Office Living : Etc...

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tinadh — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 05:14:00 GMT

OpenOffice.org

Open source is a broad term for software licensing that allows a computer program to be distributed and used for no charge.

OpenOffice.org is probably the most well-known open-source program. Designed as an alternative to Microsoft Office, it is a multi-platform office productivity suite that is compatible with many systems, including the latest Microsoft and Mac operating systems, Linux, and Solaris.

Programs available from OpenOffice.org include Writer (a word processing program), Calc (a spreadsheet program similar to Excel) and Impress, and a presentation program (similar to PowerPoint). While these programs offer the benefits of Microsoft-like programs for no cost, perhaps the biggest plus is that this program can open Microsoft files and can be opened by Microsoft programs. This allows people to use OpenOffice.org and not be shut out of a business world dominated by Microsoft Office.

OpenOffice.org is derived from StarOffice, an office suite developed by Sun Microsystems, and is commonly referred to as OpenOffice. This program was released under an open-source license in October 2000 and does not allow users to alter the program’s code. Since then, releases have alternated between “feature” releases and “bug fix” releases. The next, version 3.2, will be a feature release and is scheduled for November 2009. It will include, among new features, a major overhaul of Impress.

To learn more about OpenOffice.org and to download the program, go to www.Openoffice.org.

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tinadh — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 05:08:00 GMT

The commuter rant
Getting revved up on the road

The title of this piece promises a rant, but I’m going to try and keep an even temper.

The reason? I’m not currently in my car and I’m actually able to keep an even temper. I commute two hours each day in my car, and I don’t like what it does to my personality. So, I try to be as good a person as possible while I’m not driving to make up for it. Later today I’m going to groom puppies at a soup kitchen.

But back to the “rant.” Anyone who drives to work has a list of the top driving sins that other motorists inflict upon them. What are mine? I’m glad you asked:

Using the turn signal to squeeze into the fast lane

No one needs to merge left on the highway the way they would need to merge right to exit. People merge left because they want to go faster, and this is certainly understandable. But what gets me is when someone in the middle lane puts their left turn signal on and expects a car in the left lane to slow down so they can merge in front of them. The left lane is a privilege, not a right. If there is no immediate opening, wait until there is one.

Fast drivers/slow drivers

If you’re going 55mph in the fast lane, you’re driving too slow and holding up traffic. If you’re weaving in and out of traffic at 80mph, then you’re going to fast and endangering those around you. So, please hear my plea: if you prefer to drive slower, stay in the right lane. If you like weaving through traffic, find a sponsor and join the NASCAR circuit.

Traffic on the highway

Okay, everyone hates highway traffic, but aside from accidents, how does traffic ever come to a complete stop? There are no stop lights or stop signs. Shouldn’t traffic keep moving at reduced speeds? Yes, there are people merging onto the highway, but there are also people exiting the highway. I’m sure there is an explanation, I just can’t figure out what it is. If anyone knows or has any theories, please speak up!

Disagree with me or have some of your own pet peeves regarding your work commute? Feel free to share.

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tinadh — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 05:15:00 GMT

Rewards Programs

Shopping lists never end: milk, bread, eggs, dog food, birthday card for Uncle Bill, new shoes for that party, the book you heard about on TV. A lot o stores are now offering perks for buying everyday items like these. Whether it’s offering up your email at the checkout, filling out a registration card, or signing up online, the time it takes to join a rewards program can be beneficial.

All of the following rewards programs offer registration and membership updates online, special savings on products, and exclusive email offers.

Everyone needs to eat, so it’s great that grocery store chains offer rewards. Jewel-Osco and Dominick’s have free rewards programs with college savings opportunities through Upromise. Jewel-Osco Preferred Card members also receive discounts with other Preferred Partners, and Dominick’s Fresh Value Card holders earn airline miles and discounts on Dominick’s gasoline.

There’s always a birthday, anniversary or other special occasion to celebrate. With a free Hallmark Crown Rewards membership, you earn points for every dollar spent in the store, bonus points for each card, and extra bonus points for every three cards bought in one purchase. These points turn into rewards certificates good for regular-priced Hallmark products.

DSW shoe stores offer free rewards. Members earn points with every purchase, and those points turn into rewards certificates. Members also get advance notice of sales, bonus point days, and promotions.

Check out the pet store rewards from Petco and Petsmart. Petco offers free food and free grooming programs and exclusive invitations to pet-friendly events. Petsmart gives you a welcome kit with savings for your membership and sends your pets birthday cards with special discounts.

