Gmail Free Space Increases

Conclusion: Gmail give users about 0.2444 Kb of more free space every minute. That's about 351.936 Kb of extra free space every day. That's 128.544624 Mb of more space per year! that 99% of free accounts won't use! [Because, if you are at/near capacity, then you would probably pay for more space. Just my thinking..]

Figure 1. The "Lots of Space" section has numbers that constantly become larger values.

The Numbers:

Total Space (Kb)	At Time (minutes)	Kb Difference From Start	Overall Kb/min
10327895.150	0	0	0
10327895.398	1	0.248	0.248
10327895.642	2	0.492	0.246
10327896.374	5	1.224	0.2448
10327897.594	10	2.444	0.2444

Metaconclusion: But, I think they don't actually give every single Gmail account more space every second. More realistically, they just give the extra space once a year, and no user complains about having a little extra space. But, the process can be made even better. Those who don't keep their Gmail accounts constantly full to capacity never get an increase, until they actually need it. This saves many unnecessary processes.

Figure 2. Mid-left, you will see I currently have 10.1 Mb of space available to use.

~ Simply Advanced ~

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My Android Apps | My Windows Phone Apps | My Computer/Programming Blog

Something New

Lifehacker is probably the best site to find productivity hacks, clever uses for items, and many other interesting topics that tend to make your life better. Today, I am going Lifehacker-diving again. A term that I just made up as I wrote the sentence down. It means that I am going to open up a whole bunch of different articles in different tabs, then just read through them all and possibly follow links to other websites.

Something I thought about doing before is just pasting every single article/link that I read. And, maybe, I'll precursor each of the titles/links with a plus or minus sign as my suggestion, and 0 for neutral (aka depends on reader preference). If the title isn't apparent in the URL, only then will I write it out.

Well, here it goes: (Starting with http://lifehacker.com)
[--] http://lifehacker.com/5941712/how-much-does-your-computer-stress-you-out
[++] http://lifehacker.com/5957553/stop-procrastinating-by-clearing-to-neutral [I do this already =]]
[+] http://www.asianefficiency.com/health/manipulating-bedroom-sleeping-temperature/ [I have performed many experiments with different sleeping arrangements. It is good to try out.]
[+] http://www.asianefficiency.com/habits/morning-rituals-revisited/ [Definitely]
[+] http://lifehacker.com/5971173/three-quick-and-easy-ways-to-quiet-your-mind
[0] http://lifehacker.com/5969720/how-can-i-deal-with-a-slow-internet-connection
[0] http://lifehacker.com/5971740/what-else-can-i-do-with-my-new-ereader-besides-read-and-buy-books
[0] http://lifehacker.com/5971340/how-can-i-get-my-unresponsive-friends-to-actually-return-my-messages
[+] http://blog.getresponse.com/best-time-to-send-email-infographic.html [Summary: Best times are 8-10am and 3-4pm]
[+] http://lifehacker.com/5964285/whats-all-the-fuss-about-evernote-why-do-people-use-it [I am on and off with Evernote. I'm leaning to go paperless receipts with this rather than others though]
[0] http://lifehacker.com/5666954/avoid-everything-buckets-aka-why-i-cant-get-into-apps-like-evernote
[0] http://lifehacker.com/5892905/the-secret-weapon-combines-gtd-and-evernote-into-one-synchronized-productivity-system
[+] http://www.thesecretweapon.org/ and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cE3amWDQ2io (related)
[+] http://lifehacker.com/5955229/why-does-everyone-hate-windows-8-should-i-upgrade [I like Windows 8 and think it's great]
[0] http://lifehacker.com/5967154/what-should-i-do-now-that-google-apps-accounts-are-no-longer-free
[+] http://lifehacker.com/5958893/why-its-worth-it-to-purchase-your-own-domain-name [I would like to purchase more domains. I have a list of excellent names to use.]
[+] http://lifehacker.com/5905702/dropbox-google-drive-skydrive-and-others-pricing-per-gb-and-more-compared-in-convenient-charts [I currently use Dropbox, Box, Drive, and SkyDrive. Eventually, I may dish out for just one of them. I just haven't needed to yet.]
[0] http://lifehacker.com/5959742/how-can-i-turn-my-mess-of-ideas-into-something-organized-and-useful [I've already been doing this, hoping to learn more, but this article can defintely benefit other idea guys]
[+] http://lifehacker.com/5957559/how-do-i-answer-when-im-stumped-by-an-important-question
[+] http://dinosaurs.about.com/od/herbivorousdinosaurs/p/parasaurolophus.htm [I don't typically care for about.com, but this was linked in the article and was a good read]
[+] http://lifehacker.com/5853250/how-to-sound-like-you-know-what-youre-talking-about-even-when-you-dont [Make sure you are confident when you do know what you are talking about.]
[+] http://tribalseduction.com/blog/5-ways-to-act-like-an-expert-in-online-communities/
[++] https://www.google.com/search?q=define+ad+nauseam
[0] http://lifehacker.com/5957605/does-it-matter-where-i-buy-my-music
[+] http://lifehacker.com/5971711/what-they-dont-tell-you-about-promotions
[++] http://lifehacker.com/5967464/treat-your-freelance-work-like-a-stock-portfolio-to-meet-your-income-goals
[+] http://99u.com/tips/7258/Why-You-Should-Treat-Your-Freelance-Portfolio-Like-a-Stock-Portfolio
[++] http://lifehacker.com/5968613/what-lying-actually-does-to-your-brain-and-body-every-day [The article is pretty macabre. Seems like there is a lot of stress involved. I double-plussed this just because I feel others should have the great opportunity of reading it]
[++] http://lifehacker.com/5971473/how-to-tackle-three-of-the-toughest-interview-questions [Bookmarked. I am definitely going to read this at least two more times]
[0] http://lifehacker.com/5971774/zombies-run-turns-your-exercise-routine-into-a-game-is-half-off-right-now [I do like zombies. ..in the way that as long as they don't bother me, then I won't bother them =b]
[+] http://lifehacker.com/5971452/how-i-learned-to-rely-on-my-own-memory-and-stop-depending-on-technology [I've worried about the use-it-or-lose-it regarding our brains. I like the poetry of the article. One thing I know I will forget if I don't write it down is thoughts right before going to sleep. I've told myself many times, "Oh, it's such a huge and awesome idea that I couldn't possibly forget it in the morning", but I do. =/ Then again, maybe I haven't worked hard enough to develop that memory skill yet.]
[-] http://lifehacker.com/5972105/should-i-wait-a-few-months-to-see-if-computer-component-prices-drop-or-buy-now
[+] http://lifehacker.com/5836879/what-stress-actually-does-to-you-and-what-you-can-do-about-it [I've also read a lot about Nirvana and Zen and have been able to reach it; I have experienced complete inner peace before and have been able to train myself to completely clear my mind. If somebody asks me about it, then I don't mind sharing. One of the side-effects for me was that after learning how to reach Nirvana, for a while it was too easy to get in the state of mind again. I could be in the middle of a conversation and suddenly, I'm just free from the world, just, there. I'm getting tingling feelings just thinking about it. I find just regular meditation to be more useful for me (someone with very low stress. (people with higher stress should be able to complete clear their mind)). It allows my brain to wander and wonder. I like having thoughts flowing through my head, and being able to think subconciously. Right now I'm thinking it's kinda like knowing your brain is doing an automatic defrag, it's a good thing. I should write another post on just this one topic..]
[+] http://lifehacker.com/5966433/how-to-get-an-energy-boost-without-caffeine
[+++] http://lifehacker.com/5965826/seven-productivity-myths-debunked-by-science-and-common-sense [This is the only three-plussed article. **hinthint** But, as always, remember to take everything with a grain of salt]
[+] http://lifehacker.com/282544/merlin-mann-presents-inbox-zero [Bookmarked to read later. Hopefully, I will learn something new. I already do my part to achieve Inbox Zero. I spread the word around when I can too.]
[+] http://lifehacker.com/5965334/how-to-motivate-people-to-do-things-they-dont-want-to-do [Good enough to want me to read two Wikipedia pages to read another day: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Progressive_disclosure and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Self-determination_theory only because I'm starting to get tired of all the reading now. Time for sleep soon.]
[Only eight more tabs to go, but it could easily turn into sixteen tabs]

