thekruser.com

Foursquare Badge Update 2

thekruser — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 19:02:54 +0000

Here are some updates to my last post from earlier today. Head over to http://thekruser.com/foursquare-badges to see the full list!

Special thanks goes out to tonyfelice for the info!

The Badge	The Name	What to do to get it
	BFF	Check in 10 times with the same person. NOTE: This badge was never activated.
	Player Please	Check in to a place that has three members of the opposite sex currently checked in. NOTE: This badge has been deactivated since the logic for the Swarm badge has overridden it. Look at you, checking-in with 3 members of the opposite sex! Player, please!”
	Far Far Away	This badge was erroneously listed in the City Specific section and has been removed. It was only active for SXSW 2009.
	Entourage	Check in with 10 of your friends at the same time during SXSW 2009. Previously listed erroneously in the General section. Look at you, checking-in with 10 of your friends in tow! You so popular!
	Ziggy’s Wagon*	For checking in to 3 different locations tagged ‘food truck’. This badge had previously been listed in the New York section, but is not city specific. Waffles and tacos and dumplings and BBQ and… looks like you’ve found 3 of your city’s legendary food trucks. Enjoy!

Foursquare Badge Update 2 is a post from: thekruser.com

Foursquare Badge Update

thekruser — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 17:23:45 +0000

Here are some more badges. Head over to http://thekruser.com/foursquare-badges to see the full list!

Updates

The Badge	The Name	What to do to get it
	Babysitter	10 check ins to venues tagged “playground”. Thanks for the update info, ejly! Forget those “Bender” and “Crunked” badges – you’ve conquered the playground circuit! (10 checkins!)
	Player Please*	Check in to a place that has three members of the opposite sex currently checked in. NOTE: I have been told by more than one person that this badge is no longer being given out. Can anyone confirm? Have the criteria changed? Look at you, checking-in with 3 members of the opposite sex! Player, please!

The Badge

The Name

What to do to get it

Babysitter

10 check ins to venues tagged “playground”. Thanks for the update info, ejly!

Forget those “Bender” and “Crunked” badges – you’ve conquered the playground circuit! (10 checkins!)

Player Please*

Check in to a place that has three members of the opposite sex currently checked in.
NOTE: I have been told by more than one person that this badge is no longer being given out. Can anyone confirm? Have the criteria changed?

Look at you, checking-in with 3 members of the opposite sex! Player, please!

New

The Badge	The Name	What to do to get it
	Foodie	For checking in to 5 different venues rated by Zagat. Thanks for the info, ejly! You eat the best from hot dogs to haute cuisine. That’s 5 checkins at Zagat Rated spots!
	Top Chef*	A Bravo badge. No idea how to earn it. Thanks for the info, ejly! You wear the term “foodie” as a badge of honor, and now have BRAVO’s Top Chef Badge to prove it.
	Fashion Victim*	For checking in at Marc Jacobs. Not sure how many times or if it is city specific. Wow! You crossed the line! Your passion for fashion knows no boundaries! Thanks for stopping in and have some fun! – Love, Marc
	Bravo Newbie	For your first check in at a Bravo rated location. Congratulations! You’ve taken your first step into the BRAVO world. (It’s not as scary as it sounds!)
	Ziggy’s Wagon*	New York specific. For checking in to 3 different food locations (not sure which ones). Waffles and tacos and dumplings and BBQ and… looks like you’ve found 3 of your city’s legendary food trucks. Enjoy!
	Transit Champion*	Vancouver specific. For checking in on the TransLink, but not sure how many times. Holy moly transit champ, You sure know how to get around Metro Vancouver! Thanks for going green and riding with TransLink!
	NY Times Olympian*	For checking in to 2 different locations listed by the The New York Times. Thanks for the info, ejly! You’ve just checked into a venue recommended by The New York Times during the 2010 Vancouver Olympics. Go for the gold!
	Shorty*	For checking in to the Shorty Awards. Welcome to the Shorty Awards!! Extra credit if you noticed this special edition “you unlocked a badge!” text is exactly 140 characters long.
	Far Far Away*	Austin (and maybe SXSW) specific. For checking in outside of Austin? No idea. Well done escaping downtown Austin – though $5 bucks says you’re at Salt Lick
	Yard Bird	Follow Harvard on foursquare and check in to 6 different locations listed here. Congrats on mastering Harvard Yard on Foursquare! You’re looking (and acting) smarter all the time.

Foursquare Badge Update is a post from: thekruser.com

Foursquare Badge Announcement

thekruser — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 03:25:10 +0000

Due to popular demand, I have created a foursquare badge page. It will be updated as often as I can find time. Like today. Below you will find the additions I made from the original posted list. I hope you enjoy.

A special thanks goes out to @mikerlawson and @jjwink for making a few of these possible! You guys are awesome!!

For the full list, head on over to http://thekruser.com/foursquare-badges/!

