Attributes of a Winning Business Idea

Before you can have an effective business plan, you must have a great business idea. An effective business plan can help turn a good business idea for a company into a great one. Ask yourself these questions to evaluate your idea:

• Is your business idea something you really want to spend time doing?

  
  



• Do you have the resources, connections, skills, and experience to turn your business idea into a success story?

  
  



• Can you explain your business idea in 25 words or less?

  
  



• Does your business idea address or solve a real customer need, problem, or desire?

  
  



• Will you offer something new or different than the competition?

  
  



• Does your business idea take advantage of a new opportunity? Is your business idea the right one at the right time?

  
  



• Will your business idea make money — and how fast?

  
  

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Source:http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/attributes-of-a-winning-business-idea.html

Weeding Out Duplicate Contacts in ACT! 2007

Finding pesky duplicates in your ACT! 2007 database is tricky but not impossible. Because having multiple records for the same person or company is common, ACT! enables you to check easily for duplicate records based on predefined criteria. You can then create a lookup of the duplicate records and delete them. You can also change the criteria used to find these duplicate records.

To eliminate duplicate contacts, follow these steps:

1. From any ACT! screen, choose Tools --> Scan for Duplicates.

By default, ACT! looks for duplicate contact records based on the company name, contact name, and phone number. If the contents of these three fields are identical for two or more contacts, ACT! views them as duplicates. You can now specify how ACT! checks for duplicate contact records in the Duplicate Checking dialog box.

2. In the Find Duplicate Contacts area, choose the three fields you want ACT! to use to search for duplicate contact data.

3. Click OK.

The Contact List opens, along with a dialog box informing you that duplicates were found, asking whether you would like to combine them. From this list, you can delete records, keep records, or combine duplicate records.

4. If you want to combine duplicates, click Yes to continue at the prompt.

The Copy/Move Contact Data window opens. This is the first of six windows that you go through when merging duplicate contacts. Merging duplicates is a slow, grueling task; you have to merge your duplicates on a pair-by-pair basis. After contacts are merged together, there is no unmerge function. Proceed with caution!

As you progress through the wizard, you perform the following six tasks:

• Select a set of duplicates.

• Decide if you want to copy the information from the first contact record to the second contact record — or vice versa.

• Choose a source and a contact. Depending on your choice, one of the contacts becomes the source, and the other one is the target. By default, the new, merged contact contains all the target information. If you want to retain any source field information, click in the field and then click the Copy button.

• Choose whether you want to move additional information from the source to the target or have the information remain duplicated on both records.

• Select the additional elements that you want to merge together: notes, histories, activities, opportunities, secondary contacts and documents. If the source contact has three notes and the target has four different notes, the final contact ends up with seven notes.

• Indicate whether to keep or delete the source record. For your convenience, ACT! recaps the information to make your decision easier. If you decide to delete the source record, click Yes on the scary warning that confirms that you might be losing information.

5. Click Finish.

Your two duplicate records merge into one.

You can't undelete deleted records or contact information. If you inadvertently delete important information, immediately go to your backup file and restore your information.

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Source:http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/weeding-out-duplicate-contacts-in-act-2007.html

What to Include in a Thank-You or Follow-Up Letter

After you've presented your job qualifications in an interview, remember to promptly send a thank-you or follow-up letter to the interviewer. Thank-you and follow-up letters are typically sent by postal mail or e-mail.

In your resume and during your interview, you sell yourself on being a great fit for the job — superb qualifications, competencies, skills, experience, and interest — all punctuated with true and lively tales of accomplishments. Don’t stop the winning streak that got you this far. Instead, use what happened during the interview to build on it!

One typical way to begin a follow-up letter is by expressing appreciation for the interviewer’s time and for giving you an update on the job position. Other ideas include the following:

• Think outside of yourself: Remind the interviewer of what you specifically can do for a company, not what a company can do for you. Draw verbal links between a company’s immediate needs and your qualifications — You want A, I offer A; you want B, I offer B.

  
  



• Elaborate on your experience in handling concerns that were discussed during the interview. Write brief paragraphs about how you solved problems of interest to the company.

  
  



• After researching an issue that the company is wrestling with, include a brief but pertinent statement of your findings, perhaps even enclosing a relevant news clip about the matter.

  
  



• Add information to a question you didn’t fully answer during the interview.

  
  



• Overcome objections the interviewer expressed about offering you the job.

  
  



• Reaffirm your interest in the position and respect for the company. Add a couple of statements about your zest for the company and for the position (but don't overdo it).

  
  

In this digital age, most people send e-mail thank-you letters. Doing so is usually fine for garden-variety jobs, especially when the hiring decision is going to be made within a few days or so. But for an important job, a typed letter is more impressive and memorable. Send it by postal mail, or if time is short, via an overnight delivery service. The letter can run two, even three pages, if it is flush with white space and easy to read.

Some people swear by handwritten notes, but even when the penmanship is good, a note doesn’t readily lend itself to a sales tool when you’re going for the win.

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Source:http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/what-to-include-in-a-thankyou-or-followup-letter.html?cid=vault

What Is Scripting, Anyway?

Why is this AppleScript stuff called scripting? The answer is unclear, but it was probably a marketing ploy to keep people from thinking about programming. While real people tend to think of programming as some arcane ritual that only nerds can master, it's really just a way to tell the computer what to do. Unfortunately, telling a computer what to do can be very, very complex. Fortunately, Apple has been at the forefront of developing technologies — including AppleScript — that make telling computers what to do easier.

Think of your Mac as your servant, a very efficient, very fast, but not too bright aide-de-camp who really wants to make your life nicer. All you have to do is tell it what to do in a very simple language that it can understand: AppleScript.

The Mac is very nifty, but it can't yet read your mind. So you have to tell it what to do. Of course, you already do that. After all, what is clicking menu items or dragging files around with the mouse but telling the Mac what to do? AppleScript makes life nicer by letting you tell the computer once, by writing a script, rather than by pointing and clicking every time you want to do something.

That's really all scripting is — writing a set of instructions for the Mac. Imagine sending a friend a set of directions to your house or telling someone over the phone how to do something in iPhoto. In order to write a script, you just set those same instructions down in AppleScript. After you have the instructions down so that your Mac can understand them, you can have the Mac follow them any number of times. Think of scripts as add-on smarts for your Mac that let your Mac do the tasks that you want it to, when you want it to, and how you want it to.

Apple events aren't just parties anymore!

You may or may not have ever heard of Apple Events, but they're critical to the success of AppleScript. The good news is that while the details of Apple Events and the Object Model are fairly complex, Apple has succeeded in hiding all of that nasty stuff from you. In fact, you can spend your whole scripting life without ever once using either term. However, having at least a vague idea of what these terms mean gives you an understanding of how AppleScript works its magic.

Apple Events are just messages sent from one Mac application to another.

Yep, that's all they are. The bad news is that just as you need to wire your house for cable, application developers have to work to make their programs support Apple Events. If they don't spend the time, then their applications can't send or respond to Apple Events. Such applications aren't controllable from AppleScript scripts.

To make life more exciting, not all scriptable applications are the same. Some support only the four basic messages — Open, Print, Quit, and Run — which is essentially the same as not being scriptable because you don't have any real control over what the application does. Other applications are so scriptable that you can change their basic behavior through scripts.

Levels of scripting

There are four officially recognized levels of AppleScript support:

• Scriptable: This term covers any program that has some level of support for Apple Events.

• Recordable: These applications let AppleScript automatically build a script by watching you work. It performs this feat by watching the Apple Events generated by your actions — selecting a menu item, using the keyboard, and so on — and translating them into AppleScript commands by using the application's dictionary.

• Attachable: These fine examples of advanced software engineering let you attach scripts to various items in the program. For example, BBEdit has a special script menu that contains scripts you put into a specified folder.

