Windows only: We’ve already shown you how you can browse through files from the Stacks widget in the upcoming Snow Leopard release—but you can get that feature right now on your Windows PC.

We’ve mentioned StandaloneStack before, but the latest version adds a host of new features—a complete overhaul of the settings, video thumbnail animations, custom icons, a toggle option instead of always hiding, but the best new feature is the ability to browse down through folders right from the Stack widget itself.

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The personal finance folks at Forbes round up a handful of ways your laziness could be costing you money, then suggest how you can improve those hiccups with a minimum of effort.

Photo by Dan Queiroz.

You’ll unlikely be surprised by many of the items in their list, but that doesn’t make them any less true. The article highlights, for example, the rebate trap:

Department and electronics stores often advertise goods at post-rebate prices, assuming most customers will be too lazy to mail in the rebate, which could save them up to 10% on big-ticket items such as dishwashers, refrigerators and computers. At Staples, a $650 laptop from Hewlett-Packard carries a $50 rebate. Don’t let them get away with this. Filling out and mailing the rebate takes all of 15 minutes. Says Tod Marks, senior project editor at Consumer Reports: “Anyone who walks away from rebates is giving money away.”

Apart from the rebates, the author also highlights the following as expensive outcomes of a little financial laziness:

• Not Choosing the Best Rate on Your Savings Account
• Not Opening a Retirement Fund (As Soon As Possible)
• Not Paying Attention to 0% Financing Deadlines
• Waiting Until the Last Minute to Send Mail
• Not Taking Advantage of Corporate Wellness Incentives
• Not Bothering to Negotiate a Better Deal
• Oversleeping (But Not for Reasons You May Think)

Hit up the full article for their full explanation behind why each course of inaction is costing you cash, and let us know about times your laziness took you to the bank (late DVD rentals, forgetting to move your car to the other side of the street?) in the comments.

All The Ways Your Laziness Is Costing You [Forbes]

I got this in an email from my Uncle Ariel over the weekend. I’m all for remembering those who have gone to war for my freedom. What I’m not for is the “forward this to everyone you know” type email chains. Those things usually end up in my trash folder with nary a second thought. To be honest, most of the time I don’t even read those things because 9 times out of 10 they’re proven wrong by snopes.com and other fact-checking websites.

So anyway, having read this short story and checking out the validity of it, I’m posting it here to serve as my official “pass it on” gesture. And actually I’m going one step further. Instead of simply giving this the old copy/paste treatment (you can read it verbatim in the link directly above), here is what is written in Mr. Freeman’s wikipedia entry, which is the actual wording from his Medal of Honor citation.

Captain Ed W. Freeman, United States Army, distinguished himself by numerous acts of conspicuous gallantry and extraordinary intrepidity on 14 November 1965 while serving with Company A, 229th Assault Helicopter Battalion, 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile). As a flight leader and second in command of a 16-helicopter lift unit, he supported a heavily engaged American infantry battalion at Landing Zone X-Ray in the Ia Drang Valley, Republic of Vietnam. The unit was almost out of ammunition after taking some of the heaviest casualties of the war, fighting off a relentless attack from a highly motivated, heavily armed enemy force. When the infantry commander closed the helicopter landing zone due to intense direct enemy fire, Captain Freeman risked his own life by flying his unarmed helicopter through a gauntlet of enemy fire time after time, delivering critically needed ammunition, water and medical supplies to the besieged battalion. His flights had a direct impact on the battle’s outcome by providing the engaged units with timely supplies of ammunition critical to their survival, without which they would almost surely have gone down, with much greater loss of life. After medical evacuation helicopters refused to fly into the area due to intense enemy fire, Captain Freeman flew 14 separate rescue missions, providing life-saving evacuation of an estimated 30 seriously wounded soldiers — some of whom would not have survived had he not acted. All flights were made into a small emergency landing zone within 100 to 200 meters of the defensive perimeter where heavily committed units were perilously holding off the attacking elements. Captain Freeman’s selfless acts of great valor, extraordinary perseverance and intrepidity were far above and beyond the call of duty or mission and set a superb example of leadership and courage for all of his peers. Captain Freeman’s extraordinary heroism and devotion to duty are in keeping with the highest traditions of military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit and the United States Army.

One thing I must report is that the email I received said he died on March 25th, 2009 when it was actually August 20, 2008. What good is remembering someone when you get the dates wrong?

Anyway, I’d like to give a big heartfelt thank you to Mr. Ed Freeman and the countless other American heroes who fought so valiantly in World War II Vietnam (and other conflicts). It seems everyday we lose another.

Edit: I just wanted to point out that I wasn’t trying to say that I blame my Uncle Ariel for forwarding me a chain email. It was certainly very thoughtful of him to include me in the send-to list. My point was that most of these type of emails end with the same guilt trip. “If you’re a true American, send this to… blah blah blah”. I know my Uncle Ariel wouldn’t have put that in there.

Lila Rose, 20-year-old UCLA student and Live Action president, went undercover at a Planned Parenthood clinic in Birmingham, Alabama and told a counselor that she was 14-years-old, pregnant by her 31-year-old boyfriend, and needed a secret abortion so her parents would not find out about her sexual relationship with the older man.

Alabama Code 26-14-3 requires health professionals to disclose suspected cases of sexual abuse to state officials immediately.

Source

While talent and skills factor into job success, it’s also important to know the right people. To do so often requires getting out there and networking. The NYT has tailored some how-to tips for the introverted and network-phobic crowd.

Photo by Noah Sussman.

Among the tidbits offered, the article suggests networking in person. Though perhaps intuitive and inviting for the more gregarious worker, this is an especially important step for the shy employee who may prefer to limit the crux of his communications to emails and IM chats. While both are important to establishing and maintaining a relationship, meeting up in-person is vital. The NYT bluntly says to force yourself to do so. Making a bee line to the bar or buffet, if there is one, is a classic way to get the ball rolling. The article also claims that being an introvert can even help your networking efforts.

Introverts are intuitive and analytical. Use that skill. After you have been networking for a while, ask, “What is working? What isn’t? Where do you get the most bang for your buck?”

Check out the full article for the detailed list of tips, then browse our related post on avoiding the seven deadly sins of networking to help get you moving up the ladder.

Networking For The Shy Entrepreneur [New York Times]