Calculating Expectation Damages

According to the rule of the expectancy, a non-breaching party is entitled to damages that put the non-breaching party in the position it would’ve been in had the contract been fully performed. To use the rule of the expectancy to calculate damages for breach of contract, take the following steps:



  1. Describe what the non-breaching party would’ve had if the contract had been performed.



  2. Describe where the non-breaching party stands now.



  3. Figure out what it would take to bring the non-breaching party from where she is now to where she would’ve been had both parties performed.













dummies

Source:http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/calculating-expectation-damages.html

Hushpuppies

Hushpuppies started as delicious cornmeal fritters called croquettes de maise. The name hushpuppy came about when an old Creole cook was frying a batch of catfish and croquettes. His hungry dogs began to howl in anticipation of a chance to savor some of the catfish. The innovative Creole instead tossed a few of the croquettes de maise to the dogs and yelled, “Hush, puppies!” The name has since been associated with this cornmeal delicacy.


Preparation time: 15 minutes


Cooking time: 3 minutes


Yield: 6 to 8 servings


1 cup self-rising flour


1 cup self-rising cornmeal mix


1/2 teaspoon salt


1 teaspoon sugar


1 egg


1 cup buttermilk


1 bunch green onions



  1. In a cast-iron deep fryer, preheat the oil to 375 degrees F.



  2. Combine the flour, cornmeal mix, salt, and sugar in a mixing bowl.



  3. In a small bowl, beat the egg.



  4. Add the egg and 1/2 cup of the buttermilk to the mixing bowl.



  5. Mix to a stiff batter.



  6. Chop the green onions.



  7. Stir 1/2 cup onions into the batter.



  8. Add more buttermilk a little at a time until the batter is well mixed.



  9. Let stand for 10 minutes.



  10. Drop the batter by spoonfuls into the hot oil and fry until golden brown.




Per serving: Calories 266 (From fat 139); Fat 15g (Saturated 1g); Cholesterol 28mg; Sodium 617mg; Carbohydrate 27g (Dietary fiber 2g); Protein 5g.




dummies

Source:http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/hushpuppies.html

Backing Up Your iTunes Library to a Different Hard Drive

To copy your entire iTunes library to another hard drive, locate the iTunes folder on your computer. Drag this folder to another hard drive or backup device, and you’re all set. This action copies everything, including the playlists in your library.


The copy operation might take some time if your library is huge. Although you can interrupt the operation anytime, the newly copied library might not be complete. Try to finish the copy operation in one go.


If you restore the backup copy to the same computer that has the same name for its hard drive, the backup copy’s playlists work fine. Playlists are essentially lists of songs in the XML (eXtensible Markup Language) format, with pathnames to the song files. If the hard drive name is different, the pathnames won’t work.


However, you can import the playlists back into iTunes:



  1. Choose File→Library→Import Playlist.


    The Import dialog box appears.



  2. Browse for and select the iTunes Media Library.xml file (or iTunes Music Library.xml file for previous versions of iTunes) inside the iTunes folder.


    The playlist pathnames realign to the new hard drive.













dummies

Source:http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/backing-up-your-itunes-library-to-a-different-har0.html

Looking at Intrusion Detection in Red Hat Enterprise Linux 4

Having unauthorized users entering your systems is definitely something that you don't want to happen. Of course you want to stop them before they get in. But before you can do something about keeping out unwanted visitors, you first need to know whether someone has entered your systems. This is what intrusion detection is all about: finding out whether someone is in your system who doesn't belong there.



Active detection


Most of us check to be sure that our doors are locked before we go to bed at night or leave the house. We do this to keep someone from getting into our house while we are sleeping or while we are away. In much the same way, you can actively check the locks on your system "doors" to be sure that no unauthorized users can get in. You can check the security of your systems by actively checking your systems for known attack methods by using special software designed for this purpose.



One such program that is commonly used to check systems for open ports and other types of connectivity information is nmap. With nmap, which is a network exploration tool and security scanner that is included with the default installation of Enterprise Linux, you can scan your systems to determine which ones are up and what services they are offering. You can then use the information that you obtain from the scan to determine how secure your systems are and what you can do to make them more secure if required.



Passive detection


As its name implies, with passive detection, no direct action is taken to test the system for open ports or other vulnerabilities. This method of intrusion detection uses system log files to track all connections to the system. The log files are continuously reviewed by the system administrator for details that would indicate that the system has been compromised.



You can use file integrity software, such as Tripwire, to take a snapshot of the system when it is fully configured and operating as it would be when connected to the network. The snapshot contains information about system configuration files and operating parameters and is stored on the system. Periodically, the snapshot is compared with the same parameters on the running system, looking for any changes. If changes are discovered, Tripwire informs you of the changes, and thus you know that your system might have been compromised.



Although passive detection can tell you that your system has been compromised, it tells you only after the break-in has occurred. Any damage that the intruder might have caused will be yours to deal with. Active detection, on the other hand, gives you the opportunity to test your systems for open vulnerabilities and to close the open holes.










dummies

Source:http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/looking-at-intrusion-detection-in-red-hat-enterpri.html

Success as a Real Estate Agent For Dummies

Your success as a real estate agent is dictated by a few fundamental rules for the profession. Keep an eye on real estate market trend indicators and the ratios that demonstrate your success as a realtor to stay competitive. Successful realtors have a variety of skills, including prospecting, closing a sale, hosting a successful open house, and managing time wisely.






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Rules for Real Estate Success


Whatever your reasons for becoming a real estate agent and however you stay motivated in your profession, practice these basic principles for achieving success in the real estate market:



  • Show up. Show up early and consistently. Make real estate your full-time profession and put in the hours it takes to achieve success.



  • Focus mentally. Whether prospecting, following up, selling, or closing, continuously improve your focus, philosophy, and intent to succeed.



  • Tell the truth. Be upfront and realistic with sellers who want to overprice and with buyers who want to underbid.



  • Don’t be attached to the outcome. If you lose a listing, a transaction collapses, or a client you thought was loyal buys from another agent, yell out the four-letter word, Next!, and move on quickly.







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Guidelines for Real Estate Prospecting


The whole point of prospecting is to develop potential clients for your real estate business. As a real estate agent you need to apply the following prospecting fundamentals to your work schedule:



  • Set a daily time and place for prospecting. Don’t work your prospecting around your day. Instead, work your day around your prospecting.



  • Fight off distractions. Turn off your e-mail, cell phone, and pager. Hold calls and bar visitors from your office. Say you’re in a meeting with a prospect.



  • Follow your plan. Know which calls you’re going to make and set a goal for each call. Rehearse scripts, dialogues, and objection-handling techniques and then recite a few affirmations. Finally, smile and make the call.



  • Be faithful and finish what you start. Don’t quit until you complete all the prospecting calls you set out to make — down to the very last one.







