the air

The original source of these questions can be found here.

Question 1

A murderer is condemned to death. He has to choose between three rooms: The first is full of raging fires, the second is full of assassins with loaded guns, and the third is full of lions that haven’t eaten in 3 years. Which room is safest for him?

Question 2

A woman shoots her husband. Then she holds him under water for over 5 minutes. Finally, she hangs him. But 5 minutes later they both go out together and enjoy a wonderful dinner together. How can this be?

Question 3

A magician was boasting one day at how long he could hold his breath under water. His record was 6 minutes. A kid that was listening said, “that’s nothing, I can stay under water for 10 minutes using no type of equipment or air pockets!” The magician told the kid if he could do that, he’d give him $10,000. The kid did it and won the money. Can you figure out how?

Question 4

There are two plastic jugs filled with water. How could you put all of this water into a barrel, without using the jugs or any dividers, and still tell which water came from which jug?

Question 5

What is black when you buy it, red when you use it, and grey when you throw it away?

Question 6

Can you name three consecutive days without using the words Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, or Sunday?

Question 7

This is an unusual paragraph. I’m curious how quickly you can find out what is so unusual about it? It looks so plain you would think nothing was wrong with it! In fact, nothing is wrong with it! It is unusual though. Study it, and think about it, but you still may not find anything odd. But if you work at it a bit, you might find out! Try to do so without any coaching!

Question 8

You are participating in a race. You overtake the second person. What position are you in?

Question 9

If you overtake the last person, then you are…?

Question 10

(in your head!) Take 1000 and add 40 to it. Now add another 1000. Now add 30. Add another 1000. Now add 20. Now add another 1000. Now add 10. What is the total?

Question 11

Mary’s father has five daughters: 1. Nana, 2. Nene, 3. Nini, 4. Nono. What is the name of the fifth daughter?

SOLUTIONS

A1. The third. Lions that haven’t eaten in three years are dead.

A2. The woman was a photographer. She shot a picture of her husband, developed it, and hung it up to dry.

A3. The kid filled a glass of water and held it over his head for 10 minutes.

A4. Color and Freeze them first. Take them out of the jugs and put the ice in the barrel. You will be able to tell which water came from which jug.

A5. The answer is Charcoal. In Homer Simpson’s words: hmmmm… Barbecue.

A6. Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow.

A7. The letter “e”, which is the most common letter in the English language, does not appear once in the long paragraph.

A8. If you overtake the second person and you take his place, you are second!

A9. If you answered that you are second to last, then you are wrong again. Tell me, how can you overtake the LAST person?!

A10. The correct answer is actually 4100.

A11. The fifth daughter is Mary.

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As Christmas is right around the corner, many of us will be unveiling our digital cameras and getting ready to shoot pictures of our beloved ones. Many digital cameras offer their users significant number of settings to ensure that their picture is truly worth “a thousand words.” Unfortunately, many people, myself being one of them, do not really understand the numerous features present on a digital camera. I am the proud owner of the Canon Powershot S70, a 7 mega-pixel point-and-shoot camera. This remarkable camera hosts so many features that even I myself have a hard time knowing how to use it. Luckily, I know enough of the camera to take some great shots. I found this article that talks about 16 different tips to help improve your shooting ability. I think you truly will be surprised how effective your digital camera can really be.

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I cannot recall the number of times I have been frustrated in trying to find information on a topic that is so obscure that virtually none of the Big 3 (e.g. Google, Yahoo!, and MSN) search engines have any information on the topic. Although sometimes the information I am looking for is so specialized, I do believe it exists in some form on the web. I just learned about this new term: Invisible Web. Invisible Web, aka deep web, is defined as follows:

pages on the World Wide Web that are not part of the surface web that is indexed by common search engines. It consists of pages which are not linked to by other pages (e.g., dynamic pages which are returned in response to a submitted query). The deep web also includes sites that require registration or otherwise limit access to their pages (e.g., using the Robots Exclusion Standard), prohibiting search engines from browsing them and creating cached copies. Pages that are only accessible through links produced by JavaScript and Flash also often reside in the deep web since most search engines are unable to properly follow these links.

