Saturday, July 16, 2011

INFORMAVORE's SUNDAY No 464

Dear Readers,

464- a number I like, an issue I like. A bit dominated by the development of Google Plus but also a small orgy of diversity so necessary to meet the criterium of real interestingness…

Enjoy, if you can, but please read and help other people to read it.

Thank you!

Peter

INTERNET

SEARCH & FIND: What, where, how.

A great opportunity for everybody! Wendy is a great Websearch guru:

Web Search 101 - Learn to Search the Web

http://websearch.about.com/c/ec/27.htm?nl=1

The future of search. Serendipituous search:

http://econsultancy.com/us/blog/7763-the-future-of-search-serendipitous-search

Wendy Boswell- 101 Free Online Alternatives to Popular Desktop Software: http://websearch.about.com/od/web20officealternatives/tp/101-Free-Online-Alternatives-To-Popular-Desktop-Software.htm?nl=1

The best free online storage sites on the Web:

http://websearch.about.com/od/web20/a/online-storage.htm?nl=1

The Most Useful Web Tools-Get Something Done with Web Tools: http://websearch.about.com/od/usefulsite1/qt/useful_tools.htm?nl=1

17 best Web applications:

http://savedelete.com/17-best-web-applications.html

10 useful and productive keyboard shortcuts-keys in Windows:

http://savedelete.com/10-useful-and-productive-keyboard-shortcuts-keys-in-windows.html

Bob Rankin- free photo storage and backup:

http://askbobrankin.com/free_online_photo_storage_and_backup.html?awt_l=4jAx_&awt_m=Inu_pTkLc8P6SL

BLOGS and SOCIAL SITES

The periodic Table of the Social Web (Infographic): http://blog.favo.rs/periodic-table-social-web/

The Four Fundamentals of Social Media: http://thenextweb.com/socialmedia/2011/07/13/the-four-fundamentals-of-social-media/

Facebook May Have the Numbers but Google+ May Get the Ads

http://www.ecommercetimes.com/story/72850.html

Can Facebook and Google+ coexist?: http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9218360/Can_Facebook_and_Google_coexist_?source=CTWNLE_nlt_dailyam_2011-07-13

Google+ Marks The End of Blogging As a Means of Personal Expression:

http://www.technologyreview.com/blog/mimssbits/26986/?nlid=nlweb&nld=2011-07-13

GOOGLE

Google Kills The Quarter: $9 Billion In Revenue:

http://searchengineland.com/google-kills-the-quarter-9-billion-in-revenue-85716?utm_source=sel&utm_medium=scap&utm_campaign=email

Google Advanced Search Techniques:

http://websearch.about.com/c/ec/55.htm?nl=1

Google: Rethink Your Mission! Part 2: Google+: http://blogs.forbes.com/stevedenning/2011/07/06/google-rethink-your-mission-part-2-google/?partner=technology_newsletter

How Google+ Will Balkanize Your Social Life:

http://www.technologyreview.com/web/38006/?mod=chfeatured

What have we learned in 10 days of Google +: http://www.technologyreview.com/blog/editors/26981/?nlid=nldly&nld=2011-07-11

Wth ‘Millions’ Of Users & Growing, Google+ Set To Power All Google Products:

http://searchengineland.com/with-millions-of-users-growing-google-set-to-power-all-google-products-85032?utm_source=sel&utm_medium=scap&utm_campaign=email

Google + vs. Facebook (Infographic): http://holykaw.alltop.com/google-vs-facebook-infographic

http://holykaw.alltop.com/google-vs-facebook-infographic

Google+ vs. Twitter- a personal view:

http://searchengineland.com/google-vs-twitter-a-personal-view-85197?utm_source=sel&utm_medium=scap&utm_campaign=email

Dave Pollard about Google +:

http://howtosavetheworld.ca/2011/07/11/google-plus-on-communities-circles-friendship-and-love/

How Google-plus is built?

http://gigaom.com/2011/07/12/how-google-plus-is-built/

Google races to create business version of Google+:

http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9218422/Google_races_to_create_business_version_of_Google_?source=CTWNLE_nlt_pm_2011-07-14

An unofficial Google + source:

http://www.googleplussed.com/

What Google’s quiet failure says about its innovation health:

http://blogs.hbr.org/schrage/2011/07/what-googles-quiet-failure-say.html

Google+ Reference: “Complete Video Guide to G+” & News Sources on Google Plus: http://infodocket.com/2011/07/13/google-reference-complete-video-guide-to-g-news-sources-on-google-plus/