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How to Identify Real Estate Market Trends


Get a leg up in the real estate market by researching and understanding the trends in the marketplace. Keep an eye out for these market trend deciders:



  • Number of home sales and total sales volume this year versus last year



  • Number of listings this year versus last year



  • Average sale price this year versus last year



  • Percentage of increase or decrease in average sale price year to year







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Ratios That Demonstrate Your Success as a Real Estate Agent


How do you make your performance as a real estate agent stand out? These points are gauges that demonstrate your success and stake your competitive place in the real estate world:



  • Average list price to sales price. This ratio exhibits your effectiveness at achieving the result that your client expects when you price a home and place it on the market.



  • Average days on the market. This ratio shows your ability to sell a home quickly. It conveys your skill and success level and also indicates your knowledge of competitive pricing.



  • Average listings taken versus listings sold. The higher the percentage of listings sold, the lower the risk a seller assumes when choosing to work with you to sell a home.







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Tips for Making a Sale in Real Estate


Until a real estate sale is final and the deal is closed, no money exchanges hands. To get the process of a home sale completed — and your commission check — use these suggestions:



  • Be alert and on time.



  • Ask for the business.



  • Sell to the head decision maker.



  • Know your prospect’s expectations.



  • Tell the truth.



  • Position and sell yourself competitively.



  • Be stellar in your follow-up.



  • Demonstrate your market knowledge.



  • Know and maintain your standards.



  • Be willing to walk way when you have to.







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Doing More with Less Time in Real Estate


As a real estate agent you may struggle with getting the most out of your day. So to maximize your time in the real estate world use these tips when you’re planning your workweek:



  • Increase productivity by increasing intensity. Establish and meet deadlines with no option for procrastination.



  • Devote most of your time to your most productive activities, including prospecting, lead follow-up, listing presentations, buyer interviews, showing property, and writing and negotiating contracts.



  • Set an 11 a.m. rule. Get into the office early and complete your prospecting and lead follow-up before 11 a.m., which is when the world around a real estate office gears up and the distractions begin.



  • Time block your way to success. Schedule your week, reserving and protecting blocks of time for the following activities: personal activities, direct income-producing activities, appointments, administrative tasks, and flextime, which you can use to put out fires, make emergency calls, and handle unscheduled tasks without losing control of your overall schedule.



  • Turn your car into an “auto-university.” Unless you’re with clients, don’t turn on the engine without tuning into a personal-development program.







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Five Tips for a Successful Open House


If you’re a real estate agent and you decide to have an open house, be sure to use the following techniques (and a follow-up plan) so your open house is a success:



  • Feature an attractive home in a high-demand area.



  • Choose a home with great street appeal.



  • Market to the neighbors.



  • Select a home in the upper-middle price range.



  • Lead prospects to the home with easy-to-follow signage.







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dummies


Source:http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/success-as-a-real-estate-agent-for-dummies-cheat-s.html

Why Fiddle-Faddle Accounting Might or Might Not Be Right for Your Business

Most small businesses — or at least those small businesses where the owners aren't already trained in accounting — have used the fiddle-faddle method. The financial statements that follow show an imaginary hot dog stand business. The first one shows the income statement for the one day a year that the imaginary hot dog stand business operates, and the second shows the balance sheet at the start of the first day of operation.









































A Simple Income Statement for a Hot Dog Stand
Sales revenue$13,000
Less: Cost of goods sold3,000
Gross margin$10,000
Operating expenses
Rent$1,000
Wages4,000
Supplies1,000
Total operating expenses6,000
Operating profit$4,000












































A Simple Balance Sheet for a Hot Dog Stand
Assets
Cash$1,000
Inventory3,000
Total assets$4,000
Liabilities
Accounts payable$2,000
Loan payable1,000
Owner's equity
S. Nelson, capital1,000
Total liabilities and owner's equity$4,000

With the fiddle-faddle method of accounting, you individually calculate each number shown in the financial statement. For example, the sales revenue figure shown in the first table equals $13,000. The fiddle-faddle method of accounting requires you to somehow come up with this sales revenue number manually. You may be able to come up with this number by remembering each of the sales that you made over the day. Or, if you prepare invoices or sales receipts, you may be able to come up with this number by adding all the individual sales. If you have a cash register, you may also be able to come up with this number by looking at the cash register tape.


Other revenue and expense numbers and the balance sheet numbers get calculated in the same crude manner. For example, the $1,000 of rent expense gets calculated by either remembering what amount you paid for rent, or by looking in your checkbook register and finding the check that you wrote for rent.


Some of the values shown in an income statement or on a balance sheet get plugged, meaning that they're calculated using other numbers from the financial statement. For example, you don't look up the profit amount in any particular place; instead, you calculate profit by subtracting expenses from revenue. You can also, of course, calculate balance sheet values, such as total assets, owner's equity, and total liability of owner's equity.


The fiddle-faddle method of accounting works reasonably well for a very small business as long as you have a good checkbook. So, for a very small business, you may be able to get away with this crude, piecemeal approach to accounting.


But unfortunately, the fiddle-faddle method suffers from three horrible weaknesses for a firm that doesn't have super-simple finances:



  • It's not systematic enough to be automated. A systematic approach like double-entry bookkeeping can be automated, as QuickBooks does. Because the fiddle-faddle approach can't be automated, every time you want to produce financial statements, you or some poor co-worker goes to an enormous amount of work to collect the numbers and all the raw data.



  • It's very easy to lose details. If you know the operating expense categories that the business incurs, it's fairly easy to look through the check register and find the check or checks that pay rent, for example. However, what if you also have an advertising expense category or a business license expense, or some other easy-to-forget category? If you forget a category, you miss expenses.



  • It doesn't allow rigorous error checking. Error checking is important with accounting and bookkeeping systems. With all the numbers and transactions floating around, errors easily creep into the system.






dummies

Source:http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/why-fiddlefaddle-accounting-might-or-might-not-be-.html

How Large Should an Audit Sample Be?

For many audits, looking at 10 percent of the records that a company has produced during the past year may be just right. But that number isn’t always going to work. Your job as an auditor is to choose records for your sample that accurately represent a certain population. A sampling unit is the item in the population that the auditor actually examines. To select the right records — and the right number of them — you must take the following steps prior to making your decisions


Auditors refer to any group of records that belong in a specific category as a population. For example, the rent expense population is all invoices, leases, documents, and so on that support the amount of the expense shown on the income statement.



  1. Become familiar with the business and its environment.


    Look at the business purpose, location, and management philosophy. You want to become as knowledgeable about the company as you can.



  2. Assess the audit risk level.


    Getting a handle on each company’s unique level of audit risk increases the effectiveness and efficiency of the sampling process.


    For example, if your assessment shows that your risk of arriving at the wrong audit conclusion is low, you can feel pretty confident that a smaller sampling of the company’s records is sufficient. If your audit risk is high, your sampling population may need to be more extensive.



  3. Understand the client’s internal control procedures.


    Understanding the company’s internal controls helps you decide on an appropriate and adequate sample size. Strong internal controls allow you to move forward with a smaller sample of records, and weak internal controls demand a larger sample.