• Tinkerable: These applications are few and far between, but they go one step beyond attachable by letting you change the basic way the program behaves with a script. For example, if you don't like the way a certain menu command works in a tinkerable program, you can write a script that replaces the default action of that menu item with the action you want to perform.

Fortunately you can easily tell if an application is scriptable. You can use the Script Editor to look for applications with dictionaries. From the Script Editor, choose File --> Open Dictionary. You get a window which lists all the applications that the Script Editor thinks are scriptable. It turns out this method isn't perfect though, so if you really want to be sure an application isn't scriptable, click the Browse button in the lower-left corner of the Open Dictionary window and use the resulting standard Open dialog to locate the application you're interested in. If the application you're interested in isn't grayed out, then it's scriptable. To see an application's dictionary, just click the Open button in the Open Dictionary window or the Choose button in the Open dialog.

A dictionary is a description of the commands that a program responds to and the types of values — called classes — that it understands. A word processor may have a paragraph class while a drawing program probably has a line class.

Just because an application is scriptable doesn't mean you can use it in your scripts. Some scriptable applications have so few scripting commands that they're not really very useful.

The Object Model is a way to define information in a modular manner. You've probably used the Object Model many times in everyday life. That's right, even if you've never used a single script, you've probably used something very much like the Object Model. Let me give you an example: You've probably said something like, "Look at the second paragraph in that article" or "The second word in that paragraph is misspelled." Both of these statements represent information in a modular, container-oriented fashion. In the first example, an article — one type of object — contains paragraphs — another kind of object. In the second example, a paragraph contains words.

An application doesn't have to implement the Object Model in order to be scriptable, nor is the definition of the Object Model so precise that you can define a "correct" implementation of the Object Model for a given application. In fact, you'll find that you never really have to worry about the Object Model. What you will care about is whether an application defines enough information objects to let you script it effectively. A word processor without a word or paragraph object would be a bit tough to work with.

What can you do with a script?

Make a movie. Of course, if you don't have $120,000,000 lying around to finance a big-screen extravaganza, you can settle for saving time by automating things you currently do manually.

Writing a script is just telling your Mac what to do with words instead of by moving and clicking the mouse. You might tell a coworker what job needs to be done verbally — that's like using the mouse on your Mac — or you might write him or her a note — probably e-mail these days — and that's like using AppleScript. AppleScript is just a really simple language that your Mac can understand.

AppleScript itself is not very powerful. That's not a bug; it's a feature! AppleScript was designed to be the glue to control and integrate the activities of various Mac applications, including the Finder.

This is one of the most forgotten Mac facts. The Finder is just another application, like Excel or Word.

Because AppleScript lets you control applications, you can do all sorts of neat automation with very little AppleScript experience. But right now, you're just a beginner, so what can you do? Selecting, sorting, and printing records in a FileMaker Pro database only takes six lines of AppleScript. Changing your desktop picture is also really easy, it only takes these three script lines:

tell application "Finder"
set the_pic to choose file "Select a desktop picture"
set desktop picture to the_pic
end tell

Pretty easy to read, right? This lets AppleScript know which application you want to send the indented lines to. The first indented line lets you pick a file. The second indented line tells the Finder to set the desktop picture to whatever you picked.

One last simple example: Making a script that wakes up every 15 minutes and warns you to take a break so that you don't come down with repetitive stress injuries (RSI) is easy. Now you could spend $30–$50 for a commercial product, or you can spend 15 minutes writing yourself a script.

The bottom line is that even with very little scripting experience, you can write scripts that save you time and make your life a little bit better — unless, of course, you like doing mindless and repetitive tasks on the Mac.

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Source:http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/what-is-scripting-anyway.html

How to Evaluate Online Community Feedback

Online community managers have a love/hate relationship with feedback. It’s a good feeling when you hear from community members that you’re a wonderful community manager. It’s also a great ego boost to discover campaigns and promotions are paying off or that your members feel good about participating in such a positive atmosphere.

This kind of positive feedback is helpful because it tells you where you are in achieving your goals for the community and also that your campaigns and other community efforts are paying off. Plus, you know you’re doing something right and can work on ramping up your community plans to see how to make it even more positive.

When you’re doing something right, you want to continue doing it right. If you hear that a particular giveaway was a huge success, are you going to leave it at that? No, you’re going to plan more giveaways! The last thing you want to do is have one successful campaign and leave it at that.

On the flip side of the coin, you have your negative feedback. No one likes hearing or reading something bad. It’s even more embarrassing if negative feedback is left as a public comment on a blog post, written out as a whole blog post, or posted on social networks such as Twitter or Facebook.

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Source:http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/how-to-evaluate-online-community-feedback.html

Terms Every Winemaker Needs to Know

As a home winemaker, you ferment grapes to produce your own wine. Along the way, you use some unique tools and techniques, as well as some words that have distinct meaning for winemakers. Brush up on your wine-speak with these essential terms:

• Brix: Measure of sugar percentage by weight in a liquid — in this case, grape juice.

  
  



• Carboy: Narrow-mouthed glass or plastic jug used for fermenting and storing home wines for aging.

  
  



• Crush: Frenetic annual season when the grapes come in; also the specific process of cracking grape skins to liberate juice.

  
  



• Fermentation: Process by which yeast turns sugar into alcohol and grape juice into wine.

  
  



• Fining: Removing specific compounds — like excess tannins — from wine with a specialized fining agent.

  
  



• Malolactic fermentation: Optional process in which bacteria turn malic acid into lactic acid, softening wine.

  
  



• Mouthfeel: Texture of a wine in the mouth, different from aroma and flavor, but just as important.

  
  



• Must: Juice, with or without skins, pulp, and seeds, ready for fermentation.

  
  



• pH: Balance of acidic and base properties in a liquid; on a 14-point scale, wine falls between 3.0 and 4.0.

  
  



• Press: Squeezing juice or wine out of grapes; also the machinery performs this task.

  
  



• Racking: Transferring wine from one container to another, leaving dead yeast and other detritus behind.

  
  



• Stuck fermentation: Problem arising when stressed yeast give up, leaving unfermented sugar and producing off odors — not a good thing.

  
  

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Source:http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/terms-every-winemaker-needs-to-know.html

How to Set Up Your iPod

Setting up an iPod Shuffle or iPod Nano is easy; iTunes helps after you plug in your USB cable. This video shows you how to set up and listen to music on your Apple iPod.

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Source:http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/how-to-set-up-your-ipod.html

Non-Objective-C Frameworks in Macintosh Applications

Apple provides many Macintosh application development frameworks (code libraries) that your app can call to perform the thousands of operations in OS X. Many of these frameworks, such as the PDF Kit, are composed of Objective-C classes, from which your app can create and use objects within your applications. However, some of these frameworks are just libraries of functions that your app can execute.

For instance, the CFNetwork framework is a set of functions that your app can use to perform fine-tuned network connections. The NSURL class provides a good set of basic network operations that are great for retrieving data using a URL. If your app requires more control over the network communications it initiates, you’ll have to use the CFNetwork framework and its functions. You could use the following code to prepare an HTTP request for transmission to a specific URL:

CFStringRef httpBody = CFSTR( "" );
CFStringRef headerFieldName = CFSTR( "Cookie" ); // add specific cookie to HTTP request
CFStringRef headerFieldValue = CFSTR( "loginID=my_user_name; password=my_password;" );
CFStringRef url = CFSTR( "www.diabeticpad.com" );
CFURLRef urlRef = CFURLCreateWithStrign( kCFAllocatorDefault, url, NULL );
CFStringRef requestMethod = CFSTR( "GET" );
CFHTTPMessageRef request = CFHTTPMessageCreateRequest( kCFAllocatorDefault, requestMethod, url, kCFHTTPVersion1_1 );
CFHTTPMessageSetBody( request, httpBody );
// add the cookie
CFHTTPMessageSetHeaderFieldValue( request, headerFieldName, headerFieldValue );
CFDataRef serializedHttpRequest = CFHTTPMessageCopySerializedMessage( request );

Once your code has the serialized request, your app can then open a write-stream in order to deliver the request to its destination.

