Real estate agents' dirty tricks revealed

THEY may seem like they chasing the best deal for home buyers and sellers but many real estate agents play property like Monopoly and love to cheat.

From preying on your grief to using cunning scare tactics to close a deal, real estate agents can be as cunning as the meanest in any commission-based business.  

While most agents act professionally, there are many ways agents charge an "idiots tax" on those who don't know what they are doing.

Potential buyers are usually canny enough to recognise that "cosy" is shorthand for "tiny", that "close to public transport" actually means beside the train line and that "bathroom with views" may mean the toilet is outside the back door.

But its home sellers rather than buyers who are more likely fall prey to real estate agents dubious tricks, experts says.

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Disillusioned former estate agent Pav Sheen has blown the whistle on underhand tricks of the trade.

Mr Sheen was so outraged by what went on behind the scenes that he dished up the dirt in his book Tips, Tricks And Traps.

He initially intended it as advice for relatives who were buying a house but what began as a series of pointers soon grew to more than 100 pages.

During his time as an estate agent, Mr Sheen says he witnessed dozens of dubious tactics, including colleagues undervaluing properties to sell them to each other at a lower price.

Other tricks included arranging two viewings at the same time and, after one potential buyer had left, getting the office to call pretending to be that buyer putting in an offer.

He also warns that some agents are quick to betray the confidence of a vendor.

If the home seller is ill, going through a divorce or has financial problems, agents often pass this sensitive information on to buyers.

He says some real estate trainer openly boasts that they "love divorces" and encourage other agents to exploit a vendor's emotional trauma.

Buyers beware

When it comes to purchasing, the most vulnerable people are buyers at the lower end of the market because they're really in the hands of the estate agent.

Former real estate agent Neil Jenman offers advice to avoid being duped in his booklet The 13 Worst Mistakes Made by Home-Buyers  (available www.jenman.com.au)

He says one of the common tricks an agent uses is underquoting the price of a house.

You know how it works, you ask the agent what the ballpark is for the property to sell at auction and they quote you a figure. You spend money getting inspections and legal work done, only to turn up at the auction and find the house goes for a much higher price.

“One of the most unethical tricks in real estate is advertising a home a price well below its real price,” says Mr Jenman says.

“Advertisements which say "price range" or "offers above" or "bidding to start from’ are usually misleading.”

The key to avoiding this one (and many others) is to do your own research. Get to know the market well, go to auctions, visit properties, get a feel for what people are paying properties such as the one in which you’re interested. That way, if an agent quotes you a price that sounds too good to be true, you’ll will know that it probably s.

Mr Jenman also recommends ensuring any building inspections or legal advice that you obtain on a potential property are independent.

“Be careful about using anyone recommended by the agent,” he says.

“Some agents receive kickbacks from advisors that they recommend.”

10 ways agents cheat

1. Gazumping. When a deal has been agreed to, some agents still show people around the property hoping for a better offer.

2. Value a property at a low price - and then sell it to a friend or colleague.

3. Use scare tactics such as pretending to receive offers to get people to make a higher offer.

4. Neglect to pass on all offers to vendor in hope of achieving a higher one later on.

5. Revealing a vendor's confidentail information to buyers

6. Overvaluing houses to secure business from sellers.

7. Dummy bidding - enlist friends to cast fake bids that push prices up.

8. Make up a very low offer. This shocks the seller into accepting a genuine offer which is far lower than the original valuation.

9. Fake evidence that other properties in the area have sold for an overly high price.

10. Erect for sale/sold signs at homes the agent had nothing to do with to give a false impression.

Holiday Cookie Baking and Decorating Tips for Parents

I had the chance this weekend to attend the “Cookie Baking and Decorating with Young Chefs Academy” class, part of the New York City Wine and Food Festival. While I thought the festival was geared more toward adults, I was surprised to learn that there was a wonderful assortment of classes for kids and their parents.  (They even had a sushi class for kids.)

Chefs Karen and Chris Chesleigh of  the Young Chefs Academy gave parents and children tips on how to make Halloween sugar cookies at home, and even included a few science facts along the way.

Here are some of their tips and tricks to make at-home cookie baking a success. (And not a mess.)