With a Target REDcard, members earn a point for every dollar spent. With 1000 points, members get 10% off their next entire purchase. Members also receive a 10% discount on prescriptions. Target will also donate a percentage of each purchase to local schools.

Borders offers free rewards, and members can earn $5 in Borders Bucks with every $150 in-store and online purchase. Barnes & Noble offers a program with a yearly $25 paid membership. Members can save up to 40% on the books they love.

Check out the rewards programs at the stores you go to most and start saving!

What are some great rewards you have found at the stores you frequent the most?

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tinadh — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 06:14:00 GMT

How to get on a game show

With the economy the way it is, we’re all looking for ways to make an extra buck. These days, it’s not as easy to just run out and get a second job, we have to be creative. While the lottery is an option, the chances of winning are extremely slim. Why not give a game show a try!

While there’s no magic potion you can take to land a game show cameo, there are a few tips you can follow to help your chances. According to the article, “Top 5 Ways to Get on a Game Show,” follow these tips and you may find yourself saying, “Yes, that IS my final answer!”

Know your strengths—Not good at trivia? Steer clear of Jeopardy. Terrible at grocery shopping? Don’t try out for The Price is Right. Know what you’re good at so you help your chances of landing and winning a game show spot. Producers want contestants who are good at the game, so the audience will be entertained. Isn’t it more exciting to watch someone score big rather than drop out on the first try?
Be super excited!—No one wants to watch a dull contestant. We all want to watch someone who is excited to be on the show. You only get a few minutes with a casting agent, so make it count. Be enthusiastic and high energy. It’s all about personality and making good TV. Be quirky and unique and you’re more likely to stay at the top of the casting agent’s list.
Know the numbers—If you want to increase your chances of landing on a game show, pick a game show that needs a lot of contestants. For example, the game show Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader? needs only one contestant per show for its weekly broadcast, while Who Wants to Be a Millionaire calls in 10 people to compete against each other in hopes of getting into the hot seat.
Leave your cramming days back in college—It’s better to review, not cram, for a game show. Read up on current events, instead of cramming your brain full of trivia. Pick up a newspaper, watch the news and keep the stress level down. If you feel you must brush up on trivia, stick with an almanac, rather than an encyclopedia. The statistic snippets you’ll find in an almanac are more commonly found in quiz-format game shows.
Know the game—If you know how the game is played, you’re better able to develop a strategy that could help you win. Know the game backwards and forwards by watching it often, playing the board game or online version of it. A producer will not pick you if you don’t know the object of the game or the lingo used. This also ties into being super excited. Producers want contestants who watch the game and have a real interest in it.

Every game show has a different way of gaining contestants. Who Wants to Be a Millionaire uses both a telephone quiz tryout and on-location castings in certain cities, while The Price is Right allows anyone to try out daily outside their studio. As long as you’re willing to wait in line, starting very early in the morning, you’ll most likely get a few minutes with a casting agent. Pick a show you want to play and look online to see how you can try out. Good luck!

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tinadh — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 06:12:00 GMT

E-security scams –
Internet thieves come in many guises

Every day, people and businesses fall victim to scams that compromise their electronic security (e-security). With new scams being created regularly and old scams still working their way through the Internet, one can't be too careful. Having a good anti-virus program with firewall, spyware and virus protection is a good start, but e-mail scams and hoaxes are sometimes cleverly disguised as legitimate offers and e-mails.

A common e-security scam is known as phishing. This is often an e-mail disguised as an official message from a trustworthy source such as your bank, eBay or PayPal. Messages like, “Your account information must be confirmed, failure may result in account suspension” or “A large sum has been debited to your account, provide your account details to confirm that the charge is incorrect” create a sense of urgency and are often followed by a link that will take you to a fake Web site designed to look identical to the legitimate one.

Usually confirming your information includes account numbers, passwords, security phrases and PIN numbers, making your account entirely vulnerable. Instead of following a link in an e-mail, type the Web site's homepage address directly into your browser before filling out forms with account numbers and passwords. Often, phishing e-mails will be littered with improper grammar and poor spelling. Subject lines containing all caps and misspelled words are also a good way to identify phishing. When in doubt, the way to confirm a possible e-security scam is to call and confirm that there is a problem with your account.

Another scam commonly known as the Nigerian Bank Scam can originate from a variety of different countries, but the method is exactly the same. A person promises large sums of money, sometimes unclaimed inheritances or lottery winnings or a reward for helping them transfer money out of Nigeria. The outcome is always the same. Before you can claim millions, you must first send thousands of dollars to get the money transferred or for required paperwork. Of course after you've completed your end of the bargain you'll start hearing excuses as to why your money is being delayed and then you'll never hear from them again.