The Badge	The Name	What to do to get it
	The Chicago Blues	Follow Explore Chicago on foursquare, and check in at 5 of the locations listed here.
	Celery Salt	Follow Explore Chicago on foursquare, and check in at 5 of the locations listed here.
	On location	Follow Explore Chicago on foursquare, and check in at 5 of the locations listed here.
	Gym Rat	Check in to a venue tagged “gym” 10 times in 30 days.
	Far Far Away	Check in above 59th Street. (New York City, New York)
	Gossip Girl*	Not sure how to earn it. It might be New York specific.
	Redford	For checking in to a movie during SXSW 2009.
	Slut	For checking in to 3 different hotels during SXSW 2009.
	Socialite*	Not sure how this one is earned. Possibly San Francisco specific.
	Animal House*	Not sure how to earn it. It might be New York specific.

Foursquare Badge Announcement is a post from: thekruser.com

Get Noticed in Your Field: Make Them Know Your Name

thekruser — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 00:39:09 +0000

I want people to know who I am. Plain and simple.

I am not looking for fame, actually quite the opposite. I have no want for that type of life. I am not looking for money (although, I would not turn it down). I do not want a “following” or anything comparable. I am not looking for glory. I simply want people to say “Hey, I know that guy” when someone mentions either me, something I have done, or a topic I am related to. I think that is what most people want. To be known/remembered. What is the solution?

Networking.

To me, networking is not only the art of getting your message to others, but also the craft of creating the urge in others to listen to you when you speak — to want to hear what you have to say. To accomplish that, you need to either be respected or, at a minimum, have the ability to develop a sense of respect in those to whom you speak. You have to want to learn about people and what makes them act the way they do. You have to have ambition. You have to have drive. You have to have the will to learn.

People often ask me, “Why would you subject yourself to a meeting/conference/event if you didn’t have to?” My answer: what better place/venue is there to begin to accomplish both networking and information-bank building? Knowledge-sharing is what the human brain is designed to do.

Think about it. Everything you know, everything you do, everything you say — it is all either conditioned response or learned behavior. We take in information produced/relayed/transferred from those who are (which ever applies at the moment: more intelligent, more knowledgeable, more skilled, more whatever), process it, and store it for future use. Getting your name out there is no different. The same tactics and techniques can be employed. You have to condition the minds of others to associate your name with ambition, drive, and determination.

Admittedly, I am no expert. I have no degree in human interaction. If you are reading this, I am just like you. I have ambition, drive, and a die-hard will to succeed. Noticing a pattern here?

Below you will find nothing more than my advise. I offer no guarantees or surety.