This web page does an excellent job of explaining the complexities of the Invisible Web and how to find information in this realm. It also mentions that almost a trillion pages are probably inaccessible by using search engines.

It should come as no surprise that there are nine good reasons why some information is not available via traditional search engines:

1. Dynamic URL’s
2. Form-controlled entry, non-passworded
3. Password protected, subscription or non-subscription
4. Limited time access
5. Information is too new
6. Robots.txt exclusion
7. Flash-based presentation
8. Geographic location
9. Hidden Pages

The site that I have mentioned earlier is quite an interesting read and definitely worth reading. As an added convenience, I have printed the website and made it available here as a PDF file.

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Although many Windows users know some keyboard commands, there are a bunch that we don’t know. I found this list on Digg and I have shamelessly reproduced it. The original link is here:

• CTRL+C (Copy)
• CTRL+X (Cut)
• CTRL+V (Paste)
• CTRL+Z (Undo)
• DELETE (Delete)
• SHIFT+DELETE (Delete the selected item permanently without placing the item in the Recycle Bin)
• CTRL while dragging an item (Copy the selected item)
• CTRL+SHIFT while dragging an item (Create a shortcut to the selected item)
• F2 key (Rename the selected item)
• CTRL+RIGHT ARROW (Move the insertion point to the beginning of the next word)
• CTRL+LEFT ARROW (Move the insertion point to the beginning of the previous word)
• CTRL+DOWN ARROW (Move the insertion point to the beginning of the next paragraph)
• CTRL+UP ARROW (Move the insertion point to the beginning of the previous paragraph)
• CTRL+SHIFT with any of the arrow keys (Highlight a block of text)
• SHIFT with any of the arrow keys (Select more than one item in a window or on the desktop, or select text in a document)
• CTRL+A (Select all)
• F3 key (Search for a file or a folder)
• ALT+ENTER (View the properties for the selected item)
• ALT+F4 (Close the active item, or quit the active program)
• ALT+ENTER (Display the properties of the selected object)
• ALT+SPACEBAR (Open the shortcut menu for the active window)
• CTRL+F4 (Close the active document in programs that enable you to have multiple documents open simultaneously)
• ALT+TAB (Switch between the open items)
• ALT+ESC (Cycle through items in the order that they had been opened)
• F6 key (Cycle through the screen elements in a window or on the desktop)
• F4 key (Display the Address bar list in My Computer or Windows Explorer)
• SHIFT+F10 (Display the shortcut menu for the selected item)
• ALT+SPACEBAR (Display the System menu for the active window)
• CTRL+ESC (Display the Start menu)
• ALT+Underlined letter in a menu name (Display the corresponding menu)
• Underlined letter in a command name on an open menu (Perform the corresponding command)
• F10 key (Activate the menu bar in the active program)
• RIGHT ARROW (Open the next menu to the right, or open a submenu)
• LEFT ARROW (Open the next menu to the left, or close a submenu)
• F5 key (Update the active window)
• BACKSPACE (View the folder one level up in My Computer or Windows Explorer)
• ESC (Cancel the current task)
• SHIFT when you insert a CD-ROM into the CD-ROM drive (Prevent the CD-ROM from automatically playing)

Dialog Box Keyboard Shortcuts

• CTRL+TAB (Move forward through the tabs)
• CTRL+SHIFT+TAB (Move backward through the tabs)
• TAB (Move forward through the options)
• SHIFT+TAB (Move backward through the options)
• ALT+Underlined letter (Perform the corresponding command or select the corresponding option)
• ENTER (Perform the command for the active option or button)
• SPACEBAR (Select or clear the check box if the active option is a check box)
• Arrow keys (Select a button if the active option is a group of option buttons)
• F1 key (Display Help)
• F4 key (Display the items in the active list)
• BACKSPACE (Open a folder one level up if a folder is selected in the Save As or Open dialog box)

