How To Make .......

Screen Grab a Section of a PDF File

You can use the Snapshot tool in Adobe Acrobat CS5 to select both text and images and create a picture of a certain area within a PDF file. The result is commonly referred to as a screen grab of a section within a PDF file. The result is an image, and your text is no longer editable.

To use the Snapshot tool, choose Tools→Select & Zoom→Snapshot Tool. You then have two options.

After you select the Snapshot tool, click anywhere in the page. The snapshot tool automatically captures everything displayed on the screen.

After you select the Snapshot tool, click and drag a rectangle around an area of the page.

You can include text and images. The area you’ve selected will be saved to the Clipboard so that you can paste it into another document.

The Snapshot tool remains active so that you can keep selecting areas and saving them to the Clipboard. However, the previous selection in your Clipboard is deleted when you make a new selection. So, make certain you’ve pasted a selection into your other document before you make a new selection.

You have to select another tool to deactivate the Snapshot tool.

dummies

Source:http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/screen-grab-a-section-of-a-pdf-file.html

Reconciling Credit Card Statements for Your Business

If your business accepts credit cards as a payment option, you’ll need to reconcile credit card statements against the company’s books. Each month, the bank that handles the credit-card sales for your business will send you a statement listing the following:

All your company’s transactions for the month.

The total amount your company sold through credit-card sales.

The total fees charged to your account.

If you find a difference between what the bank reports was sold on credit cards and what the company’s books show regarding credit-card sales, it’s time to play detective and find the reason for the difference.

In most cases, the error involves the charging back of one or more sales because a customer disputes the charge. In this case, the Cash Receipts journal is adjusted to reflect that loss of sale, and the bank statement and company books should match up.

For example, suppose $200 in credit-card sales were disputed. The original entry of the transaction in the books should look like this:

	Debit	Credit
Sales	$200
Cash		$200
To reverse disputed credit sales recorded in June.

This entry reduces the total Sales for the month as well as the amount of the Cash account. If the dispute is resolved and the money is later retrieved, the sale is then reentered when the cash is received.

You also record any fees related to credit-card fees in the Cash Disbursements journal. If credit-card fees for the month of June total $200, the entry in the books should look like this:

	Debit	Credit
Credit-Card Fees	$200
Cash		$200
To reverse credit-card fees for the month of June.

dummies

Source:http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/reconciling-credit-card-statements-for-your-busine.html

The Word 2007 Window

Using Microsoft Word 2007 is pretty easy, especially if you're already familiar with Word. If you're not, or if you sometimes appreciate images more than words, check out the following Word window, which shows a blank document and some of the most useful features:

dummies

Source:http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/the-word-2007-window.html

Should You Prolong M&A Exclusivity?

If Buyer is unable to close the M&A deal in the time the letter of intent (LOI) allots, you as Seller should confer with your advisors to determine whether Buyer is having problems that may compromise the deal. For example, Buyer may be stalling for time because she doesn’t yet have the money lined up.

If you and your advisors believe Buyer isn’t able to close the deal, you may be better off refusing to grant her continued exclusivity. If you think Buyer is stalling, informing her that you’ll begin to talk with the other interested parties is often a good technique to get her to wrap up the deal and close.

However, before refusing to extend exclusivity, consider whether your own actions caused or contributed to the delay. Have you released information in a timely manner? If you’ve been slow in providing Buyer with needed due diligence information, you’re partially responsible for her slow pace and should take that into account when evaluating the situation.

If you do decline to grant Buyer an extension of exclusivity, you shouldn’t actually tell her that you don’t want to do a deal. Never shut a door and walk away.

If the situation is seemingly untenable, let the other side be the one to close that door. You never know whether that other side will eventually see your point of view and come around to your position, so give yourself a chance at closing a deal.

Buyers, do your work quickly and push as hard as possible to close the deal within 60 days. Based on the situation, Seller may not decide to extend exclusivity if you need more time and may instead reengage conversation with other interested parties.

dummies

Source:http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/should-you-prolong-ma-exclusivity.html

Ireland's Ring of Kerry

This map highlights the famous “Ring of Kerry,” a scenic route around the Iveragh Peninsula in southwestern Ireland. No doubt you’ve heard of it — and so has everyone else, which means the route can be clogged with tour buses and crowds. To get the most out of your journey, rent a car and head out early — ideally before 9 a.m., when tour buses hit the road.

Going by car will allow you to stop at whatever charming towns and scenic vistas interest you along the way. To beat the crowds, start in Kenmare and drive the ring clockwise to Killarney. Most other travelers do it the other way.

dummies

Source:http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/irelands-ring-of-kerry.html

Getting a Little Help from Your (Running) Friends

If you think you'll have trouble staying motivated to run the mileage required to race a successful marathon — or if you simply find yourself getting bored on your runs — consider finding a training companion or two, even if you join up with them only 1 or 2 days per week.

Signing up for a marathon-training class

A marathon-training class is a weekly or twice-weekly meeting, led by one or more experienced runners, who help you train for a particular marathon — usually one in your geographic area. A training class usually starts meeting from 4 to 6 months before the targeted marathon, starts off with an assessment of your current fitness level and your marathon goals, and sets you up with a training plan for the marathon. Most classes meet for an hour or two to listen to experts on equipment, nutrition, racing strategy, stretching, injuries, and so on. Prices range from $25 to $100 for the entire 4- or 6-month class.

Before or after the speaker(s), the class will likely head out for a training run, often grouping people according to their per-mile training pace (a 7-minute-mile group, a 9-minute-mile group, and so on).

In order to find a marathon-training class, you first need to find a running store in your area. More specifically, find a running store that sells shoes and apparel for running, and possibly for walking, too — not a general athletic store, which sells basketballs, soccer equipment, football cleats, and so on. If you have this sort of running store in your area, odds are that the store offers a marathon-training class.

Flocking together with birds of the same feather: Running clubs

Many areas of the United States, Europe, and Africa — particularly in larger cities — have running clubs that are made up of runners who want others to train with them. Clubs vary greatly in the number of times per week the group meets, the intensity of the training, the talent of the club's members, and whether this is a training-only club or one that races together as a team.

The benefits of running clubs are twofold:

You get people to train with. Motivationally, having a group of people to train with, even just 1 or 2 days per week, can really help you stay on track with your marathon training.

You can save money. If your club is one that travels to races, splitting travel expenses among several people can save you money on gas and hotel expenses.

The major disadvantage of running clubs is that they often combine runners of such varying talent and experience that you may end up training alone anyway (which, obviously, diminishes the value of the club) or you may end up training more slowly than you could be, which only serves to make you a slower runner. In addition, the club members may have a variety of goals, some of which may conflict. All members may want to run the same marathon that you're planning to run. On the other hand, quite possibly no one in the club is planning to run that marathon and everyone else is focusing on 5K and 10K races. A final potential disadvantage of running clubs is that running enthusiasts who are looking for running companions, but may or may not have a great deal of knowledge about the sport, often start a running club. So even though the club founder is often looked to as a mentor, coach, or captain, the club founder may know squat about training for a marathon.

Be careful when deciding to join a running club. Before joining one, consider the following:

Make sure other club members are training at or near your goal training pace. Don't just assume they are. Ask specific questions about the training pace, mileage, and workouts of the club's members.

Find out whether others in the club are training for the same marathon you're training for.

If the club is going to be doing certain workouts — say, mile repeats — make sure they're the right workouts for you.

Find out what the fee is to join the club. If the club provides you with a racing uniform or brings in speakers from time to time, you have to pay for that in your club fee, of course, but you don't want to be funding anyone's salary unless you're getting expert coaching, with an emphasis on the word expert.

Make sure that if you win any sort of award or prize money at a race, you don't have to split that with the club. If that fine day comes your way, the money should be yours to keep!

