Google+ Image Collection

Google+ unlimited uploads is great! The problem is that you may not know if the computer Auto Backup feature is working. One way to check this, if your not at the computer where Auto Backup is being run, is to check the Google+ image stats. You can find this information if you check out Google+ Account dashboard:

https://www.google.com/settings/u/2/dashboard

This page will display all sorts of stats about your Google account, including how many email messages you have in Gmail. Scroll down a bit to see the basic information on your Google+ Photos.

If you click on the word 'Google Photos' you'll see more details about your photo collection on Google+. This is a very useful page! For some odd reason, Google makes it hard to find. There's also good information on Gmail and other Google settings.

MyLife Email

According to MyLife, Hailey from Puyallup, WA and a Female from Sacramento CA has been searching for me. I don't know anyone Puyallup, WA or Sacramento. I am thinking this is a marketing ploy by MyLife to sign up for their service and protect my privacy.

I signed up for the profile on MyLife using a weird fictional name in a very small town in Massachusetts and it's amazing how many people all of a sudden are looking for that particular person.

Photo Voting Poll

Here are some simple steps on how to setup a voting platform on Flickr so that people can vote for their favorite photos. This is useful if you took a bunch of photos at a company event and want people to vote for the best photo.

• Create a Group in Flickr
• Upload as many photos as you want in the Flickr Group.
• Have people join the Group
• Vote for as many as you like by clicking on the star marked ?favorite? that appears above the lefthand corner of each photo.

CashCall

The worst financial move you can make is to get a loan from CashCall, Inc. At the end of the loan cycle, you'll be paying back a lot more to CashCall than using any other financial option.

Some examples: A $2,500 personal loan at 139.13% Max APR will have cost you $13,839.62 at the end of all your payments! Taking their offer for a Mortage loan? That $50,000 loan to update your kitchen will cost you $330,505.20 at the end of the 180 monthly payments. You'll never make up that amount in house appreciation.

Founded in 2003, CashCall, Inc. is one of the nation's premier lenders. Headquartered in Orange, California, the company employs leading-edge lending professionals, each dedicated to providing exceptional customer service. CashCall simplifies the loan process with innovative technologies to make the process faster, smarter and hassle-free.

CashCall personal loans, CashCall small business loans and CashCall mortgage loans are divisions of CashCall, Inc., each offering a variety of services depending on the applicant's credit score and needs.

If you really need a loan that bad, you should talk to a banker or consider taking a second job for a while. There's no way that taking a Max APR of 139% should even be considered an option.

UPS CMS Processing Fee

If you recently have sent any package via the UPS store, look at your receipt carefully. On it you'll see a line item for .20 cent for "CMS Processing Fee."

A quick search around the Internet shows that the fee is for using the iShip product.

The services give corporations, like UPS, Shipping Insight to make the smartest shipping decisions. Employees in any location can price, ship, track and manage important shipments over the Internet through easy-to-access iShip hosted applications. Managers and Administrators also have complete control and visibility into shipping throughout the enterprise and are able to define shipping procedures, approve carriers and rates, and set shipping rules.

Basically the UPS Store is charging you to find the cheapest way to send and track your package. There is a PDF document from flemingareaoffice.com that briefly talks about the fee impact.

Google AdWords Graphic

Google Adwords should update the default graphic on the Adwords login page. It's been the same graphic for at least a year. (I recall it got changed just before the Enhanced Campaigns came out last year.)

War Room Graphic

I modified the above graphic for a War Room that my company was setting up for some software engineers. This is perfect logo to put on a door of a conference room that your using for a War Room.

Click on the image for a 1280 x 1024 printable version, perfect for an 11 x 17 printout. I would recommend printing it on heavy card stock so that you can reuse the sign over again.

Verizon Upgrade Fee

I am a little confused by this text message I got this morning from Verizon:

Free VZW msg: Dear customer, we're pleased to reward you,
you've earned an upgrade: you qualify for a new smartphone!
Feel free to call 888-745-5774 or visit your local Verizon store to find out more!
2yr Agmt req'd. $30 upgrade fee will apply. Reply 'X' to stop msgs

Wait, What? A $30 upgrade fee? I am confused on what did I earn - The privilege to spend $30? Oh by the way, since I am no longer under any contract, I am fully free to select ANY provider and I am sure that AT&T won't charge me $30 to upgrade my phone.

So Verizon Wireless, why did you send me this text? and Why are you charging me an Upgrade Fee??

iGoogle

Google's iGoogle service is a way to create a custom homepage of custom widgets. You can have a widget to track stock trading, latest ski conditions, the 'funny joke of the day' and so much more! Really cool way to get all your information in one place.

On November 1st, 2013, the iGoogle service will not exist any more. I can't complain too much since I haven't spent any money using iGoogle. That's why I supposed that Google is pulling the plug since it hasn't made that much money from this service and feel that web apps built into Chrome will replace the feature.You can find these in the Google's Chrome Store.

One of the features I liked about iGoogle is the ability to have custom search widgets. I can have a widget which will show me all the latest news related to Framingham, and another which will tell me any news about the MBTA. I can scan the headlines and read only the stories that appeal to me.

Google News has some similar features, so I'll play around with that. I'll miss having a single source of information.

Yankee Swap

Yankee swaps are always a fun event at work. (Some locals call it a Gift Swap,  Black Santa, Chinese Gift Exchange, Dirty Santa, Greedy Punter, Thieves' Christmas) This is a great way to get people together and have some social fun.

There are different ways you can implement the Yankee swap, here are some of the rules that our company implemented at the last Yankee Swap:

• Everyone has to have a gift to participate, and the maximum spend is $20.
• All gifts have to be wrapped or in a gift bag.
• Everyone draws a number out of a hat.
• The person that has the number one ticket gets to pick the first gift.
• Everyone else has the opportunity to pick a gift from the pile OR they can steal someone else's gift.
• If someone takes your gift you must pick an unwrap gift.
• At the end, the person that picks first has the opportunity to swap their gift with anyone in the room. (That is they have the opportunity to get the best gift.)

Some gift ideas seen at several different Yankee Swaps:

• Lottery scratch tickets - Most popular item that people try to swap!
• Itunes Gift card
• Dunkin/Starbucks gift cards
• Liquor gift packs
• Wine
• Page-A-Day and wall Calendars
• Office toys
• DVDs
• Books

When selecting your gift idea try to be creative. Some people get a couple of things and try to have a theme, such as a book with a lottery ticket.

Have fun with your Yankee Swap!