All of the C-based Apple frameworks provide a set of functions for performing this type of lower-level programming. Your code will get more complicated, but Apple doesn't provide Objective-C classes for all its frameworks. If you really require the functionality available in one of those frameworks, this is the only way you can achieve your app’s goals. The following frameworks don't provide Objective-C classes:

• Audio Toolbox

  
  



• CFNetwork

  
  



• Core MIDI

  
  



• Core Text

  
  



• Directory Service (such as LDAP and Open Directory)

  
  



• Security

  
  

If you want to create apps that can take full advantage of the features of OS X, you need to be ready to support the use of non-Objective-C code libraries.

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Source:http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/nonobjectivec-frameworks-in-macintosh-applications.html

Avoiding Self-Publishing Mistakes

If you're about to self-publish your first book, you can make a handful of mistakes that can mean the difference between a successful publishing venture and a total bomb. Careful planning and implementing your own common sense are two ingredients that can help guarantee your success.

Not targeting your audience appropriately

In addition to ensuring that the content within your book is appropriate for your intended readers, craft the language and vocabulary to appeal to your readers and to be easily understandable. A fun, upbeat book about how to create a scrapbook or plan a family vacation shouldn't read like a history textbook or scientific research paper. Know your audience and write specifically for those people.

Inaccurate information, a lack of organization, and poor writing

Providing inaccurate, incomplete, outdated, or misleading information to your reader damages your credibility and takes away value from your book. Avoid this mistake by doing proper research. Even if you're writing fiction, you want your plots and characters to be realistic or believable.

Proper organization makes your book easier to read. The content flows in a more logical order and it's easier to understand by the reader. The trick to developing a well-organized book is to begin by developing an extremely detailed outline before you start writing.

Just because you've decided to write a book doesn't automatically mean that you're a talented writer. Many authors spend years fine-tuning their craft. If you feel that you don't have the skills to create a well-written, full-length manuscript, seriously consider hiring a co-author who's a professional writer, a ghostwriter, and/or a really good editor to work with you.

A lack of attention to detail and editing

A well-written book contains absolutely no spelling mistakes, grammatical errors, inaccurate information, misprints, incorrect details (such as incorrect names, phone numbers, Web sites, statistics, chapter references, facts, or figures) or mislabeled figures and captions. In addition to proofreading your own work, hiring a professional editor to review your manuscript before it goes to press is crucial.

Inefficiently using money and resources

As a self-published author, all the expenses related to creating, editing, laying out, printing, distributing, advertising, marketing, and promoting your book come out of your pocket. Careful budgeting and knowing what expenses you may incur during each stage of the self-publishing process helps you best utilize the money that you have available when it comes to publishing your book.

Implementing poor cover design and copy

Having a well-written book with a poorly written and designed cover or a bad title has a negative impact on sales. Conversely, having an amazing cover and catchy title on an otherwise average book may dramatically improve sales. And hiring a professional graphic artist or experienced book cover designer to create your book's cover is an essential piece of your puzzle. Unless you have professional graphic design experience, hire someone who does!

Choosing the wrong printing method

For many self-published authors, Print-On-Demand (POD) publishing offers the perfect solution. It's inexpensive, relatively quick and allows virtually anyone with a good book idea to get published. POD has many benefits, but it's not the ideal publishing solution for everyone. Other traditional printing options, such as offset printing and eBook publishing opportunities, may be more appropriate based on your goals.

A lack of comprehensive distribution

In addition to writing an awesome book and heavily promoting it, the third key ingredient for success is making sure that your target audience can find and buy it. Based on how you're going to publish your book, figure out the best and most achievable distribution methods, and then make full use of them.

Wasting the potential of online distribution

Online sales, whether it's through your own Web site or the well-established online booksellers, such as Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble.com, are extremely cost effective and powerful distribution channels that can't be ignored by self-publishers. These days, more and more people are Internet savvy and finding ordering books online convenient.

Improperly planning the publicity and marketing campaign

Writing what can potentially be a bestseller and publishing it is certainly important, but making sure that potential readers know about your book's existence is equally important when it comes to generating sales. Many self-published authors do an excellent job creating and publishing their book, but inadvertently they forget about marketing and advertising, or they don't realize the importance of these efforts.

A comprehensive and well-timed advertising, marketing, and public relations campaign is crucial for a book's success. If you don't have the advertising, marketing, and PR savvy to create, launch and manage an effective, well-planned, and comprehensive campaign, hire experienced experts to help.

Bad timing throughout the self-publishing process

As you complete the various steps in the publishing process, pay careful attention to scheduling, lead times, and deadlines. Rushing steps, cutting corners, or taking shortcuts is a surefire way to failure and making costly mistakes.

Timing also refers to when your book actually gets published and becomes available to readers online or at retail. Is there a specific date, season, holiday, or time of year when interest in your book may be stronger? Choosing the most appropriate release date is essential, especially if the book somehow ties into or relates to a specific date, holiday, or season. Most people aren't going to buy a Christmas cookbook in July.

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Source:http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/avoiding-selfpublishing-mistakes.html

Filmmaking For Dummies

The responsibilities of a filmmaking team can be compared to those of the host of people needed to pull off a fine-dining experience from the director/chef to the production assistants/servers. As a filmmaker, you have to be organized enough to know what you need to have in order before you start filming and what to bring to a location shoot. And, if you can get high production values in your film for not a lot of money, you'll be all the more successful.

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The Roles in a Filmmaking Production Team

Making a film requires the talents and abilities of a production team. To understand the roles of a film production team, you can compare the positions of each crew member to the people needed to prepare a fine meal. The following chart lists the common positions found on a typical film production team and explains their responsibilities.

Position	Responsibility	Position	Responsibility
Writer	Writes the list of ingredients	Boom operator	Gets the microphone in close to hear all the crunches and lip smacking
Executive producer	Pays for the cost of the dinner	Gaffer	Lights the food to look good (sets the mood with a candlelit dinner)
Line producer	Finds where to get the best deals	Grips	Help with the utensils for eating the meal
Producer	Purchases the groceries, helps choose the brands	Production assistants	Act as waiters and busboys
Casting director	Chooses the food that's ripe for the picking	Make-up person	Brushes on healthy colors to prepare the food to look appetizing
Location scout	Locates the dinner location	Wardrobe person	Dresses the food to look tasty
Transportation	Transports the guests to the table	Production designer	Enhances the setting and decorates it for dinner
Director	Takes all the ingredients and cooks them into a great meal	Prop master	Supplies the appropriate tableware, including plates and glasses
Assistant director	Assists the chef	Stunt coordinator	Rigs the exploding champagne bottles and smashing of silverware
Script supervisor	Makes sure the chef follows the recipe	Editor	Serves the meal in continuity (appetizer first, entrée next, dessert at the end)
Director of photography (cinematographer)	Makes the food look really good	Composer	Creates the right music atmosphere for enjoying the meal
Sound mixer	Records all the crunches and lip smacking	Post-production supervisor	Cleans up the mess

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A Filmmaker's Pre-Shooting Checklist

A pre-shooting checklist is a must for any filmmaker. Using a checklist helps you to prepare certain things before even setting foot on your set. Increase your chances of having a successful shoot by using this checklist:

• Make sure the money's in the bank (is your investor for real?).

  
  



• Hire a great cook or caterer.

  
  



• Buy insurance (for crew, equipment, and locations).

  
  



• Book a professional still photographer for film stills (needed for advertising and posters when you set up distribution).