The Google+ Cheatsheet Is a Quick Reference To Using Google+

http://lifehacker.com/5820794/the-google%252B-cheatsheet-is-a-quick-reference-to-using-google%252B

Google +: It’s a man thing:

http://news.cnet.com/8301-17852_3-20079285-71/google-its-a-man-thing/?utm_source=sel&utm_medium=scap&utm_campaign=email

! I can read only the abstract of this:

Searching for the Google Effect on People's Memory

http://www.sciencemag.org/content/333/6040/277.summary?elq=760891c831b74020b4f466c5819b8d36

But this seems to be relevant:

http://www.technologyreview.com/web/38032/?nlid=nldly&nld=2011-07-15&a=f and this too: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/15/health/15memory.html?_r=1&nl=todaysheadlines&emc=tha26

WORDS, BOOKS, LIBRARIES

The Top 24 Sites for Free Books on the Web

Find, share, and download free books online

http://websearch.about.com/od/booksandprintedmaterials/tp/read-books-online.htm?nl=1

The first Google eBooks-integrated e-reader: iriver Story HD:

http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2011/07/first-google-ebooks-integrated-e-reader.html

Is a bookless library still a library?

http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,2079800,00.html

SCIENCE

Introducing the brain, the inside story:

http://www.amnh.org/exhibitions/brain/

Scientists Discover How Best to Excite Brain Cells:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/07/110708124538.htm

Cracking the Code of the Mind:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/07/110712094203.htm

Teaching the Neurons to Meditate:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/07/110707173321.htm

The Neurobiology of Bliss--Sacred and Profane

Sex in the brain, and what it reveals about the neuroscience of deep pleasure:

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=the-neurobiology-of-bliss-sacred-and-profane

Salamanders Spell out Evolution in Action:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/07/110705211022.htm

Editing the Genome: Scientists Unveil New Tools for Rewriting the Code of Life: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/07/110714142130.htm

This Is How Big Our Galaxy Is Compared to the Biggest Galaxy of Them All:

http://gizmodo.com/5820399/this-is-how-big-our-galaxy-is-compared-to-the-biggest-galaxy-of-them-all

Ant Colonies: Behavioral Variability Wins:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/07/110710204242.htm

Spread of Fungus-Farming Beetles Is Bad News for Trees:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/07/110713101948.htm

TECHNOLOGY

Thnking quantitatively about technological progress:

http://www.kurzweilai.net/thinking-quantitatively-about-technological-progress

Renewable Energy –What it is and Who is Using it (INFOGRAPHIC):

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2011/07/renewable-energy-what-it-is-and-who-is-using-it-infographic.php

Light Propagation Controlled in Photonic Chips: Major Breakthrough in Telecommunications Field:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/07/110710132825.htm

Intelligent Street Lighting Saves Up to 80% On Energy:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/07/110712093623.htm

Modified carbon nanotubes can store solar energy indefinitely:

http://www.nanowerk.com/news/newsid=22098.php

Wind turbine placement to optimize wind power generation for a given area: http://www.gizmag.com/optimizing-wind-turbine-placement/19217/picture/137835/

A Novel Enzymatic Catalyst for Biodiesel Production:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/07/110711104534.htm

Top 10 gadgets of 2011:

http://savedelete.com/top-10-gadgets-of-2011.html

CEO Guide to Technology: http://www.businessweek.com/technology/ceo_guide/

4 Amazing Technology Waves That Will Change Your Life:

http://www.technewsworld.com/story/72831.html

Tomorrow’s Transistor Built Atom by Atom: http://www.technologyreview.com/energy/38031/?nlid=nlmat&nld=2011-07-14

25 Tesla, World-Record 'Split Magnet' Makes Its Debut:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/07/110713131646.htm

EDUCATION, CULTURE, ART

The educational value of creative disobedience::

http://www.scientificamerican.com/blog/post.cfm?id=the-educational-value-of-creative-d-2011-07-07

Thirst for Fairness May Have Helped Us Survive:

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/05/science/05angier.html?_r=1&ref=science

Scientific Illiteracy After the Shuttle: Are

America

's Smartest Days Behind Her?;
http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,2082213,00.html#ixzz1SCHdbwUk

Professors Consider Classroom Uses for Google Plus:

http://chronicle.com/blogs/wiredcampus/professors-consider-classroom-uses-for-google-plus/32131