Drumming up your own band

If you aren't able to find a running club in your area or if you don't find one that's right for you, you can always start your own running group with people from work, family, friends, neighbors, and so on. Like a running club, make sure this group has someone in it who is training at your pace so that you aren't running too slowly or if everyone trains faster than you, doesn't leave you training all by your lonesome self.

Your group can be official — with a name and special racing uniforms — or a low-key group that simply meets periodically and encourages one another.

Hiring a coach or trainer

If you want one-on-one advice for your training, consider hiring a coach or trainer. Doing so is expensive, but you get individual attention that you just can't get anywhere else.

To find out who may be qualified and willing to coach you, ask first at your local running store. You want someone who has coached marathoners or run in marathons and who has been successful in one or the other. If this lead turns up nothing, consider asking a collegiate coach to train you. While the marathon isn't a college running event, the training is close enough to that of 10,000-meter runners that a college coach may be able to help.

The mark of a good coach is that she always discusses and takes into account your background, experience, current fitness level, and goals before issuing a training plan. Steer clear of anyone who asks you to pay for a training plan that isn't individualized.

dummies

Source:http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/getting-a-little-help-from-your-running-friends.html

Using Your Books to Manage Your Business’s Cash

When it comes to managing your business’s cash, you can make effective use of the data you collect during the bookkeeping process. The key to taking advantage of what bookkeeping has to offer is understanding the value of basic bookkeeping principles and using information collected.

Following are the top ways to use your books to help you manage your business cash:

Charting the way: You may not think that a list of accounts, called the Chart of Accounts, is worth much attention, but this chart dictates how you collect your financial data and where in the books you put your company’s transactions.

In order for you to be able to use the information effectively, your Chart of Accounts should define each account precisely and determine exactly what types of transactions go where.

Balancing your entries: Balanced books are the only way to know how your business is doing. Without them, you can never know whether your profit numbers are accurate. In bookkeeping, you use a process called double-entry bookkeeping to keep the books balanced.

Posting your transactions: In order to be able to use the information you collect regarding your business transactions, the transactions must be posted accurately to your accounts.

If you forgot to post a transaction to your books, your reports won’t reflect that financial activity, and that’s a serious problem. Or, if you post an incorrect transaction to your books, any reports that draw on information will be wrong — again, a problem.

Tracking customer collections: If your business sells to customers on store credit, you certainly want to be sure your customers pay for their purchases in the future. (Customer account information is gathered in the Accounts Receivable account as well as in individual records for each customer.)

Review reports based on customer payment history (aging reports) on a monthly basis to be sure customers pay on time. Remember that you set the rules for store credit, so you may want to cut off customers from future purchases if their accounts are past due for 90 days or more.

Paying bills accurately and on time: If you want to continue getting supplies, products, and services from your vendors and contractors, you must pay them accurately and on time. Managing your payments through the Accounts Payable account ensures accuracy and timeliness, and it also saves you from mistakenly paying bills twice.

To be safe, you should review aging reports on your payment history to see that your bookkeeper is making timely and accurate payments.

Planning profits: Nothing is more important to a business owner than the profits he will ultimately make. Yet many business owners don’t take time to plan their profit expectations at the beginning of each year, so they have no way to gauge how well their businesses do throughout the year.

Avoid this problem by developing profit expectations and a budget that will help you meet those expectations before the year starts. Develop a series of internal financial reports from the numbers in your bookkeeping system to help determine whether or not you’re meeting your sales targets and maintaining control over your product costs and operating expenses.

Comparing budget to actual expenses: Keeping a careful watch on how well your budget planning reflects what’s happening in your business can help you meet your profit goals.

Develop a budget that sets your expectations for the year, and then develop internal reports that give you the ability to track how closely your actual expenses match that budget. If you see any major problems, correct them as soon as possible to be sure you meet your target profit at the end of the year.

Comparing sales goals to actual sales: In addition to watching expenses, you also need to monitor actual sales so that they match the sales goals you set at the beginning of the year.

Designing an internal report that tracks sales goals versus actual sales allows you to monitor how well your business is doing. If your actual sales are below expectations, correct the problem as soon as possible in order to improve your chances of meeting the year-end goals.

Tracking cost trends: Awareness of the costs involved in purchasing the products you sell or the raw materials you use to manufacture your products is very important because these costs trends can have a major impact on whether or not your company earns the net income you expect. If you find that the costs are trending upward, you may need to adjust the prices of the products you sell in order to meet your profit goals.

Making pricing decisions: Properly pricing your product can be a critical factor in determining whether or not your product sells. If the price is too high, you may not find any customers willing to buy the product; if it’s too low, you lose money.

dummies

Source:http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/using-your-books-to-manage-your-businesss-cash.html

Debunking Weight Training Myths

Don’t let a few things you may have heard about weight training keep you away from the gym. Look at these common weight training myths and the facts that debunk them so you can arm yourself with the knowledge and confidence to hit the weights head on:

Myth	Reality
You’ll get huge unless you lift light weights.	The only way your muscles will burst the seams of your dress shirts is if you regularly lift extremely heavy weight repetitions, and if you have a body type that will even allow for the development of mega muscles.
You’re the only one in the gym baffled by the equipment.	No one is born knowing how to operate the assisted dip machine or perform a decline chest fly! Weight training equipment can baffle even the sharpest of minds.
Weight lifting is dangerous.	If Dr. Ruth tried to hoist a 300-pound barbell overhead, that would be dangerous. But if you use good technique and common sense, you’re likely to stay injury free.
Thigh exercises will slim your thighs, and ab exercises will whittle your middle.	You can’t melt the fat off any particular body part by performing exercises that target that area. There simply is no such thing as spot reducing.
Lifting weights won’t help you lose weight.	Lifting weights is an essential part of a fat-loss program. Developing muscle is the only way to boost your metabolism, which can help you lose fat and keep it off.
Free weights are for muscleheads and machines are for beginners.	The free-weight room of a gym isn’t a special club for bodybuilders; novices are welcome there and should make a point of learning to use dumbbells and barbells.

dummies

Source:http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/debunking-weight-training-myths.html

Explaining Gardening Fertilizers

Before you buy fertilizer for your garden, be sure that you understand what's available. The following list offers the common types of garden fertilizers and explains their components and uses:

Complete fertilizers: These contain all three macronutrients — nitrogen (N), phosphorous (P), and potassium (K).

Incomplete fertilizers: These are missing one or more of the macronutrients, usually the P or the K.

Chelated micronutrients: These are in a form that allows a plant to absorb them quicker than the morecommonly available sulfated forms. If your plants just won't green up (they stay mottled yellow and green, or just plain yellow), no matter how much nitrogen you apply, you probably have a micronutrient deficiency of iron, zinc, or manganese.

Foliar fertilizers: You apply these to a plant's leaves rather than to its roots. You can use most liquid fertilizers as foliar fertilizers, but make sure that the label instructs you accordingly.

Organic fertilizers: These fertilizers derived their nutrients from something that was once alive. Examples include blood meal, fish emulsion, and manure.

Slow-release fertilizers: These provide nutrients to plants at specific rates under particular conditions. Some slow-release fertilizers can deliver the benefits of their nutrients for as long as eight months.

dummies

Source:http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/explaining-gardening-fertilizers.html

How to Use Windows Briefcase to Move and Synchronize Your Desktop and Laptop Files

(Optional) If the Briefcase window is not in Details view, then in Windows Vista, choose Details from the Views button; in Windows XP, choose View→Details.

Details view gives you the most information.

Drag files into the Briefcase window just as you would copy those files in Windows.

You can also drag the icons to the Briefcase icon, or you can copy the files and then open the Briefcase icon and paste things there.