  
  



• Secure location permits if necessary (so the police don't bust you).

  
  



• Make sure all contracts are signed with cast, crew, and location owners, and get releases from everyone on camera — especially background people.

  
  

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How to Enhance the Production Value of Your Film

Making a film that looks and sounds professional with high production values is an art and a science. As a budget-conscious filmmaker, you can enhance the production value of your film by using the tips in the following list to stretch your budget to cover the essentials and arrange some of the extras for little to no cost:

• Barter for things you can't afford to pay for. “Give me this, and I'll give you a credit or show your product or location in my film!”

  
  



• Use big locations. Expansive looks expensive.

  
  



• Use large crowds to make your film look like a bigger production. Instead of only 3 people standing in line, have 100! (use free volunteers)

  
  



• Move the camera.

  
  



• Get in a high shot or two. Shooting from an apartment balcony works great.

  
  



• Use an aerial shot to open up your film. If you can't afford to rent a helicopter, license stock footage to use in your film.

  
  



• Make sure you get believable performances from your actors.

  
  



• Get a crisp, clear recording of your actors' dialogue.

  
  



• Get professional music. A great composer can do wonders on your music score.

  
  



• Hire a cinematographer with a good eye. A good cinematographer can make your movie look impressive — what you see is what you get.

  
  

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Items to Bring to a Film Shoot Location

Shooting a film on location keeps your filmmaking interesting, but it can also make your nerves frazzled. Before you head out on location, make sure you have everything you need — the items in the following list are crucial:

Map to the location	Masking tape, duct tape, rope
Camera	Tripod
Sound recorder	Actors' wardrobe
Microphones	Film, videostock, memory cards or hard drives (depending on what format you're shooting with)
Extra batteries	Storyboards and the shot list
Lights	Copy of the script
Extension cords

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Source:http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/filmmaking-for-dummies-cheat-sheet.navId-323005.html

iPhone App Development: Understanding View Controller Methods

iPhone Application Developers struggle with knowing what view controller methods to use, and when. Picking the wrong method to refresh your user interface can result in an iPhone app that disappoints the users.

To understand when to do something in the UIKit framework, you need to know when messages are sent, especially to view controllers. View controllers have a life cycle just as applications do, and certain messages are sent as views that are displayed and hidden.

The two methods you need to know about in order to work with views are

• viewDidLoad

  
  



• viewWillAppear:

  
  

The following table summarizes what you should do in which method:

Method	When to Send It	What to Use It For
viewDidLoad	After the view controller has loaded its associated views into memory	Perform additional view initialization on views loaded from the storyboard or nib file. For example, if you are displaying some static text, load that text here.
viewWillAppear:	When the view is about to become visible	Do the things that are necessary to present the view. For example, if you are displaying the location of the nearest book store that carries iPhone Application Development For Dummies, update that information in this method.

The viewDidLoad message is sent to the view controller after the view controller has loaded its associated views into memory. This method is used to perform view initialization and is not necessarily called every time the view appears. If, for example, the user makes a selection in the view that causes a new view controller to load and slide its view into place, and the user then taps the Back button, this message is not sent when the originating view reappears. That is the job of viewWillAppear:.

The viewWillAppear: message is sent when the view is about to become visible. The first time it is sent is after the viewDidLoad message and then whenever the view reappears, such as when you tap the Back button, for example. You use this method to refresh your user interface, if needed, but not for initialization.

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Source:http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/iphone-app-development-understanding-view-controll.html

Adobe CS6 Panels and Their Functions

Knowing how to use the panels in Adobe CS6 can help boost your creativity and make your job easier. Adobe CS6 panels offer information and tools to help you add color, align objects, and generally transform your Adobe files (and yes, there is a Transform panel).

Have some fun by exploring these panels:

• Color: Use the Color panel to select or mix colors for use in the current document. Choose different color modes, such as RGB (Red, Green, Blue) and CMYK (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black), from the panel menu (the arrow in upper-right corner).

  
  



• Info: The Info panel shows you information about the document itself or a particular selection you've made. The Info panel includes information on the size, positioning, and rotation of selected objects. You can't enter data into the Info panel. It only displays (not accepts) information, so use the Transform panel to make modifications.

  
  



• Swatches: You can use the Swatches panel to create a library of color selections, which you can save and import into other documents or other programs. You can store colors and gradients that you use repeatedly in the Swatches panel.

  
  



• Tools: Though the Tools panel (or toolbar) isn't available in all Creative Suite programs, it's an extremely important panel in the programs it's in. A program's toolbar contains the tools used in that program.

  
  



• Layers: The Layers panel is used to display and select layers. You can also use it to change the layer order and to help select items on a particular layer.

  
  



• Align: Use the Align panel to align selected objects to each other or to align them in relation to the document itself. This panel makes it easy to do precise alignment with multiple objects.

  
  



• Stroke: The Stroke panel allows you to select strokes and change stroke attributes, such as color, width/weight, style, and caps (ends). The program you're using determines which attributes you can change.

  
  



• Transform: The Transform panel is used to display and change the shear (skew), rotation, position, and size of a selected object in the document. You can enter new values for each of these transformations.

  
  



• Character: The Character panel is used to select fonts, font size, character spacing, and other settings related to using type in your documents.

  
  

dummies

Source:http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/adobe-cs6-panels-and-their-functions.html

Relationships For Dummies

Your relationship with that special someone plays a large role in your life. First, you have to find Mr. or Ms. Right and then take the time to develop the skills to build the relationship and keep it going. And, because no relationship is without some conflict, you need to know how to resolve the disagreements that crop up — and using Dr. Kate's Make-A-Deal method, you can actually grow closer as you work things out!

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How to Find a Relationship

If you're looking for love, you know it can be hard to meet someone you want to have a relationship with — especially given the constraints of modern life. Use the tips in the following list to determine the best way to meet that special someone given your circumstances:

• If you have more time than money: Try running a personal ad — offline or online at any of the numerous dating sites. Because you write/post the ad, and contact/screen responses, this process takes time, energy, and good judgment. But it's usually less expensive as a result.

  
  



• If you have more money than time: Try offline dating services — the personal matchmaking type, where someone else does as much of the work for you as possible. The service recruits, interviews, and screens everyone, and based on knowledge of both parties, selects and often arranges the first date to streamline the process and eliminate any rejection hassle.

  
  



• If you have lousy judgment in people or have chosen unwisely in the past: Stick to an offline dating service — the personal matchmaking type, especially one that offers you feedback from your dates and helpful advice. The matchmaker who interviews, screens, and selects potential mates for you may be more objective and effective, and there's an easy-to-follow paper trail for added security and safety.

  
  

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How to Build a Relationship

Getting involved in a romance is the first step toward building a relationship that lasts. If you're looking for a long-term love, the tips in the following list can help you develop your attraction into something deeper:

• Keep the relationship reciprocal, especially in the beginning, so you can keep the balance of power — and resulting feelings — even, too.

  
  



• If you're female, try to let your partner lead. If you're male, most women will prefer that you lead — so don't be afraid to do so.

  
  



• Be cautious about sex early in the relationship. Know what you're risking, and if you choose it, go into it with your eyes open.

  
  



• As you get to know and trust one another, move gradually and slowly from being strangers to being lovers. Don't ruin the relationship by trying to make the jump in one — or a few — dates.

  
  



• Use thought-stopping to avoid fantasizing about a future with someone you barely know, and to help you keep your emotional intimacy, sexual intimacy, and time actually spent in the relationship in sync.

  
  

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How to Make Love Last

Everyone knows that it's much easier to start a relationship than it is to make one last. If you've found your special someone, keep your love alive with the tips in the following list:

• Make it special and nurture emotional intimacy: Share feelings, thoughts, and experiences with one another that you don't share with others, and keep your communication healthy.

