewed commitment you need. Today's inspiration comes from a number of quotes I came across. Some I've heard before, and some were funny considering their source; while others were refreshingly new. I hope you find at least one that makes the difference you need.

Never consider the possibility of failure. As long as you persist, you will be successful. - Brian Tracy

Your future is created by what you do today, not tomorrow. - Robert T. Kiyosaki

To succeed, you need to take that gut feeling in what you believe and act on it with all of your heart. - Christy Borgeld

The starting point of all achievement is desire. Keep this constantly in mind. Weak desires bring weak results, just as a small amount of fire makes a small amount of heat. - Napoleon Hill

You don’t have to get it right; you just have to get it going. - Mike Litman

It ain’t about how hard you hit, it’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward. How much you can take and keep moving forward. That’s how winning is done! - Rocky Balboa

For every problem you ever come across, sit down and brainstorm 10 different solutions. - Brian Tracy

Positive thinking will let you do everything better than negative thinking will. - Zig Ziglar

I have not failed 10,000 times. I have successfully found 10,000 ways that will not work. - Thomas A. Edison

Keep the faith and just keep moving forward. Always remember, the more action you take, the more money you will make. The money will come, it’s almost impossible for it not to. You just have to keep working hard… - John Reese

The journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step. - Chinese Proverb

Sometimes if you want to see a change for the better, you have to take things into your own hands. - Clint Eastwood

When you engage in systematic, purposeful action, using and stretching your abilities to the maximum, you cannot help but feel positive and confident about yourself. - Brian Tracy

I am not discouraged, because every wrong attempt discarded is another step forward. - Thomas A. Edison

Anyone who stops learning is old, whether at twenty or eighty. Anyone who keeps learning stays young. The greatest thing in life is to keep your mind young. - Henry Ford

The greatest amount of wasted time is the time not getting started. - Dawson Trotman

Perfection does not exist - you can always do better and you can always grow. - Les Brown

He that is good for making excuses is seldom good for anything else. - Benjamin Franklin

Better to do something imperfectly than to do nothing flawlessly. - Robert H. Schuller

Do, or do not. There is no ‘try’. - Yoda

Bonus Funny Quote:

Here’s something to think about: How come you never see a headline like ‘Psychic Wins Lottery’? - Jay Leno

BONUS Funny Friday - SnugWow: Two Products in One

My wife really wanted that snug thingie. I can't wait 'till she sees this post. It's hilarious.




Have a good weekend.