   1. Set up your “Mise En Place”:  This is a French word that means “everything in its place.”  In other words, measure out your ingredients separately before starting the recipe.
   2. Incorporate Science:  Mix together your liquid ingredients first.  Discuss with your child the different scientific properties of the ingredients.  What does butter do when heated?  Melt. What does sugar do when mixed with water? Dissolve.
   3. Measurements:  What does a dry measuring cup look like?  What does a liquid measuring cup look like?  How do you level the flour when measuring?  What is bigger, a teaspoon or tablespoon?  These discussions with your kids are a sneaky way to get in a science lesson outside the classroom.
   4. Food Safety:  Proper food safety is another important lesson to teach your kids.  Wear gloves when cracking eggs, and wash hands before touching the dough.  Also, as difficult as this one is, don’t eat the cookie dough.  Eggs can contain salmonella that might be present in raw cookie dough.
   5. “Rock and roll” your Dough:  Place your cookie dough on a piece of aluminum foil and loosely cover with plastic wrap. With hands on the center of the rolling pin, press down, and then slowly “rock” the dough out, and then “roll” it back in.
   6. Decorate: After cookies are baked and cooled, outline them first with icing, and then fill them in.  The easiest way to use the icing is to put it in a squeeze bottle to avoid a mess.  Decorate the cookies with sprinkles.  This is the time to be creative.

Halloween Trick or Treat Information from the City of Evanston

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued safe tips for Trick or Treating this Halloween. Below are tips to help make the festivities fun and safe for trick-or-treaters and party guests.

Going trick-or-treating?

    * Swords, knives, and similar costume accessories should be short, soft, and flexible.
    * Avoid trick-or-treating alone. Walk in groups or with a trusted adult.
    * Fasten reflective tape to costumes and bags to help drivers see you.
    * Examine all treats for choking hazards and tampering before eating them. Limit the amount of treats you eat.
    * Hold a flashlight while trick-or-treating to help you see and others see you.
    * Always test make-up in a small area first. Remove it before bedtime to prevent skin and eye irritation.
    * Look both ways before crossing the street. Use established crosswalks wherever possible.
    * Lower your risk for serious eye injury by not wearing decorative contact lenses.
    * Only walk on sidewalks or on the far edge of the road facing traffic to stay safe.
    * Wear well-fitting masks, costumes, and shoes to avoid blocked vision, trips, and falls.
    * Eat only factory-wrapped treats. Avoid eating homemade treats unless you know the cook well.
    * Enter homes only if you're with a trusted adult. Otherwise, stay outside.
    * Never walk near lit candles or luminaries. Be sure to wear flame-resistant costumes.

Expecting trick-or-treaters or party guests?

    * Provide healthier treats for trick-or-treaters, such as individual packs of raisins, trail mix, or pretzels. For party guests, offer a variety of fruits, vegetables, and cheeses.
    * Use party games and trick-or-treat time as an opportunity for kids to get their daily dose of 60 minutes of physical activity.
    * Be sure walking areas and stairs are well-lit and free of obstacles that could result in falls.
    * Keep candle-lit jack-o’-lanterns and luminaries away from doorsteps, walkways, landings, and curtains. Place them on sturdy tables, keep them out of the reach of pets and small children, and never leave them unattended.
    * Remind drivers to watch out for trick-or-treaters and to drive safely.
    * Follow these tips to help make the festivities fun and safe for everyone!

Halloween Decorating Tips

Some of her Halloween decorating tips include:

--  Mummify chairs across your home. Using tea bags and warm water, stain
            several rolls of white gauze to make it look like they've been buried
            underground for years. Simply wrap the chairs with the gauze and
            secure it in place using poster strips.
--  Create inexpensive Halloween table centerpieces by stacking scary old
            books, such as The Alfred Hitchcock Collection, "Frankenstein" and
            "Dracula," on tables and benches in the home. Add a few candles on top
            of the stack to help add height and dimension.
--  Give house guests goosebumps by creating giant cobwebs on walls and
            over furniture to make the house look like it was abandoned years ago.
            Stretch out thin layers of cotton and secure it place using mini
            hooks. Then add spiders, bats and other creepy crawlers as finishing
            touches
--  Create eerie lighting throughout the home. Simply cut Halloween
            shapes, such as cats and bats, out of black construction paper. Then
            adhere them to the inside of an inexpensive lampshade using poster
            strips. When the lamp is turned on, spooky shadows will illuminate the
            room.
 --  Create a costume for your refrigerator by showcasing Halloween photos,
            greeting cards and party invitations using picture clips.
       