Get involved. Interact. While no one enjoys listening to keynote speakers drone on and on — repeating the same old clichés, false motivational symbolisms, taglines, buzzwords, and industry jargon — these speakers are there for a reason. They are successful. If they were not, would you be listening to them? Being in the presence of those speakers increases your chances of interacting with them exponentially. You have to get involved in what you have decided to insert yourself into. While at a conference, if the speaker opens the floor for questions and you have one, ask it, but only if it is a viable question. Asking a question for the sole purpose of forcing your voice into the ears of the speaker will destroy you. Questions should be thought-provoking and well thought out. For example, instead of asking “What is your stance on (topic A)?”, consider rephrasing your question to provoke thought and lead to interaction. Something like, “How do you feel your stance on (topic A) will influence (topic B)?” will elicit a response that will answer your original question and likely lead to an explanation that will result in another question — interaction instead of just Q&A. Interaction is key in developing rapport.
Develop rapport. Rapport is like money, the less you have, the more important it becomes. How you interact with others plays a major role in how influential you are. You have to know how to agree when you don’t. I am not telling you to go against what you believe. You must find an agreeable way to present your side of the argument. No rapport will be built by saying, “You are wrong.” Influencing another person’s opinion with well thought out questions and responses builds a name for yourself. Remember, the more information you put out, the more you will receive in return.
Insert yourself in conversation. Inserting yourself into a conversation is more than just forcing your way in and speaking. Talking simply to have your voice heard might get you remembered, but not in a positive light. You want people to recount the conversation to others by saying, “That guy made some good points,” not “I can’t believe what that idiot said!” You should only inject an opinion if you know what you are talking about. Pay attention to what the people in the conversation say and develop an opinion. Agreeing with them for the sake of making them feel better about what they have said is not the answer. There is a point where compliments and conversation starting become ass-kissing and a display of desperation. The difference? Confidence and delivery. Remember, being active in a conversation is listening and responding, not just waiting for your turn to speak.
Be confident. I said confident, not pompous. Your opinion is not always right. Who becomes the leader of a conversation often comes down to who is most confident, not necessarily who is correct. Confidence is nothing more than believing in what you are saying. I mean actually believing. Not just telling others you believe it. There will be many situations where you are (often unknowingly) speaking to someone who has spent a long time honing their ability to read body language. When engaged in conversation with someone like this, if you are not truly confident in what you are saying they will rip you apart.
Study body language. There are hundreds, probably thousands of books dedicated to the subject. Read one. It has been said that over 90% of a conversation is nonverbal. Just because your mouth says something, it doesn’t mean your body is communicating the same stance. Body language is instinct and next to impossible to fake completely. Without turning this article into a body language class, let’s just look at a couple of examples.
- Hand shaking. When presenting your hand, you are nonverbally establishing your dominance. Someone who has studied body language will pick up on this. A hand presented palm down is a sign of authoritativeness or domination. A hand presented in a more palm up position can be a signal of openness and submission. Someone who begins the presentation of the hand with their elbow bent almost fully (hand closest to the bicep) then quickly thrusts their hand forward into your personal space is often attempting to determine a superior position, while a person who slowly raises their hand and keeps it close to their body is presenting a more inferior position.
  - When presenting your hand, it should be as close to a 90° angle in relation to the ground as possible. Your hand should be presented half way between you and the person you are greeting so as not to invade their space and not invite them into yours. This is as close to a neutral presentation as you are ever going to get.
- Arm placement. As someone is speaking, look at their arm placement. Arms crossed at the chest indicates anger or defensiveness. Hands clasped and placed at the sternum presents a feeling of uncertainty or uneasiness. A person whose hands are consistently on their hips is portraying an air of readiness or aggression. Someone who is standing with their hands clasped behind their back is projecting frustration or superiority.
  - When speaking, try to keep your arms moving smoothly and somewhat slowly. This is hard to explain, but think of it this way, you don’t want to appear like you are stuck in slow motion, but you don’t want to seem like you are having a seizure either. This not only adds animation, but avoids sending the wrong impression caused by inadvertent placement.
- Stance. When standing, a person whose legs are wider than shoulder width apart are portraying a position of dominance. It is a subconscious act to make the body appear bigger than it is and encourage fear. Someone who stands with one foot forward is conveying a feeling of defensiveness. It is the subconscious act of readying for a frontal attack. Think of a fighter’s stance. One foot is always forward in preparation of either defending or attacking.
  - Try to stand with your legs placed about shoulder width apart with neither foot being more forward than the other. This is a normal, relaxed pose and relays a feeling of confidence and easiness to the person/people you are addressing.
While simple, these nuances are perceived by the people you are interacting with, either consciously or subconsciously. Establishing a dominant or submissive stance will effect how your message is portrayed. You must always keep this in mind.
Be open. Many people will never succeed simply because they are unwilling to open their mind to another’s way of thinking. You must remember, no one knows it all. Inability to admit that will only lead to failure. As a human race, we are always striving to outdo one another. While competition is healthy, it is not always beneficial when trying to get your start. Save the bull-headedness for when you can afford to irritate people, meaning when others are trying to their names into your head and not the other way around.
Never be afraid to make an enemy. While I am sure there are many people who will disagree with this one, I find it to be an integral part in establishing yourself. This should be done sparingly, for obvious reasons, but if a person has nothing other than negativity to offer, there is no sense in befriending them. Too often, we are judged by the company we keep — the people who will drag you down simply by being associated with them. At times, establishing what type of person you are is only possible by establishing what kind of person you are not. Besides, without enemies, how does one gauge the worth of a friend? Remember, however, there is a huge difference between making an enemy and stabbing someone in the back. Getting to the top of the ladder via back stabbing will never result in good things.
Challenge yourself. If you do not strive to make yourself better, you will never will be. Force yourself to continually learn and never become complacent. We have all heard the adage, “Complacency kills.” It does. Maybe not your body, but your career. If you are not continually challenging yourself, you will remain just where you are; no matter what your position/title, some new up-and-comer will fly right past you.
Never doubt yourself. If you know you are right, do not back down. While this may not always go as you plan, it will gain respect — although you may never be told. There will be times where you are the expert. At times like these, establish yourself as such. The fact that someone holds a higher rank or superior job title does not make them right. Be that as it may, there are times to argue and times to just “agree to disagree.”
It is impossible to argue with an idiot. Simply stated, there are some people who disagree for no other reason than to disagree. They offer no valid arguments and usually will not accept defeat even when proven wrong. This is the type of person who will do anything they can to antagonize you and bring you down to their level. I know it is much easier to say than do, but do not indulge these people. By doing so, you are only hurting yourself. Not in the way that it will change you or make you a lesser person, but by allowing yourself to lower your being to a substandard level. This type of person will never succeed and associating yourself with them, even if you are in the right, will only hurt the way others view you.
Be mindful of your image. I am not referring to the price tag of your clothes, but to the way you are viewed by others. Your appearance goes a long way. The old saying, “It is impossible to change a first impression” is accurate, for the most part. You might be able to overcome a minor slip-up when you first meet someone, but if you present as an untidy, unkempt, unclean individual, you are not going to get very far. Another portion to your image is how you carry yourself. Always walking with your shoulders hunched and your head lowered will convey an attitude of laziness or lackadaisicalness. Slouching in your chair during a meeting will do the same. Walk with a purpose. Keep your head held high, shoulders back. Remember what your mother said, sit up straight. You may not believe me, but it will make a difference.
Don’t be a kiss-ass. While always talking someone up and agreeing with what they say when they are obviously wrong may get you what you want for a little while, it will not last long and you will label yourself as such. There may be situations where schmoozing is the only option other than career suicide, but if it becomes constant you will wind up making more enemies than you can handle.
Never quit. I conclude this article with this one because it is the most important. There will be times when you will be overwhelmed with discouragement. These are the times that you must never quit. It is easy to push forward when things are going your way. The true character of a person is measured by how they react to adversity and failure. Allowing yourself to give up is not accomplishing anything. You will never get where you want to be by standing idly by as the world goes on without you. Take the situation at hand and make it work for you. If something does not go your way, take a moment to review it. I guarantee you will find something there to learn.