  
  



• Share healthy, fun-filled sexual experiences only with one another to promote sexual intimacy.

  
  



• Remember that good communication is Superglue #1, and good sex is Superglue #2. Use both generously and often to bond tightly with your mate.

  
  

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How to Use Arguments to Improve Your Relationship

Every relationship has conflict — arguments and disagreements go hand-in-hand with love and affection. But with Dr. Kate's Make-A-Deal technique, you can settle disagreements and grow closer in the process. Just follow these steps:

1. Make a date to talk about the problem, choosing optimal time and place.

   
   



2. Ask questions about your mate's thoughts and feelings first and throughout discussion: "How do you feel about . . . ?" "Are you saying that . . . ?"

   
   



3. Keep reflecting back as long as your partner shares new info: "It sounds like . . ."

   
   



4. Express empathy and support: "I'm so _____ (happy or sorry) for you." "I hope that everything goes better tomorrow."

   
   



5. Agree with whatever you can agree with: ("I agree that . . ." "I can see that . . .")

   
   

   Alternate/take turns doing steps 2–5: reflective listening, asking questions, facilitative agreement, supportive statements, and positive reinforcement.

   
   



6. Deal time! Brainstorm and pick a compromise: "Okay, so it sounds like we've ruled out ______ and ______, and we both seem to like ______ better. Why don't we try that this week, and get back together next week — same time, same place — to see if we're both happy with it?"

   
   



7. Evaluate compromise at a later date and compromise again if necessary.

   
   



8. Agree to disagree or rediscuss if you can't find a suitable compromise: "It seems like we both have strong feelings on this topic, and we're not going to reach any agreement tonight. So why don't we just agree to disagree for now, and get together next week — same time, same place — to talk about it again?"

   
   



9. List agreements and leave on an upbeat, friendly note: "Okay, so we've decided that we're going to ______. Thank you for making time to talk about this and for meeting me halfway. I really appreciate your time and effort tonight. I think we did great!"

   
   

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dummies

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

Picking Singing Exercises that Work for You

Choose the singing exercises that appeal the most to you and write them in your practice journal. A practice journal is a notebook or journal (on paper or on your computer) that you use to take notes on your practice sessions. On each page, list the date and what exercise you need to work on. This is your to-do list for your practice session.

After your practice session, write down what you discovered — what worked and what was difficult — and any thoughts about what to include in the next practice session. After working an exercise for a week, evaluate your progress. You may be ready to add more exercises or another type of exercise. Find exercises to begin your technical journey and add new exercises weekly as you progress.

Consider these big points when you’re working on singing exercises:

• Make sure that you read the instructions enough times so you can work through the exercise and focus on your task.

  
  



• The exercise is appropriate if it’s just above your level of expertise. If you’ve never had singing training, you may feel overwhelmed at first. However, this feeling will subside with practice because you’ll gradually understand the terminology — the exercise will eventually become second nature to you. If the exercise gets easier after a week, you’re on the right track.

  
  



• Reread the directions and instructions for the exercises often. After working an exercise for a week, you may find something that you forgot when you read the instructions again.

  
  



• If an exercise is confusing, ask a friend to interpret it or practice it with you. Watching other singers helps you discover a great deal about technique. Having to verbally explain an exercise to someone else helps you articulate your ideas.

  
  



• The biggest piece of advice which can be offered about singing is that it requires discipline. It’s really up to you to find the time to practice and improve your technique. Schedule the time, organize your session by choosing the exercises, and have a blast!

  
  

dummies

Source:http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/picking-singing-exercises-that-work-for-you.html

Blogs about Blogging

As you start your TypePad blogging experience, you'll likely have questions about how the blogging community works as a whole. You can find plenty of technical support at the TypePad Knowledge Base, and you can visit these additional sites outside TypePad for more answers to your blogging questions:

• Blogging Basics 101

  
  



• Performancing

  
  



• Blog Coach

  
  



• ProBlogger

  
  



• Chris Brogan

  
  



• Copy Blogger

  
  



• Build a Better Blog

  
  



• Blogtrepreneur

  
  



• Remarkablogger

  
  

dummies

Source:http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/blogs-about-blogging.html

Fitting Personality Plus into a Pug

Although Pugs love to be taken care of, they also like to pay attention to their owners. They have loving and affectionate personalities, which means they're perfect companions for anyone who likes to get affection from his or her pooch. They're ideal lap warmers and very loyal to their families.

Putting a big dog into a little body

Pugs have a big idea about themselves and think that they're the prime movers and shakers in their households. They probably are because most owners end up catering to their Pug's needs. A Pug is determined to get what she wants, but only if she doesn't have to go too far from the couch.

Getting a heavenly house dog

Pugs are easy to get along with and don't require that much space to keep. As long as they have their toys, a comfortable bed to sleep on (yours), and enough food to keep them satisfied, Pugs are great to live with. They also like having you around and are happiest when you're nearby. No matter what you're doing, they're usually quite happy to be doing the exact same thing.

Satisfying a Curious George Pug

Leave an interesting object out where Puggy can see it, and soon it's gone. Pugs like to investigate things and get up close and very personal with your belongings. Although their sense of smell isn't as well developed as other breeds, a Pug still likes to test it out. In fact, she wants to sniff things until they're very wet and soggy. For example, if you leave a check sitting on the coffee table, in no time at all, it's separated into tiny wads of paper.

However, you need to be careful because this curiosity can kill a Pug. To prevent your Pug from injuring herself (or worse), don't leave poisonous substances or sharp objects around that your Pug may be tempted to investigate. If an object looks interesting or has any kind of a food aroma, it's probably going to be Pug history.

Clowning around: Pugs just wanna have fun

Pugs are clowns, and if you laugh even once at something they do, they gladly keep repeating the act to get you to laugh again and again. Fun is their middle name, and it's hard for a Pug to walk into a room without sizing up what she can get away with.

If you have two Pugs at home, count on them to make a toy out of anything. They love to play and find things to tug at and chew up.

Having a busy calendar: Pugs like stimulation

As much as a Pug likes to be a lap dog, she also enjoys seeing and doing new things and discovering new adventures. As with any dog who's always confined to the house, Pugs can easily get bored. Finding activities you can both enjoy keeps your Pug happy about life and less motivated to want to eat. Provide new and interesting toys for your Pug to maintain her interest around the house. Taking her along on safe outings can also please her.

Finding another jogging partner: Pugs and intense exercise don't mix

If you're a jogger, don't even think that your Pug wants to accompany you on long-distance runs. Although her spirit may be in the activity, her body isn't, and she stops running or walking when she feels like it. Never walk a Pug farther than you're willing to carry her. Sometimes she may just sit down on an outing and refuse to go anywhere.

When planning to do some outdoor exercise with your Pug, check the temperature first. Pugs aren't hot weather, outdoorsy types and definitely need to stay cool during workouts.

Now, some Pugs do like to swim and hike, and they're perfectly able to do so if they're properly conditioned. Swimming Pugs aren't that common, but they've been known to actually like the water. If a Pug learns to like the water, swimming is a great activity for her — especially because you don't have to worry about her getting too hot. A pool is always cool!

Getting out to socialize: Pugs love people

Pugs are really people dogs. They crave a lot of human companionship and affection and want to be around you all the time. Expect a Pug to follow you from room to room and to want to go out for a car ride with you whenever you leave home.

Pugs are also naturally attracted to children — maybe because they're nearly the same size! When children understand dogs and respect them, they can make great companions for each other. Be sure to always supervise children when they're playing with your Pug and don't leave them alone unattended.

Paying attention: Pugs like to be noticed

If a Pug thinks that you're neglecting her, you can count on her to come up with something creative to get your attention.