Jk, just made a new folder for the rest of the tabs. I think I will try to do another post like this one. At least until I finish up all the ones I opened today.

=====================

Wow, I haven't done this much lifehackering in a very long time. Feels Good.

And now it's time for sleep. I lost two hours of sleep reading through all of these articles. Hopefully, a lot of REM so that these readings stay stored in my head.

~ Simply Advanced ~

ps - One conclusion that you can draw from this elongated list of links is that, if they all have one thing in common, then it would be that I'm interested in that topic. I'd like to hear other people's thoughts about the list.

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Random Ideas and Thoughts - 20121230

[0] First thing, a little blurt about the number in the title. It is the date format that I'm using and liking very much to organize all of my folder and files. They are all automatically sorted in chronological order because of the name. One example, I used to label my school folders as "USF 2012 Spring" and "USF 2012 Fall" and "USF 2012 Summer." But, first of all it is not in an efficient order. And secondly, it doesn't look very neat. Within the past six months I've transitioned everything to the style of "USF201201", "", and "". It is more efficient, neater, and doesn't lose much readability if you can recognize the 2012 year in there.

..Remember, all of the following are fragmented thoughts, random, and does not have a reason... completely unlike what I try to accomplish above with the year-month-day format. =b

[1] A rollercoaster ride that feels like it is broken (and may fall at any moment). When there is a real problem with the ride (how would they know?), the ride tells the potential riders that workers must break the ride more before riders can ride again.

[2] Full theme park that is purposely seemingly empty. Some park goers are actors/hires (theme park goers would never know about this part). Couples may want to team up randomly in the park with others so that they are not totally alone, but that might just be their mistake.

