CloudBacon

Check your pockets, find that wallet, pull it out and open it up.  Is there a card in there that says that you use Gmail?  If there isn't make sure to put everything down and proceed to fall asleep because you sir (mam?) are behind the times.  Gmail and Google apps are some of the best email clients on the market right now.  Google even offers a sweet solution to that disgusting Microsoft Exchange you have chugging in the back room.  That means you can have Google sync contacts, calendar and mail between any of your precious devices.  This post is aimed at people who actually use Google Apps / Gmail (sorry noobs, you can still stick around though) because we are going to talk about how to control Gmail specifically like a Vi / Vim pro.  Without further ado, here are some exceptionally important shortcuts for controling Gmail strait from the keyboard:

First, look at the picture provided and navigate to settings in Google Mail and make sure the radial button for keyboard shortcuts is initiated.  No need to reboot for things to work all you nervous Microsoft fans.

c (shift + c for a new window) - Opens up the compose window...you know, to write emails.
j or k - cycles through conversations.  Very reminiscent of Vi.
u - Brings you back to the "Inbox" view.
s - Stars a message (who uses this function anyway?)
r (shift + r for a new window) - reply to a message.
esc - removes your cursor from the field of view (a reset of sorts).  Another heavily Vi inspired keystroke.
y - archive message.

If you want something more permenant...like to decorate your cubicle with, here is a Google mail cheat sheet.  Peace!

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Gina Trapani happens to be one of those rare coding gems that finds themselves on the forefront of everything "Google cool" (or Gool for short).  She also has a splendid blog called Smarterware where she shares her wealth of knowledge with the rest of the known world.  Gina recently released a book tailored to the small amount of folks who seem ______(insert word here: scared, befuddled, lost, anxious, "wetting themselves") over the whole Google Wave thing. 

The book is called The Complete Guide to Google Wave and should be a staple for anyone who has been lucky enough to get an invite.  The kicker is the website is built on Media Wiki which is what Wikipedia is built on allowing you to help Gina and Adam on sections that you feel passionate about.  Go, read, collaborate and be merry.

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Twitter seems to be the epitome of the social media web at the very moment.  And why not?  It has been on Oprah, CNN, and a bunch of other mildly shitty television shows (and channels) that morons seem to be attracted to.  The issue bubbles to fruition when those same people think they need to jump on the service and randomly friend a bunch of people and contribute nothing to the service.  Hot damn, this is post is negative; lets see what I can do to turn it around. 

When someone follows me I get a convenient email telling me who you are.  I love this because I truly want to meet and get to know everyone who is interested about everything I have to say.  Many folks do not use this feature because they would have a tremendous amount of followers and that is OK, but 90 percent of us do not fall into this category.  Without further ado, here are some good ways to ensure that someone will follow you back.

1. Tweet and follow at the same time.  Do not let me see that you have followed 800 people and have 0 tweets.  Build from the ground up and find followers along the way.

2. Give yourself a profile picture.  Show people you care and post a profile picture of anything (it doesn't need to be yourself exactly)

3. If I click on your name and see that you have NO retweets for the entire page, you are out, immediately.  Give back to the community; this is one of the main points of twitter so stop telling us about your herpes and start pimping others great stuff.

4. Link to things; either photos or links to stuff you think is interesting.  This goes hand and hand with the item in 4th place.  Be smart and give back, refrain from being a shouting troll.

5.  Fill out your profile bio and a web page where we can find you at.  Maybe we want to see the rest of your work or perhaps sell you as a professional in your industry.  Fun stuff in your bio is cool, just have it filled out.

If you can handle doing this then I guarentee that you will be followed back by 75 percent of the people you follow.  The numbers are on your side so have fun and love on twitter and its peeps.

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Apparently people in Ohio have a slight issue with aim and a tremendous obsession with handguns; who would have thought that?.  This video shows the rest of the world how incompetent we are as well as teaching you that the safest place to stand in a gunfight is right in the middle of someone's vision because you have a 1/20 (possibly more) chance of being shot.  I may not be the best guy to talk analytics, but those odds are pretty sweet!

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