I hope you found this article helpful. If you have any additional advise, please share it. Disagree with my stance? Tell me so, but be open to criticism.

Get Noticed in Your Field: Make Them Know Your Name is a post from: thekruser.com

No related posts.

My Conference Wish List

thekruser — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 18:43:21 +0000

I am the type of person who always wants to be on the cutting edge — to be “in the know” the instant it is possible. From social networking to RSS readers, I have either tried it or am currently using it.

In my work, I travel from time to time. Unfortunately, I am not in a business that allows me to travel for the purposes of tech-conference attendance, where the announcements of the newest, latest, greatest gadgets and technologies are routinely made. All I can hope for is to be on business somewhere at the same time one of these conferences is in progress. Last year, I was lucky enough to be in San Diego during CTIA. I did not get to see much of it, as the business I was in town for did not leave me much time per day to attend, but it was enough to fuel my desire to learn. Through interactions with friends in the tech world, I have devised a list of conferences I would one day like to attend.

So, without further adieu, here is my Conference Wish List. One day, I will be able to say I have been to all of these at least once, though it might take a few years.

CTIA. A wireless symposium where all things wireless come together. From cell phones to credit card machines to text message marketing, you will find more than enough stuff to do to keep you busy!

The International CTIA WIRELESS® show represents a $1 trillion global marketplace that brings together wireless and converged communications, wireless broadband, applications, mobile web and data.

For 25 years, International CTIA WIRELESS® has been THE premier marketplace for all things wireless. Don’t miss 2010—guaranteed to be another crucial and groundbreaking event for the industry. Join us for the next era of Mobile Life!
CES. A consumer electronics show where the newest technologies are announced, shown, and discussed.

The International CES is produced by the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA), the preeminent trade association promoting growth in the consumer technology industry. CEA represents more than 2,000 corporate members involved in the design, development, manufacturing, distribution and integration of consumer electronics products. All profits from CES are reinvested into industry services, including technical training and education, industry promotion, engineering standards development, market research and legislative advocacy.
WES. Where to go to get all info BlackBerry.

WES 2010 isn’t just another symposium; it’s the premier BlackBerry® event. And this year, it’s all about collaboration – between BlackBerry, our best partners, loyal users and most passionate enthusiasts.

With an entirely new, forward-thinking agenda, we’ll explore and explain how this community is working together to increase the value of mobility in your business, by meeting your demands, exceeding your expectations, and making just about anything possible.

WES is the place to:

* Hear about the latest developments for the BlackBerry solution
* See demonstrations of the BlackBerry solution at work
* Meet BlackBerry experts who can answer questions and provide business or IT solutions
* Train on the BlackBerry platform
* Meet, greet and form new business relationships

System administrators, developers, IT professionals, executives, carriers, dealers, resellers, ISVs, system integrators, customers and other members of the wireless world will be there. Will you?
DevCon. A BlackBerry developer’s dream. New processes, techniques, and best practices for BlackBerry development.

The conference is a dedicated forum for the developer community to immerse itself in all aspect of creating consumer and business applications for the BlackBerry platform.
What you’ll take home:

* The inside scoop on developing for the BlackBerry platform and the very latest in software, hardware and tools from RIM and its partners
* Invaluable information directly from RIM experts who will personally share their expertise
* First-hand experiences from developers who have successfully created, integrated and managed wireless applications
* Best practices from industry leaders to shortcut development cycles and drive new applications to market
SXSW. A music, film, and tech conference that covers topics from every walk of life.

SXSW® Interactive features five days of compelling presentations from the brightest minds in emerging technology, scores of exciting networking events hosted by industry leaders and an unbeatable line up of special programs showcasing the best new websites, video games and startup ideas the community has to offer.
WordCamp. All things WordPress. The community comes together to improve, update, and expand WordPress — arguably the most predominant and best blogging and publishing software on the internet.

WordCamp is a conference that focuses on everything WordPress. WordCamps are informal, community-organized events that are put together by WordPress users like you. Everyone from casual users to core developers participate, share ideas, and get to know each other. WordCamps are open to WordPress.com and WordPress.org users alike.

Well, now you know what types of conferences I would like to attend one day. Are there any that I do not know about that are similar to the ones listed? If so, please leave a comment. Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed it.

My Conference Wish List is a post from: thekruser.com

Foursquare Etiquette: A Guide for the Misinformed

thekruser — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 21:08:50 +0000

Let me begin with this, if you have no idea what foursquare is, you need to start by reading this post, but basically, foursquare is a location-based social networking site/app. Emphasis on the social networking. There are four categories of people, as applied to foursquare:

those who use it and love it
those who used it and hate it
those who have never tried it
and those who have never tried it, yet still manage to hate it

Those who use it and love it understand it is a game. It is a way to add a little adventure to your life. It gives you a reason to go to that new place instead of the one you normally go to. To those of us who play the game, it is not that we just are rabid psychopaths who have to let everyone know where we are at every moment. We check in to learn more about those around us. If a foursquare-friend has been to a place you just checked in to and has left a tip, you have learned more not only of the venue, but also that person. It is interesting.

