How To Make .......

Design a Digital Résumé on DoYouBuzz

DoYouBuzz is a great option if you want to have a personal website but don’t want to deal with the hassle of starting one from scratch. Setting up your free online résumé with DoYouBuzz is as simple as importing your LinkedIn profile. You’re given this option when you first sign in. Just like with VisualCV, you can create a public résumé and then build customized résumés later.

DoYouBuzz gives you many more layout and color options than VisualCV and presents your résumé more like a web page than as a single document. The Home page in your DoYouBuzz résumé includes all the elements of your résumé on a single page. Then, each major heading of your résumé is made into a separate page.

When you navigate to a subpage, your contact info remains visible on the sidebar. To see some examples of résumés built in DoYouBuzz, type “site:doyoubuzz.com resume” into a new Google search.

Some people prefer the layout of a DoYouBuzz résumé and use it as their primary web presence. The interface is clean and simple and allows you to see your traffic statistics, so you can see how many people view your résumé. DoYouBuzz can also export a professional-quality PDF version of your résumé, which you can take with you to the interview or attach to an e-mail.

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Source:http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/design-a-digital-resume-on-doyoubuzz.html

India: From Ancient Economy to British Colony

India can lay claim to one of the world's oldest civilizations, and its economic history is truly long and complicated.

India's beginnings and pre-colonial times

The Indus Valley civilization, an urbanized society that thrived between 2800 BC and 1800 BC, was economically very sound. The city-states of Mohenjo, Daro, and Harappa were well-planned and apparently carried on a flourishing trade with other civilizations, such as the Mesopotamians, Sumerians, and Egyptians. Doing business with foreign countries is nothing new to India.

Throughout India's early history, a number of empires and dynasties rose and fell. Economically speaking, the most notable dynasty was the Mauryas. They united most of the subcontinent between 321 and 185 BC. The Mauryas established a common currency, and trade flourished.

The Maurya dynasty owes its existence to a scholar-politician named Chanakya, who wrote Arthasasthra, a renowned book on the science of material gain. This early economic whiz is still talked about today.

The Mauryas introduced the world to Indian products like muslin, calico, pashmina shawls, and exotic spices. These commodities continue to be hot-ticket items in the world of trade more than 2,000 years later.

After centuries of rule by various groups, India was visited by Portuguese explorer Vasco de Gama in 1498. An influx of Europeans, including the Dutch, French, and British, continued until the 17th century, when the British East India Company established itself in the country, setting in motion a chain of events that resulted in India's inclusion in the British Empire.

Colonial India: Under the Union Jack

From the self-sustaining, village-centric economy it had followed in ancient times, the land had gradually moved to new and different market systems. Many rulers minted their own currency, and no common monetary system existed in the subcontinent. Trade was based on barter or on the exchange of goods for precious metals.

The British soon changed things. When the British came to India, they found a traditional rural economy driven by a strong commercial network, but it was hampered by poor technology. So they introduced infrastructure — including road and rail networks — set up factories and communication systems to facilitate trade and commerce, and created a uniform currency. Trade prospered, but the balance was decidedly skewed.

The assets of the British East India Company became so huge that the British government decided to step in. India was made a colony, and Queen Victoria was named Empress of India. From a small trading outpost, India became the jewel in the British crown.

But the focus of the British was on exploiting the resources of India for its own material gain; India itself was unable to benefit from the many opportunities that opened up in the changing world order. The country remained economically backward, fettered by poverty, illiteracy, and disease. The partition of the land into the two nations of Pakistan and India added to the burdens of an already impoverished country.

When India gained its independence in 1947, it was one of the world's poorest economies. Sixty years after independence, all that is history.

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Source:http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/india-from-ancient-economy-to-british-colony.html

How to Communicate with Other Online Communities in Your Niche

An online community isn’t only made up of people who are part of a particular forum, social network or blog. It can also be expanded to reach out to others in the same niche, even though they may socialize through different channels.

For example, if you belong to a freelance writing forum, that forum is just a small aspect of the much larger freelance writing community which includes blogs, forums, and social networks within that niche. Rather than eyeballing other similar communities as competition, consider them colleagues or collaborators and do what you can to encourage cross-participation and promotion.

Suppose that you are the community manager for a large freelance writing social network featuring useful articles, a Facebook page where you post updates and communicate with your readers, and a forum where members discuss issues relating to other freelancer writers. You can grow relationships with others in the much larger freelance writing community by

Inviting guest blog posts and articles from writers and bloggers from other freelance writing communities.

Following freelance writers and community managers from other freelance writing communities on Twitter and participating in their discussions.

Liking other freelance writing Facebook pages and participate in the festivities there.

Attend outside offline events for freelance writers, including conferences, meetings, and seminars.

Here’s something no one tells you about online communities: They don’t happen on their own. You can’t just set up a website or put up a social networking page and hope the world will show up. If people aren’t invited, how will they know you’re having a party? It’s up to you to bring people in and keep them engaged and interested enough to continue to come back.

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Source:http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/how-to-communicate-with-other-online-communities-i.navId-323004.html

Outlook 2007 E-Mail Formats: HTML, Plain Text, and Rich Text

Microsoft Outlook 2007 offers three formats for sending e-mail messages: HTML, plain text, and rich text. Here's a look at the pros and cons of the different Outlook e-mail formats, and some easy ways to change them.

Microsoft Outlook 2007 e-mail formats come in three flavors:

HTML format: These days, almost all e-mail is transmitted in HTML format, the same format with which Web pages are made. If HTML is the default format you use for creating messages in Outlook — and it is, unless you've tinkered with the default settings — the e-mail messages you send are, in effect, little Web pages. HTML gives you the most opportunities for formatting text and graphics. In HTML format, you can place pictures in the body of an e-mail message, use a background theme, and do any number of sophisticated formatting tricks.

However, the HTML format has it share of detractors. First, the messages are larger because they include sophisticated formatting instructions, and being larger, they take longer to transmit over the Internet. Some e-mail accounts allocate a fixed amount of disk space for incoming e-mail messages and reject messages when the disk space allocation is filled. Because they're larger than other e-mail messages, HTML messages fill the disk space quicker. Finally, some e-mail software can't handle HTML messages. In this software, the messages are converted to plain text format.

Plain text format: In plain text format, only letters and numbers are transmitted. The format doesn't permit you to format text or align paragraphs in any way, but you can rest assured that the person who receives the message can read it exactly as you wrote it.

Rich text format: The rich text format is proprietary to Microsoft e-mailing software. Note that only people who use Outlook and Outlook Express can see rich text formats. If formatting text in e-mail messages is important to you, choose the HTML format because more people can read your messages.

When someone sends you an e-mail message, you can tell which format it was transmitted in by looking at the title bar, where HTML, Plain Text, or Rich Text appears in parentheses after the subject of the message. Outlook is smart enough to transmit messages in HTML, plain text, or rich text format when you reply to a message that was sent to you in that format.

Follow these instructions if you need to change the format in which your e-mail messages are transmitted:

Changing the default format: Choose Tools --> Options, and in the Options dialog box, select the Mail Format tab. From the Compose in This Message Format drop-down list, choose HTML, Plain Text, or Rich Text.

Changing the format for a single e-mail message: In the Message window, click the Options tab. Then click the Plain Text, HTML, or Rich Text button.

Always using the plain text or rich text format with a contact: To avoid transmitting in HTML with a contact, start in the Contacts folder, double-click the contact's name, and in the Contact form, double-click the contact's e-mail address. You see the E-Mail Properties dialog box. In the Internet Format drop-down list, choose Send Plain Text Only or Send Using Outlook Rich Text Format.