The Internet is crawling with a variety of ways to part you from your money. Just remember, be skeptical and don't believe everything you read. If it's too good to be true it probably is!

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tinadh — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 06:11:00 GMT

The art of the Thank You note

Your mother may have taught you early on that writing a proper thank you note is as important as eating your veggies. But as an adult, with e-mailing being the quickest and most popular way to communicate with everyone these days, the ability to write a formal thank you note may have fallen by the wayside. Though it may seem archaic, thank you notes still hold a very important place in our culture. So how do you write one? Read below to find out how!

Before you put any words on paper, make sure the paper or card you are using is appropriate. Unless you are a 5-year-old, steer clear of crayons and clown stationery. Go for simple and tasteful. Also, always hand write a thank you note. Nothing more shows a lack of warmth like a type-written thank you note.

Greet the giver. Start with, “Dear XX.” Consider how you want to greet them. Are you close friends? If so, use their first name. If this is a friend of your parents, stick with a more formal greeting and use “Mr. or Mrs.”

Express gratitude. Thank them for the gift and be specific about the gift. What did they give you? By just saying, “Thank you for the gift,” you’re showing a lack of respect by not acknowledging exactly what they gave you. Think of it this way. If you spent a great deal of time and thought picking out a gift for someone and when you received the thank you note, they only referenced it as “the gift,” rather than “the really incredible digital picture frame that I’m sure you spent days trying to find,” you’d wonder if they even remembered what you gave them.

Discuss use. Explain what you plan to do with the gift. Did your mother-in-law give you a new piece of china that matches your set? If so, perhaps you can tell her how excited you’ll be to show it off next Thanksgiving when you have her over for the big meal. By describing its use you are showing that you have thought about the gift and how you will integrate it into your life.

Mention the past, allude to the future. Mention how nice it was to see them at the event you received the gift and speak of an upcoming event that you will see them at. For example, “It was so nice seeing you at our anniversary party. I look forward to seeing you during the holidays and catching up again!”

Say thank you again. Though this may seem redundant, it’s not. It’s a great way to conclude your letter and show your appreciation one last time.

Regards. This is where you end your letter. Use “Love,” “Sincerely,” “Yours Truly,” or whatever word feels most appropriate. Sign your name below and you’re done!

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tinadh — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 05:10:00 GMT

Workday time wasters

The Internet in the workplace is both a curse and a blessing. While it has increased productivity and made it easier to communicate more quickly with co-workers, customers and clients, it has also drastically reduced productivity due to the unlimited number of addictive Web sites.

Internet or not, there are always going to be distractions keeping you from work but sometimes short breaks can refresh you and increase productivity. Here are some productive and sometimes no-so-productive ways to waste time at work.

Instant Message

Now water cooler conversations in common areas have been replaced with instant messages and e-mails making it easier to waste time at work. At the same time however, e-mail and instant message programs have made people more efficient by creating instant responses.

RSS Feed Readers

Blogs and Web sites that are frequently updated are a great way to take a little break and catch up on current events. Instead of wasting time going from site to site individually, set up an RSS feed reader like Google Reader, Bloglines or Thunderbird. These readers keep your favorite sites all in one place. Remember to limit your viewing to once or twice a day.

Online Games

It's become cliché that if you're playing computer solitaire, you're just wasting valuable time at work. The good news is that there is some value to solitaire and other games like sudoku and online chess. Games like these exercise your brain and can actually improve productivity in the long run by clearing your mind.

Informational Sites

Websites like Wikipedia, Internet Movie Database (IMDB), CNN.com and other informational sites can be very useful in some offices for fact checking, research or general information. They can also be an incredible way to waste time since the articles often lead to similar articles which lead to more articles, causing huge amounts of time lost.

Keep track of the amount of time you waste at work online. You'd be surprised how all those little breaks can add up quickly. Schedule specific times throughout the day to check your personal e-mail or read your favorite blog and limit the amount of time you spend there. If this doesn't help try tools such as LeechBlock or Stealth Kiwi, which are designed to help you limit your time on time wasting websites.

What other things do you do to waste time at work?

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tinadh — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 05:02:00 GMT

eBay – “One man’s garbage is another’s gold.”

This adage took on a new depth of meaning when Pierre Omidyar, a French-born Iranian living in the Silicon Valley, posted a broken printer on a new Web site called AuctionWeb in 1995.

Meant as just a test for his fledgling site, Omidyar was astounded to find someone bid and paid $14.80 for the machine. When he contacted the buyer to make sure he knew that the machine was broken, the man replied that he did and that he was a “collector of broken laser printers.”