  4. Select the correct sampling method.


    You can use a hammer or a rock to drive a nail into a piece of wood. Both do the job, but using the right tool for the job (the hammer) makes completing the task easier. Picking the right sampling method is your way of picking the right tool for this sampling job. Obviously, you must also make sure you use the sampling method the right way. If you don’t apply the sampling method correctly, your sample may be invalid.


    The control is that client invoices are correct. An error or deviation in this control would be if the cost per unit on the client invoices doesn’t agree with the standard price list, and there’s no explanation for the deviation (such as the fact that the client was given a discount). Even if an explanation exists, you still have a deviation if the proper authority didn’t okay the discount.






dummies

Source:http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/how-large-should-an-audit-sample-be.html

What Is Bisexuality?


2 of 9 in Series:
The Essentials of Same-Sex Relationships





Bisexuality is when a person is attracted to members of both sexes. This definition sounds straightforward, but in reality, there are many who doubt bisexuality as a “valid” sexual orientation. Others label themselves as “bi-curious,” meaning that they want to try sex with both sexes but haven’t made up their mind as to their sexual orientation. With such a fuzzy reality, what exactly does bisexuality mean in real life?


There's no doubt that there are people who have sex with both the opposite sex and their own sex. What is open to question is whether this is a permanent state or a transitional one. Now, to people who consider themselves bisexual at any given point in time, it will seem as if this is how they will always feel, and yet research has shown that some bisexuals do end up becoming either heterosexual or homosexual — as determined by how they feel on the inside. (Someone could never have had sex with a person of the same sex, say, but still feel the attraction.)


Being bi-curious is simply a state of exploration. A person who calls himself bi-curious wants to experiment with sexual relations with both sexes, and may even have done so. Such a person does not consider himself a bisexual, but a person who is still determining sexuality as either homosexual or heterosexual — after giving both a try.


Unfortunately, there appears to be some peer pressure with regards to this, so young people are engaging in sexual acts just to be thought of as cool, rather than because they are really unsure of where they stand. Because most experts agree, you should only have sex with someone with whom you share a romantic relationship, and because having sex with multiple partners incurs health risks, the best advice is not to experiment simply out of curiosity.


Just as humans don’t know everything there is to know about homosexuality, people also can’t close the books on bisexuality either. Perhaps one day conclusive research will be done on the remaining open issues so the information will be available to help people to not only understand, but accept others' various sexual orientations.




dummies

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

The Theory of Capital Budgeting and QuickBooks 2012

When working with QuickBooks 2012, it's helpful to understand the theory of capital budgeting. Capital budgeting boils down to the idea that you should look at capital investments (machinery, vehicles, real estate, entire businesses, yard art, and so on) just as you look at the CDs (certificates of deposits) that a bank offers.


Don’t worry — you actually already know how to do this. When you buy a bank CD, you essentially look at one big thing and then a couple of small things in order to decide whether a CD makes sense. The big thing is the interest rate. The two small things are the CD maturity and the risk.


Interest rates and capital budgeting


The big thing is the interest rate that a CD pays. You want to earn the highest return possible on your money. Therefore, you want a CD that pays a high interest rate! An 8 percent interest rate is better than a 6 percent interest rate. And a 12 percent interest rate is way better than a 6 percent interest rate.


You can also look at the interest rates earned on capital investments. You should know that interest rates don’t typically go by that name in capital investing. For some strange reason, the interest rate that a capital investment (like a piece of machinery, vehicle, or real estate) earns is called a return on investment, or a rate of return.


But it’s the same thing. The rate of return or return on investment (or ROI) is really just the interest rate that a capital investment or capital expenditure pays.


The return is important because it shows the profitability of the investment, albeit as a percentage of the investment. The first thing that you need to know about the theory of capital budgeting is that the big thing that matters is the return.


Maturity and capital budgeting


The first little thing that you also look at in the case of a certificate of deposit is the maturity. The maturity simply refers to the amount of time that your money gets tied up in the investment.


For example, you may not want a one-month CD. That short maturity means you have to roll over or reinvest the CD at a new, perhaps lower, rate of return in a month.


On the other hand, you may also want to avoid tying up your money for a long period, such as 40 years. Tying up your money for a very long time period means that you won’t be able to get to the money if a new, better opportunity comes along.


You probably see very few opportunities that are so good, so surefire, so long term that they warrant tying up your money for decades and decades, right?


In the case of capital investments, you don’t actually use the word maturity in most situations. Instead, you should use a term called liquidity, which simply means how close an investment is to cash or how quickly an investment returns or pays back the cash that you’ve invested.


You can measure liquidity in a bunch of different ways. The key thing to remember about liquidity is this: Liquidity isn’t as important as the return on investment.


Remember, the return shows profitability. Nevertheless, you do want to think about the liquidity of a capital investment. What you think depends on your circumstances. In different circumstances, you prefer capital investments with different degrees of liquidity.


Risk and capital budgeting


With CDs, government insurance programs such as the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) reduce the risk of investing. But the risks still matter, right? If you’re over the limits of insurance coverage, you don’t put all your money in the same bank.


Even if you’re under the FDIC insurance limits, you don’t put money into a bank that is at risk of going under. Do that and you’ll have the hassle of getting your money back.


Typically, you also carefully select CD-like investments, such as debentures, which some finance companies offer to CD investors. Again, that makes sense. Risk — the chance that maybe you won’t be repaid, or maybe not all your interest will be repaid — is one of the things that you want to consider when you talk about CDs.


In the same way that risk matters to CDs, risk matters to capital investments. In fact, risk probably matters more in the latter case. No government agency guarantees that some capital investment will deliver the returns that you plan on.


For this reason, you must consider the risk of capital investments. You can consider risk both quantitatively (which means using measurements that produce values that measure the risk) and qualitatively (which means relying on your gut).




dummies

Source:http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/the-theory-of-capital-budgeting-and-quickbooks-201.html

Office 2008 for Mac Keyboard Shortcuts

If there’s one thing that will speed up your usage of the Office 2008 for Mac applications, it’s to memorize frequently used keyboard shortcuts. If you’re like most people, the more you keep your fingers off the keyboard keys (and off the mouse), the more efficient you are when using the Office applications.


Create a printed list of keyboard shortcuts you want to memorize whenever you begin using a new program. Tape the list to your desk or monitor and keep it there until you memorize the shortcuts.