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Source:http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/outlook-2007-email-formats-html-plain-text-and-ric.html

How to Clean Your Laptop’s Case, Screen, and Keyboard

All computers require cleaning, and laptops require more cleaning than desktops. That’s because you end up handling a laptop more than you do a normal computer. Here’s how to clean your laptop case, screen, and keyboard.

Wipe down the case

For maintaining your laptop case you will need a household sponge, dishwashing detergent, water, lint-free cloth, and cotton swabs. Gather them together and follow these steps:

Turn off the laptop.

Unplug the laptop.

Remember electrical current and liquid really don’t mix.

Mix the cleaning liquid.

One part dishwashing detergent with five parts water.

Soak the sponge in the cleaning liquid.

Wring out the sponge until it’s dry.

Gently wipe down the laptop’s case.

The laptop case is the outside. We’ll get to the keyboard and screen later. You can use the sponge and swabs to clean the touch pad though.

Use the swab to get the nooks and crannies.

You can use the standard Q-tip, but medical swabs are better made and wrapped a little tighter. Medical swabs can be found at any pharmacy.

Do not insert the swab into any ports, jacks, or holes on the laptop.

Finish the job by wiping the case again with the lint-free cloth.

Use the cloth to sop up any excess moisture.

Never spill any liquid inside the laptop!

Isopropyl, or “rubbing,” alcohol makes a good cleaning liquid. Do not use it to clean the monitor.

Avoid using any detergent that contains strong chemicals, such as ammonia or bleach.

Check out Video 341 to see a demo of cleaning a laptop case:

Wash the screen

When you feel like cleaning the laptop screen, you have three options:

Use a lint-free cloth to dry-clean the screen. All laptops use LCD monitors. These monitors are very fussy about liquids. A lint-free cloth gets the dust off and removes finger smudges.

Use a damp sponge to wipe the screen. Use only water to make the sponge damp. Wring out all the moisture from the sponge before you wipe the screen. Rub gently, lovingly.

Get an LCD monitor cleaning kit. By getting a cleaning kit, perhaps the best option, you receive a lint-free cloth as well as a package containing a damp towelette moistened with the official LCD monitor-cleaning solution.

Turn off and unplug the laptop, before cleaning the monitor. After the screen is clean, let it dry before you close the lid or use the laptop again.

Never use alcohol or ammonia cleaners on an LCD screen. They can damage the LCD display so that the image becomes unreadable. Further, if you have a Tablet PC, the screen’s ability to detect input is greatly diminished by the use of harsh chemicals.

Refer to Video 342 to watch the cleaning of a laptop monitor:

Clean the keyboard

To clean the laptop’s keyboard, use a small, portable vacuum. Using the vacuum’s tiniest attachment, gently suck the hair, crumbs, and crud from between the laptop’s keys.

To clean the key caps, turn off the laptop and then use a pencil eraser to rub off the crud and buildup. Afterward, use the vacuum again to clean out any eraser stubble between the keys.

Some people use canned compressed air to clean a keyboard. While the air may clear away the debris, it may also blow it deeper into the laptop. After the gunk is inside, there’s no way to clean it out.

Watch Video 343 to witness the author deftly cleaning a laptop keyboard.

dummies

Source:http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/how-to-clean-your-laptops-case-screen-and-keyboard.html

How to Make Disaster Preparation Plans for Your Dog

If a natural disaster strikes, you should have an emergency kit and a plan for your pets. You're also wise to consider what would happen to your pets if you were in an accident or became ill suddenly and landed in a hospital with no time to prepare.

Here are some important tips to help your pets survive a disaster:

Make sure that your dog always wears ID tags. Permanent identification, such as a tattoo or imbedded microchip, is a good idea, too.

Consider including cell phone information on your dog's tags. If you're forced to evacuate, your home number won't do much good.

Prepare a file with current medical and vaccination records, your pets’ microchip or tattoo numbers, your veterinarian’s phone number and address, feeding and medication instructions, and recent pictures of your animals.

Invest in shipping crates. Sturdy crates keep pets safe and give rescuers more options in housing pets. They give you more options, too, in the homes of friends or relatives or in shelters outside of the area, and depending on weather conditions, you can safely leave a crated pet overnight in a vehicle.

Keep several days’ worth of food and safe drinking water as well as any necessary medicines packed and ready to go in the event of a disaster. Rotate your supplies so they do not get stale. If your pet eats canned food, be sure to keep an extra can opener and spoon tucked in among the emergency supplies.

Pack plastic bags -- the kind you usually use for picking up poop, as well as bags that seal to put the poop into.

Your veterinary hospital may become damaged in a disaster, which is why having some backup plans for boarding and care is a good idea. Know where to find other veterinary hospitals in your area, as well as animal shelters and animal-control facilities.

Boarding facilities should also be noted, as well as groomers — all these places may be able to help out in a pinch. Photocopy the appropriate pages from your local Yellow Pages — or compile and print a list on your home computer — and tuck the pages in with your emergency supplies.

You may be lucky and survive a disaster nearly untouched, but others in your community won’t be so fortunate. Contact your local humane society and veterinary organization now to train as a volunteer so you can help out in a pinch.

Disaster-relief workers do everything from distributing food to stranded animals to helping reunite pets with their families — and helping find new homes for those who need them.

dummies

Source:http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/how-to-make-disaster-preparation-plans-for-your-do.html

How to Rotate Drawing Objects in PowerPoint 2007

The PowerPoint rotate handle lets you give the drawings on your slides a slant. With the PowerPoint rotate handle, you can rotate an object to any arbitrary angle just by dragging it with the mouse. The rotate handle is the green handle that appears when you select an object that can be rotated. The rotate handle appears above the object, connected to the object by a line. You can rotate an object to any angle simply by dragging the rotate handle.

Rotate an object to any angle. >

Rotate an object to any angle.

The following steps show you how to use the rotate handle:

Click the object that you want to rotate.

Drag the rotate handle in the direction that you want to rotate the object.

As you drag, an outline of the object rotates around. When you get the object’s outline to the angle you want, release the mouse button, and the object is redrawn at the new angle.

To restrict the rotation angle to 15-degree increments, hold the Shift key while dragging around the rotation handle.

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Source:http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/how-to-rotate-drawing-objects-in-powerpoint-2007.html

Changing Careers? Resume Tips to Ease the Transition

Career changers and transitioning military personnel sometimes struggle to write resumes that pack an interview-invitation punch. One such resume challenge is to turn your experience into skills that are relevant to new fields. Using understandable terminology helps you overcome that stumbling block.

Always use the language of and address the concerns of the industry where you want to go, not the industry you are leaving behind.

Make sure that you also

Learn the jargon of your intended industry. Use that jargon carefully in your resume. Whatever you write has to be understood by all, including administrative employees who may be the first to screen your document.

Analyze your interchangeable skills (also called transferable skills) to make your old experience apply to the job you want. A food server, for example, has sales experience (selling restaurant customers on extra menu items). An Army officer has management experience (overseeing soldiers). A teacher has training experience (changing student knowledge levels).

Consider using a functional (skills) — or hybrid — resume format. Although employers much prefer the reverse chronological format because it's more straightforward, you may need the functional approach to become a contender.

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Source:http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/changing-careers-resume-tips-to-ease-the-transitio.html

Focus Your Mom Blogging Efforts

Call this Shiny Object Syndrome. It can be very difficult to know the difference between a distraction and a new direction. You’re building a great blog, getting things done — and then, out of the blue, you have a really great idea.

