Scott Hendrickson's Bookmarks

Web standards - more than just 'table-free sites'

The term web standards can mean different things to different people. For some, it is 'table-free sites', for others it is 'using valid code'. However, web standards are much broader than that. A site built to web standards should adhere to standards (HTML, XHTML, XML, CSS, XSLT, DOM, MathML, SVG etc) and pursue best practices (valid code, accessible code, semantically correct code, user-friendly URLs etc).

In other words, a site built to web standards should ideally be lean, clean, CSS-based, accessible, usable and search engine friendly.

About the checklist

This is not an uber-checklist. There are probably many items that could be added. More importantly, it should not be seen as a list of items that must be addressed on every site that you develop. It is simply a guide that can be used:

• to show the breadth of web standards


• as a handy tool for developers during the production phase of websites


• as an aid for developers who are interested in moving towards web standards

# Stikkit Cheat Sheet

Boosted directly from the Stikkit Help window.

Your Guide to Never Feeling Tired Again

By Nancy Rones

22 ways to tackle life's biggest energy zappers.

Every day, 2.2 million Americans complain of being tired. Most of us chalk
it up to having too much to do and not enough time to do it in, especially
during extra-busy periods. But often the true culprits are our everyday habits:
what we eat, how we sleep, and how we cope emotionally. Read on for some
simple, recharging changes that can help you tackle all of the energy stealers
in your life.

Energize Your Diet

Why is it that filling up on pasta
or Chinese food for lunch leaves us snacky and sleepy an hour later? Or that
falling short on fluids makes us forgetful and foggy? Fact is, eating habits
play a powerful role in how well we function on every level. Below, six top
fatigue-fighting nutrition strategies to chew on.

• 
  Have breakfast... even if you don't feel hungry. You'll be a lot
  perkier: Studies show that people who eat breakfast feel better both mentally
  and physically than those who skip their morning meal. British researchers at
  Cardiff University even found that spooning up a bowl of breakfast cereal every
  morning is associated with lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol.


• 
  Eat every three to four hours. Having three smallish meals and two
  snacks throughout the day can keep your blood sugar and energy levels stable
  all day long, says Roberta Anding, R.D., a spokesperson for the American
  Dietetic Association (ADA). Note the word "smallish." Supersized meals
  demand more of your energy to digest, which can leave you feeling lethargic. At
  each mini-meal, get a mix of carbohydrates (which the body uses for energy),
  protein (which helps sustain energy if needed), and healthy fats like those
  found in fish, nuts, and olives -- these fats and protein contribute to meal
  satisfaction, so you don't go hunting for sweets an hour later and wind up with
  a short-lived sugar high and subsequent crash. A few meal ideas: a low-fat
  yogurt parfait with berries and a couple of tablespoons of whole-grain granola;
  salmon over mixed greens with whole-grain crackers; and beef tenderloin with a
  baked sweet potato and asparagus.


• 
  Fill up on more fiber. Fiber has a time-releasing effect on carbs,
  so they enter your bloodstream at a slow and steady pace, giving your energy
  staying power, says Anding. When choosing your mini-meals (see above), include
  fiber-filled options that add up to the daily recommended 25 to 30 grams of
  fiber (the average person gets only between 10 and 15 grams). Some suggestions:
  a bowl of raisin bran (5 grams of fiber per cup); black beans and cheese
  wrapped in a multigrain tortilla (beans have 7.5 grams per 1/2 cup; one
  tortilla has 5 grams); air-popped popcorn (3.6 grams per 3 cups); an apple with
  the skin (3.3 grams); and whole-wheat spaghetti (6.3 grams per cup).


• 
  Fuel your brain with omega-3s. Found in fatty fish (such as tuna and
  salmon), walnuts, and canola oil, these essential fatty acids play a role in
  keeping brain cells healthy and helping you feel mentally alert. Another
  potential bonus: Omega-3s encourage the body to store carbs as glycogen — the
  storage form of glucose (blood sugar) and the body's main source of stored fuel
  — rather than as fat.