Here are some keyboard shortcuts that can save you a lot of time and effort:















































CommandKeyboard Shortcut
New DocumentCommand+N
Save DocumentCommand+S
Open FileCommand+O
Cut, Copy, and PasteCommand+X, Command+C, and Command+V, respectively
Undo Last ActionCommand+Z
Increase/Decrease Font SizeCommand+Shift+> and Command+Shift+<, respectively
Jump to the Beginning/End of a DocumentCommand+Home and Command+End respectively
Cycle Through WindowsCommand+~
Spelling CheckCommand+Option+L
Reference ToolsCommand+Option+R



dummies

Source:http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/office-2008-for-mac-keyboard-shortcuts.html

Using Incentives to Turn E-Mail Marketing Contacts into Subscribers


3 of 9 in Series:
The Essentials of Building Your E-Mail Marketing Lists





Your e-mail marketing contact list is an asset — hopefully containing e-mail addresses belonging to loyal customers who spend money as well as referral sources who love to tell others about you. Offering an incentive in exchange for an e-mail subscription is really the least you can do to thank and reward your most valuable contacts, and can reward your business:



  • Increase sign-ups: The number of people willing to share their contact information with you is likely to increase if they feel that they’re getting something of value in return.



  • Increase loyalty: An incentive rewards your subscribers and can increase loyalty, repeat business, and referrals.




Giving e-mail subscribers immediate incentives


Some incentives, such as ongoing discounts, can be an inherent part of being on the list — and are, therefore, available immediately upon the subscription. Immediate incentives abound and may include



  • Discounts or reward points on every purchase



  • VIP access to special events, front row seats, and so on



  • Access to members-only information



  • Free trials, gifts, or additional services




Giving e-mail subscribers future incentives


Some incentives aren’t immediate bonuses, but become available sometime later. For example, a clothing store has a biannual 48-hour sale and only e-mail list subscribers can save 50 percent if they order within the 48-hour period. The subscribers have to wait for an invitation to take advantage of the incentive.


Future incentives are limited only by your own creativity and can include



  • Early shopping hours during the holidays



  • Invitations to periodic private events



  • Random rewards, such as prize drawings














dummies

Source:http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/using-incentives-to-turn-email-marketing-contacts-.navId-610165.html

Troubleshooting Your Windows Printer

When printing problems occur, you need to troubleshoot your printer. You can troubleshoot your printer by following the tips outlined here.


If you can’t print your document, are you sure that the printer is turned on, plugged into the wall, full of paper, and connected securely to your computer with a cable?


If so, try plugging the printer into different outlets, turning it on, and seeing whether its power light comes on. If the light stays off, your printer’s power supply is probably blown.


Printers are almost always cheaper to replace than repair. But if you’ve grown fond of your printer, grab an estimate from a repair shop before discarding it.


If the printer’s power light beams brightly, check these things before giving up:



  • Make sure that a sheet of paper hasn’t jammed itself inside the printer somewhere. (A steady pull usually extricates jammed paper; sometimes opening and closing the lid starts things moving again.)



  • Does your inkjet printer still have ink in its cartridges? Does your laser printer have toner? Try printing a test page: Click the Start menu, open the Control Panel, and choose Printers. Right-click your printer’s icon, choose Properties, and click the Print Test Page button to see whether the computer and printer can talk to each other.



  • Try updating the printer’s driver, the little program that helps it talk with Windows. Visit the printer manufacturer’s Web site, download the newest driver for your particular printer model, and run its installation program.






dummies

Source:http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/troubleshooting-your-windows-printer.html

How to Specify Team Member Roles and Procedures


6 of 10 in Series:
The Essentials of Managing a Project Team





An effective project manager needs to specify team-member roles and communication procedures. After all, nothing causes disillusionment and frustration faster on a project than bringing motivated people together and then giving them no guidance on working with one another.


Two or more people may start doing the same activity independently, and other activities may be overlooked entirely. Eventually, these people find tasks that don’t require coordination, or they gradually withdraw from the project to work on more rewarding assignments. To prevent this frustration from becoming a part of your project, work with team members to define the activities that each member works on and the nature of their roles.


Possible team member roles include the following:



  • Primary responsibility: Has the overall obligation to ensure the completion of an activity



  • Secondary or supporting responsibility: Has the obligation to complete part of an activity



  • Approval: Must approve the results of an activity before work can proceed



  • Consultation resource: Can provide expert guidance and support if needed



  • Required recipient of project results: Receives either a physical product from an activity or a report of an activity




If you prepared a Responsibility Assignment Matrix (RAM) as part of your project plan, use it to start your discussions of project roles with your team members. Make sure you don’t just present the RAM; take the time to encourage questions and concerns from team members until they’re comfortable that the roles are feasible and appropriate.


Develop the procedures that you and your team will use to support your day-to-day work. Having these procedures in place allows people to effectively and efficiently perform their tasks; it also contributes to a positive team atmosphere. At a minimum, develop procedures for the following:



  • Communication: These processes involve sharing project-related information in writing and through personal interactions. Communication procedures may include



    • When and how to use e-mail to share project information



    • Which types of information should be in writing



    • When and how to document informal discussions



    • How to set up regularly scheduled reports and meetings to record and review progress



    • How to address special issues that arise





  • Conflict resolution: These processes involve resolving differences of opinion between team members regarding project work. You can develop the following conflict-resolution procedures:



    • Standard approaches (normal steps that you take to encourage people to develop a mutually agreeable solution)



    • Escalation procedures (steps you take if the people involved can’t readily resolve their differences)





  • Decision making: These processes involve deciding among alternative approaches and actions. Develop guidelines for choosing the most appropriate choice for a situation, including consensus, majority rule, unanimous agreement, and decision by technical expert. Also develop escalation procedures — the steps you take when the normal decision-making approaches get bogged down.














dummies

Source:http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/how-to-specify-team-member-roles-and-procedures.html

Getting the Facts When Considering Surgery for Arthritis

Surgery is either the end of all your troubles or the beginning of a whole new set of problems. Before agreeing to go under the knife to address your arthritic condition, ask your orthopaedic surgeon the following questions:



  • Do my symptoms and test results go hand-in-hand; is my diagnosis really confirmed?



  • Does the type of arthritis I have respond well to surgery?



  • Is surgery a permanent fix for my symptoms, or will it need redoing eventually?



  • What results can I expect from this surgery?



  • What risks are involved?



  • What is involved in the post-surgery rehabilitation?



  • Am I physically able to withstand the surgery?



  • What does the future hold if I don’t have surgery?











dummies

Source:http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/getting-the-facts-when-considering-surgery-for-art.html

M&amp;A Negotiation Key to Success: Negotiate with the Decision-Maker

The biggest, most important, and most basic M&A negotiating rule is to make sure you negotiate with the actual decision-maker and not an influencer. Of course, speaking with an influencer isn’t automatically bad. In many cases, the negotiations advance relatively smoothly.


But in some cases, an influencer who inserts himself into the proceedings may or may not have the authority to negotiate the transaction. These kinds of influencers tend to impede deals; in the best cases, they’re overzealous underlings trying to make a splash with their bosses. In the worst cases, they’re manipulative head cases following a personal agenda with little or no regard for the company’s goals.


In other situations, the actual decision-maker may be hiding behind the influencer. In this example, the influencer is little more than the mouthpiece for the real decision-maker. Typical rants from this person include abrupt and curt ultimatums such as, “We don’t think we will negotiate or find middle ground,” or, “We’re not going to contemplate your proposal.”