And suddenly you’re devoting a good chunk of your time to develop the new idea instead of building the ideas you’ve already started. What ends up happening is that you have a lot of absolutely amazing projects started, but none of them finished.

A really great idea is hard to resist, especially when you know you have what it takes to pull it off. Sometimes the idea is so good that you would be a fool to not pursue it.

Keep your entrepreneurial Shiny Object Syndrome in check by doing the following things:

Sit on it: A great idea today is still going to be a great idea next week. Try to impose a mandatory waiting period on yourself so that you can sit with the idea for a while and really think about how taking on a new project will impact existing projects.

Evaluate how the idea fits in with your current projects: Sometimes a great idea can build on the foundation you’ve already built. Take such ideas most seriously — and evaluate all the ways they can help your existing business.

Sometimes an idea is good enough to put into action but may just need to wait for better timing. Other times, you can see its value immediately and how it helps you grow in many ways. Yet other times, the idea doesn’t really fit at all with your current projects, and would end up dividing your attention and sending your energy in two different directions.

Unless you're willing to give up what you are currently working on, those are the ideas you should try to avoid.

Get a Shiny Object Syndrome buddy: Find a group of friends to talk to on a regular basis — and give each other advice and support for each other’s businesses. Develop a pact that you start no new projects without bringing the idea to the group first. Hold each other accountable to your goals — even when you aren’t happy to hear about it.

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Source:http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/focus-your-mom-blogging-efforts.html

Minimize Your Investment Management Costs with Exchange Traded Funds

Most exchange traded funds (ETFs) are cheap, which is one of the things you will love about them. The difference between a typical mutual fund that charges 1.4 percent and a typical ETF that charges 0.2 percent adds up to a lot of money over time.

MoneyChimp, a very good financial website, offers a fund-cost calculator. Invest $100,000 for 20 years at 8 percent and deduct 0.2 for expenses; you’re left with $449,133. Deduct 1.4 percent, and you’re left with $359,041. That’s a difference of about $90,000. The after-tax difference, given that most ETFs are highly tax-efficient index funds, would likely be much greater.

Because the vast majority of ETFs fall into the super-cheap to cheap range (generally 0.1 to 0.5 percent), the differences among ETFs won’t be quite so huge. Still, in picking and choosing ETFs, cost should always be a factor.

Of course, with ETFs, you often pay a small trading fee every time you buy and sell. That too should be examined and minimized. Do all your trading online, and choose a brokerage house that gives you the best deal. If you’re going to make frequent buys and sells, either choose ETFs that you can trade commission-free, or opt instead to build your portfolio with mostly low cost, no-load index mutual funds.

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Source:http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/minimize-your-investment-management-costs-with-exc.html

Managing Employees: When All Evaluations Are Positive or Negative

When managers conduct employee appraisals, they must take care not to skew (twist) the evaluation results so that all the employees end up with positive — or negative — reviews. But what motivates managers in the first place to skew results instead of rating employees along the whole length of the scale?

Going positively skewed

The positively skewed evaluations suffer from several questionable assumptions:

They lead to fewer, if any, confrontations, disagreements, and denials in the one-on-one sessions. Sure, the one-on-one sessions will be less stressful because employees won’t insist that their evaluations should be lower. Unfortunately, the feedback is useless, and employees have no guidance for improvement.

Positive evaluations are easier and quicker to write. This too is correct — it’s always easier to write praise than it is to craft negative feedback. But again, there is no point in giving positive feedback for behaviors that are less than positive.

By bestowing heaps of praise, thanks, and adulation upon employees, I’ll be well liked. This is a myth. The reality is that these managers are more likely to be viewed as needy, weak, and easily manipulated.

Providing the employees with positive feedback will encourage them to work hard to continue to improve their performance. Providing positive feedback for all performance renders all the feedback meaningless.

Positive ratings for employees make managers look good in the eyes of their own managers (hence, making them more promotable). After all, if their department is filled with outstanding people, these managers can be promoted and one of the outstanding employees in their department can move into the open position.

Going negatively skewed

An equally problematic set of errors occurs when managers give all their employees’ equally low ratings. And the motivations for this approach are equally questionable:

For some managers, the idea behind the overly negative ratings is to identify the really tough and driven employees. The contention is that when employees are burdened with negative ratings, only the strong will survive.

These managers may also contend that there simply are no outstanding employees, regardless of the facts. For such managers, there is a sense of pride in believing that no one is capable of achieving the high standards that they’ve set for the department.

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Source:http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/managing-employees-when-all-evaluations-are-positi.html

How to Find the Number of Diagonals in a Polygon

To find the number of diagonals in a polygon with n sides, use the following formula:

This formula looks like it came outta nowhere, doesn’t it? Of course, no math formulas come out of nowhere, but you might have to think about this one a bit to discover the logic behind it. (Just memorizing it is okay, but what’s the fun in that?)

Here’s where the diagonal formula comes from and why it works. Each diagonal connects one point to another point in the polygon that isn’t its next-door neighbor. In an n-sided polygon, you have n starting points for diagonals. And each diagonal can go to (n – 3) ending points because a diagonal can’t end at its own starting point or at either of the two neighboring points. So the first step is to multiply n by (n – 3). Then, because each diagonal’s ending point can be used as a starting point as well, the product n(n – 3) counts each diagonal twice. That’s why you divide by 2.

Here’s a problem for you: If a polygon has 90 diagonals, how many sides does it have?

You know what the formula for the number of diagonals in a polygon is, and you know that the polygon has 90 diagonals, so plug 90 in for the answer and solve for n:

Thus, n equals 15 or –12. But because a polygon can’t have a negative number of sides, n must be 15. So you have a 15-sided polygon (a pentadecagon, in case you’re curious).

Here’s a nifty real-world application of the diagonal formula. Say there’s a small tennis tournament with six people in which everyone has to play everyone else. How many total matches will there be? The following figure shows the six tennis players with segments connecting each pair of players.

Each segment represents a match between two contestants. So to get the total number of matches, you just have to count up all the segments in the figure: the number of sides of the hexagon (6) plus the number of diagonals in the hexagon

The total is therefore 15 matches. For the general case, the total number of matches in a round-robin tournament with n players would be

Game, set, match.

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Source:http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/how-to-find-the-number-of-diagonals-in-a-polygon.html

How to Share Your PC’s Printer in Windows XP

Windows allows you to share a printer that is connected to your computer with other computers on your network or within your workgroup. To share a printer attached to your Window XP PC with other computers on the network, follow these steps:

Open the Control Panel.

Open the icon Printers and Faxes.

Right-click the printer icon.

Choose Sharing from the pop-up menu.

Choose the option Share This Printer.

(Optional) Type a share name.

Be descriptive. The name Larry’s Color Laser is a good description, as is Mom’s Inkjet in the Den.

Click OK to share the printer.

Shared printers sport a tag on their icon in the Printers window. The tag is the serving hand that appears under the icon.

Because you’re sharing one of the computer’s hardware resources and it affects all users on the computer, you need administrator access to share the printer.

Some types of printers, such as PDF printers or Fax printers, cannot be shared on the network. Windows bluntly tells you so when you make the attempt.

A shared printer is available only when the computer it's attached to is turned on.

You cannot print on a shared printer when the computer it’s attached to is in Sleep mode or Stand By mode. Likewise, because Hibernation turns a computer off, you cannot use the printer attached to a hibernating PC.

You can print to any printer directly attached to the network, though that printer must be turned on as well.

The computers you share your printer with can be running any version of Windows, not just XP.

