Google Hacks

Google Hacks is a book that involves all sorts of cool tricks that you can do on Google. From finding better search results (for beginners) to doing things like using their Google Mail system as an external file system (advanced users!), this book covers a lot of them.

Google Hacks on Amazon

Salary Growth

Ran across an interesting article on Career Builder - it lists jobs with highest salary growth. Here are some of the technology related ones from the site:

Information Technology
Jobs with high salary growth:
# Webmaster -- $49,200

# Senior database administrator -- $93,300

Customer service
Jobs with high salary growth:
# Technical support specialist -- $49,100

CareerBuilder Article

Word Shortcuts

As I've said before, shortcuts in programs will save you a ton of time. You're never going to memorize EVERY shortcut. Well, perhaps if you have a lot of time, but you get my idea here. If you find you are repetitively performing a task, find the hotkey for it!

Here's a list of Microsoft Word (hotkeys):
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;290938


If you ever lose this link, Microsoft has some similar things in their in-program help.

Google gets sued too!

Google sued in Belgium for "stealing traffic from news sites"...and they refuse to comply with a court ruling to post the text of the ruling on their web site. Oh, and they were fined $1.27 million dollars, too.

http://www.cnn.com/2006/TECH/internet/09/21/google.news.ap

Three Dimensional Printing?

Printing in three dimensions? Sounds improbable, but for the low price of $50,000 it can be yours!

http://www.postgazette.com/pg/06215/710849-96.stm

Free Coffee from Yahoo!

Yahoo will offer coupons for a free cup of coffee at Dunkin' Donuts to anyone who sets Yahoo.com as their home page this Friday.

I am not sure how they plan to check this, but hey, free coffee is free coffee! Note "this Friday" refers to Sept 22.

http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/wireStory?id=2456863

Free Subscription to Spin Magazine

Free one year subscription to Spin Magazine.

Enter VIPSHOW in the blank labeled "VIP Gift Card Promotional Code".

You have to preview a little presentation after you fill out the form.

This probably won't last long!

http://www.magazinepromotion.com/single_page.php?TAG=SURVEY_VIPMAGOFFER

Don't Listen to Popeye...

Fresh spinach may kill you! At the moment, the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) is trying to figure out where some bad spinach came from. They are advising people not to eat any fresh spinach (frozen is ok). Over 100 people are already sick, and one has died.

http://www.cnn.com/2006/HEALTH/09/18/tainted.spinach/

The Internet is just one more source of information for outbreaks such as this, and that is always a positive thing. I would say younger people are more likely to catch this story on the Internet, as opposed to watching the news or reading the newspaper. I wonder, if the Internet was not around, if this would be a bigger issue?

Keyboard Shortcuts for Excel

I've always found that there are ways to become just a little bit more efficient using a program, especially by using hotkeys (also called shortcut keys, or key combinations). In my CIS 126 course last evening, we discussed some of the Excel keyboard shortcuts. Would you believe there are hundreds?

Microsoft has a complete list in their online help. Take a look - odds are you will find a hotkey that will make you more efficient!

http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/assistance/HP052037811033.aspx

Scholarship Opportunity!

This is an opportunity for Business and Information Technology/Computer Science majors!!

The Statewide Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of NJ (SHCC) is seeking to award scholarships to students who have the responsibility and pride in their community, in their state, and in their heritage.

Eligibility Criteria

Each applicant must be:

* Hispanic (one parent must be fully Hispanic).
* A U.S. Citizen or a legal permanent resident.
* A permanent resident of New Jersey.
* A full-time college freshman in the Fall, 2006.
* Intending to major in Business or Business Technology - related program.
* Attending a two or a four year college, public or private, in the state of New Jersey.

Students can obtain more information and/or application at http://www.shccnj.org/

Applications must be postmarked by October 30, 2006.

Enhancements

I've added a few features:

1) You can email articles to your friends. If you click on the little envelope at the end of any post, it will let you forward a link to anyone. I'm doing this blog for anyone who is interested, whether they are a student or not, so feel free to pass it along!

2) For those of you who speak Arabic or Spanish, I've added options to translate to those languages using the Google Translator. These will always appear in the sidebar to the right hand side of the page.

Free Stuff: Windows Vista (Release Candidate 1)

Microsoft is coming close to releasing Windows Vista (the replacement for the Windows XP operating system). If you are already registered with Microsoft as a customer interested in previewing, all you have to do is visit this web site. If you don't have a product key from them, you will first have to visit this web site to register.

This is not recommended for beginning users, but for the more experienced users, this is a nice way to try the Vista operating system out.

Free Stuff: Ride Free on NJTransit!

New Jersey Transit is offering students a free week, no strings attached. Go to the web site below, fill out the form, and you will be able to use NJ Transit for free for the week of September 18th through September 24th.

http://www.njtransit.com/nn_college.shtml

Scholarships Available

The Datatel Scholars Foundation is pleased to announce its 2007 - 2008 academic year scholarship competition. Four unique scholarships are being offered, ranging in value from $1000 to $2500.

Datatel Scholarships Foundation scholarships - are awarded to outstanding students currently attending Datatel client institutions (PCCC is a Datatel client institution).

Angelfire scholarships - is presented to outstanding students who served in the Asian theater (Vietnam, Laos, and/or Cambodia) between 1964 and 1975. Spouses and children of Vietnam veterans, and refugees of Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam are also eligible. In addition, scholarships are awarded to military personnel who have served in Operation Desert Storm, Operation Enduring Freedom, and/or Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Returning Student scholarships - provides assistance to current outstanding students who have returned to higher education after an absence of five years or more.

Nancy Goodhue Lynch scholarships - are awarded to outstanding undergraduate students majoring in information technology related curriculum programs.

Please encourage students to apply early and allow their recommenders enough time to write their letters of support.

The online application will open on SEPTEMBER 1, 2006 and will remain open for submissions until JANUARY 31, 2007 - 5:00 P.M. (EST). The website is http://www.datatel.com/global/scholarships/applicants.cfm

Radio Shack Fires 400 people...via email

This is the first large scale layoff I've heard of that was done via email. This really seems like such a bad thing. Instead of telling employees to their face, they just send out a mass email. Times have changed.

Link to article

Free Stuff: Free Crest Pro-Health Toothpaste (full size)

Free through a company called Start Sampling, courtesy of Sam's Club (you don't have to be a Sam's Club member to get it!):

http://www.startsampling.com/sm/20461/

It's apparently a new line of toothpaste that Crest has put out.