What’s going on here is that the decision-maker is using the influencer as a buffer. The decision-maker can easily bark unfiltered orders at the influencer, orders the decision-maker probably wouldn’t make if she were speaking directly with you. In turn, the influencer simply parrots the decision-maker by delivering the same message without editing it or moderating its tone.


This unfiltered communication, often the hallmark of passive-aggressive types or just someone who can’t be bothered to deal with the situation at hand, is highly frustrating.


The best way, and perhaps the only way, to handle this situation is to try to set up a meeting or a conference call with the influencer and the decision-maker. You need to get the influencer out of the way and communicate directly with the decision-maker.


If you’re speaking with an influencer and the negotiations are rocky, challenge the person. Simply ask if he is the final decision-maker. If not, ask to speak to that decision-maker. If you still get a block, suggest a meeting with the other side’s full team.




dummies

Source:http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/ma-negotiation-key-to-success-negotiate-with-the-d.html

Operators in C++ Programming

All operators in C++ perform some defined function. This table shows the operator, precedence (which determines who goes first), cardinality, and associativity in the C++ program.
































































































































OperatorCardinalityAssociativity
Highest precedence() [] -> .unaryleft to right

! ~ + - ++ — & * (cast) sizeofunaryleft to right

* / %binaryleft to right

+ -binaryleft to right

<< >>binaryleft to right

< <= > >=binaryleft to right

== !=binaryleft to right

&binaryleft to right

^binaryleft to right

|binaryleft to right

&&binaryleft to right

||binaryleft to right

?:ternaryright to left

= *= /= %= += -= &= ^= |= <<= >>=binaryright to left
Lowest precedence,binaryleft to right








dummies

Source:http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/operators-in-c-programming.html

GPS For Dummies

If you're really good at getting lost, a GPS device can be your best co-pilot. And even if you're good with directions but just want to know where you are at all times, a GPS unit can offer accurate information on where you are on the planet. GPS manufacturers make devices to help you navigate in all types of vehicles whether you're on land, sea, air, or your own two feet.






>


>


Must-Have Features for a Handheld GPS


If you're happiest in the great outdoors, a handheld GPS device may make you even happier. Use a GPS unit to help with your personal navigation needs whether you're boating, hiking, geocaching, or doing any other outdoor activity. The following table offers recommended features to help you choose the right GPS receiver for your purposes:















































ActivityUseful Features in a GPS Device
Hiking, mountain biking, cross-country skiingAltimeter/barometer

Electronic compass

Sunrise/sunset table

Uploadable topographic maps
GeocachingElectronic compass

Geocache database

Uploadable topographic maps
HuntingHunting and fishing calendar

Sunrise/sunset table

Uploadable topographic maps
FishingFishing calendar

Floats

Saltwater tide table

Sunrise/sunset table

Waterproof
Boating (inland and offshore)External power supply

Floats

NMEA output (for autopilots)

Saltwater tide table

Sunrise/sunset table

Uploadable nautical charts

Waterproof
Canoeing, kayaking (inland and coastal)Floats

Saltwater tide table

Sunrise/sunset table

Uploadable nautical charts and topographic maps

Waterproof
4x4ing, motorcycling, ATVingElectronic compass

External power supply

Uploadable topographic maps
FlyingExternal power supply

Jeppesen database

WAAS
Mapping, data collectionArea calculation

Differential GPS

External antenna

Helix versus patch antenna

Large number of waypoints and tracks

WAAS
Caving, scuba diving, visiting art museumsSorry, you're out of luck! You need a clear view of the sky for
a GPS receiver to work.




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How GPS Modes Affect Accuracy


The accuracy of your GPS unit can vary depending on whether you set the mode to make use of differential GPS (DGPS), which augments satellite information with ground-based signals; a wide area augmentation system (WAAS) developed by the Federal Aviation Administration for more accurate air navigation; or go without selective availability (SA). The following table shows how accurate you can expect your GPS unit to be in each mode:























GPS ModeDistance in FeetDistance in Meters
GPS without SA4915
GPS with DGPS10–163–5
GPS with WAAS103




>



>


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Popular GPS Manufacturers


When you can download a GPS app to your phone, you know GPS has gone global in more than just name (GPS = global positioning system. Get it?). To help you explore some of the GPS makers out there, the following table offers links to some of the more prominent manufacturers and shows whether they make handheld or automotive devices or both.











































CompanyHandheldAutomotive
DeLorme X
GarminXX
LowranceXX
MagellanXX
Mio
X
Navigon
X
TomTom
X

Even if a company doesn’t manufacture a handheld GPS unit, it most likely offers an app you can download to your mobile device.





>






>
dummies


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

How to Make Discretionary Distributions of Trust Funds

Trust instruments usually give some guidance regarding what sorts of discretionary distributions a trustee can make to beneficiaries. Discretionary powers may be narrowly prescribed in the trust instrument, limiting the types of possible distributions. In many cases, however, these powers are open to interpretation. Discretionary powers are often used when making distributions to the beneficiary for his or her health and well-being, educational purposes, home ownership, or business endeavors.


Ensuring the beneficiary’s health and well-being


A trustee may have the power to make distributions to ensure the health and well-being of the trust’s beneficiary and his or her family. Sometimes these distributions are limited to covering medical expenses by the trust instrument. However, the health and well-being standard can usually be interpreted to include almost anything the trustee feels will add to the beneficiary’ general well-being. A vacation or ballet lessons are examples.


Paying for the beneficiary’s education


Saving for education inside a trust allows for some freedom when paying for that education. If the beneficiary receives merit scholarships or chooses not to go to college, the money can easily be used for other purposes.


The discretionary power to make distributions for education isn’t limited to postsecondary schools. You may also use trust monies to pay for private primary and secondary education, supplemental educational programs, educational summer camps, tutoring, or even to buy a computer. Like the health and well-being standard, a trustee’s power to make educational distributions is often flexible.


Should you fund the beneficiary’s purchase of a home?


Few trust instruments include specific language allowing distributions to a beneficiary for the purpose of purchasing a house. But few instruments explicitly prohibit you from making distributions for down payments or the total purchase price of a house.


Consider the trust’s resources and the beneficiary’s decision making skills when you navigate this gray area. Be certain, when making your decision, that the beneficiary can afford the house’s ongoing expenses, maintenance, and real estate taxes.


If you think the beneficiary should live in stable housing rather than going from rental to rental, but you’re not sure he or she can afford the upkeep and taxes on a house, you have the option of having the trust purchase, and own, the property. This way, you know that the bills are being paid, and you can arrange regular maintenance inspections.


Starting a business: Consider the beneficiary’s business plan


The decision to distribute trust funds for the purpose of allowing the beneficiary to start or additionally capitalize a business depends largely on your confidence in the beneficiary and his or her business plan. Request and study the business plan and make your judgment based on sound business principles.