The Briefcase folder itself holds duplicates of the files you copy into it, listing the file's original location and its status, as shown in the above figure.

Close the Briefcase window when you're done with it.

After filling the Briefcase with files and stuff you want on your laptop, you are now ready to copy the Briefcase to your laptop.

dummies

Source:http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/how-to-use-windows-briefcase-to-move-and-synchroni.html

Saxophone For Dummies

The saxophone has influenced many styles of music. Saxophonists have left their indelible mark on music whether it’s in the big bands of Count Basie and Duke Ellington, Bill Haley’s legendary rock ’n’ roll band or the funk master James Brown. And in the bossa nova song “The Girl from Ipanema,” the breathy sax is the icing on the cake. This Cheat Sheet provides some basic information to help you start playing the saxophone: buying or leasing a sax, sax parts and their functions, practicing with your sax, and playing a new sax song.

Leasing or Buying a Saxophone

Whether you choose the soprano, alto, tenor, or baritone saxophone, another decision remains: Should you buy a saxophone or lease one? (Don’t worry, you’re not alone on this — your wallet has something to say here.) Each option has its pros and cons. The following sections help you choose the option that’s right for you.

Leasing a saxophone

Are you still dabbling in dreams of being a saxophonist? If you’re unsure about whether the saxophone suits you, and you’re not ready to spend a lot of money, leasing is a good idea. Many music stores and dealers offer this option. You can get a decent instrument and pay for it month to month. If, later, you decide to buy it, some retailers will credit what you’ve already paid toward the purchase price. And if you decide that the saxophone isn’t your musical match, simply return it.

Buying a saxophone: New or used?

If the saxophone is the instrument you were meant to play, and you’re ready to make the commitment, you’re likely prepared to buy.

When buying a saxophone — or any important accessories — consider asking an expert, such as your future saxophone teacher or an experienced saxophonist, to be your personal sales consultant. Getting an expert opinion is worth the peace of mind and it almost guarantees that you’ll find the right saxophone for you.

Many people choose to buy new instruments, but some used saxophones are available in good or very good condition and are ready to play. Perhaps the previous owner didn’t play much, or the instrument was recently reconditioned. Some vintage horns are real classics. For example, most pros would only sell their old Selmer Mark VI over their dead bodies. These old instruments can sound beautiful and their value often doubles in price compared to a new one.

A well-maintained saxophone can last a long time. For example, the pads (the leather on the underside of the keys) can remain intact for six to ten years, depending on the quality of the pads, maintenance, and usage.

With a used saxophone, pay special attention to the condition of the instrument:

What condition are the pads in? Is the leather still smooth, dark, and hard, or is it cracked and moldy?

Do the pads still cover the tone holes perfectly?

Do the mechanics run clean? Can you press down on all of the keys comfortably and simultaneously?

If you answer no to any of these questions, the sax in question might need a general overhaul. And if it’s in really bad shape, repairs could cost more than the instrument is worth! Get advice from an expert if you’re concerned.

Saxophone Parts and Their Functions

The saxophone is a woodwind, not a brass, instrument. This fact can be hard to believe, because the saxophone is, after all, made mostly of brass. The saxophone is considered a woodwind instrument because the part that creates the actual sound, called the reed, is made out of wood, or more specifically, cane (similar to bamboo).

This section familiarizes you with the important components of the saxophone, by describing how they fit together and how the whole system works.

The saxophone is made up of the following parts:

Reed: The sound generator, which has the same function as human vocal chords. It’s fixed onto the mouthpiece by a ligature.

Mouthpiece: When you blow into the mouthpiece, the reed vibrates. Without the aid of the other parts of the saxophone, it produces a high, shrill sound.

Neck: The mouthpiece is attached to the neck, which is the joint between the mouthpiece and the body. The sound generated by the vibrating reed enters the body through the neck. If you compare the saxophone’s neck with your own, and with your voice, the saxophone’s neck works the same way.

Body: This is the most important resonance chamber of the saxophone. The sound vibrates within the body and is amplified. By holding down the keys, which are located on the body, you change the length of the air column to create a different pitch or note. The longer the air column, the lower the corresponding note; the shorter the column, the higher the note.

Neck strap: More of an accessory, this is a strap that is looped through an eyelet on the back side of the horn and worn around the player’s neck. The neck strap lets the player carry the saxophone and supports the instrument so the fingers can move freely over the keys.

Thumb hook: The right thumb sits in the thumb hook, which is a hooked-shaped piece of metal or plastic, to balance the saxophone’s weight.

Thumb rest: The left thumb sits on the thumb rest (located below the octave key) to balance the saxophone.

Saxophone Practice

Practicing with your saxophone brings you closer to your musical goals. Your saxophone should perform the way you want it to. Good technique, knowledge, and experience will help with this, and that means you have to practice, practice, practice.

Practice with your saxophone regularly

As in sports and many other activities, you improve by practicing regularly a little bit at a time, rather than practicing a lot every now and then. Five 15-minute practice sessions per week are much better than a single marathon session of two or five hours right before your next saxophone lesson. The regularity helps you memorize and internalize what you’re practicing. You can get accustomed to your saxophone step by step. Even three sessions of five minutes per day is productive.

Structure your saxophone practice

Try devising a practice schedule or a practice routine. Such a routine can look like this:

First, warm up.

Start in the middle range and play soft, long tones.

Second, turn to different combinations of notes to work on your finger technique.

Next, start phrasing and articulation exercises.

These help the coordination of your tongue and fingers.

Now, practice a scale, preferably from memory.

This trains your fluency and speed.

Last, select a piece and play it.

If you’re interested in improvisation, play typical jazz phrases or use the vocabulary of a different musical style, possibly in one or more keys. If you need more to practice, you can work on rhythmic exercises. And listen to exemplary solos from your favorite recordings and transcribe them, or focus on training your ear.

You can always find something to practice or improve on. Not everything has to go by the schedule, even if you set out to do so.

Playing a New Saxophone Song

You want to learn a new song to play on your saxophone, and this section tells you how to do so effectively. You can learn new saxophone pieces and even master difficult songs this way. The idea is that you approach the song from different angles. Put appropriate emphasis on note material, rhythm, and dynamics. Follow this approach:

Examine the key and scale

Your first glance should be toward the notation on the upper left. What is the key signature? Does it contain sharps or flats? For instance, one sharp in the key signature indicates G major, and one flat indicates F major.

When working on a new piece, you learn the key by playing the corresponding scale. This is a good approach for preparing to play the song.

Practice the notes and fingerings

Practice the notes and their fingerings independently of the rhythm. As soon as you recognize the notes instantly, finger and blow all the notes of the song in sequence. You can handle difficult note combinations best if you repeat them often, that is, if you “loop” them.

Work on the rhythm

At this stage, work on just the rhythm, meaning figure out the note and rest lengths without considering their pitch. Go through individual bars of the song. Clap the rhythm. In the case of rhythmically complex measures, get an overview by penciling the main beats (1, 2, 3, 4) with a vertical line above the notes. Clearly structure each measure. Filter out difficult rhythms and clap them several times — just like the note combinations — and “loop” them.

Pair the notes with the rhythm

When the notes and rhythm are second nature to you, combine the two. Approach this measure by measure and increase the tempo gradually.

Pay attention to breath marks and song sequences

When you can play the entire song, go into more detail. Pay attention to the notated breath marks and try only to breathe where indicated. If no breath marks are given, try to find spots at which it makes sense to inhale, and mark them with your pencil. You should inhale only after slurs, and during rests in such a way that you always have enough air for playing.

Also try to notice a few other things: Musical symbols, such as repeat signs, that could be marked with first and second endings. In addition, look for Da capo (D.C.), Dal segno (D.S.), and Coda symbols.