Those who used it and hate it, for the most part, are people who tried the app at the behest of a friend who uses it, but are not usually the adventurous type. They don’t want to know where others have been, nor do they care to go somewhere new based upon a “stupid app” on their phone. Yes, I have heard that one more than once! They are content with living their lives from within a 20-mile radius, thus defeating the purpose of playing in the first place.

Those who have never tried it do not know whether they will like it or not. They may not even know it exists. They are the ones reliant upon those of us who play the game to let them know about it — to spread the word. If you play the game and enjoy it, let someone else know about it!

Those who have never tried it, yet still manage to hate it most likely cannot stand foursquare because they are sick of the non-stop twitter timeline intrusions and facebook bombardments. Yes, in the beginning, I was guilty of being a proprietor of this sort of behavior myself. And believe me, I heard about it! When you check in with foursquare, it is displayed (depending on your settings that is) on twitter and facebook. When you begin to use the app, you check in everywhere and post everything. Every stop you make. All day…every day. In fact, there is a badge for that.

Here is the kicker, those who use it and love it are the ones that bring those who have never tried it, yet still manage to hate it into being. In an attempt to end this vicious circle of creation, here a few foursquare etiquette tips that everyone should adhere to.

Limit the types of places you post to twitter and facebook.

Probably the most important tip. You do realize that when you check in, you have the option to not put it on twitter, right?!? Yes, we are all happy that you got your oil changed and tires rotated then kept your Proctologist appointment, but twitter and facebook is not the place to tell everyone. Foursquare has its own timeline for a reason. Those who care about your current location will look it up there.

We all want the points and mayorships, but those who don’t play the game couldn’t care less! I assume that the number of twitter followers and facebook friends is important to you; after all, that is kind of the point isn’t it? Posting every single stop you make in a day is going to cost you followers/friends. I speak from experience! If foursquare is to survive, it is going to have to avoid a negative connotation. A connotation that we as users create by annoying people with it.

Strive to understand the purpose of foursquare.

The purpose of foursquare is to share venue information. If you go to a new restaurant and it is horrible, by all means leave a tip on foursquare so others don’t make the same mistake! If you know of something that is spectacular at your favorite eatery, post that as well! Foursquare is not meant for you to keep a log of every stop you make in a day. No one cares that you are at work. In fact, if your employer offers prizes/awards to the mayor, you are probably banned from checking in there anyway.

Stop trying to cheat

Adding a venue for every room in your house (and for some people, different locations within each room) is not only annoying, it is cheating. Though points accrued are not currently used for anything except bragging rights, one day they might be. Those who use the app for what it is for get irritated by the “Relaxing (@ my couch)” and “Time to get some rest (@ my bed)” and “Making dinner (@ the kitchen)” posts that we all know you are only doing to get the points and become the mayor for.

The problem is, right now there is no way of regulating what qualifies as a venue. I can only assume if the points were one day used for some type of prize that there would have to be some sort of regulation in place. I cannot even begin to imagine how difficult that would be to implement, but it will be a necessity in order to keep people from adding a new venue every 5 feet from the car to the office just to get points.

Limit your number of check ins per day.

They created the Overshare Badge for a reason. And yes, I have it.

If you are annoyed, let us know!

If you are the type of person who has never tried foursquare, yet still manage to hate it because you are annoyed with the twitter/facebook posts, how about letting the offender know instead of simply unfollowing/unfriending them? As with any new “toy” one acquires, there is a period of knowledge building. People who have just started using the app are excited about it and want to try it out. Have you thought about this: if you are annoyed because everyone you follow/friend post incessantly…there is probably a reason they do it! Instead of getting furious because everyone is clogging your timeline, how about giving it a try. If they are doing it and enjoying it, maybe you would enjoy it as well. You will never know until you try!

Likewise, if you get unfollowed/unfriended because you are being annoying, knock it off or don’t complain! You have to make a choice. If you are at Starbucks getting your iced, quad, venti, vanilla late like you do every day, you might not want to post that to twitter and facebook. If you are standing on top of the Empire State Building getting ready to base jump it, there might be a person on twitter/facebook that might want to know. Then again, you might not want to post that at all, as I am relatively certain that base jumping off the Empire State Building is illegal. Anyway, you get my point.

As I stated in the beginning of this post, when I began using foursquare, I was guilty of a few of the offenses listed above. I think the majority foursquare users have been. The point is, just because you think something is right, or not annoying, does not make it so and a little courtesy will go a long way.

Is there something that irritates you that you think should be listed? Have any comments or suggestions? We would love to hear from you. Leave a comment below.

Interested in foursquare? Read this post or head over to the foursquare website to download the app for your phone.

Foursquare Etiquette: A Guide for the Misinformed is a post from: thekruser.com

151 Things You Know You Wonder About

thekruser — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 04:19:07 +0000

Have you ever had a ridiculous thought? Something that just didn’t make sense? Chances are, you will find it here. Many of these you will have heard or seen before, but many will be new — unless you are like me and spend your time thinking about unimportant stuff like this!