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Source:http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/how-to-share-your-pcs-printer-in-windows-xp.html

Sample Starting Gear in Dungeons & Dragons 4th Edition

Part of the fun of roleplaying games, such as Dungeons & Dragons, is customizing a character. But sometimes you just want to get down to the game. Want an easy way out of shopping for your 1st-level Dungeons & Dragons 4th Edition character? Just choose one of the equipment packages here and add it straight to your character sheet:

Fighter, Great Weapon: Scale mail (40 gp), greataxe (30 gp), standard adventurer’s kit (15 gp), 2 javelins (total 10 gp), sling and 20 bullets (2 gp), 3 gp left over.

Fighter, Guardian: Scale mail (40 gp), heavy shield (15 gp), longsword (15 gp), standard adventurer’s kit (15 gp), 2 javelins (total 10 gp), sling and 20 bullets (2 gp), 3 gp left over.

Rogue (any): Leather armor (25 gp), short sword (10 gp), 3 daggers (3 gp), standard adventurer’s kit (15 gp), sling and 20 bullets (2 gp), thieves’ tools (20 gp), 25 gp left over.

Cleric (any): Chainmail (40 gp), mace (5 gp), crossbow and 10 bolts (26 gp total), standard adventurer’s kit (15 gp), holy symbol (10 gp), 4 gp left over.

Wizard, Control: Cloth armor (1 gp), quarterstaff (5 gp), orb (15 gp), spellbook (50 gp), standard adventurer’s kit (15 gp), 14 gp left over.

Wizard, War: Cloth armor (1 gp), dagger (1 gp), wand (7 gp), spellbook (50 gp), standard adventurer’s kit (15 gp), 26 gp left over.

The standard adventurer’s kit includes a backpack, bedroll, flint and steel, belt pouch, 2 sunrods (4 hours of illumination each), 10 days of trail rations, 50 feet of rope, and a waterskin. If you’re really worried about getting caught in the dark, buy some extra sunrods (2 gp apiece) or torches (10 for 1 gp).

dummies

Source:http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/sample-starting-gear-in-dungeons-dragons-4th-editi.html

How to Recover from a Flubbed Magic Trick

Ideally, you would never make a mistake when performing a magic trick. Unfortunately, life isn't like that and circumstance and bad luck can rear their ugly heads. When a trick goes wrong, graceful performers shrug it off with humor and recover if they can. Try these lines when you mess up a magic trick:

"I forgot to compensate for the rotational effect of the Earth."

"Hmm. It worked in the magic store!"

"It's all part of the show, folks — the part that hasn’t been rehearsed."

"That's the first time that ever happened again."

"It doesn't look as bad from my side."

"The real magician will be here shortly."

"I'm curious to see how I get out of this myself!"

"Wow, it's so quiet in here, you could hear a career drop."

dummies

Source:http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/how-to-recover-from-a-flubbed-magic-trick.html

Cool eBay Tools

You can find a lot of cool eBay tools on CooleBayTools.com, the website of Marsha Collier, the author of eBay For Dummies. You can find Marsha's top eBay tips and tools to stay up-to-date on eBay changes as well as

Personal branding tactics

Making money selling on eBay

Customizing your eBay store or Web site

Newsletter archives

Postal Service price changes

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Source:http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/cool-ebay-tools.html

How to Unblock an Email Sender

The Blocked Senders tool was a welcome addition to the email programs that ship with Windows. It worked! Sometimes, it worked too well. The biggest problem people had with it was blocking people they didn’t mean to block. Oops.

Here’s how to unblock an accidentally blocked sender in Windows Live Mail and Windows Mail:

Get to Junk E-Mail Options.
- In Windows Live Mail, choose Actions→Junk E-Mail→Safety Options. You may have to press the F10 key to expose the Actions menu.
- In Windows Mail, choose Tools→Junk E-Mail Options.

Click the Blocked Senders tab.

Select the user you want to unblock.

Users are listed only by email address, so it helps to know their addresses.

Click the Remove button.

Click OK.

In Outlook Express, you can unblock a sender by following these steps:

Choose Tools→Message Rules→Blocked Senders List.

Select from the Message Rules dialog box the user you want to unblock.

Click the Remove button.

Click OK.

Removing someone from the Blocked Senders list doesn’t automatically restore any of their blocked messages. To find those, you need to dig through the junk mail or Deleted Items folders.

dummies

Source:http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/how-to-unblock-an-email-sender.html

Rules for IP Addressing when Upgrading to Lion Server

If you’re upgrading Snow Leopard or Lion client to Lion Server, you will need to set the IP address before starting the installation. When you set an IP address manually (known as static addressing), you need to follow some rules. An IP address takes the form of four numbers from 0 through 255, separated by periods, such as 169.254.13.3.

The total IP address range is 000.000.000.000 through 255.255.255.255, but within that, there are some ranges that are used for specific purposes, such as public and private IP addresses.

A public IP address is one that the entire Internet can see. Every computer on the planet that the Internet can directly see has a unique public IP address. Usually, your Internet service provider provides a public IP address, either manually or automatically.

A private IP address is one that the Internet can’t see because the computer is connected to the Internet through an Internet gateway or router. The Internet sees only the IP address of the gateway.

The computers on this type of local network use private IP addresses from one of several private address ranges. You might give your server a private IP address if another server or hardware box is acting as the Internet gateway. (You can also have a private IP address assigned automatically through DHCP.)

There are several private address ranges. One is the range that starts with 169.254: 169.254.0.0 – 169.254.254.255. Note: For this range, the last number can be 255, but the one before it can only go as high as 254. The other two private ranges are 10.0.0.1 through 10.255.255.254 and 192.168.0.1 through 192.168.0.254.

If you manually configure the IP addresses of your Mac for a local network, you can use IP addresses from any of these ranges as long as all the Macs on the network are in the same range.

They also need the same subnet mask, and no two computers on your local network, or subnet, can have the same IP address. A subnet consists of all the computers connected to one Ethernet port on the server.

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Source:http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/rules-for-ip-addressing-when-upgrading-to-lion-ser.html

Microsoft Office 365 For Dummies

As with any enterprise software, many different parts and pieces comprise the simple name of Office 365. Getting a handle on all of the moving pieces and jargon can be a challenging task. This guide gives you a quick reference to the products, technologies, concepts, and acronyms that make up the Office 365 landscape.

Working with the Office 365 Suite of Products

The Office 365 product is actually an umbrella term that encompasses four different technologies that have been woven together to provide a seamless solution in the cloud. Use this reference to quickly get a handle on Office 365 and its components as well as their purpose and problems they are designed to solve.

Component	Description
SharePoint Online	SharePoint is Microsoft’s web platform and is designed to provide communication, consolidation, collaboration, and content management.
Exchange Online	Exchange is Microsoft’s email server designed to handle the heavy lifting of managing and routing emails. In addition Exchange handles functionality such as contacts, calendars, and tasks. Users generally use an email client such as Outlook to connect to Exchange.
Lync Online	Lync is a communications system designed to provide instant communication and ad-hoc meetings. Lync lets you conduct online meetings by sharing your screen or presentations online with multiple users simultaneously while communicating via voice, chat, and surveys. Lync is integrated with the other products in Office 365 in order to provide instant ability to communicate regardless of what software you are using.
Office Professional Plus	Office Professional Plus is the nearly ubiquitous productivity suite used by information workers around the world.

Understanding Key Components of SharePoint Online

SharePoint contains a massive amount of functionality. The terms and acronyms can be daunting. Use this reference to quickly understand the components of Microsoft SharePoint.