Tips to keep your children safe this Halloween

PHOENIX - Tragic accidents happen every Halloween, so to combat that The Prescott Valley Police Department has put together a simple list of tips that will help keep your child safe while trick-or-treating this year.

    * Make sure the costume allows the child to have good visibility so they can be aware of their surroundings.
    * Check the flammability of the costume before you purchase it including any material you buy if you plan to make the costume.
    * Be careful with children and their costumes around fire or other heat sources.
    * Do not allow children to carry real weapons. If props are necessary, make sure the items such as a sword, knife or a pitchfork have smooth tips and are flexible enough to not cause injury.
    * Use caution when carrying any fake firearms because today's plastic guns are realistic in their appearance and can be easily mistaken for a real weapon. Do not point them at anyone.
    * A costume should be highly visible at night.
    * Consider purchasing extra batteries for light sources that will be used for outside Halloween activities. This includes fully charging flashlights.
    * Consider using LED lights and glow sticks in pumpkins and other similar devices instead of candles.
    * Consider alternative activities to trick-or-treating.

tips for making your own haunted house

It's a cold October night. You're heading around a corner in a dark house. The flashlight grows fainter with every step you take.

Then, when you least expect it, a maniac wearing a butcher's apron and wielding -- GASP! -- a chain saw springs forth. Thankfully, he pulls it back just in time.

You find it hard to keep your legs from giving way.

Many people find themselves in such a state in the middle of October when the region is full of haunted houses, corn mazes and other spooky attractions.

But wouldn't it be frightfully fun to scare the daylights out of people at home this Halloween?

Experts around town offer some tips and tricks to turn your home from a nice slice of Americana to a scene that is typically reserved for nightmares.

"One of the simplest tricks is to tell someone to look one way and you have 'Boo!' come from the other way," said Guy Lombardozzi, chief of the Wesleyville Hose Co. and the man behind the Halls of Fear. "Distraction and your atmosphere are key to scaring people.

"Find a good, dark room, put on some creepy Halloween music, line the wall with black trash bags, confuse their senses with a strobe light and unleash whatever you may have planned. Simple tricks that play on people's psyches and senses are what really scare them."

Dion Blasco, firefighter and director of Belle Valley's ever-growing Valley of the Ghouls, looks to some classic horror movies for inspiration.

"We mix it up every year," Blasco said. "The theme this year is 'Friday the 13th.'" The Valley of the Ghouls display includes a small-scale version of Crystal Lake. There's also a covered bridge, a maze and trailers set up with spooky scenes.

Blasco said it's important to keep things fresh by changing the layouts every year and trying new themes.

Some of Blasco's suggestions for making your own haunted house include having a little maze with someone waiting to jump out of the corner. He said you could build a coffin, and have a person waiting to pop out of it the moment someone walks by.

Blasco also suggests taking the chain off a chain saw and revving it up. Just be sure to have plenty of ventilation to scatter the fumes.

Parts of the Valley of the Ghouls are controlled by crews of volunteers, which encourages them to put their own fiendish spin on things.

"The guys down here are divided up into crews and each one is responsible for their own area," Blasco said. "If they want something a little different, they have to build it. We have props they go through as they see what they need. If they want a cage, we have wood and plastic piping to build a cage. "

Don't be frightened at the potential cost -- it's easier and less expensive than you might think. In these tight economic times, Lombardozzi said a dollar store is a great resource for people who want to assemble a haunted house on a budget.

"You can put a great one together for less than $50," Lombardozzi said. "Places like Dollar Tree have great deals on all the essentials, like strobe lights, spider webs and masks and costumes you can incorporate into your theme."

If cash is not a concern, Blasco said the local Spirit Halloween stores are a great option. "But if you have the imagination, putting everything together yourself is a great way to go."

If you plan to open your haunted house to the public and charge a fee, Lombardozzi and Blasco said there are rules and guidelines that must be met to ensure the safety of the patrons.

10 tips for hunting antiques

1 Do your homework
Not just on the internet, but read books, too. Before setting out on a buying trip, decide upon a style of antique that (a) you like and (b) you can afford.