Even if you decide against a distribution supporting the beneficiary’s business, you may want to loan the money to the beneficiary, based on the strength of the business plan. Have the beneficiary sign a promissory note requiring repayment of the principal and interest at market rates. The IRS issues Applicable Federal Rates every month, giving the minimum interest rate you can charge on a loan considered a fair market rate.


Trustee’s discretion: Make informed decisions


If a beneficiary asks for a distribution and the trust instrument isn’t clear about such a request, you need to decide. Ask the beneficiary lots of questions and review third-party documentation when available. You should deliberate carefully. Take what you know about the beneficiary into consideration. Remember, you’re not required to dispense money just because a beneficiary requests it.











dummies

Source:http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/how-to-make-discretionary-distributions-of-trust-f.html

The Costs and Fees of Margin Agreements

Some day traders borrow money or stock from their brokerage firm to leverage their stock trades. Every brokerage firm charges interest on margin. Some charge additional fees. Make sure you fully understand your brokerage’s interest and fee schedule before signing and trading on the margin account.


The stated interest rate is usually an annualized rate; if the rate given is 8 percent, for example, then you’d owe that much if your loan was outstanding for the entire year. (Some investors have margin loans in place that long.)


A day trader, whose loan may only be outstanding for a few hours, probably has to pay interest, too. Some brokerage firms charge by the day; others may charge interest over three days because it takes three days for a trade to settle.


On top of margin interest, some firms charge a higher commission on margin trades than for cash trades. They justify this policy with the higher levels of paperwork and risk management required on margin accounts. Some firms go with the higher commission rather than charge interest on intra-day loans. Find out your firm’s policies and fees before you open a margin account, and your trading life will be easier.


If you trade derivatives, margin works differently. The contract itself is leveraged, so you aren’t charged interest. You have to settle your profits and losses at the end of the day, however (don’t worry; the exchange’s clearinghouse does it for you). You can’t use the money held as margin for other trades.




dummies

Source:http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/the-costs-and-fees-of-margin-agreements.html

West Nile Virus Symptoms and Treatments

Similar to an influenza infection, the symptoms of West Nile virus can leave a person feeling anywhere from a bit yucky to horribly ill. However, unlike the flu, a West Nile infection can cause meningitis and encephalitis in rare cases.


Nearly 80 percent of people who contract the West Nile virus — transmitted from the bite of an infected mosquito — never become sick. Almost all of the remaining 20 percent suffer only mild symptoms, which include



  • Body aches



  • Fever



  • Headache



  • Nausea



  • Rash on the chest, stomach, or back



  • Swollen lymph glands



  • Vomiting




Less than one percent of people who become sick from exposure to the West Nile virus suffer serious illness. In these folks, the virus attacks their neurological system. Specifically, the virus can cause inflammation of the brain (encephalitis) or inflammation of the membranes that surround the brain and spinal cord (meningitis). These conditions can cause permanent neurological damage and even death. Symptoms of the more serious effects of West Nile include



  • Coma



  • Convulsions



  • Disorientation



  • High fever



  • Neck stiffness



  • Numbness



  • Partial paralysis



  • Severe headache



  • Stupor



  • Tremor



  • Vision loss




West Nile virus can also cause acute flaccid paralysis. This sudden weakness in the arms, legs, or breathing muscles occurs because the virus has attacked the spinal cord.


There are no medications that cure West Nile virus. Most people are able to fight off milder infections on their own, with the help of bed rest, over-the-counter analgesics, and plenty of fluids. The symptoms of West Nile virus usually last a few days to a couple weeks.


The unfortunate few who develop encephalitis, meningitis, or acute flaccid paralysis may require intravenous fluids, anticonvulsants to prevent seizures, or anti-inflammatory corticosteroids to reduce swelling and pressure. These sufferers may experience long-lasting neurological problems, such as muscle weakness. In some instances, these problems remain for the rest of the person’s life.











dummies

Source:http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/west-nile-virus-symptoms-and-treatments.html

HTML5 and JavaScript Selection Options

Of the many new features in HTML5, the innovations with the most far-reaching potential are in the additions to JavaScript available in modern browsers. JavaScript is usually used to interact with the web page. HTML5 incorporates some new ways to select elements from the page:



  • document.getElementsByClassName(): When you want to apply code to all elements in a particular class, the getElementsByClassName() function returns an array of all the elements in a particular class. For example, this code creates an array of all of the elements on the current page with the class special. It then steps through each element of that array and alerts the content of that element:


      function init(){
    specP = document.getElementsByClassName("special");
    alert(specP.length);
    for(i = 0; i < specP.length; i++){
    alert(specP[i].innerHTML);
    } // end for
    } // end function

    Note that getElementsByClassName() does not return a single element like getElementById(). Instead, it returns an array. Generally, you'll use a for loop to step through the array and do something to each element.


    The class does not need to have any CSS associated with it. This can be an easy way to mark a set of elements you'll want to do something with.



  • document.getElementsByTagName(): Using this tag allows you to quickly retrieve all the elements with a given tag name. For example, you could use this mechanism to get access to all of the input elements of a form. You need to use array syntax (usually with a for loop) to work with the members of the array. This code alerts the content of every paragraph of the current page:


      function init(){
    paras = document.getElementsByTagName("p");
    for(i = 0; i < paras.length; i++){
    alert(paras[i].innerHTML);
    } // end for
    } // end function


  • document.querySelector(): A number of JavaScript libraries (notably jQuery) have added the ability to select DOM elements through the same syntax used to define elements in CSS. JavaScript now includes this capability natively through the querySelector() method. This extremely powerful mechanism makes it very easy to select any element. For example, the following code selects the second paragraph on the page:


        para2 = document.querySelector("p + p");
    alert(para2.innerHTML);

    Note that this method retrieves only the first element that matches the query. If the query might match more than one element, use the document.querySelectorAll() method instead. The querySelector() method can also be used to select elements by tag name, class, or id.



  • document.querySelectorAll(): This method works just like document.querySelector(), except it retrieves all elements of the page that match the given query. The following function asks for a CSS selector and displays the contents of any page elements matched by that selector:




  function init(){
paras = document.getElementsByTagName("p");
alert(specP.length);
for(i = 0; i < paras.length; i++){
alert(paras[i].innerHTML);
} // end for
} // end function

The querySelectorAll() method returns an array of elements, even if only a single element is returned. Use array syntax (normally with a for loop) to step through each element of the array.




dummies

Source:http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/html5-and-javascript-selection-options.html

How to Safely Change the Windows Vista Registry

Making changes to the Windows Vista Registry doesn't have to be a scary thing. But it is important to know how to make the changes in a safe way that won't cause your system permanent damage.


Nobody completely understands the Registry. The items in it are infuriatingly inconsistent, generally entirely undocumented, and stored away in a very nearly random order. No matter how much you feel the temptation, it’s never a good idea to go into the Registry to “fix” something if you don’t know precisely what needs fixing and how. Changing Registry settings willy-nilly to try to fix random problems only lands you in hot water.