Component	Description
Site Collection	A SharePoint Site Collection is a top level site that contains other sub-sites. The difference between a Site Collection and a Site is that a Site Collection contains separate security and is isolated from other Site Collections. A Site on the other hand is contained by a top level Site Collection and shares security and other aspects with other Sites within the same Site Collection.
Sites	A SharePoint Site is nothing more than a website. At its root SharePoint is a website management system that provides a rich assortment of functionality that can be easily integrated into the SharePoint websites.
Document Libraries	A Document Library is a mechanism to store content within SharePoint. A Document Library provides functionality for content management such as check-in and check-out, versioning, security, and workflow.
Lists	A SharePoint List is simply a list of data. Much like you would have a grocery list a SharePoint List stores data in columns and rows.
Wikis	A Wiki is a specialized website that allows community members the ability to update the content of the web site on the fly. A Wiki is not specific to SharePoint however SharePoint provides Wiki functionality as a feature.
Blogs	A Blog is a web log or online journal. A blog provides a forum for people to write communications that can be viewed across the entire organization or Internet. Once a blog entry is posted the content can be commented and discussed on the blog entry page. Blogs are prevalent throughout modern society and SharePoint provides the ability to get a blog up and running in a manner of minutes.
Discussion Boards	A Discussion Board allows for online discussion throughout the organization. A discussion board provides a forum for people to post questions and replies that can be viewed throughout the organization.

Understanding Key Components of Exchange Online

Exchange is often thought of as only being an e-mail server. The Exchange product contains a number of additional components, such as calendars, contacts, and tasks. Use this reference to quickly understand the different aspects of Exchange.

Component	Description
Mail	E-mail is probably the most used for of communication in the modern age. Exchange excels at handling e-mail. You connect to Exchange using an e-mail client such as Outlook.
Calendar	If you use Outlook then you are familiar with booking your meetings and appointments on the Calendar tab. Exchange is the actual product that handles these events because Outlook is just the client.
Contacts	Having a place to store all of your contacts is critical in today’s connected world. With Exchange all of your contacts are stored on the server and can be accessed to by any connected device. For example, you can use your mobile phone, laptop, home computer, or work computer. You can even connect by using any computer that has a web browser through Outlook Web Access (OWA).
Tasks	Unless you have the memory of a savant then you probably work from a task list. When you store your tasks in Outlook you are actually storing them out in the cloud in Exchange. Just like the other aspects of Exchange, your tasks are available from any connected device. Because your tasks are in Exchange, you can add a task on your laptop and have it instantly available on your work computer when you login.

Understanding Key Components of Lync Online

You can use Lync to communicate in a number of different ways. Lync lets you do everything from sending an e-mail with a click of the mouse to conducting an instant and ad-hoc meeting with people around the world. Use this reference to gain an understanding of the components of Lync.

Component	Description
Meetings	Lync allows you to conduct instant and ad-hoc meetings. Using Lync you can share your computer screen or applications so that everyone in the meeting is looking at the same thing. You can use features, such as a virtual white board, shared chat rooms, questions, and surveys. Lync meeting functionality is integrated tightly with Outlook so that you can create meetings and invite participants on the fly with only a few clicks of the mouse.
Messaging	Lync allows you to send messages by using popular messaging platforms, such as Yahoo, AOL, Windows Live in addition to internal corporate users.
Voice	Lync integrates with your corporate phone system to provide one-click calling as well as other features, such as having voicemails sent to your e-mail and Outlook.
Video	Using Lync you can integrate video into meetings and messaging for as close to an in person experience as possible.

Understanding Key Components of Office Professional Plus

Microsoft Office Professional Plus contains a number of different productivity applications. Some of these might be very familiar to you, such as Word or Excel. Others you may never have heard of prior to Office 365. Use this reference to gain an understanding of the applications of Office Professional Plus.

Component	Description
Word	Microsoft Office Word is used for word processing, such as creating and editing documents.
Excel	An application used for data analysis and numeric manipulation.
PowerPoint	PowerPoint is used to create and deliver presentations.
Outlook with Business Contact Manager	An application used for e-mail, contacts, and calendaring including scheduling meetings, meeting rooms, and other resources.
OneNote	An application used for capturing and organizing notes.
Publisher	An application used to create and share publications and marketing materials, such as brochures, newsletters, post cards, and greeting cards.
Access	A database application used to collect, store, manipulate, and report on data.
InfoPath	An application designed to create nifty and useful forms that are used to collect data from people.
SharePoint Workspace	SharePoint is great but what happens when you aren’t connected to the Internet and need to access and work with your website? SharePoint Workspace allows you to take SharePoint sites offline.
Lync	When you need to connect with other people Lync is the tool for you. Lync allows you to connect with others by using features, such as instant messaging and conferencing including screen sharing, polling, and shared presentations.

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dummies

Source:http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/microsoft-office-365-for-dummies-cheat-sheet.html

The Dangers of Short-Selling in an Uncertain Economy

Before you start short selling your way to untold fortunes, you should know that short selling is a speculative strategy with significant risks and may not be appropriate for most investors.

History shows that stocks appreciate

Using history as a guide, the long-term trend for stocks is positive. Although the market drops or trades sideways (moves up and down within a limited range) at times, stocks have appreciated more than any other asset classes over long time periods. Although you have no guarantee that this trend will continue, be aware that short selling involves going against this powerful trend!

You risk unlimited loss for a limited gain

The potential gain from short selling is limited to the cash you receive from selling the stock, while the potential loss is unlimited. For example, if you receive $2,500 from selling XYZ stock, the most you could make from the transaction is $2,500, but XYZ would have to go bankrupt for you to be able to keep the entire amount.

But what happens if the price of XYZ stock begins to skyrocket after you sell the shares short? You’re responsible for purchasing the 100 shares of XYZ stock to close the short position no matter what the price!

Although an unlimited loss is really possible only in theory, be aware that the price could easily double or triple before you have the chance to repurchase the shares. This is especially true for stocks of small companies, or stocks that are thinly traded (which means they don’t have a high volume of shares that are regularly traded).

In this scenario, if the price of XYZ stock doubles after you sell short, you have to buy back 100 shares at $50 per share. You spend $5,000 to buy the same stock you sold for $2,500. You lose $2,500 and that’s before you add in commission fees and the interest you have to pay for the period of time until you close the short position.

You pay interest on losses

A margin account is required for short selling. If you sell a stock short, and the price of that stock begins to increase, your broker will move money from the cash balance of your account to cover the losses. A margin balance will be created if you don’t have sufficient cash to cover the position, and you’ll begin to accrue interest charges on the margin balance. So you could not only suffer a loss from your short position, but also end up paying interest for the privilege of losing money!

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Source:http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/the-dangers-of-shortselling-in-an-uncertain-econom.html

Necessary Equipment for Shooting High Dynamic Range Digital Photography

Here is a list of the minimum equipment and software that you need to start shooting high dynamic range (HDR) digital photography and creating high dynamic range images:

Digital camera: You need a digital camera with a form of exposure control that allows you to shoot brackets. This can be manual controls, AEB, or exposure compensation.

HDR software: You also need software capable of turning the bracketed photos into an HDR image and tone mapping it. Photomatix Pro and Photoshop are great examples.

That’s it. Really. However, you might want to pick up a few other items to make it easier to shoot HDR photos:

Tripod: Depending on your camera, you may not need a tripod for every HDR shot. However, using a tripod will stabilize your camera and make the brackets easier to align. For most people, a tripod is a necessity.

Raw converter: Raw converters give you better Raw-to-TIFF conversion quality than HDR software.

Image editor: Although you can take the tone mapped image and put it directly on the Web, having an image editor like Photoshop Elements helps you create a much better final product, convert photos to black and white, or create panoramas.