[3] What birds are poisonous? [I was playing a quiz game and was the first to know that platypus was poisonous. The question was something like, "Which of the following is poisonous?" Egret was one of the answers, then this thought occurred]

[4] Are there fish ball/cages like there are hamster balls/cages? Maybe the fish can learn to travel by shifting their weight?

[5] "I cried because I had no shoes, until I saw a man with no feet." [A quote I saw in a book. A good thought provoker]

[6] Hobby: Making lists with only one item. ["Hobby:" - kind of like xkcd style]

[7] App for how long you have been away from Facebook and/or Gmail. [There should be a high scores list also (and the ability to share with friends?)]

[8] Dubstep without echo is kinda like classical music. And vise-versa.

[9] Write a book called, "Dan Writes a Book"

[10] Redit for Research Papers. Thumb up and thumb down. [I believe there are social medias revolving around research..]

[11] Proxy for Twitter API calls. Twitter limits the number of calls a day from an IP, but if you keep switching the IPs when they fail, then you have have a whole lot more available API calls. This service can be made into an API.

[12] Web App: Display the bibliography for every page of the internet. Choose type from a dropdown menu. (20121201)

[13] Cloth that you can put on when you are wet, and stay dry and warm without worrying about the inside of cloth getting/staying wet.

[14] Moving shade. Ex: when sunbathing and you want to keep the sun out of your eyes only. [But, not touching you, I guess?]

[15] Clothes that don't turn inside out in the wash. A temporary solution would be to either stitch the main (large) opening clothes, or by just using a pin to keep it closed, that way the smaller parts of the clothes won't be able to go through and turn the entire cloth inside out.

[16] App using Windows live tiles: Simply Advanced Countdown Tile. Days until whenever.. Or weeks until whenever.. Or years until whenever.. Ability to add picture relating to event like birthday, holiday, anniversary..

[17] App for Windows 8: A piano lock screen. Play a song to unlock the screen. Future version (or paid version) would include different instruments.

[18] App: Top-down, zoomed out game. In order for your avatar to get from one town to another, the user must actually go on a physical run or walk for a certain distance to get there. Start off with small distances, gradually get longer for more advanced areas of the game.

[19] App: What if you could see/visualize smells, smell colors/sounds app. Hearing colors is possible to do now... Synesthesia. [Slogan: "Synesthesia, now available on your smartphone!" Introduce it during Synesthesia Awareness Month?]

[20] Going to do dishes in the sink? Then get energy back from the water you use! Same for shower heads, or any other place that you run water. Perhaps the base of a hose line?

Feel free to comment, email me, make use of these ideas (let me know how it goes), or brainstorm other things from these. Please try not to draw conclusions from this post, it is purely a thinking exercise, half of it unconsciously thought of. Words in square brackets, [], are what I added at the time of writing.

~ Simply Advanced ~

ps - Doing this also allows me to clear out much of my ideas folder, thus, forcing me to come up with new awesome random things. The several ideas I didn't share are ideas are ones that I have for a thesis/paper that I'm currently working on. They will be shared in a year or few.

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Top Five Predictions For 2012

Here's a link to an old blog post of mine, for the top five predictions of 2012.
http://blog.simplyadvanced.net/top-5-predictions-for-2012/

I'm going to have to start coming up with some for 2013. =]

~ Simply Advanced ~

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Minesweeper is NP-Complete!

tldr: Win a million dollars by finding a polynomial-time algorithm to solve Minesweeper, or by proving it can't be done. From the Clay Mathematics Institute: http://www.claymath.org/Popular_Lectures/Minesweeper/

I realize that the paper, "Minesweeper is NP-complete" by Richard Kaye, was first published in 2000, but the idea is new to me! I just found out about it yesterday when doing background research for a new app idea.

So, basically, Richard Kaye knew Minesweeper was hard, but wasn't quite sure how hard. He arranged mines on the board so that they would simulate logic circuits (AND, OR, NOT...). He then correlated the logic circuits to a previously-known NP-complete problem, SAT.

I found a version of Minesweeper online that allows players to write Java code in order to solve the game, but unfortunately, it doesn't appear to be working.

The reason I'm probably interested in this is because when I learned how to play this game many, many years ago (before I was programming), I started to write an algorithm for it. I thought, an algorithm is the perfect way to teach somebody how to do something -- it is all very logical. I shouldn't have to explain more.

References:
[1] http://web.mat.bham.ac.uk/R.W.Kaye/minesw/minesw.htm
[2] "Minesweeper is NP-complete", Mathematical Intelligencer, vol 22, number 2, pp9-15, 2000.

~ Simply Advanced ~

ps - I'm very likely going to create apps that revolve around Minesweeper now. Actually, I was already considering it. That's how I found out about the NP-completeness.

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Future: No Time Cards, You're Being Watched

Ever get the feeling you're being watched? It'll pass, because you know for a fact that you are being watched, it is the future after all.

