Energy Vampires

Here’s a statement of the obvious for you: it’s cold outside. If you can’t tell just by looking outside, you can certainly tell by looking at your energy bill. Although cold weather brings higher gas prices, you can attempt to offset the increase by unplugging some of your most energy-inefficient household appliances when they’re not in use. Here’s an interesting article (via Lifehacker) that points out exactly how much energy your “energy vampires” use.

Here’s to staying warm on the cheap this holiday season.

The best use yet for Google

Alright, maybe you figured this one out on your own, but I, for one, did not. Good thing I have a co-worker to let me in on the biggest secret of the year...

When you're shopping online, whatever the site or store, just before you hit the check-out button from your shopping cart, do a quick Google search for coupons or discount key codes for that site. You'll be amazed with what you come up with. Some people have entire forums dedicated to the latest discounts.

I saved 20 percent the first time.

Yep, it was my most exciting Google moment.

Happy holiday shopping.

Showing your professional side - online

You probably have a Facebook or MySpace page. I've got both, and I love my online network. But if I were in the market for a job, these would not be the pages I would want my prospective employers to stumble across. (Although compared to many, they are quite tame.)

Enter Yahoo Kickstart. This is a free online network similar to Facebook and MySpace, but it is a place for you to put your professional side forward. Basically, it's a free online resume. Nice.

Tell prospective employers where you've worked and where you've gone to school. Then network with people and companies, and affiliate yourself with groups. You can view other MU profiles if you choose "Colleges" from the drop-down search menu, and then enter University of Missouri-Columbia.

These days, when you apply for a job, expect to get Googled. In preparation, Google yourself and see what you come across. Adjust the privacy settings of your Facebook and MySpace pages if they have the potential to reveal embarrassing drunken photos, etc. And try to get your name out on the Web in places that highlight your achievements, rather than telling the world how much fun you had on Saturday night. (Though I'm glad you had a good time.)

Free 411

Many of you may be familiar with 411, a nationwide directory assistance number. If you’re familiar with 411, though, chances are you’re also familiar with the fees associated with dialing the digits—over a dollar per call, which can add up pretty quickly if you’re too lazy to reach for a telephone book, like myself.

Luckily, there's now a free 411 number you can dial from your home or cell phone: 1-800-FREE411 (1-800-373-3411). Unluckily, what makes it free is the fact that you have to listen to an ad before you’ll be given your query results. True, the ad is only about 15 seconds long, but you’ll have to decide whether the annoyance is worth the savings. Free 411 also claims to never share your information with telemarketers. You can learn more about the service at Free411.com.

Google also recently launched a free directory assistance service called Goog-411, which can be accessed by dialing 1-800-GOOG-411. The service is completely automated and works with voice recognition software. This can lead to some misunderstandings, but with a little persistence (saying “back” a few times and retrying your query), you should be successful. It should also be noted that this service is still in the experimental stage and may not be available everywhere.

True, it might seem silly to compare 411 numbers when the phone book is free and doesn’t require any ad-listening, but it is quite a useful service when you’re on the run. There is word that AT&T is experimenting with free 411 calls, too.

Replacing Important Documents

Have any of you ever lost your passport? I have. Twice, actually: once, it was stolen in Mexico, and the other day I left it in a copy machine on campus (I did retrieve it from said copy machine three days later). Although most of you are probably more careful with your valuable documents than I seem to be, these things do still happen occasionally. Here is a useful list of procedures to follow when replacing important missing documents. It’s nice to have all of this information in one convenient location, because the actual replacement process is sometimes a significant hassle.

Not surprisingly, passports and birth certificates rank highest in the amount of time and trouble involved with replacement. Here’s hoping that you’ll never need this information, but hoping it’s useful if you do!

via the Consumerist

Make Microsoft Word Less Annoying

As thesis and dissertation submission time draws near, it's time to learn how to finally wrangle Microsoft Word into a more usable beast. Take note of the fabulous tips courtesy of the geniuses over at Lifehacker.com, including this gem:

Word just loves to hyperlink e-mail addresses and URLs. Sure, this might come in handy from time to time, but mostly it's just distracting. To remove all the links from an individual document, select all the text by pressing Ctrl-A, then press Ctrl-Shift-F9.

Make Microsoft Word Less Annoying

New season, new format

Welcome to Praxis: a blog for Mizzou grad students, published by the Graduate School. We’ve decided to try something new with Praxis — instead of creating a new issue of the online newsletter once a semester, as we’ve done in the past, we are switching to a blog format that will enable us to create quicker posts more frequently. We hope you enjoy the new format. We’re excited to keep giving you news and tips that will help you navigate the grad school experience at Mizzou.