2 .but not too much
If you’re learning about different art styles and movements, stick to one at a time. Visit the Victoria & Albert Museum, and do Art Deco one day and Art Nouveau another.

3 Be suspicious of codes
Some dealers don’t put a price label on their antiques, they put a numbered code instead. When asked the price, the assistant looks in the code book and sees another figure. This is what the dealer paid for it, but also expressed in code, so you, the buyer can’t see. The suspicion is that they vary the price according to who you are.

4 Turn left
 When you’re visiting an antiques fair, turn left once you’ve passed through the entrance. Everyone else will turn right, which means you can get to the bargains before them.

5 Get protection
If you’re visiting an event organised by BADA (British Antique Dealers Association; www.bada.org) or LAPADA (London and Provincial Antique Dealers Association; www.lapada.org), you can be sure that the antiques on sale have to be what their sales tickets say they are. If they aren’t, you’ve got comeback. BADA and LAPADA are useful sources for information on fairs, exhibitions and events.

6 Appreciate the advantages of Art Deco
Not only a very recognisable look, but at the same time very diverse. Styles range from simple to highly decorated, from geometric to Tutankhamun. So you have more scope than with most other art movements.

7 Give Chinese a miss
Kept in the cultural dark for decades during Mao’s reign, China’s newly-created billionaires are making up for lost time and buying up whole museums’ worth of precious artefacts. Thereby pushing up prices to eye-watering levels. Best to leave the field to them for the moment.

8 Bide your time
If you’re at an antiques fair, and have been unable to beat the dealer down earlier in the day, pay a return visit at the end. They may be more inclined to accept your offer, rather than having to pack the piece up and take it home.

9 Go for quality
Take, for example, the ball-and-claw foot of a chair, or table leg. Don’t just go for a claw that clasps the ball tightly. And don’t just go for a claw which is raised above the ball. Go for the claw which is both raised above the ball and showing raised sinews, i.e. the best example of its kind.

10 Pick off stragglers
Dealers always like to sell chairs in sets of four, six, or eight. And they charge a premium for supplying the whole set. Individual chairs, though, go for much lower prices, and if you carry around a reference photo of the chairs you want, you may be able to build up a cut-price collection, chair by chair.

Handy Tips and Tricks for Your Baby’s Skin Care

Making sure your child’s skin stays clean and healthy takes more than simply bathing and applying lotion once a day. You need to make sure that all of your baby’s skin stays clean and healthy. This means that you need to take very good care of your son or daughter’s laundry, limit exposure to the sun and treat any potential skin conditions as soon as they develop. Baby skin is not nearly as tough as a grown-up’s skin. Your baby needs you to help him make sure that skin conditions don’t take hold anywhere on his body. You will be happy to learn that there is not a lot to keeping your baby’s skin clean. You should be able to put together a quality routine early on in your baby’s life. These tips should help you.

You don’t need to use powder when you change your baby’s diaper. Most parents choose to use powder because it will soak up moisture inside of the diaper and keep the baby dry.

Use a gentle detergent on your baby’s clothes–do not use the detergent you use on your own. Your laundry detergent is going to be far too harsh to use on your new baby’s clothing. Laundry soap used on adult clothing often leaves behind a residue that will cause irritation–and roughen up the baby’s clothing in the process. To avoid laundry induced skin issues use a gentle soap–it will keep your baby’s clothes soft and rarely leaves behind any residue.

Use a gentle detergent on your baby’s clothing and bedding–do not simply throw the baby’s stuff in with your own when you do laundry. The detergent you use on your own clothing is usually too harsh and irritating to use on a baby’s clothing. Baby clothes are softer than adult clothing and regular laundry detergent can strip them of their softness. Washing your baby’s clothing in a gentle detergent keeps the clothing soft and (mostly) residue free, which can help you avoid skin irritations that are caused by clothing problems.

There are a lot of options to help you protect your baby’s skin and keep it healthy. Don’t forget that good skin care should start early in life so you should make sure that you develop a regular skin care routine as soon as possible.

Don’t forget to care for your baby’s whole body when you are putting together a baby skin care routine.