The future of work and productivity will include no filling out of punch cards or time sheets. Cameras with facial detection algorithms can easily recognize different faces. High resolution cameras can even read your fingerprints from across the room. These two technologies will detect entering and leaving of a facility. But, what about actual work? Employers want to know if employees are actually working or sleeping at their desks (sleep may be a good thing, just like watching kitten videos). Many companies (including Toyota, Ford, Volkswagen, Daimler) are working on algorithms to detect when a human is tired, excited, or other range of emotions. This technology can easily be applied to workstations to know whether or not people are facing the proper working direction (computer or assembly line) and if their eyes are closed.

..just saying.

~ Simply Advanced ~

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New Android App: LTE Discovery

Published new Android app, LTE Discovery!

It automates discovery of new LTE coverage for Sprint, AT&T, Verizon. It automatically cycles airplane mode every thirty seconds in order to detect the faster network. If you don't have this app, then your phone will only check once every thirty minutes.

Current features include:
 - Audible notification
 - Record of discovered LTE GPS coordinates
 - Works with the screen off

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=net.simplyadvanced.ltediscovery

~ Simply Advanced ~

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Coding All Day and All Night

I need to make an app that will sleep for me so that I don't have to. I'd rather be coding all day. There are so many exciting things to build that haven't been built yet. =]

Tomorrow, I'll be releasing LTE Discovery for Android. It automates everything you need to do to detect new LTE towers around you. The app will cycle airplane mode on and off every thirty seconds, for the first version. Then, each time LTE is detected, your current GPS coordinates will be saved for easy reference.

I have many exciting plans for future releases if the community likes this one. ;]

~ Simply Advanced ~

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How to Create a Hotkey to Double Click Using AutoHotkey

Just created a hotkey to double-click so that I don't have to use the mouse! It is very much worth it and will speed up coding. There are other areas that I will be more productive in also. Just can't think of them right now.

I used an awesome program called AutoHotkey to achieve this and many other create keyboarding shortcuts/hotkeys/scripts. The following code basically says, "if ctrl is pressed twice consecutively in less than 500ms, then click two times at the caret position."

Ctrl::
    If (A_PriorHotKey = A_ThisHotKey and A_TimeSincePriorHotkey < 500) {
MouseGetPos X,Y
Send {Click  %A_CaretX%,%A_CaretY% 2} ; Moves the cursor
MouseMove (X),(Y) ; Moves back the cursor
    }
Return

• Instead of using "%A_CaretX%,%A_CaretY%", it is possible to hardcode an x and y value to click on.
• If you remove the line starting with MouseMove, then the cursor will move to the position the caret is at.

Let me know if this helps. =]

Disclaimer: I have not done an extensive test on all programs to see if this works. But, I know that it works in Notepad++, Eclipse, Notepad, and MS Word 2010. While typing this, the hotkey seems to return (aka double click) the top-left corner.

~ Simply Advanced ~

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Idea: Windows 8 Shutdown Tile App

At the time of this writing there are no shutdown tile apps in the Windows 8 Store. Window's shutdown.exe can be found in %windir%\System32\ (typically, C:\Windows\System32\). Double-clicking on that will start the shutdown process.

Or one workaround involves:

1. Create a new shortcut on the desktop. Right Click -> New -> Shortcut
2. Point it to "shutdown /a /t 00"
3. Pin to the taskbar and/or the start menu for one-click access

~ Simply Advanced ~

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Idea: Everybody Wear Headphones in Speaking Class

Problem: I have to work with many groups of people and give presentations with them. A few members don't speak up so that the entire room can hear them.

Solution: My suggestions have been to practice presenting outside at least five meters apart from each other. Another suggestion is to make everybody in the group wear large headphones. This will force everybody to speak up and get used to speaking louder.

~ Simply Advanced ~

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Highlight Text in PowerPoint

There is no easy way to highlight text in PowerPoint. There is an easy method for Microsoft Word. But, PowerPoint wants you to first draw a rectangle around the text and use the "Shape Fill" feature...

Please, somebody prove me wrong. Show me an easier way to highlight text in PowerPoint 2010.

~ Simply Advanced ~

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Our Vibration Detectors

It seems more amazing that our ears can pick up vibrations that happen around us. More so than just saying that we can hear.

~ Simply Advanced ~

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Blame the Brain

It's not my fault that my brain decided not to remember _______.

EDIT: "I tried, but my brain took over."

EDIT2: Dang conscious thinking not as smart as sub-conscious thinking.

EDIT3: "The brain didn't name itself, I did."

EDIT4: Talking to myself too.

~ Simply Advanced ~

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Riddle: How Many Women May a Man Marry?

Random joke/riddle that I remember from a long time ago.. =]

Q: How many women may a man marry?

(highlight for answer)
A: 16 (4 better, 4 worse, 4 richer, 4 poorer)

~ Simply Advanced ~

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New Quora Post - Happiness

In the weekly email I get from Quora (a great Q&A forum, possibly the best), I decided to answer one of the questions posed, "To be happier, what's the smallest, simplest thing an average person could do?"

Let me know your thoughts too.

http://qr.ae/18SbT

~ Simply Advanced ~

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Windows 8 on a Mac

When people want Windows OS on a Mac they may think of dual booting or using a program like VMWare, VirtualBox, BootCamp, or Parallels to run the two simultaneously.