Leave it to a Pug to do anything to get you to look at her. She can wind up in the oddest places just to see your reaction. Although Pugs don't leap buildings in a single bound, they do like to do some jumping, and if they can figure out how to slowly creep up to the couch or a favorite chair, they're going to do it.

Accepting the big snore: Pugs and snoring go together

Pugs are no different than any other breed with a short muzzle — make that a very short muzzle — and pushed-in nose. They make a variety of noises while they nap or sleep. Find a comfy pillow at home, and you most likely see a Pug off in dreamland and letting the world know all about it. She makes just about every nasal sound you can think of, from a low snort to some good solid pump-up-the-volume breathing.

If you're a Pug lover, you probably get so used to their sounds that you don't even hear this snooze alarm. Other people, however, may not think of it as music to their ears, so it's a good thing they can always get earplugs. But as long as Puggy's breathing is regular, the snore is a perfectly healthy sound.

dummies

Source:http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/fitting-personality-plus-into-a-pug.html

Plan to Take Motivating Action

Planning to take positive action helps you to overcome barriers and keeps you moving forward. Here are some general tips to help you with your planning.

• Decide what your first steps are going to be, even writing a ‘to do’ list first! Your first steps are the mini-goals to achieving your end goal.

  
  



• Know what’s going to keep you motivated: a deadline, family pressure, fear of failure. Having a timescale is wonderful for keeping you focused.

  
  



• Make sure you have the time available for your task. Commit time in your diary, prioritise, and stop putting off what you want to achieve.

  
  



• Get into a positive frame of mind. Feeling positive gives you the momentum to take action and believe that the task is worthwhile.

  
  



• Tell yourself you need to have a positive outcome. For some people having a positive outcome is more important than for others. Decide if there is a specific outcome that could make all the difference for you.

  
  



• Make sure you can afford what you are setting out to achieve. Don’t let the cost be a barrier to achieving your goal. If money is a problem, try to find cheaper alternatives or ways of overcoming your financial problems.

  
  



• You need to have the right skills for your task. You may need to think about acquiring new skills, updating your current skills, or asking other people for help.

  
  

dummies

Source:http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/plan-to-take-motivating-action.html

Network Administration: Installing Software with Group Policy

One option you should consider for network software deployment is using Windows Group Policy to automatically install software to network users. Group Policy is a feature of Windows Server 2003 and 2007 that lets you create policies that are assigned to users. You use the Windows Group Policy feature to specify that certain users should have certain software programs available to them.

Note that group policies aren’t actually assigned to individual users, but to Organizational Units (OUs), which are used to categorize users in Active Directory. Thus, you might create a Group Policy to specify that everyone in the Accounting Department OU should have Microsoft Excel.

Then, whenever anyone in the Accounting Department logs on to Windows, Windows checks to make sure that Excel is installed on the user’s computer. If Excel is not installed, Windows advertises Excel on the computer.

Advertising software on a computer means that a small portion of the software is downloaded to the computer — just enough to display an icon for the program on the Start menu and to associate Excel with the Excel file extensions (such as .xls).

If the user clicks the Start menu icon for the advertised application or attempts to open a document that’s associated with the advertised application, the application is automatically installed on the user’s computer. The user will have to wait a few minutes while the application is installed, but the installation is automatic.

For more information about setting up group policy software installation, search Google or any other search engine for “Group Policy Software.”

dummies

Source:http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/network-administration-installing-software-with-gr.html

The Downsides to Sharpening Macro Photographs

The postproduction sharpening tool is one that can enhance or destroy the quality of a macro or close-up image, depending on how you use it. It works best when applied in moderation, with just enough of an effect to increase the appearance of sharp focus, without revealing itself too easily to viewers.

Some of the problems you face when using a sharpening filter can include:

• Noise, which happens to be one of the easiest things to sharpen. That’s bad luck because it also is probably the last thing you want to sharpen. When noise is sharpened it becomes more evident in an image, especially in the shadow areas. Try adjusting the threshold when applying a sharpening filter to minimize its effect on the noise in your image.

  
  



• A halo often becomes clear when you oversharpen an image or select too high a radius. This halo is a dead giveaway to viewers that an image was sharpened in postproduction. The trick to successful postproduction is to optimize an image without making the enhancements individually noticeable. Be sure to sharpen your images just enough so the halo isn’t visible from a normal viewing distance.

  
  



• Color artifacts can sometimes appear after a sharpening mask has been applied. To correct this problem, you can select Edit→Fade Unsharp Mask, and then set the effect to Luminosity mode (this technique must be done immediately after the filter is applied).

  
  

  Another option is to copy your image layer and apply the sharpening filter to the new layer. Then set that layer to Luminosity mode. This ensures while you work with the color of an image, the contrast stays the same.

  
  



• The sharpening filter can sometimes roughen smooth areas. To keep this from happening you can set the threshold to keep those areas from being affected. Another option is to create a layer mask on the layer that you’re sharpening, and block the effect from the smooth areas entirely.

  
  

dummies

Source:http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/the-downsides-to-sharpening-macro-photographs.html

How to Replace Vinyl Floor Tiles

Scrape away the old adhesive.

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Use your putty knife or a scraper to scrape away the gooey adhesive.

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dummies

Source:http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/how-to-replace-vinyl-floor-tiles.pageCd-storyboard,pageNum-5.html

DC-to-AC Inverters for Your Solar Equipment

5 of 5 in Series:
The Essentials of Photovoltaic Solar Power for Your Home

In your solar power system, you need inverters to take the low-voltage, high-current signals from the PV panels and convert them into 120VAC or 240VAC, which is directly compatible with grid power. Inverters cost around $0.70 per watt, or around $2,600 for a typical application. From a reliability standpoint, they are generally the weak link in any PV system, so quality is a must.

Most installations use only one inverter, but for big systems, having several inverters is common. You can install an inverter that's larger than the power output of the array you're installing, and then at a later time install more panels.

There are two basic types of inverters for residential applications: string inverters and microinverters.

• String inverters: String inverters are large boxes mounted near your power meter or main fuse box. In the vast majority of applications, only one inverter is used. It's of critical importance to design the "strings" of PV panels that feed into an inverter, a job that's almost always better left to the experts.

  
  

  String inverters are the least costly option for the amount of energy a system can output, and the technology has been proven over years of widespread use. But keep in mind that shading becomes a problem because arrays are arranged into series and parallel "strings." If a single panel is shaded, the entire string suffers, and the total energy output of the inverter suffers as well.

  
  



• Microinverters: Microinverters are the new fad. Each PV panel is outfitted with its own inverter, and the output of each is AC (which matches grid power). The number of microinverters matches the number of PV panels. In the future, it's likely that the vast majority of systems will use microinverters, but for now they're relatively new and the reliability risk is high.

  
  

Pay attention to these specifications:

• CEC-Rated Power Output: This tells you the maximum output watts from the inverter and varies over operating temperature.

  
  



• Maximum recommended PV input power: This must never be exceeded by the power output from the combined panels or the output becomes clipped, which means that your inverter runs inefficiently. In other words, you must match the inverter to the panel array properly. Use PV Watts (enter "PV Watts" into your search engine) to find out whether your inverter is large enough for the array you're considering.

  
  



• Maximum open circuit voltage: The PV array's maximum open circuit voltage must always be less than the inverter's limit or damage may occur. Calculating this number for a given array is a complex engineering problem.

  
  



• PV Start Voltage: This tells you when the inverter will begin to operate. In the morning, when the sun comes up, the PV panels begin to output power, but inverters require a minimum amount before they start outputting their own power into the grid. This is an important specification because it relates to the overall efficiency of a system. You want your system to run as long as possible over the course of a day.

  
  



• Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) Range: MPPT circuits enable the inverter to harvest the most amount of energy over the course of a day.