Here’s the general approach to making safe changes in the Registry:



  1. Create a system restore point.



  2. Back up the key that you’re going to change to a .reg file.



  3. Make the changes.


    Make sure that you've got a clear plan when making changes. Then follow the instructions to the letter.



  4. If necessary, force Windows to recognize those changes.


    Generally, the most reliable way to do that is to log off and then log back on again.



  5. Test the changes.


    Depending on the kind of change you made, this step can be quite straightforward or very difficult. For example, testing to see whether a Registry tweak speeds up your Internet connection could be iffy at best. On the other hand, testing to see whether a modified desktop setting (say, a new color for your menus) worked could be as simple as looking at your desktop.



  6. If the change didn’t do what you wanted it to do, restore the Registry by double-clicking the .reg file that you saved.



  7. If something goes very, very wrong, restore your system to the system restore point.






dummies

Source:http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/how-to-safely-change-the-windows-vista-registry.html

How to Maneuver through Market Anomalies while Day Trading

At times the stock market exhibits behavior for which there is no logical explanation. As a day trader, these anomalies affect trading and, if navigated properly, present an opportunity for return


An anomaly is a market condition that occurs regularly but for no good reason. It can be related to the month of the year, the day of the week, or the size of the company involved. You have a choice: Go with what the market is telling you or go with what your indicators are telling you.


Many trading anomalies follow time periods, — which is not completely unexpected. But some of the calendar effects — the January effect, the Monday effect, and the October effect — make little logical sense, yet still influence trading.


The January effect creates a market up tick


Many years, the stock market goes up in the early part of January. Why? No one knows, but the guess is that people tend to sell at the end of December for tax reasons and then buy back those securities in January.


If stocks go up in January, then you can get a jump on the market by buying in December, right? And that would make prices go up in December. To get a jump on the December rally, you could buy in November. And that’s exactly what people started to do, and the once-pronounced January effect is now weak to non-existent. (People still talk about it, though.)


In an efficient market, people eventually figure out these unexplained phenomena and then trade on them until they disappear. Use these anomalies as a way to gauge psychology, not as hard and fast trading rules.


The Monday effect causes stock blues


The market seems to do more poorly on Monday than on the other days of the week. And no matter what the evidence shows (the research is ambiguous, and the findings vary greatly based on the time period and the markets examined), many traders believe this to be true, so it has an effect.


Why? There are two thoughts. The first is that everyone is in a bad mood on Monday because they have to go back to work after the weekend. The second is that people spend all weekend analyzing any bad news from the end of the prior week and then sell as soon as they get back to the office.


The 2008 stock market crash happened on a Monday. Over the previous weekend, the different regulatory agencies decided to allow the old-line brokerage firm of Lehman Brothers to fail. The firm failed to open on Monday, September 15, and the rest of the market went into a tailspin.


The October effect yields market “crashing” blows


The stock market has had two grand crashes and one smaller but profound one, all in October:



  • October 29, 1929: On this day, known as Black Tuesday, the Dow Jones Industrial Average declined 12 percent in one day as market speculators caught up with the less rosy reality of the economy. This crash kicked off a general decline that contributed to the Great Depression of the 1930s.



  • October 19, 1987: This day, known as Black Monday, saw the Dow Jones Industrial Average decline 23 percent. No one is really sure why this crash happened, but it did.



  • October 13, 1989: On this day, the Dow Jones declined 7 percent in the last hour of trading when a leveraged buyout for United Airlines fell through.




Of course, bad things happen in other months. The crash in the NASDAQ market that marked the end of the 1990s tech bubble took place in March 2000, but no one talks about a March effect. The 2008 crash took place in September; maybe, the October effect is starting earlier in the year.




dummies

Source:http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/how-to-maneuver-through-market-anomalies-while-day.html

Investing in Exchange-Traded Funds in Australia and New Zealand: The Basics

An exchange-traded fund (ETF) is designed to track the price movement of a chosen index such as the S&P/ASX 200 in Australia or the NZX 50 in New Zealand. Typically, an ETF is made up of a basket of stocks that closely match the index the ETF is following.


ETFs can also track the price of a single commodity, such as gold or silver. Not all ETFs are created equal, though. Before you dive in, you need to know what you’re investing in and the risks and benefits of each type of ETF.


ETFs track an index in one of three ways, each with different characteristics:



  • Physical holdings: The ETF invests in the underlying stocks of an index and the ETF’s performance largely matches the index.



  • Synthetic replication: The ETF uses futures and options to track an index’s performance, without actually owning the stocks in the index.



  • Optimised sampling: Only the major stocks in an index are owned directly — the idea being that you don’t need to own all the stocks in an index to achieve the same performance.




At first glance, an exchange-traded fund (ETF) may seem identical to a managed fund. After all, like ETFs, managed funds also represent baskets of stocks or bonds. The two, however, are not twins. They’re not even siblings. Cousins are more like it. Here are some of the big differences between ETFs and managed funds:



  • ETFs trade differently. They can be bought and sold, and their price changes, throughout the day. In contrast, managed funds are typically not listed on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) or New Zealand Stock Exchange (NZX). You have to contact the fund manager directly (or your financial adviser can do it for you) and usually complete a form to buy or sell managed fund units. The price you receive is the value of the fund at the close of business that day.



  • ETFs are cheaper. They require you to pay small trading commissions, but ETFs usually wind up costing you much less than a managed fund because the ongoing operating expenses are usually much less. Most ETFs charge no more than one-half of 1 per cent per year, some less than one-tenth of 1 per cent. New Zealand is the exception where ETFs costs range between 0.65 and 0.75 per cent per year.



  • ETFs tend to track indexes. Managers of ETFs tend to do very little trading of securities in the ETF. The vast majority of managed fund managers spend a lot of their time trading.



  • ETFs can result in less tax. Because of low portfolio turnover and also the way they are structured, ETFs’ investment gains usually are more gingerly taxed than the gains on managed funds.




The following table highlights the main similarities and differences between ETFs and managed funds.




















































Exchange-Traded Funds versus Managed Funds

ETFsManaged Funds
Priced, bought and sold throughout the day?YesNo
Offer some investment diversification?YesYes
Minimum investment required?NoYes
Purchased through a stock broker?YesSometimes
Do you pay a fee or commission to make a trade?YesYes
Can you buy/sell options?YesNo
Indexed (passively managed)?TypicallyAtypically
Can you make money or lose money?YesYes



dummies

Source:http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/investing-in-exchangetraded-funds-in-australia-and.html

How to Use a Picture as Wallpaper on Your iPhone

That displays the four choices shown in the figure.



  • Tap the Use As Wallpaper button.


    >

    Beautifying the iPhone with wallpaper.>

    Beautifying the iPhone with wallpaper.

    You see what the present image looks like as the iPhone’s background picture. And as the figure shows, you’re given the opportunity to move the picture around and resize it, through the now familiar action of dragging or pinching against the screen with your fingers.



  • When you’re satisfied with what the wallpaper will look like, tap the Set Wallpaper button.


    Per usual, you also have the option to tap Cancel.