But, my roommate (Spence) and I experimented with another method to run Windows 7 and 8 on a Mac. We would replace the Mac's harddrive with the harddrive running Windows OS. Both were 2.5 inch.

What got us thinking on this track was that, first of all, the Mac wouldn't boot after being dropped. Us being computer savvy individuals, we didn't have another Mac lying around, but we did have an older Lenovo laptop that we thought we could possibly salvage parts from.

We took out the Mac harddrive, took out the Lenovo harddrive with Windows 7 and 8 dual booted, and swapped them. The process took less than ten minutes to figure out and complete.

The results?
Windows 8 runs beautifully on a 2009 aluminum uni-body Mac. Both Modern UI and desktop versions supported. And we were surprised that the Wi-Fi was easily connected to without installing any additional drivers.

The problems?
Initially, the trackpad only partially works (movement only, no clicking), but an external mouse does work flawlessly. Clicking and multitouch were added by installing the proper drivers for them. There may be a few more issues, but this is just a preliminary rundown of our experimental harddrive organ transplant.

If you also do a harddrive transplant, let us know! You can download some of Apple's drivers [at your own risk] from http://www.2shared.com/complete/J5_Inbmt/Apple_folder_from_Boot_Camp_Wi.html.

~ Simply Advanced ~

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Android Camera - A Problem I Spent Almost Twenty Hours On

Finally, there is a new post on my blog.SimplyAdvanced.net website. The last one I wrote was on 31 May 2012.

The Android development problem I talk about is the issues with the camera preview within onPreviewFrame() and setPreviewCallback(). The same code that worked for Android 2.2 didn't work for 4.0 and above.

http://blog.simplyadvanced.net/android-camera-a-problem-i-spent-almost-twenty-hours-on-trying-to-solve/

~ Simply Advanced ~

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Sticky Notes Shortcuts You Didn't Know

The desktop application I am talking about today is Sticky Notes that comes standard in Windows.

I used to think that Sticky Notes was a featureless program. But, one day I decided to try out some formatting shortcut keys that I typically use in other Windows products. So, then I discovered that the application supports Ctrl+b for bold, Ctrl+e for aligning text to center, Ctrl+Shift+> for increasing text size, and more. This has made Sticky Notes much more useful than before.

I used to think that just writing on paper was the quickest way to keep notes and a todo list. But now, for efficiency, I use just one large Sticky Note on my desktop. This has the added benefit of not having to throw away physical paper.

List of hidden Sticky Notes shortcuts:

Bold	Ctrl+b
Italic	Ctrl+i
Underline	Ctrl+u
Strikethrough	Ctrl+t
Decrease Font Size	Ctrl+Shift+<
Increase Font Size	Ctrl+Shift+>
Align Text Left	Ctrl+l
Align Text Right	Ctrl+r
Bullet/Numbered Lists	Ctrl+Shift+L
Subscript	Ctrl+=
Superscript	Ctrl+Shift+=

I'd like the chance to answer any questions.
~ Simply Advanced ~

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How to Disable VLC Plugin in Google Chrome

VLC is the best media player in the market that plays just about any type of media file. But, one big flaw is its browser plugin. When it is running, there are no extra options to do anything with the media file.

Sometime I just rather download the file instead of watching it online. Then, that way I may speed up the video to 2x speed and watch it more efficiently. (It takes a bit of training in order to understand videos at 2x, I'd recommend starting off at 1.4x speed)

So, to disable VLC's plugin for Google Chrome

1. type "chrome://plugins/" into the address bar (or omni bar) located at the top of Google Chrome.
2. Search and find "VLC Web Plugin."
3. Click on the "Disable" link.

You are done. There are no options in the desktop part of VLC to disable the web plugin. But now, you know how.

Google Chrome will now try to use another media plugin you have, or it will try to download the file.

Share the knowledge,
~ Simply Advanced ~

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Not Not Not

To me, productivity is creating things; it's not not not creating things.

~ Simply Advanced ~

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"Don't Know" When I Do Know

Sometimes,
I answer a question with "I don't know" even though I may know the answer. It is a subconscious question,  "Does it really matter?" and an unconscious implicit "It doesn't matter."  I never really knew about these types of questions until I thought of it today. This is just a continuation of me trying to harness my subconscious mind by having the ability to think with it more. Meta-thought is where it's at.

Other times,
Explicitness is more beneficial, "I believe you know the answer if you think about it a little more."

~ Simply Advanced ~

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Software is Slower than Hardware

Maybe this has been obvious to you all the time, but I think it is actually too obvious to state out loud.

Does this make you think at all?

~ Simply Advanced ~

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Bookmark Motivation

Google Dashboard tells me I have 2630 bookmarks synced with Google. I am very surprised that I have this many webpages saved. The amount of folders I use makes it seem like I have maybe only a thousand bookmarks.

The main reason for this post: Looking through my huge list of bookmarks inspires/motivates me to do actual work. Bookmarks are a todo list for me. Eventually, I will know all the knowledge contained in them.

~ Simply Advanced ~

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Dream: Wheels in the Heels

Two nights ago I had a three-part dream. I don't really remember what the second two parts were about. But, the first one more than makes up for it.