How to Take Better Photos for eBay

You’ve probably heard that a picture is worth a thousand words. Well, that's especially true when you're selling items on eBay. A listing that includes photos is much more likely to sell than a listing that lacks them. So, what do you need to know before you take those all-important snapshots? Consider the following tips.Use good light: Soft, even lighting leaves no shadows on the item you are selling. Sufficient light will ensure that more detail is visible, and it will accentuate the condition of your item. Always avoid direct flash when possible. If you sell a lot of things on eBay, consider investing in a light tent.

Pick plain backgrounds: Try to avoid kitchen floors, beds, or sofas as backgrounds. Their patterns are often busy and distract the viewer from the item you are selling. Instead, use a simple sheet or a plain-colored wall that provides a good contrast to the item you are listing. The result looks a lot more professional.

Use a tripod: If you are shooting indoors, a tripod is a great tool for capturing the sharpest, most detailed photos you can. It allows you to use slower shutter speeds, and it should help eliminate blurry images.

Get in close: Zoom in to your item so that it fills the frame. A closer look will give bidders the best possible view of what you are selling, and will eliminate any doubt over its condition. It also gives you the opportunity to pick out small details on a larger object, such as labels, switches, or accessories.

Vary the angles: Try to take pictures that cover all sides and angles of the object you are selling. The more information that a viewer has about your product, the more likely they are to bid on it.

Focus carefully: Confirm that all parts of the image are in focus. The autofocus capabilities of modern digital cameras are great, but they are not foolproof. If light allows, try an aperture of F8 to ensure that you have sufficient depth of field to achieve sharp focus throughout.

Show the flaws: You might think that admitting flaws will hurt your chances of making a sale, but being up-front about the condition of your product will save you a lot of hassle in the long run. Besides, it is your responsibility as a seller to accurately represent the item you are selling. If your item has scratches, marks, or tears, make sure to document that with a photo so that bidders are aware of what they are buying.

Bank of America 800 Number

Ever try to navigate the Bank of America 800 number?  Or what about CitiBank, Capital One and Chase?  All are big name banks, handling accounts, loans and more for individuals all over the world.  When you choose a name that allows individuals to believe you are America’s choice for banks, one would thing that navigating the phone line of the Bank of America 800 number would be easy.  When it comes to payment the options are relatively simple and quick,  however we all know that it can be worse than pulling teeth when it comes to reaching a live person when it comes to customer service.  Most companies like Bank of America and Chase have an 800 number you can call, but then you wind up hitting several promps and might not even get to the right department let alone an actual person.he Bank of America 800 number (1-800-432-1000), actually can direct you to a number of different departments within B of A. When you get through, say, “Talk to an associate” when recording begins.  Then, listen to the options and speak the department name you would like. If asked to speak a specific reason you are calling, just mumble. You will then be transferred to a live person.  It’s really silly what one must go through to get to a “live person” but there are tricks of the trade.

Below are several other Bank of America 800 numbers that may serve your needs. Whether you are trying to reach the Bank of America Home Equity Loan center, securing a Bank of America Home Loan, or the Bank of America Credit Card customer service center than look no further.

Customer Service/Lost or Stolen Credit Card-800.732.9194

Credit Card Activation-800.276.9939

Technical support-800.792.0808

Mobile Banking customer support-800.933.6262

Existing Mortgages-800.669.6607/ New Mortgage Applications-1.866.670.5271

Existing Home Equity Lines of Credit & Loans-800.621.1044

New Home Equity Lines of Credit & Loans-800.779.3894

Corporate Headquarters Operator- 800-900-9000 (press 0 twice)

Bank of America has locations (ie. Banks and ATM’s) throughout the country, so depending on your specific need and your general location, you will want to consider that when calling any Bank of America 800 number.

Corporate Headquarters (Bank of America):

Bank of America Corporate Center,100 North Tryon Street

Charlotte, North Carolina 28255

One thing to be careful about however is the fact that Bank of America does not disclose that some areas only supply customers with ATM locations.  In fact North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana, Mississippi and finally West Virginia do not even offer Bank of America ATM location, giving some customers no other option than to use the Bank of America 800 number in order to make payments or request information.

By learning how to master the Bank of America 800 number than a customer can be guaranteed no matter where they are in the United States, calling may be easier than actually popping into a bank.  Just make sure your not driving when you call the Bank of America 800 number!

A Few Tips, a Trick and a Secret to Fremont Oktoberfest

Every year, guests want to know the tips, tricks and secrets behind Fremont Oktoberfest. Well, here it is my beer-drinking friends. This is the Fremont Oktoberfest tell-all, the behind the scenes, the Fremont Oktoberfest True Hollywood Story – the condensed soup version.