Focus on articulation and dynamics

Musical notation also includes articulation symbols that give instruction on how you should use your tongue and air. Emphasize the accented notes (>) accordingly, or play notes with the staccato symbol (snappy and short) as indicated.

Next pay attention to dynamics:

p (piano = soft)

mp (mezzo piano = half as soft as piano)

mf (mezzo forte = half as loud as forte)

f (forte = loud)

Crescendo and decrescendo also indicate volume, which you should consider.

>
dummies

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

How to Deal with a Customer's Language Barrier

When dealing with a business customer who doesn't speak English (or doesn't know much of the language), you can overcome that customer language barrier in a number of ways:

Show some emotion. Most emotions, such as excitement, joy, fear, frustration, and anger, are universal. Just remember that some cultures are more or less restrained in their expressions, so stay within your customers’ comfort zone. Follow the customer’s lead.

Slow down, but don’t shout. Even if a customer understands English, different people have different levels of fluency. You may be speaking or introducing new concepts so fast that everything becomes a blur to them. Slow down, but avoid cranking up the volume. Non-English-speaking customers who don’t comprehend your words probably aren’t hearing impaired.

Draw a picture to communicate an idea. Some people prefer to see things, as opposed to hearing about them, so even the most rudimentary drawing can be much more helpful than trying to repeat your words over and over. Also, finding a picture from a magazine or showing a customer a chart or graph can speak much more clearly than words.

Show without so much tell. Some people prefer to experience a product for themselves. If possible, let the person try out the product or service.

Ask for help. If others are around who speak your customer’s language, don’t be shy about asking for their assistance. People who are bilingual are often willing to translate for those who aren’t, whether you’re in a store, office, airport, hotel, or some other location. If you have a bilingual employee, all the better.

Double-check your customer’s understanding. If you’re unsure whether your client has understood your message, try to confirm meanings by asking the question a different way, or having him or her explain information back to you.

Be patient. The key to overcoming any language barrier is to exercise patience. It’s not your or the customer’s fault that you can’t speak each other’s language.

Maintain your sense of humor. Overcoming language barriers can be frustrating for you, as well as for your customer. A smile can help break the tension and make communicating easier.

dummies

Source:http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/how-to-deal-with-a-customers-language-barrier.html

How to Complete Schedule C for Estate Form 706

An estate administrator should report assets like mortgages, cash, and promissory notes on Schedule C: Mortgages, Notes, and Cash when filing tax Form 706. When preparing Schedule C, be sure to include all pertinent information for each asset you list. Cash assets should be listed separately on the schedule from any cash still in the decedent’s accounts. Don’t forget to report any contracts that the decedent had to sell land.

Schedule C reports assets, not debts. Any mortgages or notes listed here are amounts owed to the decedent, not owed by him or her. The following assets should be listed on the schedule in this order:

Mortgages and notes payable to the decedent, not by the decedent. In describing the mortgage, include the face value, unpaid balance, date of mortgage, name of maker, property mortgaged, date of maturity, interest rate, and interest date.

Promissory notes. Report and describe them in the same manner as mortgages.

Contracts by the decedent to sell land

When listing contracts that the decedent had to sell land, make sure that you include any information relevant to the contract including:
- Name of the purchaser
- Contract date
- Property description
- Sales price
- Initial payment
- Amounts of the installment payments
- Unpaid balance of the principal
- Interest rate

Cash. When reporting any cash in the decedent’s possession, list it separately from cash in bank accounts. Aggregate all the actual cash you find. It’s not necessary to list separately the cash in the bureau, the cash under the bed, and the cash hidden behind the fireplace.

Cash in banks, savings and loan associations, credit unions, and all other financial organizations.

Remember to describe each account you list. Include the name and address of the financial organization, the amount in the account, the accrued interest, and the serial or account number. Also, explain what kind of account you’re listing (checking, savings, certificate of deposit).

For checking accounts, be sure to report the amount left in the account after you account for any checks outstanding at the date of death. To obtain the date-of-death balances, including accrued interest, send a letter to each financial institution requesting the information. Retain the response from each institution for your files.

dummies

Source:http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/how-to-complete-schedule-c-for-estate-form-706.html

Anxiety & Depression Workbook For Dummies

If you think you may be struggling with anxiety and depression, examine this checklist to see if any of the signs of depression or anxiety apply to you. Then, you can adopt some techniques for dealing with emotional distress and keeping yourself focused on the present.

Signs of Anxiety and Depression

Everyone worries and experiences sadness but when these feelings consume you and affect how you relate to people and situations, you could be dealing with anxiety and depression. Go through this list of possible indicators of emotional distress and check all that apply to you (the more you check, the more serious the possible problem):

I worry all the time.

I feel like a total loser.

My appetite isn’t what it should be.

I feel like I can’t catch my breath.

I don’t look forward to anything.

I’m a very nervous person.

I can’t think as well as I should.

I feel a lot of guilt.

I’m not interested in doing anything.

I feel hopeless.

I have a lot of fears.

My sleep is disturbed.

I’ve been having thoughts about death lately.

I avoid friends and social situations.

I can’t make decisions about anything.

I don’t have any energy lately.

My mood has been really low.

Sometimes I feel panicky.

My heart races for no reason at all.

If you think you may have a problem with serious depression, anxiety, or thoughts of suicide, please seek a professional consultation promptly.

How to Deal with Distress

Use these techniques when you’re feeling stressed or a little down as a way to lighten your mood and rid yourself of that “not quite right feeling.”

Exercise. Take a brisk walk, jog, or dance for at least 15 to 20 minutes. Increasing your heart rate for a while burns off anxious feelings and increases endorphins, which lift your mood.

Chill out. Fill a sink or bowl with ice water. Now take a deep breath and put your face in the water for 30 seconds or so. Believe it or not, you’re likely to feel more relaxed (and maybe a bit chilly) when you’re done.

Get grateful. Stop what you’re doing right now and ponder what makes you feel grateful. Appreciate the small things — a good parking spot, the ability to read this cheat sheet, flowers, good music, a cute dog, whatever. Make a list of these things, and review it when you’re feeling down and out.

Breathe better. Take a slow, deep breath. Hold the air for a few moments, and then let it out very slowly while you silently count to eight. Repeat this breathing exercise four or five times when you feel the need to decompress.

Living for Today: A Remedy for Anxiety and Depression

Feeling guilty about things that have happened in the past or thinking that something horrible is just around the corner is central to most anxious and depressing thoughts. To keep yourself in the here and now use these techniques:

Sit quietly and take note of your surroundings. Notice the light, sounds, and everything around you.

Avoid the temptation to judge or evaluate, and just observe.

Notice your breath going in and out of your body.

Notice how your body feels as you sit.

Sit, breathe, observe, and be in the present. If your thoughts start to dwell on worries or concerns, just pull yourself back to the present.

>
dummies

Source:http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/anxiety-depression-workbook-for-dummies-cheat-shee.html

How to Relate Dairy-Free Life to Vegetarianism

The ethical, environmental, and health reasons that some people go dairy-free apply just as well to the practice of eating meat. In fact, most people who go dairy-free for these reasons are already living meat-free.

Animals raised for meat are, like dairy cows, confined to factory farms. They suffer, and their lives end violently in slaughterhouses, where conditions for the humans who work there are abysmal. To avoid causing pain and suffering to animals, many people advocate a vegetarian diet. The meat and dairy industries collectively contribute substantially to problems with global warming. The meat industry also is a major polluter, affecting supplies of clean water, soil, and air.

Many of the health reasons for going dairy-free apply equally to a meat-free diet. Like dairy products, meats are high in artery-clogging saturated fat, so meat-eaters have higher risks of coronary artery disease than people who don’t eat meat.