The dream was about myself rolling around in my shoes, like Heelies. I was going everywhere in them, including class, through stores, and in my apartment. Sometimes I would get a running start before gliding across the world. It was cool to be in them. Though, I didn't see anybody else in the dream wearing them. I could imagine a world where everybody had Heelies.

I can definitely see myself in shoe wheels.

~ Simply Advanced ~

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Refundable and Non-refundable Airline Tickets

Airlines typically overbook their flights because they know there will always be people who cancel, and the airlines want to ensure that they have all the seats full to get maximum profit.

Well, how about airliners sell two types of tickets, a refundable kind and a non-refundable kind.

The refundable tickets would be marked up at a higher price to ensure potential passengers peace-of-mind, knowing they could get 80-90% of their money back if something came up at the last minute.

Also, airliners wouldn't have to worry too hard about filling seats because each of them are already paid for. 

• Flights would cost a little less if nobody took the seats (because of the less weight from person and luggage - I know it is a very small percentage of overall weight)
• Airlines could still sell the empty seat to make double profit
• Airlines wouldn't have to bribe passengers to take a different flight if a flight is overfull

I'm not sure if they do this already, does anybody know?

~ Simply Advanced ~

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Holding My Breath

I just randomly decided to time how long I can hold my breath. I was thinking somewhere in the ballpark of one minute. But, at about 1'35" I looked at my watch and I was still holding on. Then, I just decided to stop right on the two minute mark because I wasn't sure if I was doing something wrong...

I've always wondered how long I could hold my breath, but I never expected it to be this much. My previous max was maybe something like 1'45" when I was a lot smaller and swimming more often (I pretty much don't swim nowadays unfortunately).

Some things that may have contributed to my current two minute record:

• Randomly, I hold my breath as long as I can. No reason that I can think of.
• I slowed my respiratory rate down the minute before timing.
• And something I read about before but never had the opportunity to test.. Take about four really deep quick breaths right before going for the record.

It works.

~ Simply Advanced ~

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MemorizePi - 153 Digits

With the help of my personally create MemorizePi app for WP7 I have successfully memorized 153 digits of pi!

~ Simply Advanced ~

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Environment Life-Blood

Everyday that I'm breathing, I will be environment-friendly.

I exhale the life-blood for plants and trees. ;]

~ Simply Advanced ~

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Military Math

1) In the military, there is a saying:

• "If you're early, then you're on time. If you're on time, then you're late."
• "Slow is smooth, smooth is fast."

2) In mathematics, there exists the Transitive Property:

if a = b and b = c,
then a = c

So,

Let a = early
      b = on time
      c = late

Or, you could also try out
          a = slow
          b = smooth
          c = fast

Just saying.. ;]
~ Simply Advanced ~

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The Real Non-Fake Sky

Sometimes I think about how fake the sky looks, kinda like a great painting on canvas, but I always come to the realization that it is awesome that the sky is real and never ending; I'm not going to run into the sky like in The Truman Show.

~ Simply Advanced ~

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Groovy Purple

It just popped in my head that groovy purple is a great color.

~ Simply Advanced ~

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Quick Learn - How Jeans Are Made

I like to think I am pretty good at summarizing topics. So, take 7 seconds to learn basically how jeans are made. ;]

1. Get cotton
2. Strengthen cotton, including adding cornstarch
3. Add dye
4. Cut out jean pieces
5. Stitch pieces together
6. Roughen jeans
7. Use laser to add designer creases

http://www.wimp.com/jeansmade/

~ Simply Advanced ~

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Quick Think - Descartes

Conclusion: I am.

~ Simply Advanced ~

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Get Things Done - Priority List

Recently, a friend commended me for the ability to concentrate and stay productive throughout the day, day after day.

One thing about me is that I treat my [Internet] bookmarks and emails as a todo list. I also have a physical and virtual notepad on both my physical and virtual desktop where I keep track of things I want/need to do.

But, just having todo lists isn't enough for many people. So, for those who don't have the willpower to take a "just do it" attitude towards daily and/or important tasks, there is a solution.

• eat sugar [1]

Or

• Think of your todo lists as priority lists instead. And, there can only be one #1 priority task to do at a time. Then, just do that task without thinking whether or not you should do that one or something else.

Get started now. You don't need to waste time reading more productivity guides and how-to's; Any thing besides what's on the priority list will just waste your valuable time.

~ Simply Advanced ~

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Your Way Is The Best Way

My way of doing things is better than your way. But, your way of doing things is better than mine.

What does that mean?

When people use their survivalist instincts, they will do things the best way they know how. ("Best" is a very opinionated word and will mean different things to different people.) So, until they hear/understand another method, everybody should be able to say to themselves that they know best.

But, remember.. there is always a better idea out there.

It should be a goal for everybody to understand different ways to accomplish tasks. The way to find out about different methods is to talk to others or read. Only then can you truly say your way is the best way.

~ Simply Advanced ~

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Quick Math - Apps and Ideas

tl;dr - Just skim the bullet points.