This initial transaction is a great example to explain why AuctionWeb – later renamed eBay – has become such a success. Most everything has value to someone and the Internet is the perfect vehicle to find those someones. From that initial $14.80 transaction, eBay grew to a $52.5 billion enterprise by 2006 and became one of the first phenomenons of the Internet age.

The concept is simple: instead of holding an auction in one static location where the potential demand for the product is narrow and limited, move it online where anyone in the world can view and bid on the product. The poster sets a time and date for when the auction will end and ships the product to the highest bidder (with the buyer paying for the delivery fee) at that time. There is also a “buy it now” feature that allows the poster to simply set a price he or she would be happy with. Buyers can skip the auction and purchase the product immediately.

And while, yes, eBay still sells its share of broken printers and novelty items – a grilled cheese sandwich with a purported image of the Virgin Mary sold for $28,000 in 2004 –eBay has a legitimate venue to buy and sell everything from books and jewelry to houses and cars while cutting out the costs of a “middle man.” In fact, in June 2008 Chrysler announced it would begin to sell its certified, pre-owned vehicles on the site.

In short, eBay has become all things for all consumers. It’s become a haven for collectors looking for hard-to-find objects and a legitimate way to sell in-demand products for a little extra profit. So don’t miss out on this 21^st Century agora – if you sift long enough, you may just find some gold.

Have you bought or sold anything on eBay? Tell us about your experiences with the site.

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Katie — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 05:00:00 GMT

Wiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!

For those of you who are old enough to remember, the days of video Pong are long gone. Don’t forget to add the numerous other games like Atari, Intellivision, Sega Genesis and Nintendo Entertainment System to the storage closet of your mind.

You may have thought that spending time in front of the TV with a video game controller was a just fading memory of your youth. Well, the Wii is about to change that. You no longer simply play video games. You now engage in a full-on gaming experience.

Introduced by Nintendo in September of 2006, Wii has arguably become the most popular game unit of the last 5 years. From grade schoolers to grandparents, it’s for people of all ages. According to Nintendo.com, there is a whole new reason to get together with family and friends. Wii can almost be considered the new millennium’s version of the classic board game.

Young players can choose from a variety of sports, racing, battle or fantasy games. Mature players might focus their energy on the newly released Wii Fit. This game is fun and easy way for those with all levels of fitness to get off the couch and start exercising. You can choose from 40 different activities and games that incorporate strength, aerobic, balance and yoga movements.

So, let the games begin and the whole family can have fun working up a sweat. The hardest part may be moving the furniture out of the way.

A few interesting facts about Wii:

According to Nintendo’s 2008 first quarter financial earnings statement, 29.62 million Wii consoles have been sold worldwide since being released.
The Gravity Fitness Center at Le Parker Meridian hotel in New York offers a one-hour Wii personal training session for about $120.
The Rehabilitation Center at the Cortland Regional Medical Center in Cortland, NY is using the Wii as a therapy tool with the clever name, Wii-hab.

Have you added Wii to your workout routine? Let us know!

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Katie — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 19:07:00 GMT

Build your own toys – xoddo.com

You design it; Xoddo^® will bring it to life. Pronounced "zough-dough," Xoddo.com proclaims itself as, "the first online 'design it, build it, buy it' stuffed toy in history!"

Similar in nature to Build-A-Bear^®, Xoddo.com allows users to build and purchase their very own one-of-a-kind stuffed creature. What makes a Xoddo^® so unique is the virtually unlimited number of combinations that can be made simply by selecting body color, eyes, clothes, accessories and more. Building a Xoddo^® allows for hours of creativity.

Created by illustrator and designer Russell Benfanti. Xoddo.com was made with children in mind. Not only is Xoddo.com safe and easy to use but it also allows the user to create and save as many Xoddos^® as they want for free!

Once you've finally created the perfect creature, simply click on the Xoddo^® you want to buy and click, "buy me now." It's that easy and each gets its own sequential ID number identifying it as unique. Xoddos^® currently are available in two different sizes, standard size "Xoddo^®" (9Hx10"W) priced at $28 and "The Beaner" (4½Hx5"W) for $18. All Xoddos^® are handmade in the U.S. and usually take 10-14 from the order date to arrive.

Xoddos^® aren't just for kids! Xoddo.com is also willing to work with your school or business to create bulk orders and put logos on a Xoddo^® for giveaways, special events and trade shows.

Know someone who already owns a Xoddo^®? Plan ordering a bunch for your school or business? We'd love to hear from you!