Comic - Board Decision

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Weird Stunts

I'll keep it brief. Some people lift huge weights. Some people pull trains with their teeth. And then there's this guy (via Metro.co.uk).

I urge you to see the 5 most painful weird stunts here. The last two, in particular, are cringe-worthy.  ▣

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Did You Know Google Could Do That?

Google is no longer just a search engine. The company has become the poster child for most innovations related to the Web. "Google" is now a common verb. And they do almost everything with such style, common sense and a fresh approach. Am I a Google fan? Yes. But that's not the reason. Google came about after Yahoo! and other search engines like Excite, MSN (now Bing), Dogpile, AltaVista, InfoSpace, etc. And despite their late arrival, Google managed to stump all of them and become much more than a search engine.

Take one of the many Google applications & solutions they offer (most are free): Gmail, Google Music, Docs, public DNS, Google Maps and even something as basic and overlooked as Google Groups (which's not really an app, but still). Did I mention Google Voice, Google Calendar (which I LOVE) or Google Reader? There are simply too many to list here. They simply excel at whatever it is they do. And they're leading the way in all things cloud-computing. In addition to all that Google offers, they do it with a sense of humor. For example, they constantly offer hidden jokes/"easter eggs."

But there are many hidden features about Google and its search field/bar. See how many of these you know. And if you know of any that I've missed, by all means please share them with us in the comments.

Time in any city
To see the time in many cities around the world, type in “time” and the name of the city.
time {cityname}

Alternatively, you can ask the time in the form of a question (see the image below).

Weather in any city
Similar to the time above, you can now see the weather for many U.S. and worldwide cities. You just need to type “weather” followed by the city and state, zip/postal code, or city and country.
weather {City Name}

Map of anywhere
Are you new in a city/country? Perhaps you moved to a new area or simply want to learn more about a location. Google makes finding that very easy. Type in the name or zip/postal code of a location and the word “map” and Google will return a map of that location. Clicking on the map will take you to a larger version on Google Maps.
{location} map

Convert Currency
Google Currency Converter, I believe, is a part of Google Calculator; which I will be talking about next. Perhaps you want to find out how much an item costs in another currency ... perhaps where you're traveling. Or perhaps you're trying to see how much the money you have budgeted for a vacation will carry you in the vacation spot. Whatever the reason is, Google can convert that with a great deal of accuracy. Of course, Currency Exchange offices will differ; but you get the idea.
{current currency with or without number} in {desired currency}

Airport & airline-flight status
Whether you're picking up someone, dropping them off or flying out yourself Google's search is ready from any Internet-enabled device (since many phones have them now too). To see flight status for arriving and departing, type in the name of the airline and the flight number into the search box. You can also see delays at a specific airport by typing in the name of the city or three-letter airport code followed by the word “airport”.
{airlinename flightnumber}

Unit Conversion
You can convert weight, distance, temperature, time, mass, energy, and (as I mentioned earlier) currency. For example, you can answer the question of how many ounces are in 2 cups.
{current unit} in {desired unit}

Dictionary/Definitions
Most will tell you to type "define" and the word or phrase you're needing defined. However, there's a difference between the results of that and using "define:" with the colon and then the word or phrase you're needing defined. Google uses many sources to come back with the different definitions out there.
define:{word}

Track your package(s) from UPS, FedEx and USPS
You can track packages by typing the tracking number for your UPS, FedEx or USPS package directly into the search box. Google will return results that include quick links to easily track the status of your shipment.

Calculator
Whether it's simple or complex math, Google's got you covered. Knowing the operators, however, will go a long way in helping you get what you want in the fastest possible way.

These are just a few examples of what Google offers. Others (off the top of my head) include movie times, area codes (although I prefer to type "area code"), zip codes, stock quotes, and many others.