Review: How to Live Forever Probes Aging Science, New Age Hokum:

http://www.wired.com/underwire/2011/07/how-to-live-forever/

Escaping your online mistakes: should there be a law?

http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/internet-mistakes-forgotten/story?id=13995752

Humans 'Predisposed' to Believe in Gods and the Afterlife:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/07/110714103828.htm

Why people avoid the truth of themselves:

http://www.spring.org.uk/2011/07/why-people-avoid-the-truth-about-themselves.php?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+PsychologyBlog+%28PsyBlog%29

New music websearch engine: http://www.mp3-2000.com/

Sing a Song- your Brain on Music: http://positivepsychologynews.com/news/aren-cohen/2011071318521

Religion in Harry Potter Do J. K. Rowling’s novels
promote religion or undermine it?:

http://www.skeptic.com/eskeptic/11-07-13/

BUSINESS

Competitive Intelligence - A Selective Resource Guide - Updated and Revised July 2011: http://www.llrx.com/features/ciguide.htm

Great Leadership: timely guidance from 25,000 years ago:

http://www.greatleadershipbydan.com/2011/07/timely-guidance-from-25000-years-ago.html

Keeping innovation strong when economy is weak:

http://blogs.hbr.org/cs/2011/06/keeping_innovation_strong_when.html

Gerry McGovern he power of the written word: https://mail.google.com/mail/?hl=en&shva=1#inbox/1311511283f73bba

Think like an innovator- video:

http://blogs.hbr.org/video/2011/07/think-like-an-innovator.html

The most important question a manager can ask:

http://blogs.hbr.org/hill-lineback/2011/04/the-most-important-question-a.html

Best Business Quotes from the Silver Scren: http://blogs.forbes.com/seaneichenberger/2011/07/08/best-business-quotes-from-the-silver-screen/?partner=forbeslife_newsletter

Gerry McGovern- Measure negative behviour, not just positive behaviour

http://www.gerrymcgovern.com/nt/2011/nt-2011-07-18-Measure-negative.htm

Eat Your Peas: A Recipe for Culture Change::

http://www.strategy-business.com/article/11205?gko=ac42d&cid=20110712enews

The Most Important Social Business Metrics;
http://www.bretlsimmons.com/2011-07/the-most-important-social-business-metrics/

The Manager’s Role in Self-Motivation

http://www.recognizethisblog.com/2011/07/the-manager%E2%80%99s-role-in-self-motivation/

HEALTH & MEDICINE

Body Weight:

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/bodyweight.html

Blood Thinners

Also called: Anti-platelet drugs, Anticoagulants:

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/bloodthinners.html

Blood pressure medicines:

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/bloodpressuremedicines.html

Injecting Stem Cells into the Heart Could Stop Chronic Chest Pain:

http://www.technologyreview.com/biomedicine/38004/?nlid=nlbio&nld=2011-07-12

Infographic: The Successes and Failures of the Fight Against AIDS:

http://www.good.is/post/infographic-public-attitudes-about-aids/

Biologists Identify New Strategy Used by Bacteria During Infection:\

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/07/110712152206.htm

Genetic Basis of Rare Human Diseases Described:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/07/110708160339.htm

And you thought it was just fluff? New bacteria found in belly-buttons

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/and-you-thought-it-was-just-fluff-new-bacteria-found-in-bellybuttons-2308796.html

Advice to Drink Eight Glasses of Water a Day 'Nonsense,' Argues Doctor:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/07/110712190822.htm

Secret to Successful Aging: How 'Positivity Effect' Works in Brain:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/07/110714072903.htm

Salt Diet Dangers May Be Influenced by Potassium:

http://www.sci-tech-today.com/story.xhtml?story_id=031000NMGTRK

FOOD & COOKING

Criminality- anti-GM attacks destroy German test plots:

http://news.sciencemag.org/scienceinsider/2011/07/anti-gm-attacks-destroy-german-t.html?etoc&elq=8fc26e8d800848429b0b3aa9764ea072

Vandals Attack Transgenic Wheat Test Plot:

http://news.sciencemag.org/scienceinsider/2011/07/vandals-attack-transgenic-wheat-.html?etoc&elq=8fc26e8d800848429b0b3aa9764ea072

Food in every country: http://www.foodbycountry.com/

Molecular Gastronomy: Science Behind the Art of Cooking:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/07/110706122618.htm

Perfecting the meat of the potato:

http://news.msu.edu/story/9562/

Frankenfish: Is GM Salmon a Vital Part of Our Future?
http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,2082630,00.html#ixzz1Rxtof5h