Just a quick look around on Google Search and I see that there are currently around 600,000 apps available in Google Play. (I don't include iOS apps because same apps are double counted for the iPad versions, so there are actually much less apps there.)

• 600,000 different apps.

Now, anybody can see that there are multiple apps for every function that you want an app to perform. I will be lenient and say that there is on average 100 apps for every idea/function. Ex: 100 note-taking apps, 100 camera apps, 100 unit converters, flashlights, Angry Birds.. Some have less, some have many more repeats.

• 6,000 unique apps

So, does that mean there are only 6,000 ideas in the world?

There's got to be more ideas, I'm sure we'll come up with them soon.

~ Simply Advanced ~

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Random App Ideas

I randomly come up with app ideas and usually write them down in my notebook. Sometimes I feel like sharing my many different ideas with the world so that I am forced to come up with even better ideas.

• Screen share mobile-to-mobile 
• Permanent Clipboard
• StumbleUpon Mobile App version
• Facebook without Facebook app -  basically pull Fb data to a Contacts app and include messages
• Range [distance] Finder using camera, or sound, or shadows
• App that creates real-world-value. Perhaps, something like a mobile version of Mechanical Turk or Bitcoin Generator et cetera.
• How-to guides for specific topics
• Connect game controllers to phones (wire, Bluetooth, built-in stand..)
• Fire-starter, possibly need hardware like capacitor to help generate a spark
• Taser app, extended from above. Or just use vibrate and fake sounds.
• Log everything app
• 3D Where's Waldo or 3D iSpy or 3D Highlights. Instead of just finding everything on screen you must orientate the phone different ways to pan around (or just allow touch scrolling)
• Find Ghosts game app, extended from above. To be played in an open field. Can only see ghosts when looking through phone

I know of many types of app, but I haven't heard of these types yet. And I deleted just one idea that I decided to start working on right now. To be shown later. =b

Anybody may use these ideas for their personal apps. I would just like to hear if others are interested in these types of apps in the comments.

~ Simply Advanced ~

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New Simply Advanced Logo!

You should take a look at the Simply Advanced website that I just finished updating. Sometimes I even surprise myself lol. The layout is really neat, fits all screen sizes (try changing the width of your browser) and the about page has an innovative style that I haven't seen anywhere else.

http://simplyadvanced.net/

Inspired by modern art

~ Simply Advanced ~

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Random Shower Thought of the Day - Mobile Programming Just Like Classroom Programming

I like mobile programming. It's just like programming for my school classes, except useful. ;]

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Random Song of the Day - Hungarian Dance No. 5 by Johannes Brahms

Suddenly popped into my head. I used to be able to play the recognizable part of the Hungarian Dance on piano, not sure if I remember it still.

~ Simply Advanced ~

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Random Lyrics of the Day - Close to You by The Capenters

"Why do birds suddenly appear..♫♪" suddenly popped into my head. So, I had to listen to it again to remind myself how it all goes.

"Why do birds suddenly appear every time you are near?
Just like me, they long to be, close to you."
"Why do stars fall from the sky every time you walk by?
Just like me, they long to be, close to you."
On the day you were born the angels got together and decided to make a dream come true..

- Close to You by The Carpenters 

♫♪♫♪♫♪
~ Simply Advanced ~

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Mono-Dialogue

If I'm arguing with myself aloud from two completely different viewpoints, could it be considered a dialogue?

~ Simply Advanced ~

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Procrastinating Productivity - It's a Good Thing

It seems the more I feel unproductive, the more I want become productive.

I was just thinking of this because two days ago I played some awesome volleyball for six hours straight. It was great relaxation and social time. And right afterwards I was motivated for some all night Android coding. The entire all-nighter was productive.

It was definitely worth it to take that half-day break.

This is not the only case of having pure productivity, it happens all the time. But, there are certain conditions necessary first. Mainly, having a clear goal/plan-of-attack. Spending 5-10 minutes to create a definite list saves you from unproductive time.
And, my personal condition for productivity is having a clear/clean workspace where I can easily concentrate on only one thing at a time. (I know a few people who can work in messy areas, so whatever works.. make it so)

Someone who has read enough about productivity that any more would be unproductive,
~ Simply Advanced ~

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Third Choice Idea

I have just thought up with what I have now decided to call, a 'third-choice idea.' I think you understand what that means just from itself.

Usually people try to determine between two choices, this or that, right or wrong, yes or no. But, there is at least a third option, maybe. And this is a great time to mention fuzzy logic also, I'm glad I took that class at USF. And Isaac Asimov's The Relativity of Wrong while I am thinking of it.

I believe there is always another way to look at things happening around. Don't be satisfied with your current limited viewpoint.

Hmm, I guess compromise would be a synonym of third-choice. But, think of the word "compromise" as having a positive connotation.. at least you are getting part of something you wanted.

"Alternative" would be a better synonym, the way I'm thinking of a third choice ideas.. Perhaps even the word "innovative" would be my best choice for describing a third choice idea.

Now, when I start talking about third-choice ideas in my blog posts I'll have something to refer back to.