  
  

dummies

Source:http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/dctoac-inverters-for-your-solar-equipment.html

Creating a First Aid Kit for Goats

If you have only a couple of goats, you probably can afford the occasional veterinary visit. But as your herd grows, you're likely to find that you want to save money and hassle by treating some of their minor ailments or handling some of the health care yourself. But even if you don't want to take over some of this care, you still need to be prepared for those times when a vet isn't available or the problem is minor.

The following lists show you what to have on hand in a goat first aid kit. You can get all of them from a feed store, a drug store, or a livestock supply catalog. None require a prescription.

Include the following equipment and supplies:

• Surgical gloves

  
  



• Drenching syringe for administering medications

  
  



• Cotton balls

  
  



• Gauze bandage

  
  



• Alcohol prep wipes

  
  



• Elastic bandage

  
  



• Digital thermometer

  
  



• Syringes and needles

  
  
  
  

  • Tuberculin needles and syringes for kid injections

    
    
  
  

  • 20-gauge needles and syringes of various sizes — 3 cc, 6 cc, 15 cc

    
    
  
  
  
  



• Tube-feeding kit (tube and syringe) for feeding weak or sick kids

  
  



• Small clippers for shaving around wounds

  
  



• Sharp scalpel

  
  



• Sharp surgical scissors

  
  

Include these medications:

• 7 percent iodine

  
  



• Terramycin eye ointment for pinkeye or eye injuries

  
  



• Antiseptic spray such as Blu-Kote for minor wounds

  
  



• Blood stop powder, for hoof trimming injuries

  
  



• Di-Methox powder or liquid for coccidiosis or scours

  
  



• Epinephrine, for reactions to injections

  
  



• Kaolin pectin, for scours

  
  



• Antibiotic ointment, for minor wounds

  
  



• Aspirin, for pain

  
  



• Activated charcoal product, such as Toxiban, for poisoning

  
  



• Children's Benadryl syrup, for congestion or breathing problems

  
  



• Procaine penicillin, for pneumonia and other infections

  
  



• LA-200 or Biomycin, for pneumonia, pinkeye, or infections

  
  



• Tetanus antitoxin, to prevent tetanus when castrating or for deep wounds

  
  



• CDT antitoxin, for treatment of enterotoxemia

  
  



• Milk of magnesia for constipation or bloat

  
  

You also want to include these items:

• Betadine surgical scrub, for cleansing wounds

  
  



• Probiotics, such as Probios or yogurt with active cultures

  
  



• Powdered electrolytes, for dehydration

  
  



• Fortified vitamin B, for goat polio or when goat is off feed

  
  



• Hydrogen peroxide, for cleaning wounds

  
  



• Rubbing alcohol, for sterilizing equipment

  
  

dummies

Source:http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/creating-a-first-aid-kit-for-goats.html

How to See Whether a Junos Interface Is Working

If you just want to see whether an interface on a Junos device is operational, you can start with the Junos OS show interfaces brief command:

user@router> show interfaces brief
Physical interface: fe-0/0/0, Enabled, Physical link is Down
 Link-level type: Ethernet, MTU: 1514, Speed: 10m, Loopback: Disabled,
 Source filtering: Disabled, Flow control: Enabled
 Device flags  : Present Running Down
 Interface flags: Hardware-Down SNMP-Traps Internal: 0x4000
 Link flags   : None

This command shows all the interfaces on the router, though the preceding snippet shows only a single interface. For each interface, you see the name of the interface, whether it’s enabled, and the state of the physical link. For this Fast Ethernet interface, the physical link is down, which means that the interface isn’t operational (the link light is down).

The device flags confirm that the interface is present (that is, it’s on the box and the line card has been detected), running (meaning the line card is functioning), and down (the link light is down).

The output from the show interfaces brief command shows that the interface is Enabled. Remember that you can administratively disable an interface using the disable configuration statement within the interface configuration:

fe-0/0/0 {
  disable;
  unit 0 {
    family inet {
      address 10.0.24.2/32;
    }
  }
}
 

If you disable an interface, the output from the show interfaces command will indicate that the interface is administratively down:

user@router> show interfaces brief
Physical interface: fe-0/0/0, Administratively down, Physical link is Down
 Link-level type: Ethernet, MTU: 1514, Speed: 10m, Loopback: Disabled,
 Source filtering: Disabled, Flow control: Enabled
 Device flags  : Present Running Down
 Interface flags: Hardware-Down Down SNMP-Traps Internal: 0x4000

Many times, you may not want to see every interface on the device. In fact, more often than not, you’re checking the status of a particular interface. To see only the output for a specific interface, include that interface’s name as an argument in the command:

user@router> show interfaces brief fe-0/0/0
Physical interface: fe-0/0/0, Enabled, Physical link is Down
 Link-level type: Ethernet, MTU: 1514, Speed: 10m, Loopback: Disabled,
 Source filtering: Disabled, Flow control: Enabled
 Device flags  : Present Running Down
 Interface flags: Hardware-Down SNMP-Traps Internal: 0x4000
 Link flags   : None

This command limits the output to only the specific interface included in the command. Sometimes, you may want to see all interfaces of a certain type. Imagine, for example, that you want to monitor all your Fast Ethernet interfaces. You can use interface wildcards to view all your fe interfaces:

user@router> show interfaces fe* brief
Physical interface: fe-0/0/0, Enabled, Physical link is Down
 Link-level type: Ethernet, MTU: 1514, Speed: 10m, Loopback: Disabled,
 Source filtering: Disabled, Flow control: Enabled
 Device flags  : Present Running Down
 Interface flags: Hardware-Down SNMP-Traps Internal: 0x4000
 Link flags   : None
 
(output snipped)

dummies

Source:http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/how-to-see-whether-a-junos-interface-is-working.html

Children's Behavior: Preventing Tantrums while Shopping

You can reduce the number of times your children have outbursts in stores or other temper tantrums with a simple method of communication: Explain to your kids what you expect of them. Tell them how they are to behave.

Kids like to know what's going on just as much as you do; they like being prepared and informed. Set the ground rules before you go anywhere or do anything. Use this strategy when you can, and you'll see things go smoother with your kids. For example:

"Jonah, we're going into the toy store to buy Simon a birthday present. We're not buying you a present. You can look around. You can tell me what you like. But we're not buying you anything today. Today is for Simon. Do you understand?"

Don't be surprised when your child protests, whines, or still comes up to you with a toy, explaining that he's always wanted this special LEGO Millennium Falcon, and if you get it for him today, he never will ask for anything again.

Your response needs to direct your child back to the original conversation about Simon's birthday and explain that you both had an agreement. You'll be in big trouble whenever you give in to the whining and the major fits. Your kids won't believe you the next time, if you tell them they can't buy anything and then give in and get them that one little toy. Buckling under the pressure only leads you to more tantrums because, obviously, the tantrums work.

Keep these pointers in mind to prevent tantrums:

• Before whisking your children out of the house, give them time to prepare whatever things they need. That's important. Their preparation may mean only tucking Barbie in her Malibu Barbie house before she leaves. It may mean searching for ten minutes for a toy to bring along. Whatever it is, give your children time to do their thing before you leave, and that way they won't feel rushed. Giving your kids a countdown helps. Tell them you're leaving in 30 minutes. Then tell them you're leaving in 15 minutes. Then give them a five-minute warning. Walking out the door is a breeze when your children are prepared.

• Look your children in the eyes when you get to where you're going, making sure that you have their attention, and then tell them what your expectations of them are and why you expect this behavior. Be precise and clear about what you mean. You don't need to go into long explanations unless they ask for more information. But don't expect miracles. Children are children, and they'll behave as such. They squirm and wiggle and make noise and voice their opinions.