Did you know that Google could do all of that? If you did, which ones are you favorites?  ▣

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Inspirational Monday Quotes

I won't bore you with what I have to say, and instead allow these quotes to speak for themselves:

“Fall seven times; stand up eight.” – Japanese proverb

“You must give up the life you planned in order to have the life that is waiting for you.” – Joseph Campbell

“The best time to plant a tree is 20 years ago. The second best time is now.” – Chinese Proverb

“You must be the change you want to see in the world.” – Gandhi

“Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.” – Theodore Roosevelt

“I can’t change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails to always reach my destination.” – Jimmy Dean

“All is flux, nothing stays still.” – Heraclitus

“For everything you have missed, you have gained something else, and for everything you gain, you lose something else.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

“Every man must decide whether he will walk in the light of creative altruism or in the darkness of destructive selfishness.” – Martin Luther King, Jr.

“I am tomorrow, or some future day, what I establish today. I am today what I established yesterday or some previous day.” – James Joyce

“I don’t need a friend who changes when I change and who nods when I nod; my shadow does that much better.” – Plutarch

“Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not; remember that what you now have was once among the things you only hoped for.” – Epicurus

“Be a first rate version of yourself, not a second rate version of someone else” – Judy Garland

“How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.” – Anne Frank

“The mind can make a heaven out of hell or a hell out of heaven” – John Milton

“Try not to become a man of success but a man of value.” – Albert Einstein

“The foolish man seeks happiness in the distance; the wise grows it under his feet.” – James Oppenheim  ▣

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The Muppets Perform Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody

The song, in its own right, is a classic. The Muppets Show & Sesame Street (happy 40th anniversary) are also both classics. The Muppets performing Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody is ... well ... sure to be a classic. And they even squeaky cleaned the murder part of the song.

While this may not be funny, in a ha ha out loud way, it is something that puts a smile on one's face. It sure put one on mine.

Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tgbNymZ7vqY

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Comic - Maintenance

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A World Full of Weirdness

With the plethora of weird and bizarre things that comes my way, I wasn't sure which one to write about. So instead, I wanted to share five links of weird & bizarre things I read about recently.

1) Toddler has 50 sewing needles inside body

A 2-year old Brazilian boy in the hospital after complaining from pain in his body. After no visible reasons for his pain, x-rays show a totally different story. If I was to take a guess, at the risk of sounding stereotypical, I would say magic or something like that is sure to surface as a motive.

2) 6 Inventors Who Got Jack Shit for Changing the Modern World

Without a doubt, this is an interesting read. And if you can look past the language, the content is brief and presented well.

3) Are you big? Are you in Japan? You may be breaking the law.

In Japan, already the slimmest industrialized nation, people are fighting fat to ward off dreaded metabolic syndrome and comply with a government-imposed waistline standard. Metabolic syndrome, known here simply as “metabo,” is a combination of health risks, including stomach flab, high blood pressure and high cholesterol, that can lead to cardiovascular disease and diabetes.

Concerned about rising rates of both in a graying nation, Japanese lawmakers last year set a maximum waistline size for anyone age 40 and older: 85 centimeters (33.5 inches) for men and 90 centimeters (35.4 inches) for women.

I strongly recommend you read the comments as there may be a false representation of the facts.

4) 12 Bizarre and Unique Roofs

This roof, that roof, all kinds of weird roofs. The pictures say it all.

5) 9 Funny Classified Ads

There seems to be an increase of these funny classifieds that's parallel to the decline of newspapers. Perhaps it's how some people are trying to leave their imprint on the news sources of yesteryear.  ▣

Click here to see Wednesday-only posts.

Facebook: Privacy, Security and You

It's no surprise that Facebook has garnered a lot of negative press over its privacy overhaul from a week or so ago. As soon as one logged into Facebook, the company asked that they personalize their privacy settings. That is, they asked all 350 million or so users to read, understand and act appropriately to the major privacy changes they've made. And in a step, which may have been done with good intentions (although I highly doubt it), Facebook "recommended" some settings of its own. Most of you should have already gone through the exercise, but if you have not, it's worth mentioning that I personally do not recommend Facebook's "recommended" privacy settings.