~ Simply Advanced ~

ps - I'm hoping my writing ability increases at least linearly, Ω(n) ;], with the number of posts I write.

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Random Thought of the Day - Pixel Hypercube

What is the minimum number of pixels needed to create a recognizable hypercube?

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Expand Your Mind - Reminisce

Thanks to StumbleUpon, I just found another gem in the interwebs. Cross a touch of nostalgia and second helping of expanded thinking and you'll find Ten Bizarre Theories About Movies And Television!

I love bizarre, crazy, out-of-this-universe theories (which, the above may or may not be the case).



;]
~ Simply Advanced ~

ps - Perhaps, instead of saying I love conspiracy theories I should say that I like the ability to be able to entertain multiple theories/viewpoints at once. Or maybe I just like creativity.

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Thank You Ray Bradbury

I've always remembered Fahrenheit 451 since reading it in middle school. There were other books also, but none stood out so much to me.

~ Simply Advanced ~

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Personal Portfolio Site Redesign is Finished - djgoodwi.myweb.usf.edu

Not bad. The same site looks great on everything from large desktop monitor to tiny smartphone screen.

Definitely thanks to Twitter Bootstrap for the base framework. It has saved me many hours in design.

Please check out my site and let me know what you think. =]

Simply Advanced Homepage

There are still a few more projects I have to add, as soon as I find the pictures.
~ Simply Advanced ~

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Updating Personal Webpage - djgoodwi.mail.usf.edu

I would definitely like to hear feedback from anybody willing to take a look at my new redesign. Currently, only the homepage is complete. Other pages coming very soon, my next post will most likely be me finishing the site.

Click: http://djgoodwi.myweb.usf.edu

Also, I finally set up my custom domain to forward emails to my email address. Feel free to email me at shout@simplyadvanced.net.

~ Simply Advanced ~

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Memorize Pi - My Second WP7 App

Three modes. 1000+ digits of pi. Quick learning curve, but hard to master. More hours of fun than any other game you may play.

Learn pi, memorize pi, remember pi, bake pi, master pi. You can do any of these with this app. Become the Pi Master. Impress all your friends by reciting pi [I currently recite up to 133 digits accurately]. Learn to sing pi, and play pi on the piano and guitar [Directions at the bottom of this post].

Only for a limited-time this app will be ad-free!

Many more features and FREE updates coming soon! Including:

• high scores
• more challenge modes
• customizeable settings
• and more.. so stay tuned

Bonus - For the music part play 31415926535897932384626433832795 slowly, working your way up to 157 [or 314] beats per minute. Let 1=C, 2=D, 3=E, 4=F, 5=G, 6=A, 7=B, 8=hi-C, 9=hi-D

It'll sounds great and I've never forgotten the song since. =]

Click here to see the free app in the Windows Marketplace.

More WP7 apps with different numbers coming soon! Suggestions accepted.
~ Simply Advanced ~

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How To Get More Free Space For Dropbox

First, what is Dropbox?
A free service that syncs all your files anywhere, including computers, phones, and the Dropbox website. In my words, it's organized and efficient and increases productivity; It's extremely useful.

Why is Dropbox useful?
It allows your files saved on one computer to be immediately available on all your computers and phones, automatically. Dropbox also allows files and folders to be shared easily (all files are private by default). I use it for all of my school projects, especially when it's a group project. I also have my phone set up so that pictures I take are uploaded automatically.

How do I get more free space?
There are many ways, including:

• Take the Dropbox tour = +250MB
• Link to Twitter/Facebook = +250MB
• Referring others = +500MB for referrer AND referee
• Being a part of the annual Dropquest = +1GB or more

I've been meaning to blog about this for a long time, glad I've gotten around to it finally. This was written so that I can easy share with all my friends, classmates, and co-workers this free awesome service (They do have paid upgrades though). And I wanted to share my referral link online. =D
~ Simply Advanced ~

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Difference Between Revolution and Civil War

"What's the difference between a revolution and civil war?

Who won. If the revolutionists won, then it's a revolution. If the government won, then it's a civil war."

- Somebody Else

~ Simply Advanced ~

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One Cup Per Person

Idea: Everybody in the world only gets one cup/bottle.

Perhaps with a LiquiGlide coating.

~ Simply Advanced ~

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Omnipotent and Omniscient

Theoretically, if you are omnipotent (all-powerful) and omniscient (all-knowing), what do you do? What do you do after that?

Think past the first answer. The objective here is to think past the things that may be on the top of your head. What do you do after you think of everything?


~ Simply Advanced ~
ps - I wrote this down a year ago on my computer and am just now posting it online. Something else I also wrote about this was, "philosophy, not psychology." I'm still trying to figure out exactly why I wrote that part.. hmm...

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abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz

Always being considerate during everyone's follies's gonna heal individuals' jaunty kinda life. Meaning, niceness overabundance pleases quite reassuringly some to undergo viewing wombats XOXOing yodeling zebras.


~ Simply Advanced ~

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Is there a problem where first finding/solving the worst-case scenario makes finding the optimal solution much easier?