• Never assume your kids know what you want. When you stop talking and start assuming, you get into trouble. For example, suppose that you're going to your cousin's wedding. Tell your kids what a wedding is, and what it's going to be like. Then tell them their job is to sit quietly and watch. No talking or getting up is allowed. Tell them that they need to get a drink and go to the bathroom before the wedding starts, so they won't have to do those things during the ceremony. Be a smart parent and bring a pen and pad of paper so your child can at least draw during the wedding. And, again, understand that kids are kids. Weddings and other formal events aren't exactly fun for them.

Plan wisely before putting your kids in an environment that's going to be difficult for them. Don't expect a 2-year-old to sit quietly in a theatre, at a wedding, or in an upscale restaurant. And, remember that it's unfair of you to scold a child for being a child when he's in an environment that he shouldn't be in to begin with.

If you have to put your child in a situation that isn't appropriate for his age, then giving him instructions beforehand is much easier than trying to set the rules while you're already involved in that activity. You end up saying, "Shhh-you-need-to-be-quiet," or, "No, you can't have anything," way too much. Instead, you'll be giving a few reminders of the rules you've already gone over.

Explaining things to children in advance works really well, too, especially when you're in a hurry: "We're going to the store for just a few minutes. Don't ask for anything." It may take awhile for them to believe that you really mean what you said, so they may go ahead and ask for something. But, don't give in, and eventually they'll get the idea.

Such planning works only when you don't give in to whining and change your mind about the rules. If you set rules but don't stick by them, you're in serious trouble. Your kids will always push you, whine, and throw fits whenever you go back on your word. This is a parental behavior that also is known as not being consistent.

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Source:http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/childrens-behavior-preventing-tantrums-while-shopp.html

Green Jobs in Solar Energy

Making a green career transition will be successful only if you use both your skills and your passion. Solar energy is a great place to start if you are looking for a growing eco-conscious industry that provides the foundation for an environmentally sustainable future. Sunlight is already the source of most renewable energy power. As such, it’s a big part of the green economy and a good opportunity for the green job-seeker.

By incorporating solar into our energy mix, we have access to a very reliable, abundant, accessible source of energy that can be produced domestically with little or no impact on the environment. The solar industry is generally divided into residential, commercial, and large utility-scale projects. Although the basic solar principles are the same in each of these applications, the equipment that is deemed most efficient and cost-effective varies by application.

• Solar electricity: Sunlight is converted directly into electricity with the use of photovoltaic (PV) technology. Rooftop solar arrays are built according to the size of the project. Thin-film solar, a competing technology, is often referred to as CIGS, for the chemicals — copper, indium, gallium and (di)selenide — used to absorb light. Some companies are already offering roof tiles that have embedded PV qualities. Solar electricity is a viable energy source for a wide range of situations, from small consumer items, to remote buildings and equipment, to solar farms that cover thousands of acres. Electricity from solar projects can charge batteries and contribute to the grid.

  
  



• Solar heating: Solar thermal systems harness the power of the sun to heat liquids that then transfer the heat to a building, swimming pool, or household water needs. These systems are either passive, where the system is designed to move the liquid through a loop, or active, where a pump is installed to force the water somewhere else. Some systems are direct, in that the water itself is moved through the solar thermal equipment, whereas other systems are indirect and have another substance run through the loop.

  
  



• Concentrating solar power (CSP): Typically used in utility-scale projects, CSP uses a large array of mirrors to focus sunlight onto receivers. As the receivers collect the solar energy, they convert it to heat. Several designs are in use, including a mirrored dish, a power tower with mirrors encircling the tower, and linear trough systems.

  
  

To break through to the next level of production, the solar industry must find ways to deliver solar electricity into the electric grid through high-voltage transmission lines. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) is dedicating part of its research agenda to defining and resolving the regulatory, technical, and economic barriers to this integration.

The NREL is also searching for ways to improve the efficiency of thin-film solar and concentrator technology and integrate solar technology into building materials from shingles to paint. Nanosolar’s thin-film technology is also garnering interest as new developments allow the company to print solar cells on very thin foil. As the thin-film industry takes off, expect to see new solar energy collection systems.

As the solar industry looks to build more utility-scale solar farms and CSP installations, land access and land use issues must be resolved. Public lands in the Southwest, managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), continue to be prime territory for large-scale solar projects. In 2008, the BLM launched a two-year study that’s likely to speed up application processing in the future.

If you want a career in solar energy, here are a few of the job functions and responsibilities you could consider:

• Solar research and system design depend on scientists and engineers.

  
  



• Manufacturing of solar systems and the components that go into making solar products, such as glass and steel manufacturing, require technicians, operators, machinists, electricians, production manager, scheduler, materials manager, supervisors, and plant managers.

  
  



• Solar systems must be marketed and sold.

  
  



• Installation of residential applications, commercial systems, and utility-scale rely on contractors, electricians, plumbers, and carpenters.

  
  



• Operation, inspection, maintenance, repair, and troubleshooting solar systems requires maintenance supervisors and maintenance personnel.

  
  

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Source:http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/green-jobs-in-solar-energy.html

Dividend Investing: How to Manage Risk Factors You Can Control

In the stock market, risk is ever present, but it’s always variable and unpredictable. A host of factors can increase risk, some of which are within your control and others of which aren’t. Although you can’t eliminate risk, you can often reduce your exposure to it by becoming more aware of the factors that influence it. Investors mitigate their risks by dealing with factors they can control.

Reducing human error

Human error is the biggest risk factor with investing, and it can come in many forms:

• Insufficient knowledge

  
  



• Lack of research and analysis

  
  



• Choosing the wrong investment strategy for your stated goals

  
  



• Failure to monitor market conditions

  
  



• Choosing stocks emotionally rather than rationally

  
  



• Letting fear and panic influence investment decisions

  
  

The best way to remove human error from the equation is to do your homework. If you’ve ever taken an exam you haven’t studied for, you know the risk involved in not being prepared. In addition to having no idea what the answers are, panic sets in to make matters worse.

Investing without emotion

One of the prevailing theories about the mechanics of the stock market is called the Efficient Market Hypothesis. It describes investors as rational people processing all the available information in the market to make logical decisions for maximum profits. But the truth of the matter is that most people aren’t rational or logical investors. They buy stocks on tips from friends or even strangers, because of something they heard on the news, or because a company makes a product they love and are sure it’s going to be a big hit. They know nothing about the company, its management, or the stock’s history.

Don’t let emotions govern your investment decisions. Remain particularly cautious of the following emotions:

• Greed: Greed often seduces investors into making terrible decisions. During market rallies, investors often succumb to a herd mentality, throwing their money into the hottest sectors and companies, inflating a bubble that invariably bursts. Greedy investors often tend to make bets they can’t afford to lose and then fall into the trap of making even bigger bets to recover their losses.

  
  



• Fear: Fear is the flip side of greed. People who previously lost money in the market, or just witnessed the pain felt by others, can experience such a massive fear of losing money that it paralyzes them from doing anything. Instead of taking on some risk with suitable investments, they put their money in low-risk investments with poor rates of return.

  
  



• Love: Don’t fall in love with your investments. They don’t return your love but have a good chance of hurting and betraying you. All too often, people refuse to sell when stocks begin to fall because they really believe in the company. Yet, when a stock falls sharply on very bad news, you need to bail out. Remember, you’re not married to a stock. On a regular basis, look at your stocks and ask them, “What have you done for me lately?” If the answer doesn’t satisfy you, you can unceremoniously dump them without hurting anyone’s feelings. And because stocks are very liquid, you can get rid of shares immediately.

  
  

Spreading your nest egg among several baskets

Regardless of how promising a company is, you should never invest all your money in it. Management may be incompetent or corrupt. Competitors may claim more market share. Or the company or its entire sector can lose investors’ favor for whatever reason.

The good news is that you have total control over where you invest your money. You can significantly reduce your risk by spreading it out through diversification.

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Source:http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/dividend-investing-how-to-manage-risk-factors-you-.html