In fact, a large body of scientific research now supports the idea that vegetarian diets in general support good health. Vegetarians live longer than nonvegetarians, and they have lower risks for numerous chronic diseases and conditions, including high blood pressure and cholesterol, cancer, and diabetes. Vegetarians also often are slimmer.

A non-dairy diet requires some of the same supplements as a meat-free diet. If you consistently eat a vegetarian diet that excludes meat, fish, and poultry — or a vegan diet that excludes meat, fish, poultry, eggs, milk, and other dairy products — you should consider a vitamin B12 supplement.

The only reliable sources of vitamin B12 that don’t come from an animal are vitamin B12 supplements or foods fortified with vitamin B12, such as fortified soymilk or rice milk and fortified breakfast cereals. Vegans also may benefit from supplements of vitamin D, calcium, and possibly docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), an omega-3 fatty acid that’s essential for human health.

Lifestyle change isn’t easy, especially when it entails changing long-held habits or traditions. The risks you take in beginning to eliminate dairy products from your diet are similar to those you would encounter if you were trying to make other diet changes, including going vegetarian.

Changing your diet takes time and planning. At times you’ll make progress, and every once in a while, you may take a step backward, too. And sometimes you may feel discouraged or down, especially when you’re busy or under pressure and the effort the new lifestyle requires feels like a burden.

dummies

Source:http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/how-to-relate-dairyfree-life-to-vegetarianism.html

Equipment for Macro and Close-Up Photography

To achieve macro and close-up photographic results, you need to focus on subjects at a closer-than-normal distance. To get closer to your subjects, you need specific macro and close-up equipment and techniques. Here are some of the ways that macro and close-up photographers get the shots they want:

Use a macro-specific fixed lens. Unlike ordinary lenses, macro lenses enable you to shoot at very close distances to your subject while still achieving sharp focus. Most macro lenses get you close enough to capture a 1:1 magnification ratio. This means your subject appears life-size on your camera's digital sensor.

Use an extension tube to supplement your lens. Extension tubes are hollow accessories that attach between your camera body and the lens. They provide space between the lens and sensor, enabling you to focus closer than usual. The relationship between the size of the extension tube and the lens's focal length determines how close you can get. A 50mm extension tube paired with a 50mm lens provides a maximum 1:1 ratio, however, a 50mm extension tube paired with a 100mm lens only provides a maximum 1:2 ratio.

Attach a tele-converter to your lens to increase magnification. Tele-converters are optical devices that attach between the camera and the lens. They magnify the image produced by your lens to appear larger on your camera's digital sensor. When using a tele-converter, your image is magnified but you don't have to move closer to your subject. This makes tele-convertors ideal for photographing subjects that scare easily or that are in hard-to-reach areas.

Reverse your lens to increase your ability to focus near your subjects. By detaching the lens and turning it around (so your camera is looking through the front element and out of the back element), you can get closer to your subject and achieve greater amounts of magnification. Try this method by simply handholding the lens in front of the camera. If you're pleased with the results, consider purchasing a reversing ring (an accessory that enables you to fix a reversed lens to the camera body) to hold the lens in place.

dummies

Source:http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/equipment-for-macro-and-closeup-photography.html

How to Make a Striped Bag by Knitting In the Round

Knitting in the round to make a bag is great because there's no purling. You knit the main body of the bag in the round, so no purling there, and the bottom is all garter stitch — also not a purl in sight. This pattern has stripes, and is super-flexible and fun!

This project requires these materials and vital statistics:

Measurements: 12 inches x 12 inches

Yarn: Heavy worsted-weight wool; approximately 250 yards; various colors, as desired

Needles: One 24-inch size US 10 (6 mm) circular needle; tapestry or yarn needle

Other materials: Handles of your choice

Gauge: Varies according to yarns used; for heavy worsted-weight yarn, approximately 3 1/2 to 4 stitches and 5 to 6 rows per 1 inch

Create your very own striped bag that is knit in the round:

Using a size US 10 circular needle, cast on 100 stitches (sts).

Knit until the piece measures 10 inches.

Switch yarns as desired to create stripes.

Bind off all but 30 sts.

Knit 4 inches in garter stitch.

Make sure you have enough to cover the bottom opening.

Bind off all remaining stitches and break the yarn.

Leave 36 inches for seaming.

Sew the garter stitch bottom to the open three sides of the bag piece by using a tapestry needle and the remaining yarn.

Attach handles as instructed on the packaging.

dummies

Source:http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/how-to-make-a-striped-bag-by-knitting-in-the-round.html

The GL Diet For Dummies

Handy Tips to Reduce the GL

Having some handy tips and pointers when trying to lower your glycaemic load means that you need never get it wrong. Here’s a helpful list of things to remember.

Eat small or moderate portions of starchy foods such as bread, potatoes, pasta, and rice.

Include lots of low-GL fruit and vegetables at every meal. Aim for a minimum of five servings of fruit and veg per day. Lightly cook veggies for the minimum time or eat them raw. Fresh, frozen, or canned fruit and veg are all fine.

Make more of pulses including peas, beans, and lentils in soups, salads, and as a meal accompaniment instead of pasta or rice. Pulses, including dried or canned, count towards your five-a-day fruit and veg.

Always include a protein-rich food as part of your meal to reduce the GL. Chose from lean meat, fish, poultry, eggs, low-fat dairy foods, soya products, or quorn.

Adding acidic foods such as balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, vinaigrette, or pickles (for example, capers and gherkins) to your meal reduces the overall GL. Adding a little monounsaturated oil such as olive or rapeseed oil, or a little Parmesan cheese or reduced-fat cream to recipes also reduces the GL.

Cut right down on highly refined snack foods such as sweets, crisps or corn chips, cakes, biscuits, and pastries made from white flour and sugar. Instead, choose nuts and seeds, or dried fruits such as apple rings or apricots. Instead of milk chocolate, snack on a couple of squares of dark chocolate with over 70 per cent cocoa solids.

Starchy Staples: Helpful Low-GL Alternatives

Use this table to find out which starchy foods to avoid, and discover tasty low-GL alternatives. Keep it handy, so you’re never left wondering if you’ve made the right choices!

Starchy staples	Low GL	High GL
Bread	Pumpernickel, rye, sourdough, soya and linseed, barley and sunflower, granary, seeded breads and pitta breads (moderate GL) oat cakes, rye crackers (moderate GL)	White, wholemeal, French stick, rice cakes, cream crackers, bread sticks
Cereal	Whole oats, oatmeal, porridge, no added sugar muesli, bran sticks, semolina, quinoa	Sweetened cereals, rice based cereals, bran flakes, wheat biscuits, shredded wheat
Pasta	Egg-based pasta, mungbean noodles	Overcooked pasta and pasta ready meals requiring re-heating
Rice	Long grain, wild, and basmati rice. Bulgur or cracked wheat, couscous, pearl barley	Short grain, sticky white rice
Potatoes	Baby new potatoes, sweet potatoes, yams, celeriac, swede	Large floury white potatoes, French fries, mashed potato

Low-GL Seasonal Fruit and Vegetables

Good news: on the glycaemic load diet, you can indulge in hundreds of beautiful, scrumptious fruits and veggies. Check out this guide to what’s in season when.