The privacy announcement itself, the preceding open letter (from Facebook's founder, Mark Zuckerberg), and the announcement made five months earlier made it apparent that Facebook was revamping its privacy policy, settings, use, etc. The changes were thought to be about simplification and putting more control for the user on the behemoth social networking site. After all, Facebook has received criticism for its confusing privacy settings by such groups as the Canadian Privacy Commissioner and the Norwegian consumer protection agency. While they may have simplified the privacy settings, they unfortunately also took away some settings making at least one particular area "publicly available information."

This all made the simpler privacy settings seem as if it was done with the intention of encouraging users to be more transparent in a very indirect fashion. One might even suggest that it was done in a mischievous manner. Coupled with some of the negative (for the user) changes made, and it comes as no surprise that Facebook is receiving quite a bit of negative publicity. Facebook apps (like the quizzes), for example, have been a point of contention, given the amount of personal data access the developers of such apps have. This raised eyebrows with the very same Canadian Privacy Commission that had previous concerns (see above); along with the ACLU. Naturally, the amount of privacy changes, and the manner in which Facebook suggests settings prompted the ACLU to be concerned once again; and rightfully so.

Other groups include the Electronic Frontier Foundation, which did a very thorough review of some of Facebook's good, bad and ugly privacy changes. I highly recommend you read it if you're serious and curious about how much of your personal data you share on Facebook.

As of earlier this evening, there was a report talks about how Facebook is suggesting that you lie can change your personal information to protect yourself. That's a good idea, but keep in mind that you may be in violation of Facebook's Terms of Service. As an additional measure, I strongly recommend that you review your own Facebook privacy settings in detail and ensure that you're not making them available to "everyone."

With the recent Google announcement of real-time search (partnering with Twitter, Facebook and others), having a privacy setting of "everyone" now means literally EVERY ONE. Even worse, once the search engines get a hold of the data, it's cached on another (their) system where changing your settings on Facebook may simply be too late. It's no longer in Facebook's hands/systems to secure in accordance with your changes. At this point, simply put, your data has left the building.

Still, I advise each and every one of you to take the time to understand and customize your privacy settings. Doing so will help protect yourselves, your family and any kids you know who use the service. Knowing, of course, that there's a balance that must be achieved between the extreme ends of absolute security on one end, and very public on the other. I invite you to read about how to protect yourself (4 things to do); and to watch the following video to help you get started with customizing your privacy settings.

Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MTpa3AS39uA

With 350+ million users, it's worth noting that it may simply be too late. Most have seen the privacy announcement, made changes and/or ignored it and have simply moved on using Facebook how they always have, unaware of the ramifications.

At the end of the day, is Facebook secure for me to use? Despite some of the losses in user security/privacy controls, the ongoing negative criticism, and with the right settings in place, Facebook is still a very usable and joyous social networking site. If not careful, however, it could easily find itself in the social dump of yesteryear along with many others; which I won't mention (ahm ... MySpace, Friendster, etc.).

Update: Facebook today, December 17, 2009, was challenged on privacy changes/rules.  ▣

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Blake Mycoski: Creating Sustainable Charity

By now, the mission of TOMS Shoes is well known: When you buy a pair of their shoes, you help provide a child in need with new shoes. It's called the "One for One" movement and it has helped the company emerge as a leader in conscious consumerism.

When it's a holiday season for you and yours, TOMS is asking you to "choose Shoes" for the occasion. Forget holidays; whether it's a gift for yourself, a friend, or someone in your family, giving TOMS Shoes this holiday also means that a child will receive a present that will help them grow up healthy and happy.

Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ysE2VlyvdnI

TOMS "One for One" is not a gimmick intended to boost holiday sales. Instead, it is the basis of the company's business model. Blake Mycoski didn’t just want to start a charity to put shoes on the feet of children who needed them — he wanted to do something more sustainable, something that didn’t rely on asking for donations.

Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kt3BQQ6dQaQ

Innovative thinking, running a for-profit business and giving globally can all coexist ... and inspire others in more ways that one.

Got an inspirational story to share, please let us know in the comments.  ▣

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