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Source:http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/necessary-equipment-for-shooting-high-dynamic-rang.html

Mortgage Payment Calculator

To calculate your monthly mortgage payment, simply multiply the relevant number from the table below by the size of your mortgage expressed in (divided by) thousands of dollars. For example, on a 30-year mortgage of $125,000 at 7.5 percent, you multiply 125 by 7.00 (from the table) to come up with an $875 monthly payment.

Interest Rate (%)	Term of Mortgage
	15 years	30 years
4	7.40	4.77
4-1/8	7.46	4.85
4-1/4	7.52	4.92
4-3/8	7.59	4.99
4-1/2	7.65	5.07
4-5/8	7.71	5.14
4-3/4	7.78	5.22
4-7/8	7.84	5.29
5	7.91	5.37
5-1/8	7.98	5.45
5-1/4	8.04	5.53
5-3/8	8.11	5.60
5-1/2	8.18	5.68
5-5/8	8.24	5.76
5-3/4	8.31	5.84
5-7/8	8.38	5.92
6	8.44	6.00
6-1/8	8.51	6.08
6-1/4	8.58	6.16
6-3/8	8.65	6.24
6-1/2	8.72	6.33
6-5/8	8.78	6.41
6-3/4	8.85	6.49
6 -/8	8.92	6.57
7	8.99	6.66
7-1/8	9.06	6.74
7-1/4	9.13	6.83
7-3/8	9.20	6.91
7-1/2	9.28	7.00
7-5/8	9.35	7.08
7-3/4	9.42	7.17
7-7/8	9.49	7.26
8	9.56	7.34
8-1/8	9.63	7.43
8-1/4	9.71	7.52
8-3/8	9.78	7.61
8-1/2	9.85	7.69
8-5/8	9.93	7.78
8-3/4	10.00	7.87
8-7/8	10.07	7.96
9	10.15	8.05
9-1/8	10.22	8.14
9-1/4	10.30	8.23
9-3/8	10.37	8.32
9-1/2	10.45	8.41
9-5/8	10.52	8.50
9-3/4	10.60	8.60
9-7/8	10.67	8.69
10	10.75	8.78
10-1/8	10.83	8.87
10-1/4	10.90	8.97
10-3/8	10.98	9.06
10-1/2	11.06	9.15
10-5/8	11.14	9.25
10-3/4	11.21	9.34
10-7/8	11.29	9.43
11	11.37	9.53
11-1/4	11.53	9.72
11-1/2	11.69	9.91
11-3/4	11.85	10.10
12	12.01	10.29
12-1/4	12.17	10.48
12-1/2	12.17	10.48

*Warning: Mortgage payments are only a portion of the costs of owning a home.

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Source:http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/mortgage-payment-calculator.html

Singing: Identifying Symptoms of Performance Anxiety

Performance anxiety happens to all performers—singers, actors, and dancers, to name a few. But what's the root (and the symptoms) of performance anxiety? Knowing what you’re afraid of is half the battle. After you pinpoint the source of your fear, you can take charge of it.

These are the most common fears that cause anxiety among singers:

Cracking during the performance and not being able to hit the high note

Looking stupid in front of friends

Forgetting the words to the song

Fearing success or failure, rejection, or the unknown

Naming the fear enables you to go after the problem and beat it. Throughout this chapter, you can read about the common concerns and determine what’s scaring you. After you find the source, move forward and find a solution to eliminate the whole problem, not just the symptom.

You may find comforting the knowledge that thousands of other singers face the same icky anxiety you feel right before a performance. The symptoms include butterflies in the stomach, shaky knees, dry mouth (sometimes called cottonmouth), a sudden urge to cry or run away, trembling hands, a racing heart rate, nausea, cold hands but sweaty underarms, and the urge to pee no matter how many times you visit the bathroom. Did you find any of your symptoms on that list? I certainly see mine.

News flash: Adrenaline isn’t the enemy! In all honesty, you want a little adrenaline to boost your performance.

Assuming that you must be calm before a performance sets you up for pangs of anxiety when you don’t turn out to be as cool as a cucumber. Expecting to be nervous and jittery, on the other hand, can enable you to sing through your anxiety. In fact, you can use the fight-or-flight excitement of adrenaline coursing through your body to enhance your performance. In reframing your thoughts about the performance, you change from fight-or-flight adrenaline to a rush of excitement that can help you seize an opportunity.

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Source:http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/singing-identifying-symptoms-of-performance-anxiet.html

Paris For Dummies

This Cheat Sheet compiles a list of some of Paris’s top attractions and describes the easiest ways to reach these French destinations — by their Métro or RER stops. You'll also find an accompanying Métro map and the RER map for France's capital city.

Métro Stops for Paris Attractions

Whether you dream of climbing the Eiffel Tower or gazing at Mona Lisa’s smile in the Louvre, in Paris you are never at a loss for something to see. Here's a list of some of the city’s top attractions and the easiest ways to reach them — by their Métro or RER stops.

Public transportation in Paris is easy to navigate, and it provides a great way to see the city. See the Métro map and the RER map to find the locations listed.

Attractions Métro Line Number: Stop
Museums
Centre Georges Pompidou	11: Rambuteau
Institut du Monde Arabe	10: Cardinal Lemoine
Musée d’Art et d’Histoire du Judaism	11: Rambuteau
Musée Carnavalet	1: St-Paul
Musée de Cluny	10: Cluny–La Sorbonne
Musée Jacquemart-André	9, 13: Miromesnil
Musée du Louvre	1, 7: Palais Royal–Musée du Louvre
Musée d’Orsay	12: Solférino/RER Musée d’Orsay
Musée Picasso	1: St-Paul, 8: Chemin-Vert
Musée Rodin	13: Varenne

Churches
Notre-Dame	4: Cité
Sacré Coeur	2: Anvers
Sainte-Chapelle	4: Cité/RER St-Michel

Parks
Jardin du Palais-Royal	1, 8, 12: Concorde/1: Tuileries
Jardin des Tuileries	1, 8, 12: Concorde/1: Tuileries
Jardin et Palais du Luxembourg	4, 10: Odéon/RER Luxembourg/RER Port Royal
Place des Vosges	1: St-Paul

Monuments & Architecture
Arc de Triomphe	1, 2, 6, RER: Charles de Gaulle–Étoille
Champs-Elysées	1, 8, 12: Concorde/1, 13: Champs-Elysées–Clemenceau/1, 9: Franklin D. Roosevelt/1: George V/1, 2, 6: Charles de Gaulle–Étoille
Conciergerie	4: Cité/RER St-Michel–Notre-Dame
La Crypte Archéologique	4: Cité/RER St-Michel–Notre-Dame
Eiffel Tower	8: École-Militaire/6: Bir-Hakeim/ RER Champ de Mars-Tour Eiffel
Hôtel des Invalides (Napoléon’s Tomb)	8: La Tour–Maubourg/13: Varenne/8, 13, RER Invalides
Panthéon	10: Cardinal Lemoine
Place de la Bastille	1, 5: Bastille

Cemetery
Père Lachaise	2, 3: Père Lachaise

Kids & Teens
Aquaboulevard	8: Balard
Aquarium Tropical de la Porte Dorée	8: Porte Dorée
Les Catacombes	4, 6: Denfert–Rochereau
Cité des Sciences et de l’Industrie/Parc de la Villette	7: Porte de la Villette
Les Égouts	9: Alma-Marceau/RER Pont de l’Alma
Jardin d’Acclimation Bois de Boulogne	1: Les Sablons
Jardin des Plantes/Museum of Natural History	5, 10: Gare d’Austerlitz/7, 10: Jussieu
Musée de la Curiosité et de la Magie	1: St-Paul
Musée Grevin	8, 9: Grands Boulevards
Palais de la Découverte	1, 9: Franklin D. Roosevelt

