Help Tip of the Day

Thanks Benny, but I'm not sure if that's the kind of help I need.

Personal Space Tip of the Day

You're standing in line. The person behind you feels that if there is more than half an inch between you that the place in line will get stolen. This perfect stranger is standing so close to you that you can tell that he's a smoker, likes onions, and doesn't believe in deodorant. Your personal space bubble is about to pop. You glance behind you to make sure that it's not an inanimate object that doesn't know better. Nope, it's a real person who apparently was never taught to give people a little breathing room. Here's what you do to make him back off.

• Continually look back with the evil eye. Maybe he'll pick up the hint.
  
• Start rocking back and forth. You might "accidentally" bump him, causing him to take a step back.
• Use your purse or luggage to create a natural barrier. Swinging these are helpful.
  
• Start telling a story using gestures, the more erratic the movement, the better. Think large arm movements.
  
• If all else fails, start acting a bit crazy - talk to yourself, starting dancing in place, make a random scream every now and then.
  

Mozy Tip of the Weekend

You should backup your computer files. "I know I know." It is very important that you back up for your files. "I'll get around to it." There are only two kind of computer users out there, those who have had a major hard drive failure and those who will. "Isn't there a third kind?"

For a simple and free way to keep your files backed up try Mozy, they have a Mac and Windows version. The files get backed up to their server so you don't have to worry about buying an extra hard drive or anything. Plus you get up to 2GB free! Use this link to get another 12% on top of that!

Now you don't have anymore excuses!

Popular Tip of the Day

Give off the aura that you have lots of friends, or lots and lots of friends. Schedule fake phone calls to yourself with the popularity dialer. It could also be helpful if you are just dying to use up your unlimited night and weekend minutes.

Google Tip of the Day

Refuse to pay $1.79 to call 411? Google has a great little solution for you. Call 1-800-GOOG-411 and they'll give you the 411 on whatever business you're looking for info on. If you are trying to get to that business just say "map it" and you'll get a Text Message with the Map. Now instead of being screwed by your cell phone company for $1.79, you'll just get screwed by 25¢.

Font Tip of the Day

Getting bored with your font collection, but don't have loads of cash to drop on fonts? Look no further. A web developer has compiled a list of the Top 25 Free Fonts. These ain't no illegal fonts, neither. These are 2Legit2Quit. (Hey, hey!) Some are great, and very reminiscent of Veer fonts. As you poke around this post, also be sure to check out other fonts (free and for-pay) from these generous foundries.

Automated Phone System Tip of the Day

Who calls a customer support number because they expect to get help from an automated answer? (pause) Yeah, I didn't think so. Well skip past all that "please listen to all options before making your selection" jibberish with the gethuman 500 database or if you don't even want to bother with that, just use Bringo and they'll connect you straight up.

RSS Followup of the Weekend

A few months ago we gave you an overview of RSS Feeds and how to use them. The problem is that you may not want to leave yet another program open and running all the time, it's just one more thing to check. How about email? Everyone who is even remotely interested in RSS Feeds already uses email. Check out RssFwd a little free service that will email you the contents of an RSS Feed every time it is updated! Just head to the site and type in our address: http://tips.petervcook.com and then it will ask for your email address.

Another little self promotional update. Amanda's Quotebook has been completely reprogrammed and it now 200% cooler than before. You can sort by quoter, the archive is all pretty and we've added an RSS Feed. So pair that with the above tip, and you could have an email delivered every time someone posts a new quote.

Google via TXT Tip of the Day

Google has a SMS (text message) search service that lets you get weather, directions, scores, stocks, phone listings, etc by sending a text message. The service is free but standard text messaging fees from your mobile carrier apply. To get a list of sample queries check out Google's SMS page, or in the true spirit of this tip, message 'tips' to 46645 to receive a list of sample queries.

-Bill

Scuba List of the Day IV

It is very important to have a good buddy when you are scuba diving!!! What do good buddies look like? First, they remember the numerous acronyms like BWRAF and SORTD. Second, they can read and understand the complicated dive tables. Third, they remember the hand signals. Fourth, they don't try to pull off your mask or fins and protect you from those who will try such shenanigans. Fifth, they have a good understand of personal space. This keeps them from invading your space and from destroying marine life.

Scuba List of the Day III

It's important in scuba to know a little sign language, obviously, because you can't talk. And they do make underwater tablets that work in water, but if you're with Amanda, she's probably filling it up with quotes for her quote board! So, you should probably learn the following things to sign prior to scuba diving:

• I'm out of air
• I really, really have to pee.
• Can I pee in my wet suit?
• Is there a bathroom underwater?
• Some jacker just took off my face mask; I can't see; and I just realized I'll have no way of watching you respond
• A shark just ate my fin
• The fact that the shark just ate my fin is actually the least of my/our worries.
• Do I look fat in my non-black wetsuit?

Also important to note: in scuba diving, the "thumbs up" signal does NOT mean "cool!" "awesome!" or even "all's well!" It actually means "ABORT THE DIVE AND SWIM AS FAST AS YOU CAN TO THE SURFACE!" So, be careful not to get too excited underwater.

Phone Tip of the Day

Not that we actually recommend Cingular/AT&T but if you go to an actual Cingular/AT&T owned stores (not to be confused with Cingular Authorized Resellers) they are quite helpful, and will gladly give you new equipment should it be acting up. Just remember all Cingular phones have a 1 year warranty on them, so just remember to get any problems fixed early enough.

Text Message Tip of the Day

If you have a horrible cell phone that only lets you store 125 messages into memory keep on top of it or you may start to receive texts from people 3 days later from when they were sent.

Purchasing Tip of the Day

Wew, it's Friday again…finally. The weekend is ahead and there are things to do. Maybe you want to go out to eat this weekend, do some home improvement or sign up for phone service. But where should you go, who should you choose? That is the hard part, and that is the newest area Tip O Da Day wants to be helpful. Today we are super proud to introduce the second new spin off site just this week. Pete & Jay proudly present:

Tip O Da Day Recommends…

It's a place where the Tip O Da Day staff reviews and imparts their findings using our patent pending "Recommended" or "Decommended" scale. This makes it easy to spot which businesses and products worthy of your business and which are worthy of collecting dust.

(Ok, so its a shameless plug disguised as a tip, we know, and we're find with that. How else are we going to announce it?)

iChat Tip of the Day

This little tip is for the few out there who are Mac users (not just eater) and are also using iChat. As you might have noticed, some of your other iChat using friends having cool things come up under their name in the buddy list. You've got iTunes cranking all day, and you know you have the best selection of music ever. Of course you want to tell the world this. Well you can show what song your listening to that second right under you name. The most popular program to accomplish this and other nifty tricks is called iChatStatus. As a double bonus, extra geeky tip: once you get that downloaded and installed if you don't want it announcing that you currently have iTunes "Paused" here's an add on script you can install