Sabbatical and RSS

Alright, apparently I've taken [another] two week sabbatical from blog posting. This is not entirely my fault as I've been very distracted at work by a situation I'm unable to post about...at least not yet (hopefully soon). But be that as I may, I feel I owe my roughly 7 readers an updated entry. Plus a Lady called me on it in the last post's comments :-) But before I get into my monologue, this Thumb Thing is interesting. As though reading a book weren't "high-tech" enough...it's cheap, but I think I'd feel a little lazy using it.

Today I'll be introducing RSS readers to all you that have asked about it (Java, I know that at least you should be interested). I know my twin wrote about it a while back, but I'll detail it out a little more. RSS is basically a way for websites to broadcast, very simply, when they have updated content on the site. It's a stripped down web document that doesn't look like much if you just visit it, but if you have an RSS reader you will be alerted to the updates, making it so you don't have to visit everyday and physically check the site yourself. This is good for various websites, news sites, and particularly blogs. I actually have a large number of blogs that I visit *only* when they update, and I know that because my RSS reader checks them all in a about 10 seconds and lets me know who has new posts.

If you'd like to try an RSS reader, you can download a stand alone one or, if you use Firefox (and I hope you do), you can download an extension that allows you to check RSS feeds directly from the browser. Very easy, very useful, and very free. I will be covering the Firefox extension I use and how to get it, but there are several other extensions worth looking at. I use a Firefox extension called Sage, which is a lightweight RSS reader.

First, open Firefox and goto "Tools -> Extensions" using the menu bar at top. A smaller window will pop up detailing your current installed extensions. Goto the lower right corner and click on the link that says "Get more extensions." This will send you to the Mozilla/Firefox extensions webpage. On the upper right side type "Sage RSS" into the search box --- make sure you're searching only the "Extensions" and not the "Entire Site" by changing the dropdown box beside the search box. Sage should be your second result, so click on it. Feel free to read the description and user comments, but at some point click the "Install Now" link, at which point Firefox will download and install Sage for you. Close and restart Firefox.

Once back in Firefox hit ALT+S and a side bar should appear on your lefthand side (hit ALT+S again to make it disappear - or just click the X) . Goto a blog you read and hit the magnifying glass. If there is an RSS feed in the new window, select it and click "Add Feed." It'll appear in the list. Click it and you're browser window will show a quick text version of the content on the site/blog. Click the title of the blog or the actual post to go to the site. I have 24 websites/blogs I currently keep track of, and it takes me no time at all to check only the updated ones. To check if any thing on your list has updated you'll have to click the refresh icon beside the magnifying glass. The sites that go bold have new content.

Hope that helps someone out there. It's useful. Keep in mind that Sage only updates blog posts or new articles and does *not* indicate new comments to blog posts. But if you know which posts you're watching comments on, then it's still easy to get there.

Free Personal Radio Station

So you like music? You'd like to listen to similar songs and groups and perhaps hear something new?

You need to try out Pandora.com. Basically you enter an artist or song title and Pandora first plays you what you entered. The next song is a song that shares "similar qualities" to what you initially selected, on a song by song basis. So creating a "Metallica" station will first bring up a Metallica song, but the next song might be a Nirvana song. Nirvana the group may not be the same style or genre as Metallica, but the two SONGS that are picked will share similar features. It is important to remember that the songs will be similar, not necessarily the genres.

It sounds odd, but just try it out. It's free, and you may find some bands you didn't know exist. Read about Pandora's Music Genome Project and see why and how they do what they do.

Also, if you don't like a song that's playing on your created "station," you can click on it and say so (or click the "Guide Us" button while a song is playing). Feel free to skip songs too. If you have a free account with them, that song won't show up on that station again. And you can create as many types of stations as you want, as well as combine different types of music on a single station.

If you like a song, click it to get a link to the album or purchase it on iTunes. Very cool idea...

Let me know what you think about it.

Help with Sinuses

So it's been what, two weeks since my last post? Of course, that's to be expected over the holidays. Ash and I had a good vacation visiting HER parents and being visited by MY parents. All in all things went very well and, in addition to hanging out with family, we received/gave some cool gifts (I got THIS multifunction, water-powered clock for my dad - very neat and works surprising well).

Ash's brother also introduced me to a nice, tremendously helpful device called a "neti pot." I just know you're wondering what this is. Basically it's a nasal irrigation product that flushes your sinuses of all the pollution, allergens, pollen, dust, etc. that builds up and helps cause illnesses. By flushing your sinuses you allow your nose to do it's secondary job more effectively - keep the bad stuff out. It also has the added benefit of relieving sinus headaches and congestion. The interesting thing is, it's been around for a LONG time (several thousand years) and is used by many yoga enthusiasts.

Ash's brother swears by this product, and after about a week of using one, so do I. He has had chronic sinus infections twice a year (spring and fall) for the last several years. This year he didn't have the fall infection. He's been using the neti pot for about 6 months and gives it all the credit. I can personally testify that the neti pot allows me to breathe easier and has relieved the need for nasal decongestants. Plus my sinuses aren't drying up and causing a bloody nose during this dry winter period.

I HIGHLY recommend trying out a neti pot. You just pour in some warm water and 1/4 teaspoon of salt (non-iodized, no caking-agent sea salt) and you're good to go. They even sell them at Whole Foods in the medicine section (at least they did in Dallas). The salt you can pick up in just about any grocery store (I suggest "Bob's Red Mill Sea Salt" that I picked up at Shoppers) for less than any over-the-counter drug (about $2.50 for a 2 pound bag - which should last for several months of daily use). I also suggest initially using the neti pot in the shower for two reasons: an abundant supply of warm water, and it may be a little messy the first couple of times. But you'll feel better.

For more information here are a few links to read about the process. For a laugh, watch the instructional video, but FIRST READ the other material. It doesn't look pleasant, but I assure it's not bad at all. Just try it once or twice and you'll agree your sinuses have never felt better or clearer.

Material on why it's just good sinus health. As well as some backgound information to the neti pot.

Here is the Amazon listing. Read the comments and reviews.

A blog that talks about it in an amusing way. (though I disagree with his ending "head cold" comment - I think the neti pot would help a lot with a head cold and congestion)

The instructional video. It's really not anywhere NEAR as bad as it looks or the person posting implies. And it actually feels very good to get the bad stuff out. I promise. I'm sure the video will turn some people off, but you've got to know how it works. How else did you expect to irrigate your nasal passages?