Microsoft Natural Keyboard Shortcuts

• Windows Logo (Display or hide the Start menu)
• Windows Logo+BREAK (Display the System Properties dialog box)
• Windows Logo+D (Display the desktop)
• Windows Logo+M (Minimize all of the windows)
• Windows Logo+SHIFT+M (Restore the minimized windows)
• Windows Logo+E (Open My Computer)
• Windows Logo+F (Search for a file or a folder)
• CTRL+Windows Logo+F (Search for computers)
• Windows Logo+F1 (Display Windows Help)
• Windows Logo+ L (Lock the keyboard)
• Windows Logo+R (Open the Run dialog box)
• Windows Logo+U (Open Utility Manager)

Accessibility Keyboard Shortcuts

• Right SHIFT for eight seconds (Switch FilterKeys either on or off)
• Left ALT+left SHIFT+PRINT SCREEN (Switch High Contrast either on or off)
• Left ALT+left SHIFT+NUM LOCK (Switch the MouseKeys either on or off)
• SHIFT five times (Switch the StickyKeys either on or off)
• NUM LOCK for five seconds (Switch the ToggleKeys either on or off)
• Windows Logo +U (Open Utility Manager)

Windows Explorer Keyboard Shortcuts

• END (Display the bottom of the active window)
• HOME (Display the top of the active window)
• NUM LOCK+Asterisk sign (*) (Display all of the subfolders that are under the selected folder)
• NUM LOCK+Plus sign (+) (Display the contents of the selected folder)
• NUM LOCK+Minus sign (-) (Collapse the selected folder)
• LEFT ARROW (Collapse the current selection if it is expanded, or select the parent folder)
• RIGHT ARROW (Display the current selection if it is collapsed, or select the first subfolder)

Shortcut Keys for Character Map

• After you double-click a character on the grid of characters, you can move through the grid by using the keyboard shortcuts:
• RIGHT ARROW (Move to the right or to the beginning of the next line)
• LEFT ARROW (Move to the left or to the end of the previous line)
• UP ARROW (Move up one row)
• DOWN ARROW (Move down one row)
• PAGE UP (Move up one screen at a time)
• PAGE DOWN (Move down one screen at a time)
• HOME (Move to the beginning of the line)
• END (Move to the end of the line)
• CTRL+HOME (Move to the first character)
• CTRL+END (Move to the last character)
• SPACEBAR (Switch between Enlarged and Nor mal mode when a character is selected)

Microsoft Management Console (MMC) Main Window Keyboard Shortcuts

• CTRL+O (Open a saved console)
• CTRL+N (Open a new console)
• CTRL+S (Save the open console)
• CTRL+M (Add or remove a console item)
• CTRL+W (Open a new window)
• F5 key (Update the content of all console windows)
• ALT+SPACEBAR (Display the MMC window menu)
• ALT+F4 (Close the console)
• ALT+A (Display the Action menu)
• ALT+V (Display the View menu)
• ALT+F (Display the File menu)
• ALT+O (Display the Favorites menu)

MMC Console Window Keyboard Shortcuts

• CTRL+P (Print the current page or active pane)
• ALT+Minus sign (-) (Display the window menu for the active console window)
• SHIFT+F10 (Display the Action shortcut menu for the selected item)
• F1 key (Open the Help topic, if any, for the selected item)
• F5 key (Update the content of all console windows)
• CTRL+F10 (Maximize the active console window)
• CTRL+F5 (Restore the active console window)
• ALT+ENTER (Display the Properties dialog box, if any, for the selected item)
• F2 key (Rename the selected item)
• CTRL+F4 (Close the active console window. When a console has only one console window, this shortcut closes the console)