Evidence for 'Food Addiction' in Humans:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/07/110712094046.htm

Size Matters: Why Do People Eat Less When They Have Big Forks?:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/07/110714150949.htm

Cool no cook recipes:

http://busycooks.about.com/od/toohottocook/tp/Cool-No-Cook-Recipes.htm?nl=1

7 great salad dressing:

http://cookingfortwo.about.com/od/Collections/tp/7-Favorite-Salad-Dressing.htm?nl=1

MISCELLANEA

Dressing taller – tips for short man:

http://artofmanliness.com/2011/06/07/dressing-taller-short-men/

SELECTED NEWS

SPAM & SPYWARE

Google + hit with spam bug:

http://www.infoworld.com/d/security/google-hit-spam-bug-631

Americans Use Spam for Cheaper Prescription Drugs:

http://www.technologyreview.com/web/38023/?nlid=nldly&nld=2011-07-12

Global Spam Filtering:

http://googlevoiceblog.blogspot.com/2011/07/global-spam-filtering.html

VIRUSES & e-CROOKS

How To Properly Scan Your Computer for Viruses, Trojans, and Other Malware: http://pcsupport.about.com/od/fixtheproblem/ht/virus-scan-malware-scan.htm?nl=1

Should you be afraid of scareware?:

http://netsecurity.about.com/od/antivirusandmalware/a/Scareware.htm?nl=1

9 Best Free Antivirus Programs: http://freebies.about.com/od/computerfreebies/tp/best-free-antivirus.htm?nl=1

Bob Rankin: why did my computer get a virus?:

http://askbobrankin.com/why_did_my_computer_get_a_virus.html?awt_l=4jAx_&awt_m=JglAqmuYs8P6SL

How to Guard Against Phishing & Social Engineering Attacks:

http://antivirus.about.com/od/securitytips/a/How-To-Guard-Against-Phishing-And-Social-Engineering-Attacks.htm?nl=1

US, Romanian authorities target Internet fraud scheme:

http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/235825/us_romanian_authorities_target_internet_fraud_scheme.html

WiFi

1/4 of smartphone users rely on their device for Internet access:

http://gigaom.com/2011/07/11/14-of-smartphone-users-rely-on-their-device-for-internet-access/

Cell phone safety infographic:

http://www.accuconference.com/blog/Cell-Phone-Safety-Infographic.aspx

Smart phone the first step to escape PC dependency:

http://blogs.forbes.com/fredcavazza/2011/07/11/smartphone-is-the-first-step-to-escape-pc-dependency/?partner=technology_newsletter

Thursday, July 14, 2011

Motto: “whatever does not kill me makes me stronger” (seems that it was Nietzsche who wrote it first / ‘Twilight of the Gods’)

Today is the French National Day, the anniversary of the day when the French revolutionaries took over “La Bastille”, back in 1789. For me it is more than it. It is the one-year anniversary of my arrival in Vienna, for a new start.

I was trying to remember my first-day feelings from one year ago, all day long. I can remember strange combinations – pessimism with optimism, fear with courage, hope with despair, freedom with entrapment, all covered in a coating of enthusiasm and respective adrenaline. It seems only natural now when I look back, as I was experiencing at the same time an end and a new beginning. And mixed feelings were only doomed to haunt me, just like the classical half-full-empty-glass.

I was constantly watching the clock, as I have planned the following 4 days very carefully. My dearest friend was with me, to help me see things go 'as planned', as by the end of July 16, everything in the apartment was supposed to be perfectly in place. On July 17 (Sunday), we were going to relax all day long, before the start of another adventure for me – the new job. Useless to say it did not happen, it took me months to put on some curtains and still (after one year) I do not have proper light bulbs in place. Coming back to my first day, I was running between the hotel and the apartment, like a kid that got out in the world alone for the first time.

I could recognize that feeling very well, as I actually experienced it when I was a kid. I left from the kindergarten without waiting for my parents to pick me up (I got bored, every other kid went home already and I was the only one still waiting…). Of course I got home safe and sound, but then I realized the immense enormity of my action and the potential consequences and got stuck at the gate, without any courage left in me to enter the yard. I was secretly looking at my mother from behind the fence. She was in the courtyard, talking to someone. I was too scared to show myself in the presence of those strangers. Therefore, I waited quietly until my mother came to the gate to show her visitors out. And then she saw me there. I cannot remember exactly her reaction, as I was too busy looking the other way, but I can imagine now that her legs must have softened and her heart must have stopped for a couple of seconds.