• 
  Stay hydrated. Water makes up the majority of your blood and other
  body fluids, and even mild dehydration can cause blood to thicken, forcing the
  heart to pump harder to carry blood to your cells and organs and resulting in
  fatigue. Also, ample fluids keep energy-fueling nutrients flowing throughout
  the body, says Nancy Clark, R.D., author of Nancy Clark's Sports Nutrition
  Guidebook. To gauge your hydration, Clark recommends monitoring how often
  you urinate. You should be going every two to four hours, and your urine should
  be clear or pale yellow in color. Tip: Besides drinking more, you can also
  consume foods that naturally contain water, such as yogurt, broccoli, carrots,
  and juicy fruits, like watermelons, oranges, and grapefruits.


• 
  Watch caffeine intake after noon. Typically, consuming a moderate
  amount of caffeine — 200 to 300 mg,

Get a Restorative Rest

When you have a lot to do (um...always), usually the first thing to get
squeezed off your agenda is sleep. But miss out on shut-eye and your energy,
positivity, productivity, and memory are sure to suffer. And nearly a quarter
of American adults aren't getting enough rest, which has led to an epidemic of
daytime sleepiness, according to a poll by the National Sleep Foundation. The
key to bucking this trend is to brush up on sleep hygiene. Try these steps for
starters.

• 
  Cut back on TV and computer time after 8 p.m. If you're already a
  night owl (you go to bed late and sleep in on weekends), the bright light
  emitted from television and computer screens can make falling asleep at a
  decent hour even harder. The reason: Light suppresses the production of
  melatonin, a hormone secreted at sunset that tells the brain that it's
  nighttime, explains John Herman, Ph.D., director of the training program in
  sleep medicine at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School at
  Dallas. And when melatonin levels are low, your brain is fooled into thinking
  that it's still daytime — and remains raring to go. Whenever possible, wait
  until the next morning to tune in and/or log on. If you must use light-emitting
  technology at night, try to turn it off an hour or two before hitting the
  sack.


• 
  Hide your alarm clock. Watching the clock to see how long it's
  taking you to drift off or how much time you have left before your alarm goes
  off can result in a poor night's sleep, says Kelly A. Carden, M.D., medical
  director of the Sleep Health Center Affiliated with Hallmark Health at Medford
  in Medford, MA. This hypervigilance keeps the brain awake and alert and
  prevents you from slipping into deep, restorative sleep. The easy fix: Set your
  alarm clock, then either face the numbers away from you or put it on the floor,
  in a drawer, or across the room.


• 
  Give your pet his own separate sleeping space. At night, pets snore,
  jiggle their tags, move around a lot, and even hog the covers and bed space.
  It's no wonder that 53 percent of pet owners who sleep with their pets in the
  bedroom have some type of disrupted sleep every night, according to a study
  from the Mayo Clinic Sleep Disorders Center in Rochester, MN. Consider
  relocating your furry friend's sleeping quarters to another area, even if it's
  just his own bed in your bedroom.


• 
  Lower the thermostat. For a good night's sleep, make sure your room
  is comfortably cool — enough so that you need a light blanket. This ensures
  that your environment is in sync with your body's internal temperature, which
  naturally drops during the night, according to the National Sleep Foundation.
  Studies suggest the ideal sleeping temperature is between 54 and 75 degrees;
  anything cooler or warmer may cause you to wake up.


• 
  Skip the nightcap. Alcohol depresses the nervous system — the system
  of cells, tissues, nerves, and organs that controls the body's responses to
  internal and external stimuli. So while sipping a glass of wine before bed may
  help you nod off, the sedative effects wear off as your body metabolizes the
  alcohol, which may cause you to wake up in the middle of the night and have
  trouble falling back to sleep. Alcohol has also been shown to interfere with
  the body's natural 24-hour biorhythms, causing blood pressure to rise and heart
  rate to race at night when it's normally calm and relaxed. You don't have to
  give up that evening cocktail entirely to achieve sound sleep — just try to
  avoid alcohol within two to three hours of bedtime.


• 
  Get your exercise. While scientists don't yet understand why,
  aerobic exercise has been proved to help you fall asleep faster at bedtime,
  spend more hours in deep sleep, and wake up less often throughout the night,
  says Komaroff. At the same time, vigorous exercise can act like a stimulant
  (which is a great daytime energizer), so schedule your workouts in the morning
  or afternoon, when you need a boost the most.