Remote Desktop Connection Navigation

• CTRL+ALT+END (Open the m*cro$oft Windows NT Security dialog box)
• ALT+PAGE UP (Switch between programs from left to right)
• ALT+PAGE DOWN (Switch between programs from right to left)
• ALT+INSERT (Cycle through the programs in most recently used order)
• ALT+HOME (Display the Start menu)
• CTRL+ALT+BREAK (Switch the client computer between a window and a full screen)
• ALT+DELETE (Display the Windows menu)
• CTRL+ALT+Minus sign (-) (Place a snapshot of the active window in the client on the Terminal server clipboard and provide the same functionality as pressing PRINT SCREEN on a local computer.)
• CTRL+ALT+Plus sign (+) (Place a snapshot of the entire client window area on the Terminal server clipboard and provide the same functionality as pressing ALT+PRINT SCREEN on a local computer.)

Internet Explorer navigation

• CTRL+B (Open the Organize Favorites dialog box)
• CTRL+E (Open the Search bar)
• CTRL+F (Start the Find utility)
• CTRL+H (Open the History bar)
• CTRL+I (Open the Favorites bar)
• CTRL+L (Open the Open dialog box)
• CTRL+N (Start another instance of the browser with the same Web address)
• CTRL+O (Open the Open dialog box, the same as CTRL+L)
  CTRL+P (Open the Print dialog box)
• CTRL+R (Update the current Web page)
• CTRL+W (Close the current window)

Keyboard shortcuts, once you know them by heart, can really cut down the amount of time you spend using certain commands. In fact, I use many keyboard commands on my Linux box and my Windows machine frequently and note that I spend quite a bit less time using the mouse. Try it out and see what you think.

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For everyone who is interested in discovering alternative solutions to proprietary software (e.g. if you want to find some good open-source and free software), I found this great post that made the front page of digg. For added convenience, I have recreated the list (in no particular order):

• Firefox
• Thunderbird
• Mozilla Sunbird
• Abiword
• OpenOffice
• Gaim
• BitTorrent
• GIMPShop
• Gnucleus
• VLC Media Player
• Juice
• Audacity
• RSSOwl
• FileZilla
• Keynote
• MusikCube
• Handbrake
• X-Chat 2
• KeePass
• TrueCrypt
• PDFCreator
• Freemind
• NASA Worldwin
• Notepad2
• HealthMonitor
• Workrave
• GanttPV
• GnuCash
• True Combat: Elite

I realize that might be a long list for some people, but here’s a short list of what I consider essential software for any user:

• Firefox
• Thunderbird
• OpenOffice
• Gaim

I consider Firefox a literal life saver for me. I cannot stand using Internet Explorer and I truly enjoy the flexibility afforded to me by Firefox. I consider Firefox so essential that I even have a portable version of Firefox installed on my USB flash drive so that I’m never without it on any computer.

Both Thunderbird and Gaim are perfect for users demanding high quality software without paying excessive fees for them. Thunderbird is a great alternative to Microsoft Outlook. I still consider Outlook a great Email application, but I can’t help but still be upset with its abhorrent pricing. I guess much of my discontent with software pricing stems from the fact that I am still a college student. And for AIM/MSN users, the respective clients for those popular chatting protocols are completely bloated, filled with advertising, and install a bunch of shortcuts and links to additional websites that most people don’t really care about.

And finally, Since I migrated to Ubuntu/Kubuntu in August, I have been an avid user of OpenOffice. To be honest, OpenOffice still requires much work before it can become a strong alternative to Microsoft Office. I still think that Microsoft Office is a very powerful suite and it can certainly do much more than OpenOffice can right now. However, for the average user, I think OpenOffice can easily suffice.

From my own experience, I think the list of 30 great OSS alternatives is fabulous and worthy of a look by all computer users. I think most proprietary software is filled with junk software and use excessive amounts of memory. I realize that many companies want to offer the most features and have an edge on their competition, but OSS is the perfect blend of what a user really wants and needs and competitive offerings. So go ahead and let your computer experience the freedom and value of open source software.

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