	Fruits	Vegetables
Spring	Rhubarb, grapes, limes, passion fruit, sharon fruit, lemons, grapefruit, avocados	Leeks, cabbage, watercress, new potatoes, spinach, aubergines, radishes, rocket, spring greens
Summer	Strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, redcurrants, blackcurrants, cherries, nectarines, melons	Asparagus, baby carrots, fresh peas, tomatoes, runner beans, lettuce, cucumber, courgettes, peppers mange tout
Autumn	Blackberries, apples pears, gooseberries, damsons, plums, elderberries, greengages, plums	Pumpkin, onions, fennel, wild mushrooms, squash, turnips, red cabbage, celeriac, swede
Winter	Satsumas, clementines, cranberries, mandarins, tangerines, pears, pomegranates	Brussels sprouts, chicory, cauliflower, kale, celery, mushrooms, purple sprouting broccoli

>
dummies

Source:http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/the-gl-diet-for-dummies-cheat-sheet.navId-323518.html

SWOT Analysis: Bargaining Power of Suppliers and Buyers

The amount of control your suppliers have over the price of goods you purchase dictates whether this area is an opportunity or threat. Suppliers or vendors are any companies that provide raw materials, components, or services into your industry. The more suppliers, the less control any one company can have over controlling your costs. The power of your suppliers is high when any of the following factors exist:

Few suppliers and many buyers

Similar products or services but with higher value or cost

Suppliers or vendors threaten to integrate forward (like Nike opening its own retail stores called Niketown)

Your industry isn’t a key customer group for the supplier

AT&T sells many of its telecommunication services through independent sales agents. This distribution channel has facilitated the growth of many small telecommunications consulting companies that resell AT&T products. The commission earned off these products was a primary source of revenue for these agents’ businesses.

AT&T is one of only a few suppliers of telephony. Because of this fact, losing one of the only suppliers was a huge threat to these companies. And AT&T took advantage of that power by terminating many agent contracts and bringing the accounts in-house. This action was completely legal but destroyed many agents’ businesses.

The power of buyers can be summed up in one word: Wal-Mart. Because 10 cents of every consumer dollar is spent at Wal-Mart, any company in the consumer goods industry must contend with the force of its buying power. Buyers in this analysis are people who create demand in your industry. The power of buyers is great with any of the following factors:

Many sellers, few buyers

Buyers threaten to integrate backwards (a computer manufacturer deciding to produce semiconductors or another component they would normally purchase)

Your industry’s products are standardized with little differentiation between competing products

Your industry isn’t a key supplying group for the buyers

dummies

Source:http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/swot-analysis-bargaining-power-of-suppliers-and-bu.html

Greek Architecture: Doric, Ionic, or Corinthian?

For the Greeks, temples were not only places to worship the gods but also impressive symbols of their society and culture. They were built as focal points on the highest ground of every city in Greece and the conquered territories around the Mediterranean. Beneath the temples spread public meeting places, civic buildings, gymnasiums, stadiums, theaters, and housing.

Today, the remains of Greek cities can be found in Italy, Sicily, and Turkey. One of the reasons that they have lasted so long is that the Greeks built their temples, amphitheaters, and other major public buildings with limestone and marble. Blocks of stone were held in place by bronze or iron pins set into molten lead — a flexible system that could withstand earthquakes.

Greek architecture followed a highly structured system of proportions that relates individual architectural components to the whole building. This system was developed according to three styles, or orders. Each order consists of an upright support called a column that extends from a base at the bottom to a shaft in the middle and a capital at the top — much like the feet, body, and head of the human figure. The capital was often a stylized representation of natural forms, such as animal horns or plant leaves. It, in turn, supports a horizontal element called the entablature, which is divided further into three different parts:

The architrave (lowest part)

The frieze (middle)

The cornice (top)

These elements, in turn, were further elaborated with decorative moldings and ornamentation (see Figure 1). Each component of a classical order was sized and arranged according to an overall proportioning system based on the height and diameter of the columns.

Figure 1: Parts of a column.

The Greeks first constructed their orders with wood, and then switched to stone using the same forms. The ends of the wooden beams holding up the roof, for example, were translated into stone as a decorative element, called a triglyph ("three grooves"), in the entablature above the column capital.

The Greeks started out using only one order per building. But after a few hundred years, they got more creative and sometimes used one order for the exterior and another for the interior. The proportions of the orders were developed over a long period of time — they became lighter and more refined.

Some folks think that the orders are primarily a question of details, moldings, and characteristic capitals. However, in fact, the very concept of order and an overall relationship is really the most important thing here. Each of the orders is a proportional system or a range of proportions for the entire structure.

Doric: Heavy simplicity

The oldest, simplest, and most massive of the three Greek orders is the Doric, which was applied to temples beginning in the 7th century B.C. As shown in Figure 2, columns are placed close together and are often without bases. Their shafts are sculpted with concave curves called flutes. The capitals are plain with a rounded section at the bottom, known as the echinus, and a square at the top, called the abacus. The entablature has a distinctive frieze decorated with vertical channels, or triglyphs. In between the triglyphs are spaces, called metopes, which were commonly sculpted with figures and ornamentation. The frieze is separated from the architrave by a narrow band called the regula. Together, these elements formed a rectangular structure surrounded by a double row of columns that conveyed a bold unity. The Doric order reached its pinnacle of perfection in the Parthenon.

Figure 2: Doric order.

Ionic: The Ionic Sea Scrolls?

The next order to be developed by the Greeks was the Ionic (see Figure 3). It is called Ionic because it developed in the Ionian islands in the 6th century B.C. Roman historian Vitruvius compared this delicate order to a female form, in contrast to the stockier "male" Doric order.

The Ionic was used for smaller buildings and interiors. It's easy to recognize because of the two scrolls, called volutes, on its capital. The volutes may have been based on nautilus shells or animal horns.

Between the volutes is a curved section that is often carved with oval decorations known as egg and dart. Above the capital, the entablature is narrower than the Doric, with a frieze containing a continuous band of sculpture. One of the earliest and most striking examples of the Ionic order is the tiny Temple to Athena Nike at the entrance to the Athens Acropolis. It was designed and built by Callicrates from about 448-421 B.C.

Figure 3: Ionic order.

Corinthian: Leafy but not as popular

The third order is the Corinthian, which wasn't used much by the Greeks. It is named after the city of Corinth, where sculptor Callimachus supposedly invented it by at the end of the 5th century B.C. after he spotted a goblet surrounded by leaves. As shown in Figure 4, the Corinthian is similar to the Ionic order in its base, column, and entablature, but its capital is far more ornate, carved with two tiers of curly acanthus leaves. The oldest known Corinthian column stands inside the 5th-century temple of Apollo Epicurius at Bassae.

Figure 4: Corinthian order.

Compensating for illusions: Straight or curved, who knew?

The Greeks continued to strive for perfection in the appearance of their buildings. To make their columns look straight, they bowed them slightly outward to compensate for the optical illusion that makes vertical lines look curved from a distance. They named this effect entasis, which means "to strain" in Greek.

Relationships between columns, windows, doorways, and other elements were constantly analyzed to find pleasing dimensions that were in harmony with nature and the human body. Symmetry and the unity of parts to the whole were important to Greek architecture, as these elements reflected the democratic city-state pioneered by the Greek civilization.

>
dummies

Source:http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/greek-architecture-doric-ionic-or-corinthian.html

BlackBerry Enterprise Server for Your BlackBerry PlayBook

BlackBerry Enterprise Server (BES) for your PlayBook is usually an extension of a corporate intranet (the private network maintained within a company or institution). The manager of a closed intranet can set all sorts of security, privacy, and productivity restrictions on the user’s access to e-mail and the outside world of the Internet.

The first (or last) stretch of communication is the link between your BlackBerry device and the cellular provider, and that data is encrypted in the same way BIS is. However, with BES the cellular provider doesn’t connect your PlayBook or your smartphone to the public Internet; instead, it routes the data to the company or institution that operates its own BES.

In a BES system, an IT (information technology) manager sets the controls and limits on the server. Your data travels in an encrypted form as a cellular signal, and then continues in a virtual closed tunnel to the intranet and the dedicated server.

There’s more to the BES system, too: an IT manager can install customized or specialized software on the server or push those apps out to run on BlackBerry phones or the BlackBerry PlayBook.