That was probably the first time I understood what ‘consequence’ means. Coming to Vienna showed me a new chapter of the same lesson. Because now, when I look back on the succession of events that followed that July 14, 2010, I realize once again that life has its own way of taking you to places, introducing you to people, slapping you in the face with one hand and caressing you gently with the other. Just like a loving mother. And this is purely metaphorical, because as far as I can remember, my mother never touched me with anything but love. Whenever punishment was used to bring me back on track, it was either by looking at me in a certain way or by telling me things in a certain tone of voice. The sadder the look or the lower the tone, the worst I felt. Of course I think of her every day and I would like to believe she would be happy to see me today in my apartment in Vienna, after one year of adventure. I have however absolutely no idea how her look or her voice tone would be, if only I shared with her a few stories. But that is another story.

Coming back to present times, a few days ago a good friend from back home told me “please don’t change”. It was the second time I heard this kind of request. First time was around 10 years ago. Back then I took it as a compliment. However I did not respond, as I knew already that I could not keep such a promise. This recent request felt both as a compliment and as a little knife to my heart. Because I realized that he was thinking of “me” as I was one year ago. Or even two years ago (as in the last year before leaving home I did not see him that much). And I asked myself “Would he still like this ‘me’? Or did I change that much?”. Answered almost instantly to the second part – “What a stupid question, of course I changed”.

Am I better or worse? I cannot say. I can say only that I am one year wiser. I have learned lessons of patience and impatience, fairness and unfairness, acceptance and rejection, tolerance and intolerance, diplomacy and harshness, sincerity and deceit, generosity and selfishness, admiration and envy, sweet encounter and painful depart, love and hate, family warmth and loneliness, true leadership and bad management.

I have become more determined and at the same time more hesitant, stronger and softer, colder and warmer. I have my fair share of positive and negative thoughts, feelings and outspoken words throughout the day. And, probably most important of all, I have improved my looking weaponry and voice tone molding, and have learnt to act like a lady whenever I feel like a stray dog (actually I get a lot of compliments for my looks on my worst days, which reminds me of Gioconda, please don’t ask me why…).

Every day I wake up, wash, think, eat & drink (healthy & deadly stuff), get dressed, think, work, think, speak & laugh, think, read & write, think, eat & drink and work and etc. (again!...), then walk and… enjoy myself and… change a bit. Then the weekly or monthly activities come along – such as cleaning, shopping, going to concerts or movies, meeting friends, travelling, chatting and dancing, laughing and crying, hugging and kissing and other things and… change another bit.

I would say that on Maslow pyramid of needs, the ‘change a bit’ is a basic one. It has to do with survival and evolution, but also with pure human nature. I see a car accident and that changes me a bit. I hear some nasty word and that changes me another bit. I read good news and change. I read bad news and change again. Change comes in small, immeasurable bits, slowly but surely. If you do not realize, then you can say confidently enough that you have not changed. But you change anyway. It is just easier if you do not plan to change, but just live and accept that change comes anyway. We tend to see the physical changes in us and around us easier than the other changes, but this is only self-deceit. There is not a single line of our faces that does not have counter-party on our souls - happy lines and sad lines.

That is why today I felt like celebrating this first Vienna anniversary with a glass of wine and a wish to all of you, from the bottom of my heart: “Do change, and be happy with (and thankful to) what you are set to become!”

Hugs,
Georgina

Saturday, July 9, 2011

INFORMAVORE's SUNDAY No 463

My dear readers,

This issue of IS marks the 9-th anniversary of IK- i.e. Info Kappa,

my newsletter- that started at July 9, 2002. I am not impressed more by numerology than by astrology – but numbers and symmetry have a peculiar beauty, especially if good memories

and hard work are associated with them.

468 weeks, 463 issues of what now is the INFORMAVORE’s SUNDAY but has the hidden ambition to be a publication for INFOGOURMETs. Unfortunately, the word INFOCHEF was

not created by me.

It seems the Internet can not help much to increase the popularity

of my selection of links- but it is a pleasure and a challenge to

compose it, week by week, till…

Yours as ever,

Peter

SEARCH

INTERNET

Too much information How to cope with data overload:

http://www.economist.com/node/18895468?story_id=18895468

Is the Internet good or bad for our brains?

http://scholarlykitchen.sspnet.org/2011/07/06/is-the-internet-bad-for-our-brains-the-answer-is-subtle-and-complex-but-quite-reassuring/