Steve’s Blog

I have kind of a secret fetish for good free fonts, so Fonts 500, a site that has collected the top 500 popular fonts used on the Web, is definitely on my good list.

You can preview each font using your own custom text; each font can be downloaded as a zip file quickly and easily. There are five pages of really good fonts here, I don’t think I saw any that I didn’t like (which presents a problem in itself, I must say). — Wendy Boswell

Fonts 500 [via etc]

From Lifehacker

Stephen :: Apr.08.2007 :: Computer Related, Interesting, Website Design :: No Comments »

Finally a crazy USB accessory that isn’t completely insane.

You know those grommet holes that are found in damn near every desk, but are rarely used? Well, Belkin put on their thinking cap and has designed a USB hub and iPod dock that will fit in the grommet holes perfectly. There are two different types of USB hubs, the regular In-Desk USB Hub and the angled Front-Access In-Desk USB Hub. The In-Desk Dock will conveniently dock any iPod with the bottom dock adapter. All three of the grommet accessories will available soon for $40 each. And if you still actually use your grommet holes for wires and such, these accessories still allow wires to be fed through. Bravo, Belkin. I would have never thought I would get this excited over USB hubs and iPod docks. –Travis Hudson

[Via EverythingUSB]

From Gizmodo

Stephen :: Apr.06.2007 :: Computer Related, Interesting :: No Comments »

Happiness Project blogger Gretchen Rubin says you can get happier in the next hour by following one or more of her seven tips. My favorite:

Rid yourself of a nagging task: answer a difficult email, purchase something you need, or call to make that dentist’s appointment. Crossing an irksome chore off your to-do list will give you a big rush of energy and cheer, and you’ll be surprised that you procrastinated for so long.

Rubin also recommends taking a brisk walk, reaching out to friends and clearing the clutter from your environment–all great suggestions. Heck, I’m feeling happier just by telling you about them! What’s your favorite way to keep smiling? Tell us in the comments. —Rick Broida

Seven tips for making yourself happier in the next hour [The Happiness Project]

Stephen :: Apr.04.2007 :: Interesting :: No Comments »

Personal-finance site Bankrate.com debunks 11 common myths about credit reports. Here’s an example: "Canceling credit cards boosts my score."

Open accounts spells available, potential debt, so better to close them, runs the legend. But experts agree that most creditors want to see at least two or three pieces of active credit to prove you can manage debt responsibly.

Other myths include paying someone to fix or repair your credit: The best you can hope for is to clear up errors, the article says. It’s interesting stuff, especially if you’re trying to overcome a bad credit history. — Rick Broida

11 credit report myths [Bankrate.com via Dumb Little Man]

From Lifehacker

Stephen :: Apr.02.2007 :: Interesting :: No Comments »

Jason Warner is the head of staffing for a division of Google. In other words, he’s Google’s in-house headhunter. If you want to work for Google, you should pay attention to what Jason says about the Google dress code.

• Sales and operations people wear quality shirts, nice slacks or khakis, and Ecco shoes. You can get away with wearing Dockers.
• Everyone else wears jeans, T-shirts, and Ugg boots.
• Leave the Rolex at home.
• Don’t dress for the job you want to have, dress 30% above your level. More than that, and it will look like you’re trying too hard.

That’s Jason on the right. From the picture, you can gather another bit of important information: Out of the office, sales and ops guys can wear polo shirts.

From Wired Blog

Stephen :: Mar.21.2007 :: Interesting :: No Comments »

Feel left out in a room full of people talking into their cell phones instead of to each other? The Popularity Dialer schedules recordings to call your cell phone at a predetermined time to give the impression that you too are "in demand."

The recordings are hilarious - and pretty realistic! - one-sided conversations with a male or female "friend" or your "boss" timed just so that you’d respond in kind. Ok fine, we’re not suggesting that you actually use this to seem more popular, but it could be just the thing to escape a bad date or drawn-out meeting. "Sorry, gotta take this!" - Gina Trapani

The Popularity Dialer [via kottke.org]

From lifehacker

Stephen :: Mar.20.2007 :: Interesting, Websites :: No Comments »

There’s a common belief, at least in the U.S., that if you were to dig a hole deep enough (assuming the technology existed), eventually you’d pop out on the other side of the earth, and this would be somewhere in China. This belief might be true…

…if you were to start your hole in Argentina.

Here’s a Google Maps tool that shows you exactly where you’d end up. Consult this before you start digging, or you may wind up at the bottom of the Indian Ocean -Link.

From MAKE Magainze

Stephen :: Mar.20.2007 :: Google Earth, Interesting :: No Comments »

The GCensus web utility lets you download and overlay census information on top of Google Earth maps.

Just choose your data source (GCensus only maps population characteristics like race and age, but more info like income are likely to come), pick your location, download the .KML file, and dive in, you data junkie. Unfortunately GCensus currently only has information for California, Oregon, and Pennsylvania, so in the meantime, others might want to check out previously mentioned Social Explorer. In time and with a bit more data, GCensus looks like a potentially excellent research tool. And, of course, it’s fun. — Adam Pash

GCensus [Stanford.edu]

Stephen :: Mar.19.2007 :: Google Earth, Interesting :: No Comments »

"The chief value of money lies in the fact that one lives in a world in which it
is overestimated."

- H. L. Mencken

From Quoatations Page

Stephen :: Mar.09.2007 :: Interesting :: No Comments »

Not a bad idea - although I like a nice, fat wallet…

Web site Just One Club Card lets you condense up to 8 different discount club cards onto one front-and-back card, meaning your back-breaking wallet is about to go on a big diet.

Just enter the barcode numbers and choose the store for each card you want to get rid of and Just One Club Card will convert them to a printable, one-card format. Fold, laminate, and enjoy. I currently count about 100 stores in the drop-down, but if a store you need is missing, you can contact the site and ask for its inclusion or try your luck with the advanced page. We posted about a similar tool a year ago, but it appears to be dead, and Just One Club Card’s tool seems better developed anyway. If you’re not keen on getting rid of your cards, you might still consider a better method of organization. Thanks Chuck! — Adam Pash

Just One Club Card [via The Finance Journey]

From Lifehacker

Stephen :: Mar.02.2007 :: Interesting :: No Comments »