  • >
    dummies

    Source:http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/how-to-use-a-picture-as-wallpaper-on-your-iphone.html

    Excel Statistical Analysis Functions

    Excel shines at statistical analysis. It has a range of functions you can use to determine tendency and variability, comparatives, and correlations among other things. The following tables show which function to use to calculate a desired value and insert it into a call in an Excel worksheet.















































    Excel Central Tendency and Variability Functions
    FunctionWhat It CalculatesFunctionWhat It Calculates
    AVERAGEMean of a set of numbersMEDIANMedian of a set of numbers
    AVERAGEIFMean of a set of numbers that meet a conditionVARPVariance of a set of numbers considered to be a population
    AVERAGEIFSMean of a set of numbers that meet one or more conditionsVARVariance of a set of numbers considered to be a sample
    HARMEANHarmonic mean of a set of positive numbersSTDEVPStandard deviation of a set of numbers considered to be a
    population
    GEOMEANGeometric mean of a set of positive numbersSTDEVStandard deviation of a set of numbers considered to be a
    sample
    MODEMode of a set of numbersSTANDARDIZEA standard score based on a given mean and standard
    deviation
























    Excel Relative Standing Functions
    FunctionWhat It Calculates
    RANKRank of a number in a set of numbers
    PERCENTRANKRank of a number expressed as a percent
    PERCENTILEThe indicated percentile in a set of numbers
    QUARTILEThe 1st, 2nd, 3rd, or 4th quartile of a set of numbers
































    Excel Correlation and Regression Functions
    FunctionWhat it Calculates
    CORRELCorrelation coefficient between two sets of numbers
    PEARSONSame as CORREL. (Go figure!)
    RSQCoefficient of determination between two sets of numbers
    (square of the correlation coefficient)
    SLOPESlope of a regression line through two sets of numbers
    INTERCEPTIntercept of a regression line through two sets of numbers
    STEYXStandard error of estimate for a regression line through two
    sets of numbers



    dummies

    Source:http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/excel-statistical-analysis-functions.html

    Impact Your Investment Return with 3 Simple Strategies

    Positive investment returns are harder to come by with the sluggish economy and lackluster stock market. Here are a few simple strategies to juice up your investment performance while you wait for the market to recover.



    • Diversify: The old adage of not putting all of your eggs in one basket is very important to protect your portfolio. What many investors don’t realize is that diversification usually will provide you with a higher return as well.


      Numerous studies have shown the advantages of diversification over a long period of time will not only reduce portfolio risk, but also greatly improve returns. Owning various asset classes that move independently of each other (some may zig while others zag) can also stem panic when the market inevitably declines aggressively.



    • Rebalance: Rebalancing your investment portfolio at least once a year allows you to maximize the benefits of diversification. Rebalancing means selling some of what has done well and buying some of what has done poorly. This strategy gives you the ability — and the mandate — to buy low and sell high, even if you're not comfortable doing so at times.


      Here's a simple example of diversifying your portfolio to 50% stocks and 50% bonds. However, suppose that the stock market had a terrible year and fell by 20%. At the same time, bonds rose 20%. The decreasing value of your stocks and increasing value of your bonds would create roughly a 40% stock and 60% bond allocation.


      Rebalancing at the end of the year means selling off 10% of your bonds after they have increased in value and purchasing an additional 10% stocks while they are cheap. This brings the portfolio back to its original allocation of 50% stocks and 50% bonds. You were able to buy low and sell high.



    • Rebalance your portfolio 1-2 times per year for maximum effectiveness. Rebalancing alone can add 1-2% of additional return year after year.



    • Try dollar cost averaging: This means simply consistently contributing the same dollar amount each month or year to your investment portfolio. Dollar cost averaging your money into your investments allows you to purchase more shares when the prices fall which can dramatically juice up your returns.


      Assume you had $1,000 each month to purchase mutual fund shares. The mutual fund you are purchasing is $100 per share. This allows you to purchase 10 shares (ignoring fees and expenses). Next month, the shares dropped to $50 per share and you bought another $1,000 worth or 20 shares. Then, in month 3 the shares rose to $75 per share and you purchased 13.33 shares.


      After three months, despite the fact that the price has dropped 25% from where you started, you have invested $3,000 but have 43.33 shares valued at $75 each for a total of $3,250. Your investment has provided you with a little more than 8% return in only 3 months despite the fact that the investment itself is down 25% from where you started. That is the benefit of dollar cost averaging.






    dummies

    Source:http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/impact-your-investment-return-with-3-simple-strate.html

    Statistics For Dummies

    Whether you’re studying for an exam or just want to make sense of data around you every day, knowing how and when to use data analysis techniques and formulas of statistics will help. Being able to make the connections between those statistical techniques and formulas is perhaps even more important. It builds confidence when attacking statistical problems and solidifies your strategies for completing statistical projects.






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    Understanding Formulas for Common Statistics


    After data has been collected, the first step in analyzing it is to crunch out some descriptive statistics to get a feeling for the data. For example:




    • Where is the center of the data located?




    • How spread out is the data?




    • How correlated are the data from two variables?




    The most common descriptive statistics are in the following table, along with their formulas and a short description of what each one measures.


    image0.jpg




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    Statistically Figuring Sample Size


    When designing a study, the sample size is an important consideration because the larger the sample size, the more data you have, and the more precise your results will be (assuming high-quality data). If you know the level of precision you want (that is, your desired margin of error), you can calculate the sample size needed to achieve it.


    To find the sample size needed to estimate a population mean (µ), use the following formula:


    image0.jpg

    In this formula, MOE represents the desired margin of error (which you set ahead of time), and σ represents the population standard deviation. If σ is unknown, you can estimate it with the sample standard deviation, s, from a pilot study; z* is the critical value for the confidence level you need.





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    Surveying Statistical Confidence Intervals


    In statistics, a confidence interval is an educated guess about some characteristic of the population. A confidence interval contains an initial estimate plus or minus a margin of error (the amount by which you expect your results to vary, if a different sample were taken). The following table shows formulas for the components of the most common confidence intervals and keys for when to use them.


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    Checking Out Statistical Confidence Interval Critical Values


    Critical values (z*-values) are an important component of confidence intervals (the statistical technique for estimating population parameters). The z*-value, which appears in the margin of error formula, measures the number of standard errors to be added and subtracted in order to achieve your desired confidence level (the percentage confidence you want). The following table shows common confidence levels and their corresponding z*-values.































    Confidence Levelz*- value
    80%1.28
    85%1.44
    90%1.64
    95%1.96
    98%2.33
    99%2.58




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    Handling Statistical Hypothesis Tests


    You use hypothesis tests to challenge whether some claim about a population is true (for example, a claim that 40 percent of Americans own a cellphone). To test a statistical hypothesis, you take a sample, collect data, form a statistic, standardize it to form a test statistic (so it can be interpreted on a standard scale), and decide whether the test statistic refutes the claim. The following table lays out the important details for hypothesis tests.


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    dummies


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