Without any James Bond–like interception, the only way for someone to read your mail or the data stream is to get inside your corporation or institution — or to steal your BlackBerry device. (And in a managed system, that purloined phone or tablet usually requires a password to operate. And the phone can be remotely wiped of its data, or be shut out of the BES stream once its absence is noted.)

And just as is the case with a cellular provider, a managed BES system can be set up to block access to certain websites. That’s right: your employer might insist that you use your BlackBerry device only for work-related purposes and make it impossible to watch sitcoms, play Angry Birds, or shop for shoes.

And so here, in a nutshell, is the reason RIM’s BlackBerry devices became so popular in corporations and institutions and even in the White House. More so than nearly any other portable cellular or data device, a BlackBerry can be locked down, buttoned up, and protected like a high-tech tank.

dummies

Source:http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/blackberry-enterprise-server-for-your-blackberry-p.html

TI-Nspire Student Software versus TI-Nspire Teacher Software

You find two types of TI-Nspire computer software: TI-Nspire Student Software and TI-Nspire Teacher Software. The TI-Nspire Student Software now comes free with the purchase of a TI-Nspire Handheld. Of course, both can be purchased at instructional dealers or the TI online store.

The two types of software are extremely similar. When it comes to creating documents (called working in the Documents workspace), only one difference exists. TI-Nspire Teacher Software has an additional application called the Question application.

Using the Question application, teachers can create different types of questions (custom choice, open response, and so on) and embed the question in a .tns document.

The TI-Nspire Teacher Software was designed to be used in a classroom setting. Consequently, it does have a few more features available. For example, TI-Nspire Teacher Software can be used to send .tns documents to multiple users at one time and to save a .tns document in a lesson bundle (with a .pdf and/or a .doc document), and it has a Content workspace to preview and download files.

dummies

Source:http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/tinspire-student-software-versus-tinspire-teacher-.html

iLife '11: How to Modify a Podcast Episode in GarageBand

In iLife, GarageBand '11 is the perfect tool for creating audio or video podcast episodes with narration, dialogue, music, sound effects, chapter markers, artwork, and Web addresses (URLs).

Including images in your GarageBand '11 podcast

You can import media files from other iLife applications, including iTunes and iPhoto, into a podcast project. For example, you can drag artwork or an image from the Photos pane of the Media Browser to the Podcast Track. To find and preview media files, click the Media Browser button in the far right corner of the GarageBand window (or choose Control→Show Media Browser). You can even import other GarageBand projects that have been saved in an iLife preview.

To add artwork for the podcast episode (a photo or an image that’s visible while the episode plays), drag the image from the Media Browser to the Episode Artwork well in the Editor. You can also resize and crop the image: Double-click the image in the Episode Artwork well or the marker list to open the Artwork Editor, and then drag the Size slider in the Artwork Editor to resize the image, and drag the image within the black border to crop it.

Adding and editing markers in your GarageBand podcast

Markers are useful for separating sections of a podcast episode. You can add images to each marker region of the Podcast Track so that they appear during that portion of the podcast episode. Follow these basic guidelines to be able to create and add markers:

Add a marker: Click the Podcast Track, move the playhead to the place where you want to add the marker, and click the Add Marker (+) button at the bottom of the GarageBand window. The marker appears in the Editor below the tracks, and the start time for the marker appears in the Time column in the marker’s row. The marker also appears as a marker region in the Podcast Track: To resize the marker region, drag either edge of the marker region; to move it, drag it to a new position in the Podcast Track.

Add an image to a marker region: Drag the image from the Media Browser to the Artwork box in the marker’s row in the Editor. You can also drag the image directly to the Podcast Track, which adds a new marker region including the image.

Add a chapter title to a marker, turning it into a chapter marker. When people play a podcast episode in iTunes, they can easily move to a specific chapter in the episode. To add a chapter title to a marker, select the placeholder text in the Chapter Title column of the marker’s row and then type a title.

Adding episode information to your GarageBand podcast

Podcasts require information such as the episode title, author, and description. An episode may also have a parental advisory, which appears when someone plays the podcast in iTunes.

To edit the podcast episode’s information, select the Podcast Track and click the Track Info (look for the i) button (or choose Track→Show Track Info) to see the Episode Info pane. Click the Title field to type a title, and click the Artist field to add artist information. You can choose None, Clean, or Explicit from the Parental Advisory pop-up menu and include a description of the podcast episode in the Description field.

Learning to duck tracks in your GarageBand podcast

You may want to duck, or lower the volume of, the backing tracks for a podcast episode in order to better hear spoken narration or dialogue. The ducking controls appear in the track header for a podcast project with arrows pointing up and down. (If the arrows aren’t visible, choose Control→Ducking to turn them on.)

First you make a track the lead track by clicking the upper part of its ducking control (the arrow pointing upward). Then you make other tracks backing tracks by clicking the lower part of the track's ducking control (the arrow pointing downward). As a result, whenever sound appears on a lead track, the backing tracks are lowered and the volume of the lead track stays the same.

dummies

Source:http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/ilife-11-how-to-modify-a-podcast-episode-in-garage.html

Basic Flute Fingering Chart

This chart provides you with the basic fingerings for all the notes on the flute. Print out the illustrations if you want a handy reference during your music making!

dummies

Source:http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/basic-flute-fingering-chart.html

Understanding the Freemason’s Cipher

Freemasons have used ciphers since at least the 18th century. The Freemason’s Cipher is sometimes called the Pigpen Cipher, because the alphabet is written into a grid of lines, which may look like pigpens, and a cross shape from two diagonal lines. A letter is enciphered by drawing the shape of the cell that encompasses it. Freemasons learned one of the many versions of this cipher as part of the Royal Arch initiation.

Here are the main reasons Freemasons use ciphers:

To keep their ritual ceremonies secure so they aren’t easily discovered by the unitiated

To keep messages about Masonic business (like “lodge officers meet one half-hour before the meeting of the full lodge”) just among Masons

To have fun, plain and simple

The Grand Lodge style of Freemasonry began in 1717 in London, England, and spread to France in fewer than ten years. In France, Freemasons experimented with the development of so-called high degrees, ritual initiation ceremonies that somehow went beyond the first three degrees of Freemasonry.

These high degree ceremonies were plays that enhanced a Mason’s experience and interaction with the legends, for example, of the Temple built by King Solomon. Some believe that the French invented a degree called the Royal Arch, as a kind of completion (keystone) of the third or Master Mason degree.

However the Royal Arch was developed — and early Masonic records are notoriously incomplete — history suggests that the Royal Arch degree was being conferred in London in the 1740s. When it comes down to it, the Freemason’s Cipher (in any version) is a straight substitution cipher, so you can solve it by substituting a letter for each symbol.

dummies

Source:http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/understanding-the-freemasons-cipher.html

Common CSS Attributes

Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) allow a programmer to create and apply various styles, such as color and formatting, to text and Web page layout. The following table lists the CSS attributes you will use the most.

dummies

Source:http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/common-css-attributes.html

How to Match Your Marketing E-Mails to Your Brand

Branding your marketing e-mails helps your audience to immediately recognize and differentiate your e-mails from the unfamiliar e-mails they receive. Keeping your e-mail branding consistent over time allows your recipients to become familiar with you and your e-mails as they receive multiple e-mails from you.

All your business communications should contain consistent branding elements, and your e-mails are no exception. Matching every e-mail to your brand gives your audience confidence and makes your business more memorable every time your audience clicks to access your website or walks into your store and sees the same branding elements.

Design your e-mails to match your brand by

Including your logo. Position your logo in the upper left or top center of your e-mail where readers are most likely to see it.

Using a company logo along with identifiable design elements brands your e-mail and reinforces your company’s image.