• 
  Follow the 15-minute rule. If you can't fall asleep, or if you wake
  up and can't get back to sleep within about 15 minutes, get out of bed and do
  something relaxing that will help clear your head, such as reading, meditating,
  or knitting (but not watching TV or surfing the Web). Then, once you feel
  sleepy again, go back to bed. If you stay put and fret about being awake,
  you'll only make yourself more anxious — and less likely to catch the z's you
  need.


• 
  Write down your worries. During the day, jot down any stressors that
  are weighing on you, says Carden. Then, do some mental problem-solving before
  your head hits the pillow — or, if you're falling short on solutions, tuck your
  list away and resolve to brainstorm ideas during your morning shower or co

Energize Your Spirit

• We're all familiar with physical exhaustion, but mental strain — sadness,
  boredom, worry, anger, and general stress (the biggie) — can take an even
  heavier toll on vitality, completely wearing you out. Life happens, and these
  difficult emotions will, too. But if you react wisely, your brain and body will
  rebound — along with your vim and vigor.


• 
  Splash some water on your face or take a shower when you're feeling
  burned-out. Some 55 percent of study participants reported using these
  types of "water therapy" to successfully increase their energy,
  according to findings in the Journal of Personality and Social
  Psychology. Apparently, a little H ₂ O refresher can instantly
  help take the edge off when you're feeling overwhelmed.


• 
  Suit up in a "power" outfit to beat the blahs. Fight the
  tendency to throw on sweats when you're feeling sluggish. Although it may seem
  counterintuitive to slip into the skirt you save for special occasions, it
  helps to look in the mirror and see an energizing image — not a deflating one
  that confirms and reinforces your internal state, says Alice D. Domar, Ph.D.,
  founder and executive director of the Domar Center for Complementary Healthcare
  in Waltham, MA. Dressing for success will give you a big mental boost every
  time you catch sight of your reflection (or receive a compliment) throughout
  the day.


• 
  Vent your feelings. Keeping fear, anxiety, and stress pent up inside
  may seem like a grown-up way to deal with these emotions. But discussing
  negative feelings with another person can ease them far better than keeping
  them bottled up; by airing them, you reduce their ability to sap your stamina,
  says Komaroff, who is also the editor-in-chief of the Harvard Health
  Letter.


• 
  Turn on some tunes. Listening to music is one of the most effective
  ways to change a bad mood, decrease tension, and increase energy. Consider
  this: Runners in one study who listened to music while on the treadmill ran
  faster than those who jogged in silence — no matter how loud the volume or how
  fast the tempo, according to new findings in the journal Ergonomics.
  Other research suggests that music effectively distracts you from feeling
  fatigue. Try burning a CD of your favorite songs and playing it anytime you
  need a pick-me-up. (If you exercise, so much the better — but the music will
  move you either way.)


• 
  Let go of grudges. Nursing a grudge prompts your mind and body to
  react as if they're under chronic stress, increasing your heart rate and blood
  pressure and potentially resulting in an impaired immune system and exhaustion
  over time, according to a study in the journal Psychological Science. On
  the other hand, practicing empathy and forgiveness after you've been wronged
  makes you feel as if you're back in control, which keeps the body's stress
  responses in check. The next time you find yourself harboring ill feelings,
  repeat a stress-relieving mantra to yourself, such as, "Forgiveness makes
  me a happier and stronger person."


• 
  Take belly breaths. When we're under stress, we're prone to take
  "chest breaths" — short, shallow ones, says Domar. Chest breathing
  brings less air into the lungs and reduces the supply of energizing oxygen to
  the body and brain, leaving you physically and mentally drained. The goal is
  deep, diaphragmatic breathing — like that of a sleeping infant: When you
  breathe in, your belly should round and fill like a balloon; on an exhale, your
  belly should slowly deflate. Of course, remembering to practice deep breathing
  isn't the first thing on your mind when you're under the gun, so as a visual
  reminder, try posting a tranquil picture (such as a pool of water or your kids
  smiling) with the word "breathe" next to your computer, or anywhere you
  tend to feel on edge.


• 
  De-clutter a corner. Go through that teetering pile of papers or
  overflowing closet and clear it out. Clutter can make you feel out of control
  and overwhelmed, especially when you're already feeling stressed or down. Plus,
  simply accomplishing a goal, no matter how seemingly minor, can be energizing,
  says Domar.