If you find any duplicates, please leave a comment so I can correct it. I have looked at these for so long now, I can’t remember if I have seen any.

UPDATE: A duplicate was found, so I guess now it is 150 things you know you wonder about!

People

Do you need a silencer if you are going to shoot a mime?
How does the guy who drives the snowplow get to work in the mornings?
Why does your nose run and your feet smell?
Why do kamikaze pilots wear helmets?
Is it true that cannibals don’t eat clowns because they taste funny?
Do blind Eskimos heave seeing-eye sled dogs?
If its tourist season, why can’t we shoot them?
If a mute swears, does his mother make him wash his hands with soap?
If someone with multiple personalities threatens to kill himself, is it considered a hostage situation?
Isn’t it a bit unnerving that doctors call what they do “practice”?
When sign makers go on strike, is there anything written on their signs?
If you spin an Oriental person around and around, does he become disoriented?
How does a cemetery raise its burial cost and blame it on the cost of living?
Why did God give men nipples?
Why do people point to their wrist when they want to know the time? Do I point to my crotch when I want to know where the bathroom is?
If the cops arrest a mime, do they tell him he has the right to remain silent?
If one synchronized swimmer drowns, do the rest end up drowning as well?
If a man is standing in the middle of the forest speaking and there is no woman around to hear him, is he still wrong?
If you asked a librarian where the books on self-help were, would they tell you, or would that defeat the purpose?
Why is the man who invests all your money called a broker?
~~Why do kamikaze pilots wear helmets?~~ Sorry, same as number 4 above. Thanks, Markert!
Why don’t psychics predict the winning lottery numbers and retire?
If you spin an oriental man, does he become disoriented?
Can vegetarians eat animal crackers?
Is Santa so jolly because he knows where all the naughty girls live?
Do infants enjoy infancy as much as adults enjoy adultery?
How come the idiot is always in charge?
If you’re born again, do you have two bellybuttons?
Do illiterate people get the full effect of Alphabet Soup?
Why is it so fun to play with your toes?

Animals

If a cow laughed real hard, would milk come out her nose?
If you tied buttered toast to the back of a cat and dropped it from a height, what would happen?
Does ‘virgin wool’ come from sheep the shepherd hasn’t caught yet?
What do sheep count when they can’t get to sleep?
Why don’t sheep shrink when it rains?
Do radioactive cats have 18 half-lives?
If you throw a cat out a car window does it become kitty litter?
After eating, do amphibians have to wait one hour before getting out of the water?
If you put a chameleon in a mirrored box what color would it change to?
If a turtle loses its shell is it naked or homeless?
How do they get the deer to cross at that yellow road sign?
If dinosaurs once roamed the entire planet why aren’t there fossils in my yard?
Can fish be gay?

Words

Why isn’t phonetic spelled the way it sounds?
Why do fat chance and slim chance mean the same thing?
Why isn’t “palindrome” spelled the same way backwards as it is forwards?
Why is it so hard to remember how to spell ‘mnemonic’?
Why does “cleave” mean both split apart and stick together?
Why is it, whether you sit up or sit down, the result is the same?
Is there another word for thesaurus?
Is there another word for synonym?
Is the color orange called that because it’s the color of the fruit of the same name, or was the fruit called orange because that’s its color? Which came first, the color or the fruit?
How can there be self-help “groups”?
Why is a pear called a pear when there is only one?
Why are they called apartments when they are all stuck together?
Why is it called a “near miss” when you don’t hit something?
Why does the word monosyllabic contain five syllables?
Why is abbreviated such a long word?
If a vegetable goes into a coma, is it called a person?
Why is there an ’s’ in lisp?
If ATM stands for Automatic Teller Machine, why do we call it an ATM machine?
If PIN stands for Personal Identification Number, why do we call it a PIN number?
Why is the fear of long words hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia?
If ‘pro’ is the opposite to ‘con’, is Congress the opposite to progress?
Why do we call it a hamburger when it is made from beef?
Why there’s a pair of panties but just one bra?
How can someone be dirt poor, and another be filthy rich?
If firefighters fight fires, what do freedom fighters fight?
If sunflower oil is made of sunflowers, what is baby oil made of?
Why does a ship carry cargo, and a car carry shipments?
How is it possible to have a civil war?
If something was miss-spelled in a dictionary how would we know?
What is the definition of “is”?
Why are a wise man and a wise guy opposites?
Why do overlook and oversee mean opposite things?
If a book about failures doesn’t sell, is it a success?
If the Polish are called Poles why aren’t people from Holland called Holes?
Why is it when you get from here to there, you’re still here and not there?
If a pig loses its voice, is it disgruntled?
Why a goose and his wife are geese, but a moose and his wife aren’t meese?
Why does “shit” mean something bad, but “the shit” means something good?
If horrific is akin to horrible, why isn’t terrific akin to terrible?
If pissed off postmen are disgruntled, what are happy postmen? Gruntled?

