The New York Times > Technology > Circuits > Basics: Fine-Tuning Your Filter for Online Information

If you find yourself constantly checking in with a number of news sites on the web often, you should explore learning how to use RSS feeds, which gather all of your news into one program so that you can read it in one place.

Norad Tracks Santa 2006

Happy Holidays to all!

Google Passes Yahoo in Tally of Visitors - New York Times
Google, the search engine company, displaced Yahoo as the world's second-most-visited Web site in November and closed in on the leader, Microsoft, a market researcher said yesterday.

MacBreak: Minimize distractions on your Mac | 43 Folders

Two mac posts, two days in a row!  Productivity guru Merlin Mann and tech personality Leo Laporte team up to explain some ways to cut down on some of the visual clutter that can impede productivity on the Mac.  I'm not much one for fancy graphical bells and whistles- I find that they get in the way of getting stuff done because of the visual overload.  If you feel the same way, this article is for you.  If you have never thought about it before, this article is still for you!  Chances are you could be looking for ways to make your time in front of the evil machine that much more efficient.

Quick Mac Tip: Minimize all windows belonging to an app - Lifehacker
Macworld has posted a handy, simple tip for minimizing every open window from one application in one swift click of the mouse: just hold your Option key when clicking the minimize button on one of the windows.

The Simple Dollar - 25 Rules to Grow Rich By #25: Warranties

I often preach to my clients about the evils of warranties on consumer electronics.  Although it is true that there is always a chance that an expensive computer, television, etc. may break and set you back a fair amount of money, I contend that in the long run, you will pay more money in warranties than you will to replace the items you've been insuring.

Personally, I save insurance (warranties are essentially a type of insurance) for cases where I need to protect against financial disaster- disasters that would be life-damaging.  Follow the link above to one of my favorite financial blogs, The Simple Dollar, for more insight on the subject.

Engadget's Holiday Gift Guide: for mom - Engadget

It's crunch time, only a week left until Christmas Day.  If you're still wondering what to get Mom, you might consider something from Engadget's Holiday Gift Guide for Moms.

Get the inside scoop with VirtualTourist - Lifehacker
Planning a vacation anytime soon? Get seasoned travel perspectives from VirtualTourist.com, an online travel community that shares travel tips, stories, reviews, and much more.

SimpleSeating.com

Simple Seating is a website that will help you plan seating for events such as Weddings, etc.  Seems like a real time-saver if you're given the unfortunate duty of having to figure out where to put Aunt Esther.

Vista Wins on Looks. As for Lacks … - New York Times

Okay, I know, I should rename this blog to the "Help With a Smile Windows Vista for Non-Geeks Blog".  But, hey, this is important stuff, everybody.  As David Pogue, one of the most respected technology columnists in the industry, points out, sooner or later, all of us PC users are going to be running Windows Vista whether we like it or not.  I couldn't agree more, and he gives an excellent summary of the good, the bad, and the ugly in Microsoft's upcoming operating system.