Echoing your logo colors. If your logo has multiple colors, pull the colors from your logo and use them for the borders, backgrounds, and fonts in your e-mails. If your logo uses only one color, you can use a graphic design program to create a palette of colors that work well with the color in your logo.

Using the colors from your website. When readers click from your e-mail to your website, they may hesitate if your website looks different from your e-mail. Design your e-mails using the colors in your website to give visitors a feel of familiarity. For example, if your website uses a gray background with black text, use the same colors for those elements in your e-mails.

Matching website offers. If your e-mail includes an offer with a specific design, use the same design elements on your website, especially if you’re directing people to your website to complete a purchase or to read more information about the offer in your e-mail.

Being consistent across all media. If you’re posting to social media, sending direct mail, or printing ads to follow up or reinforce your e-mail messages, make sure that those communications match the branding in your e-mails.

Choosing fonts that match your brand in your e-mails. Consistent fonts add to the overall look and feel of your e-mails as well as adding emotion behind the text. Keep your fonts consistent in all your communications and use the same fonts for similar visual anchors. For example, if your e-mail contains three articles with three headlines in one column, use the same font for each headline in the column.

Stick with two or three different fonts in each e-mail to avoid heaping visual distractions on your audience.

Making sure your e-mails reflect your business’ personality. Design elements that match your brand can still spell a mismatch with your brand if your e-mails aren’t written with your business’ personality in mind. Show your e-mails to a few trustworthy friends or advisors and ask them to tell you whether your writing style is a good match for your image. If you aren’t a good writer, consider using a copywriter to help you maintain your image using the text of your articles and offers. Tell your copywriter whether you want the text in your e-mail to make your business seem
- Serious or humorous
- Professional or casual
- Formal or friendly
- Exclusive or universal
- Urgent or customary
- Insistent or politely persuasive

dummies

Source:http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/how-to-match-your-marketing-emails-to-your-brand.navId-610165.html

Creating a Rule in Lotus Notes 6

A rule tells Notes what to do with certain incoming messages. For example, you could have a rule that always puts messages with a certain word in the subject field in a certain folder, or a rule that moves e-mail from a certain person directly into the Trash folder, or perhaps a rule that instantly changes the importance of any message that you receive from your boss to High. See your rules by clicking the word Rules in the Navigation pane.

To create a new rule, first click the Rules folder in the Navigation pane of your mail. Then click the Action bar's New Rule button. Figure 1 shows the (rather large) New Rule dialog box that appears.

Figure 1: Create a new rule here.

As you can see from Figure 1, the New Rule dialog box is divided into three sections. This Rule Is determines whether the rule is enabled, Specify Conditions decides on which messages the rule will act, and Specify Actions determines what the rule will do with the messages it chooses.

Any new rule you create is enabled, by default. You might, however, have a rule that you want to temporarily disable; for example, perhaps you don't want incoming mail messages dispatched to that folder, for the time being. At the very top of the dialog box, use the This Rule Is radio buttons to decide whether the rule is being enforced. Select the On radio button in the field (the default), and the rule does whatever you told it to do. On the other hand, if you select the Off radio button, your rule is suspended until you activate it again.

Creating a rule's condition

The fields in the Specify Conditions section of the New Rule dialog box determine the messages to which your rule will apply. The basic idea is to use these fields to set up a criterion and then to use the Add button to save the condition. Some rules may have only one condition, such as Subject contains Adult. Others may be more complicated, with more than one condition. For example, you could have a rule that looked for incoming message with the words Sales Updates in the subject line that were sent by a guy named Rob Fichtel.

When you define the second drop-down field in the Specify Conditions section of the dialog box, you can choose from 13 different places to look:

sender: Choose messages by the name of the person who sent the message. You could, for example, create a rule that automatically looks for messages from your boss.

subject: Select messages based on what's in the subject of the message, such as Sales Update.

body: Find messages with a certain word or phrase anywhere in the body of the message.

importance: Select messages based on the importance that the sender chose for it (High/Medium/Low).

delivery priority: Select messages based on the delivery priority that the author assigned to the message.

to: Select messages by the name of the person or persons in the message's To field.

cc: Select messages by the name of the person or persons in the message's cc field.

bcc: Select messages by the name of the person or persons in the message's bcc field.

to or cc: Select messages by the name of the person or persons in the message's To or cc field.

body or subject: Enter a criteria that Notes will look for in both the subject and body of messages.

Internet domain: Specify messages from a particular company, such as ibm.com or yourcustomerscompany.com.

size: Specify messages of a particular size.

all documents: Apply your rule to all new messages.

After you tell Notes where to look, you use the third drop-down field in the Specify Conditions section of the dialog box to tell Notes what kind of comparison that you're interested in:

contains: The term that you enter in the third field can occur anywhere in the field that you select in the first field.

does not contain: Whatever you chose in the first field can't include what you enter in the third field.

is: Whatever you chose in the first field must be exactly equal to what you enter in the third field.

is not: Whatever you chose in the first field can't be what you enter in the third field.

Finally, use the third field in the Specify Conditions section to tell Notes what you're looking for. Just type the search term — a person's name, the word that you want to find in the message body, the Internet domain name, and so on — in the third field.

After you define the three parts of the condition, click the Add button to save the condition. If you change your mind after saving a condition, you can use the Remove and Remove All buttons to edit any mistakes. You have to select the condition in the When Mail Messages Arrive that Meet These Conditions field and click the Remove button to remove it.

Sometimes you might want a rule with more than one condition. Maybe the rule is intended to find messages that are from a certain customer and that also have the words new order in their subject line. A rule can have as many conditions as you want; just keep using that Add button if you need more than one.

When you specify multiple conditions for a rule, you might want to tell Notes to act only if every criterion is met. Other times, you may want Notes to act if any of the specified criteria is met. For example, in Figure 1, Notes is set up to delete every message whose body or subject contains the word Adult. The word Adult doesn't have to appear in both places to activate the rule. If you prefer, you can set up Notes so that the word Adult must appear in the body and subject in order to activate the rule. You control this feature by selecting AND or OR in the first drop-down field. This drop-down field appears only after you've clicked Add to add at least one condition to your rule.

Defining a rule's action

After you tell Notes on which messages a rule will act, use the Specify Actions section of the dialog box to determine what Notes will do with those messages. This is the part of the dialog box where you tell Notes that you want these certain messages to be moved to a certain folder, deleted, and so on.

This section of the dialog box has two fields. The first — a drop-down list — tells Notes what you want to do to these messages. The second field tells Notes where to put them.

In the first field, you can choose from six things with a message that meets the condition(s) that you established at the top of the New Rule dialog box:

move to folder: Tell Notes to move the matching messages to a certain folder, the name of which you enter in the second field or use the Select button to choose, both of which appear when you select this option.

copy to folder: Tell Notes to move the matching messages to a certain folder, the name of which you enter in the second field or use the Select button to choose, both of which appear when you select this option. This differs from moving to a folder in that the message remains in your Inbox.

send copy to: Automatically forward the message to someone else.

set expire date: Mark the date on which the message will expire.

change importance to: Mark the message's importance as High, Medium, or Low — regardless of how the sender set the message's importance.

delete: Remove the message.

After you use this drop-down list to decide what's going to happen to the messages, use the field to its right to enter the name of the folder, or the name of the person the message will be forwarded to, and so on. The field to the right appears or doesn't depending on what you've selected in the drop-down list.

After you define the rule's condition and action, click the OK button at the bottom of the New Rule dialog box to save it. Your new rule will appear in the Rules view in your mail.

Like with conditions, a rule may have more than one action. For example, you may set up a rule that looks for messages from a certain customer and then automatically forwards that message to your assistant after also filing the message in a special folder.

>
dummies

Source:http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/creating-a-rule-in-lotus-notes-6.html