• 
  Do some good. Acts of altruism can lend a little pep to your step.
  In fact, one study in the Journal of Health and Social Behavior found
  that volunteer work can boost your energy in six ways: It enhances happiness,
  life satisfaction, self-esteem, sense of control over life, physical health,
  and mood. Find short- and long-term volunteer opportunities at
  volunteermatch.org and charityguide.org.

To achieve this effect in RTM I use so-called smart lists. First I assign each action one of the following tags:

• agendas — meetings, public speaking and most of the things that engage other people.


• calls — whenever I need to call somebody.


• computer — things I can do on my computer (writing, programming, email).


• errands — things to buy, bills, snail mail.


• home — everything I need to do at home.


• office — as above, but in my workplace.


• read — articles, blog post or books I can't read now but I don't want to loose track of.

How to order yourself around

So how do you make your to-do's doable? When it's time to add something to your list, stop and think it through, using the following guidelines.

• Break it down. The best way to make yourself avoid a task like the plague is to make it a vague monstrosity. The Getting Things Done productivity system defines projects differently from tasks: projects have multiple sub-actions. That's an important distinction - internalize it, because your to-do list is not your project list. Don't add multi-action tasks to it, like "Clean out the office." Break it down to smaller, easier-to-tackle subtasks like "Purge filing cabinet," "Shred old paperwork" or "Box up unneeded books for library drive." Because Assistant you is going to run for the hills when Boss you says "Clean out the office."
• Work through projects using next actions. If you've got a multi-action task - that is, a project - only keep its next sequential action on your to-do list. When the task is complete, refer back to your project list (again, separate from to-do's) and add its next action to your to-do list. At any given moment, your to-do list should only contain the next logical action for all your working projects. That's it - just one bite-sized step in each undertaking.
• Use specific, active verbs. When you're telling yourself to do something, make it an order. An item like "Acme account checkup" doesn't tell you what has to be done. Make your to-do's specific actions, like "Phone Rob at Acme re: Q2 sales." Notice I didn't use the word "Contact," I said "Phone." Contact could mean phone, email, or IM, but if you're taking out all the thinking and leaving in only action, your verbs will be as specific as possible. Literally imagine yourself instructing a personal assistant on her first day on the job what you need done.
• Keep your list short. Just like no one wants to look at an email inbox with 2,386 messages in it, no one wants to have an endless to-do list. It's overwhelming and depressing, like there's no light at the end of the tunnel. I keep my to-do list under 20 items. (This morning it's only 17 tasks long, and I'd call myself a busy person.) Does that sound like too little? Remember, your to-do list isn't a dumping ground for project details, or "Someday I'd like to" items. These are tasks you're committed to getting done in the very near future - like the next 2 weeks. Keep your projects and someday/maybe items elsewhere. Your to-do list should be short, to the point commitments which involve no more deciding whether or not you're really serious about doing it.
• Keep it moving. While my to-do list is only 20 items or so, it's 20 items that change every single day. Every day 2-5 tasks get checked off, and 2-5 tasks get added. Remember, your to-do list is a working document, not some showy "look how organized I am!" thing that quietly gathers dust because you're off doing real work which isn't written down anywhere.
• Prioritize. While your to-do list might have 20 items on it, the reality is you're only going to get a couple done per day (assuming you're not writing down things like "get up, shower, make coffee, go to work..."). So make sure those tasks are at the very top of your list. How you do this will depend on what tool or software you use to track your to-do's, but do make sure you can see what you need to get done next at a glance.
• Purge. Just like you should be able to see what tasks are top priority on your to-do list, you should be able to see what items have been on your list the longest as well. Chances are you've got some mental blockage around the tasks that have been sitting around forever, and they've got to be re-worded or broken down further. Or perhaps they don't need to get done after all. Deleting an item from your to-do list is even better than checking it off, because you've saved yourself the effort.
• Log your done items. Like any good assistant, you want to show the Boss exactly much you've gotten done. Make sure you stow your done items somewhere so you can revel in your own productivity. Also, your "done" list is a great indicator of whether or not your to-do list is working: if more than 2 days goes by without a new done item? It's time to revamp your to-do list and get back to best practices.