Places

Why are there interstate highways in Hawaii?
Why are there flotation devices under plane seats instead of parachutes?
Why are cigarettes sold in gas stations when smoking is prohibited there?
If you can’t drink and drive, why do you need a driver’s license to buy liquor, and why do bars have parking lots?
If 7-11 is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, why are there locks on the doors?
Why do they put Braille dots on the keypad of the drive-up ATM?
Street sign: “To the Braille Institute”. Who’s it for?
Why do we drive on parkways and park on driveways?
Why call it a building if it’s already been built?
Do they have reserved parking for non-handicap people at the Special Olympics?
Wal-Mart is lowering prices daily, how come nothing in the store is free yet?
Why is Greenland white?
Why is a boxing ring square?
If air travel is so safe, why do they call it a “terminal”?
Should a crematorium give a discount for burn victims?

Abstract

Have you ever imagined a world with no hypothetical situations?
If nothing ever sticks to Teflon, how do they make Teflon stick to the pan?
If you’re in a vehicle going the speed of light, what happens when you turn on the headlights?
Why is it that when you transport something by car, it’s called a shipment, but when you transport something by ship, it’s called cargo?
If a black box in a plane is indestructible, why can’t they make the entire plane out of it?
Why is it that when you’re driving and looking for an address, you turn down the volume on the radio?
If someone invented instant water, what would they mix it with?
How do you know when it’s time to tune your bagpipes?
Does fuzzy logic tickle?
How come wrong numbers are never busy?
Why call it “take” a dump, when you leave something behind?
What was the best thing before sliced bread?
If there is no God, who pops up the next Kleenex in the box?
If you try to fail, and succeed, which have you done?
If you were scared half to death twice, would you be 3/4 dead or 100% dead?
If you ate pasta and antipasti, would you still be hungry?
What should you do if you see an endangered animal eating an endangered plant?
If ignorance is bliss, why aren’t more people happy?
If vegetarians eat vegetables, what do humanitarians eat?
If love is blind, why is lingerie so popular?
Is grass really greener on the other side?
Why do they sterilize the needles for lethal injections?
When someone says “You know what they say…” Who are they?
If you’re an atheist and swear on the bible, have you committed perjury?
Why does belly button lint not match your shirt color?
In the wintertime, why don’t entire clouds freeze and fall to the ground?
Do disabled toilets work as well as ordinary toilets?

Things

Why is it called a TV “set” when you only get one?
Why does an alarm clock “go off” when it begins ringing?
Why is there an expiry date on my sour cream container?
Does ‘extra virgin olive oil’ come from extra ugly olives?
If the front of your car says ‘DODGE’, do you really need a horn?
Why do we call it a hot water heater if the water is already hot?
If corn oil comes from corn, where does baby oil come from?
If white wine goes with fish, do white grapes go with sushi?
If Barbie is so popular, why do you have to buy her friends?
What do they pack Styrofoam in?
Why do you wear a pair of panties and only one bra?
Before the light bulb was invented, what appeared over peoples heads when they had an idea?
Instead of talking to your plants, if you yelled at them would they still grow, but only to be troubled and insecure?
If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn?
If the #2 pencil is the most popular, why is it still #2?
How can there be multiple Final Fantasies?
Where do all the missing socks go?
If a penny costs 2.3 cents to make, why is it still only worth a penny?
Why do croutons come in airtight packages? It’s just stale bread.
Before they invented drawing boards, what did they go back to?
Do Roman paramedics refer to IV’s as “4’s”?
Why are aliens always green?
What was the guy thinking when he decided on “kumquat?”
If Cheese is made of milk why is it yellow?
How does a thermos flask know whether to keep the drinks cold or warm?
How did they decide to eat whatever comes out of a chickens butt?

Got one you want to add? Let us know by leaving it in the comments. Thanks for stopping by!

151 Things You Know You Wonder About is a post from: thekruser.com

No related posts.

Only Great Minds Can Read This

thekruser — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 13:27:15 +0000

I have gotten this one a few times over. Albeit simple, this is an amazing display of what the human mind is capable of.

Cna yuo raed tihs? Olny 55 plepoe out of 100 can..

i cdnuolt blveiee taht I cluod aulaclty uesdnatnrd waht I was rdanieg. The phaonmneal pweor of the hmuan mnid, aoccdrnig to a rscheearch sduty at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it dseno’t mtaetr in waht oerdr the ltteres in a wrod are, the olny iproamtnt tihng is taht the frsit and lsat ltteer be in the rghit pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can sitll raed it whotuit a pboerlm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe. Azanmig huh? yaeh and I awlyas tghuhot slpeling was ipmorantt!

Only Great Minds Can Read This is a post from: thekruser.com

No related posts.

Foursquare Badges: A Not-So-Comprehensive List

thekruser — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 04:34:51 +0000

UPDATE!!

This post has been updated to a new page! Please make sure to update your bookmarks. The new page, and the most complete list, is at http://thekruser.com/foursquare-badges/.