Historic Cafés & Bars
Brasserie de l’Ile Saint-Louis	7: Pont Marie
Brasserie Lipp	4: St-Germain-des-Prés
Café les Deux Magots	4: St-Germain-des-Prés
La Closerie de Lilas	RER Port-Royal
Harry’s New York Bar	3, 7, 8: Opéra

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Source:http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/paris-for-dummies-cheat-sheet.html

Prevent Employee Fraud with Smart Business Practices

How do you prevent employee fraud in the workplace, and how can you be sure that nobody has their hand in the till? Like double cream and crash diets, keep bookkeeping tasks and the handling of cash or business assets completely separate. This includes

* Working on a cash register and taking cash

* Receiving payments from customers

* Balancing cash registers at the end of the day

* Accessing assets, such as business inventory

* Authorising transactions above an agreed amount

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Source:http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/prevent-employee-fraud-with-smart-business-practi0.html

The PDF File Format in Adobe CS5 Illustrator

Adobe Creative Suite 5 (Adobe CS5) Illustrator files can easily be saved in the PDF (Portable Document Format) format. PDF has many advantages; it requires only Acrobat Reader, available as a free download at www.adobe.com, and is supported by more than a dozen platforms.

If you can open an Illustrator file in Acrobat, why would you need to save a file in PDF format? For one thing, you can compress a PDF to a smaller size; also, the receiver can double-click the file and then Acrobat or Acrobat Reader launches automatically.

Depending on how you save the PDF, you can allow some level of editability in Adobe Illustrator. To save a file as a PDF, follow these steps:

Choose File→Save As, choose Illustrator PDF (.pdf) from the Save As Type drop-down list, and then click Save.

In the Adobe PDF Options dialog box that appears, choose one of these options from the Preset drop-down list:
- Illustrator Default: Creates a PDF file in which all Illustrator data is preserved. PDF files created using this preset can be reopened in Illustrator with no loss of data.
- High Quality Print: Creates PDF files for desktop printers and proofers.
- PDF/X-1a:2001: The least flexible, but quite powerful, delivery method for PDF content data; requires that the color of all objects be CMYK (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black) or spot colors. All other color elements are prohibited. All fonts used in the job must be embedded in the supplied PDF file.
- PDF/X-3:2002: Has slightly more flexibility than the X-1a:2001 method, in that color managed workflows are supported elements in Lab and attached ICC source profiles may also be used.
- PDF/X-4:2008: Based on PDF 1.4, which includes support for live transparency and has the same color management and ICC color specifications as PDF/X-3.
- Press Quality: Creates a PDF file that can be printed to a high-resolution output device. The file will be large but maintain all information that a commercial printer or service provider needs in order to print files correctly.
  
  This option automatically converts the color mode to CMYK, embeds all fonts used in the file, prints at a higher resolution, and uses other settings to preserve the maximum amount of information.
  
  Before creating an Adobe PDF file using the Press Quality preset, check with your commercial printer to determine the output resolution and other settings.
- Smallest File Size: Creates a low-resolution PDF suitable for posting on the Internet or sending by e-mail.
- Standard: Lets you select, from the Standard drop-down list, the type of PDF/X file you want to create. Avoid picking a PDF/X standard unless you have a specific need or are filling a request.
- Compatibility: Makes different features available for different versions, such as the ability to support layers in Version 6 or higher. For the most compatible file type, choose Acrobat 5 (PDF 1.4). To take advantage of layers or to preserve spot colors, you must choose Acrobat 6 or higher.

Click Save PDF to save your file in PDF format.

If you want to be able to reopen the PDF file and edit it in Illustrator, make sure that you leave the Preserve Illustrator Editing Capabilities check box selected in the Adobe PDF Options dialog box.

In the Adobe PDF Options dialog box, to the left of the preset choices, are options you can change to customize your settings. Skim the options to see how to change resolution settings and even add printer’s marks.

Want a press-quality PDF but don’t want to convert all your colors to CMYK? Choose the Press setting and then click the Output options. In the Color Conversion drop-down list, select No Conversion.

dummies

Source:http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/the-pdf-file-format-in-adobe-cs5-illustrator.html

How to Install a New Shower Head

Replacing a bathroom showerhead is usually as easy as unscrewing the old showerhead and screwing on the new one. This video shows you the tools and techniques you'll need to replace a showerhead without crushing or scratching fixtures.

dummies

Source:http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/how-to-install-a-new-shower-head.html

How to Decide between Voluntary Administration and Formal Probate

After you determine that an estate includes probate assets, you must decide whether you need the formal probate process to administer the estate or if voluntary administration is available to you. Voluntary administration may be available for you in your decedent’s state of domicile or any other state where administration is required. The extent of the estate’s assets usually determines whether formal probate is required or whether voluntary administration is an option.

Voluntary administration for the estate

If your decedent’s probate estate is of limited size, it may qualify for voluntary administration whether or not your decedent left a will. This voluntary administration can save you time and the estate money. For instance, in Massachusetts you may seek voluntary executorship if the decedent dies with a will and leaves only an automobile and personal property worth $15,000 or less.

To use voluntary administration, you need to do the following tasks:

You, the named executor, or administrator if there is no will, file a voluntary statement with the probate court.

Complete a form provided by the court regarding the decedent, his or her assets, heirs at law, devisees and legatees if there is a will, and surviving joint owners of property.

You must certify that you sent the State Division of Medical Assistance copies of the statement and the death certificate by certified mail.

You must also file the original will in the case of executorship and a certified copy of the death certificate.

If someone else doesn’t file a petition for formal probate of the will and all other requirements are met, the court may attest a copy of the statement and/or issue a certificate of appointment to you as executor/administrator. You may then act without further court involvement to pay the expenses and debts of the decedent and distribute any assets.

Note that a voluntary statement, or its equivalent, can’t be filed just to open a safe-deposit box. For that you need to go for temporary executor or special administrator.

These steps are minimal compared with formal probate proceedings. Check with the probate court of the jurisdiction where your decedent was domiciled to see if your decedent’s estate qualifies for voluntary administration.

Formal probate for the estate

If the assets of your decedent’s estate are more than the minimal amount provided for under a special administration statute, you need full, formal probate.

Use formal probate to impose a deadline for the decedent’s creditors to file claims against the estate. Formal probate involves publication of a notice to creditors of the required date for filing claims against the estate. This notice protects the estate and you as the executor/administrator from any later creditor’s claim. With voluntary probate, no such notice is given, and the period for filing claims against the estate may never close.

Your state statutes and probate court rules explain the steps needed to probate the decedent’s will in your state. The probate court registers and other court employees can be helpful. But if they feel you’re trying to use court staff to help you tackle a task that requires a probate attorney, their patience may wear thin. If you’re administering an extensive estate, make sure that you consult an attorney who specializes in estates.

dummies

Source:http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/how-to-decide-between-voluntary-administration-and.html

How to Make Job Networking Work for You

Consider networking to be an ongoing process if you want better job search results. You can network your way to new contacts, better business opportunities, more sales, and an attractive new job by keeping the lines of communication open with those who can help steer you in the right direction.

Whether pressing-the-flesh the traditional way on land — or meeting new people the newer way online — putting together a personal network is a work project highly recommended by virtually every career adviser.

