I found this on ESPN.com.  It’s kind of depressing but I found it still pretty interesting.  It not only shows you the amount of time it would take you to earn that athlete’s salary but depending on what sport he/she participates in, what it would mean for them to earn your salary.

ESPN Athlete Salary Crunch

I like to think by keeping up this blog I am helping out at least a couple friends know about technology related things that they aren’t aware of but my co-workers and I take for granted knowing since that is our field.  Most of the stuff I mention is more on the “this is cool” or “this is funny” side, rather than this is going to help you become a more productive individual.  Well, I’ve found a site if you are looking for those types of tips: lifehacker.com.  Most are a lot of technology related tips but then there are posts every now and then like how to grill a perfect grilled cheese sandwich, how to keep yourself from snacking, or how to remove a stripped screw with a rubber band.  Yes, there is a debate whether better technology is actually making us more productive, but at least now, you can learn how to make the maximize the technology you might already incorporate into your lives, whether or not it is helping you do more with your time.

As a front end developer, it was very useful for me to know Photoshop for basic image creation and manipulation, especially before the days that we had in-house designers.  You know for like putting your co-worker’s head on various photos like a giant blue unitard.   Anyways, I learned using a book and just basically playing around with the tool.  Since those days though, there have come out a couple of sites that make it easier for people to learn and also to expand their skills.

For basic to intermediate users, I would check out “You Suck At Photoshop“.  There are two seasons worth of videos, covering different topics such as layering, cloning, stamping, distorting, masks, etc.  I find the guy pretty funny which makes learning photoshop less monotonous and boring.

Another place that I feel has excellent tutorials (but may be for the more intermediate and advanced users) is PSDTuts.  Most of the tutorials are written step by step instructions with images, rather than video, but I find them descriptive enough to follow along.  (I should add they do have videos too)  The pictures are also helpful for any details that they might have left out.  This site also offers alot of icon, brush, and filter freebies, which is nice.

Aren’t you glad that you have me to share with you more sites that probably don’t really add more value to your life, other than increasing the amount of laughter into your daily lives?

Here’s another one: www.oddlyspecific.com

I should submit to them one of the elevator signs I took while I was in Sweden:

Update: Ha!  It looks like someone beat me to it:

http://oddlyspecific.com/2010/01/funny-signs-this-weeks-installment-of-stickmen-in-peril-3/

Yet another website for you to use up your time instead of doing something productive: The Oatmeal (http://theoatmeal.com/).  It’s a mix of comics and quizzes that find pretty funny.  I think the most amazing part of the site is it’s just one guy who writes, draws and codes the entire thing.  It’s not filled with annoying advertisements.  He just puts a non-obtrusive link at the end of all his different comics if you would like to donate to him through paypal.

My recent favorites are:

How to Suck at Facebook

Twenty Things Worth Knowing About Beer

How a Web Design Goes Straight to Hell

Why It’s Better To Pretend You Know Nothing About Computers

Ten Words You Need to Stop Misspelling

As a web developer, sometimes I have designs that I come up with that need an image to spice things up a bit.  For others who do not share my profession, maybe you want to liven up your home or office with some new photos.  Rather than spend anywhere to spend from $1 to $24 on iStock for a picture, you have a few options.  And no, you can not just rip off photos you find in Google Images.

The first is stock.xchng (http://www.sxc.hu)  I’ve been using this site for a number of years and usually I’m able to find something that works with the theme I’m going for.

Flickr is also another good site.  You have to check creative licenses and it’s probably best to source the photo if you’re using this site for online purposes.

If you are not going to heed my warning and source from a picture you find a google images, please at least download the image and do not link to it directly from the original source.  For one thing, that person is going to take a bandwidth hit for your traffic.  Should that person can find out that you are sourcing their image, he or she can then change it without you knowing to something inappropriate just to get back at you for doing that.

While it’s not completely open to the public yet, I recommend you request an invite to Google Voice.  What is Google Voice?  Google Voice basically allows you to add services to your mobile phone.  It depends on which of the two options you choose as far as what services you get.

The first option is to you use your existing phone number.  With this option, you get the ability to transcribe your voicemails and have them email and/or texted to you.  You can also forward, embed and download messages too.  You can also vary what voicemail message plays based on the person who is calling you.

The second option offers the same options as the first but much much more.  With this option, you obtain a new Google phone number.  (Don’t worry, your existing phone number will still work as normal)  However, when your friends and family call this new phone number, you can have it ring multiple phones at one time like your cell phone, home land line (although how many people have one of these anymore?), and work.  You can also block and record calls, along with conference calling.

Here is a video for some better explanation:

Be careful though when you first sign up.  I didn’t read the instructions correctly and used my existing phone number.  I wished I had chosen the second option instead and there currently isn’t a way to go back and get a Google number now.  Hopefully, Google updates that soon.

UPDATE:  Apparently, now if you are using a non-Google number, you can get a Google number now.  Go to your Settings and in the Phone tab, hit the “Get a Google Number” link.

Also, the voicemail transcribe isn’t exactly perfect but it does a decent job and I can this being a very handy feature especially in a situation where you are in a crowded/noisy bar or restaurant and can’t hear your voicemail but now you can see the text that your friend who is meeting you is running late.

It’s been almost 2 months since I got my Droid and I know I already wrote a post about Google Goggles, but I thought I would share some of the other apps that I have so far given my thumbs up to (in no particular order):

FXCamera

This trust app lets you choose a variety of styles for your mobile photos including toy camera, fisheye, warhol, and my favorite, polaroid.

TV.com

This app lets you watch free episodes and clips from multiple channels including showtime and CBS.

FlickrDroid

This app lets you search images from flickr to easily save and use for your desktop image on your phone.

I should probably add that these 3 I mentioned are all FREE.  I also recently downloaded Gmote (allows the ability to use your phone as a remote control for your computer) but have yet to try it out.  I will update you as soon as I do.

Does anyone else have any other suggestions for android apps?

Looking to buy a house or just curious about the values of other properties in the neighborhood?  Well, then zillow.com is the place you are looking for.  According to their website, “Zillow.com is a leading online real estate marketplace dedicated to helping homeowners, buyers, sellers, renters, real estate agents, mortgage professionals, landlords, and property managers find and share vital information about homes, real estate, and mortgages.”  As someone who is thinking about purchasing my very first home, I think this site is especially interesting these days as you can see the highs and lows of what people purchased their properties for on the same street.  It will give you a better sense of your possible property value and reasonable bid amounts.

Check out this new way of searching that was just released by Google called Google Goggles.  Basically, it allows you to a photo with your mobile phone, analyzes the photo and conducts a search based on it.  It works currently for objects such as landmarks, books, contacts (like business cards), and logos.  Unfortunately, it’s only available to users of Google’s Mobile OS, Android.