I have been asked on more than one occasion about foursquare badges. What are they? How many are there? How does one acquire them? And so on, and so forth. Well, my friends, without further adieu, here is a list of what I know. Albeit incomplete, it is a list, nonetheless; there are several more to go. The more I learn, the more I will post. Until then, enjoy! Where you see a city in parenthesis, that is a city-specific badge.

The Badge	The Name	What to do to get it
	Adventurer	Check in to 10 different venues.
	Babysitter	Check in to venues tagged “playground”. Unknown number of check ins required.
	BART	Check in 10 times on the BART system. (San Francisco)
	Bender	Check in 4 nights in a row.
	BFF	Check in 10 times with the same person.
	Birthday	Send 5 birthday shout outs.
	Boat	Check in on a boat, I guess? No idea.
	Boxee	For taking the L train to Brooklyn to attend a software party. ‘Cause, why not?!? (New York City)
	Brooklyn for Life	Check in 25 or more times in Brooklyn. (Brooklyn…duh!)
	CES 2010	For checking in at the Los Vegas Convention Center during CES 2010. (Las Vegas…again, duh!)
	Crunked	Check in 4 or more times in a single night.
	Digg SxSW	Check in to the Digg party. (Austin)
	Douchebag	Awarded for checking in at places tagged with “douchebag”. Unsure as to the number of check ins required.
	Entourage	Check in with 10 people at the same time.
	Explorer	Check in to 25 different venues.
	Far Far Away	A local badge. Differs from city to city. (Various)
	Internet Week	For checking in during Internet Week. Again, no idea. (New York City)
	Jetsetter	Check in to 5 different airports.
	Jobs (old)	Check in to 3 Apple Stores.
	Jobs (new)	Same as above, but the icon has changed. Special thanks to TraumaHoundNDS for letting me know!
	Don’t Stop Believin’	Check in to 3 different venues tagged as “karaoke” in a month.
	Karaoke RV	Check in to the Karaoke RV. No idea what that is either. (Austin)
	Local	Check in 3 times at the same place in one week.
	Newbie	Awarded for your first check in.
	Overshare	Check in 10+ times in a 12 hour period.
	Panel Nerd	Check in 3 times at the Convention Center before noon. (Austin)
	Party Crasher	For checking in to the Brightkite Party. (Austin)
	Photogenic	Check in to 3 different venues tagged as having a photo booth.
	Pizzaiolo	Check in to 20 different Pizza Shops.
	Player Please	Check in to a place that has three members of the opposite sex currently checked in.
	Porky	Checking in at a BBQ place? (Austin)
	School Night	Check in after 3:00am on a school night.
	Super Mayor	Achieve 10 simultaneous Mayorships.
	Super Star	Check in to 50 different venues.
	Super User	Check in 30 times in a single month.
	Survival	You survived SxSW (whatever that is). (Austin)
	Swarm	Check in to a place where 50+ other foursquare users are currently checked in. ~~My question is, if you are number 49, do you get the badge when number 50 checks in?~~ Special thanks goes to @karianne for clearing this up. Apparently, you do get it if you are number 49! Thanks, @karianne for letting us know!
	Thriving Ivory	For checking in to the Thriving Ivory Fillmore Show. (San Francisco)
	Trifecta	Check in to 3 of the Big 6 Name Brand Parties: Frog, Digg, Facebook, Goog, 32-bit, and The Decider. (I have no idea what this means!)
	Warhol	Check in to 10 different venues tagged “gallery”.
	Zeotrope	Check in to 10 different movie theaters.

Have a correction or addition? Please comment and let us know! Thank you for visiting. Hope you enjoyed your stay. While you are here, check out some of the related posts!

UPDATE!!

This post has been updated to a new page! Please make sure to update your bookmarks. The new page, and the most complete list, is at http://thekruser.com/foursquare-badges/.

Foursquare Badges: A Not-So-Comprehensive List is a post from: thekruser.com

MS Access Error Message: “Could not use ‘Admin’: file already in use.”

thekruser — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 19:25:52 +0000

I am the database administrator for a secured, multi-user, networked Microsoft Access database. Explaining the issues I have encountered while in my current job as applied to database administration would take more space than my hosting plan will allow! My biggest hurdle is that I am a network admin for my sector, but do not have full access to the server…only my sector. Inherently, the issue then becomes when the server admins change security settings or network drive locations without letting me know. The most common issue with drive permission and security is not access to the backend, but instead modified permissions. The resulting error message is almost always “Could not use ‘Admin’: file already in use.”

This message is caused when network drive permissions are changed in bulk. Individual permissions are overwritten by the server admins forcing new security policies to the subordinate sectors. The solution is almost always to reverify individual user permissions for the folders in which your frontend and backend files reside. Users will need full access to these folders.

This problem will sometimes manifest itself in the ability to open the database, but not modify any data. For instance, User A can log in to the database and load any form or report. However, when editing a record the changes are either not allowed or not saved on exit.

There are several more ways this issue can manifest itself, but these are the main two. If you have a similar situation, or an alternate solution, please let us all know by leaving a comment! Thank you for visiting. I look forward to hearing form you.

MS Access Error Message: “Could not use ‘Admin’: file already in use.” is a post from: thekruser.com

Multiple Site Admin Permission Solution in WordPress MU…Kind Of