To make your networking work, review these basic tips:

The networking secret. Successful networkers invest in people over the years. They think about personal networking as making deposits into and withdrawals from a kind of favor bank. Networking is a way of life, not a life jacket you pull out as your ship goes down.

The networking process. You already may be building promising connections with people you meet in the normal course of your life. Keep a list of who they are and how to reach them. Refresh your memory with these examples of personal-network-rich activities:

Attending professional association and alumni meetings

Being helpful to your neighbors

Exchanging pleasantries with people like letter carriers and sales reps

Striking up conversations in dentists’ and veterinarians’ offices

Chatting up other parents at your child’s school

Getting to know other volunteers on a civic project

Working on humane endeavors at your church

Keep others in the picture of what you’re up to; don’t be the taker who calls only when he or she wants something. Use lunch hours to stay in touch. Send e-mail. Connect others. Take leadership positions in groups. Do good turns.

The networking benefit. By building bridges to a group of individuals whom you are willing to help, and who are willing to help you in return, you create a safety-net infrastructure to mobilize when you’re on the road again in the job world.

dummies

Source:http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/how-to-make-job-networking-work-for-you.html

How to Upload Photos with Facebook Mobile

If you’re the mobile photo taker, Facebook Mobile Photos is for you. With mobile photos, you have no time for weeding, editing, or second thoughts. Mobile photos pave the way to instantaneous documentation.

Two types of people can be found at social events. You find the scrapbookers who always remember to bring their fancy-schmancy camera to every gathering. (You know who they are because they tell you to smile a lot or sometimes say “Act natural.”) Then there is the person who never intends to take photos but who, when the birthday girl blows out her candles, the host spills wine on himself, or someone arrives wearing a hilarious slogan tee shirt, is ready with the mobile phone camera. (Hey, it captures the moment, right?)

For the scrapbookers of the world, Facebook Photos was built for you. After the social gathering, plug your camera into a regular computer, weed out the bad photos, and upload the rest to a photo album.

But if you’re ready to submit those photos on the fly, here's how to upload a mobile photo:

Make sure you have a phone with a camera and you know how to use it to take a picture and/or take a video.

If you’re unsure, check your phone’s instruction manual or ask just about any teenager.

Go to www.facebook.com/mobile and look beneath Upload Photos via E-mail for a personalized e-mail address.

This e-mail address, of the form aaa111parsec@m.facebook.com, makes it possible for you to upload photos to your Profile from your phone. Optionally, you can click Send My Upload E-mail to Me Now. From there, you can ask Facebook to either e-mail you the address or text it to your phone. Either way, you want to add that personal e-mail address to your phone’s contacts so you can easily message it in the future.

Wait for something hilarious or beautiful or awesome to happen and then take a picture or video of it.

Send an e-mail to the address you just found with the picture or video attached.

The subject line is the caption, so choose wisely.

(Optional) To make any edits or changes to your mobile photos, go to your photo albums and click the Mobile Uploads album. To make changes to your video, go to the Video application and edit there.

Note that the default visibility of your mobile uploads is Everyone.

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Source:http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/how-to-upload-photos-with-facebook-mobile.html

Baseball For Dummies

The basics of baseball are simple — nine players play various defensive positions with the goal of getting three "outs" on the other baseball team. On offense, everybody bats (except maybe the pitcher), and the goal is to get on base and ultimately score a run. You can get out in a variety of ways, whether you’re the batter or a baserunner. If you’re really good, you end up in the record books or on a list of “mosts.”

How Baseball Players Get Out at Bat

Baseball is a game of outs — three strikes and you’re out; three outs, and your team is done for the inning. Baseball batters can be ruled out any number of ways, and the following list shows how you can get out when you’re up at home plate:

A fielder catches your fair or foul ball before it touches the ground (unless it is a foul tip to the catcher with less than two strikes).

You hit a foul tip (a ball caught by the catcher off your bat) for strike three.

After hitting the ball, you or first base is tagged before you touch the base.

The umpire calls three strikes during your at-bat (whether you swing or not).

A ball that you hit fair hits your bat a second time while you are in fair territory.

While running outside the foul lines, you obstruct a fielder’s throw.

You hit the ball with one or both feet outside the batter’s box or step from one batter’s box to another while the pitcher winds up.

You obstruct the catcher from fielding or throwing.

You run into your own fairly-batted ball while running from home to first base.

How to Get on Base in Baseball

In baseball, getting on base is your main goal whenever you stand in the batter’s box at home plate. After all, if you don’t get on base, you can’t score. The following list shows you the nine ways you can get on base:

You hit a fair ball that is not caught by a fielder before it touches the ground.

You hit a fair ball that touches the ground and is caught by a fielder whose throw fails to beat you to a base.

The umpire calls four pitches out of the strike zone during your at-bat.

A pitch in the strike zone hits you without first touching your bat.

The catcher obstructs your swing.

You hit a fair ball beyond the playing field (for a home run).

You hit a fair, catchable ball, but the fielder drops the ball, throws it away, and so on.

A third strike skips past the catcher and you beat the throw to first.

Positions on a Baseball Team

Traditionally, each baseball team fields nine players, although a Major League Baseball team has many more than that on its payroll. One pitcher can’t pitch every game, and even the outfielders may need a break every now and again — after all, the regular season is 162 games. The following table lists the abbreviation and position for all nine players on a team:

Baseball Positions
Abbreviation	Player
P	Pitcher
C	Catcher
1B	First baseman
2B	Second baseman
3B	Third baseman
SS	Shortstop
LF	Left fielder
CF	Center fielder
RF	Right fielder

American League lineups include a designator hitter who bats for the pitcher without taking a defensive position in the field. DH is the abbreviation for that slot.

How Baseball Baserunners Get Out

You’re playing baseball and you're on base. Your goals are to not get out and to score for your team. Here are the ways baseball players can get called out when they're baserunners:

You are on the same base with a teammate when the ball is alive (the second runner is out).

You pass a preceding runner on the base paths.

You miss a base and the defense notices it.

A fielder tags you with a ball that is alive while you are off the base. (However, no one can tag you out if you overrun first base provided you return immediately to that bag without making a turn toward second.)

Your teammate hits a ball that touches you in fair territory without it first touching or passing any fielder except the pitcher.

In the judgment of the umpire, you hinder a fielder from making a play.

A batted ball forces you to advance to another base and the fielder possessing the ball tags that base before you reach it.

Major League Baseball “Mosts”

Baseball, like any sport, is full of records — most meant to be broken. The following list shows some baseball “mosts” since 1900. Some records have stood for more than a century, some were reached more recently, and most will eventually have some other player’s name next to them.

Most Career Home Runs: 762, Barry Bonds (1986-2007)

Most Home Runs in a Season: 73, Barry Bonds (2001)

Most Runs Batted In (RBI) in a Season: 190, Hack Wilson, (1930)

Most Runs Scored in a Season: 177, Babe Ruth (1921)

Most Hits in a Season: 262, Ichiro Suzuki (2004)

Most Consecutive Games Batting Safely: 56, Joe DiMaggio (1941)

Most Wins by a Pitcher in a Season: 41, Jack Chesbro (1904)

Most Saves in a Season: 62, Francisco Rodríguez (2008)

Most Strikeouts in a Season: 383, Nolan Ryan (1973)

Highest On-Base Percentage in a Season: .609, Barry Bonds (2004)

Highest Slugging Average in a Season: .863, Barry Bonds (2001)

Highest Batting Average in a Season: .426, Napoleon Lajoie (1901)

Most Wins by a Team in a Season: 116, Chicago Cubs (1906), Seattle Mariners (2001)

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Source:http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/baseball-for-dummies-cheat-sheet.html