Tip #1:  Download the Fremont Oktoberfest iPhone app, presented by the Seattle Times, to plan your Fremont Oktoberfest experience. Customize your tasting experience by alcohol content, style, and brewer, and then share your ratings and tasting notes with your friends on Facebook and Twitter. iPhone app includes event schedule, map, and rate-your-beer feature.

Tip #2: Hit up the Fremont Oktoberfest Village: Free and open to all ages, the Fremont Oktoberfest Village is filled with entertainment, food, and shopping, with two dozen vendors lined up with local wares, artsy crafts, and fall apparel in the Village Market. For the foodies, this festival is an ode to the German bratwurst! Nosh on your favorite, paired up with a block of coveted curly fries, while watching pumpkin goo fly in the Texas Chainsaw Pumpkin Carving Contest or cheering on the dogs as they strut their stuff in Sunday’s CityDog Magazine Cover Dog Model Contest.Tip #3: Head straight for the stein! If you want to skip the microbrew tastings and go big, purchase a Non-Tasting Admission to the Fremont Oktoberfest Tasting Garden for $15 and head straight to the Tap House Grill Buxom Beer Garden where “buxom” means big! Sit and sip on your choice of a 14oz brew, ½ liter stein or a 1-liter stein of Bayern Oktoberfest and Bayern Pilsener.

Trick: Start at Beer tent 6: All the newbies head straight to Beer Tent 1. Out smart them and head to Canal Street and work you’re way back!

Secret: Shhhh, don’t tell. When purchasing your tickets online, use promo YODEL to receive 2 additional tasting tokens.

There you have it, a few tips, a trick and a secret from a Fremont Oktoberfest insider. Want more Fremont Oktoberfest tips, tricks or secrets? Follow us on Twitter and Facebook for even MORE insider information.

How to Keep Your Summer Glow?

When I saw the thread titled, How to Keep Your Summer Glow?!, I knew I had to blog about it… So how can you make your summer glow last through fall? It’s easy! Just follow these tips:
Stay moisturized.
Apply a gradual tanning lotion every other day.
Exfoliate 2 to 3 times every week.
Add a little sparkle.
You’re probably wondering about tip #4. And for good reason! So what do I mean when I say, “Add a little sparkle?” I mean that you can add shimmery, crushed up eyeshadow to any lotion you like and then smooth it over yourself so it looks super glowy. This is the best way to fake a natural glow. I like to buy really inexpensive drugstore eyeshadow in gold or champagne, crush it up, and then mix it with my favorite body lotion (you can use scented or unscented). I usually do this trick when I’m going to something special—like an event, a date, or any other outing where I want to look extra good. Or if I’m just wearing a short sleeve top, I will put it on my arms and neck to add a little glow. It’s a really great trick because it washes off easily and it doesn’t streak either. Even though it won’t necessarily maintain your tan, it will help draw out your glowy summer skin!

Makeup Tips & Tricks To Hide A Big Nose!

If you want to change the shape of your nose without any surgery or operation then makeup can make you hide the big fat nose. Just by using sponge brushes and two or three tones of foundation, you can shade the lines around the nose bridge and nostrils to hide a large nose. Following are makeup tips and tricks to change the shape of the nose.

Makeup tips and tricks to hide big fat nose:

1. Clean the face with the face wash and apply little toner. Makeup blends well on dry skin. It also cleanses the dirt.

2. Apply foundation on the face. Apply same tone of foundation on the entire face to avoid the visibility of demarcation lines.

3. To cover wide or long nose with makeup, apply a lighter shade of makeup on the sides of your nose, starting from the top of your bridge towards the nostrils. If the shade is not looking good, you can also opt for darker shade makeup to hide long or wide nose. Apply an eye shadow which matches with the skin tone. Give strokes with a brush over the sides of your nose. Begin with the widest part of the upper nose and go straight down towards the top of nostrils.

4. To make a long nose look short with makeup, apply a lighter tone dot of concealer with a finger at the top of the nose bridge and then apply either a lighter or darker shade under the base of the nose. Let it blend with the skin colour. You can follow it up with a light brown or tan eye shadow. The darker colours makes the nose look shorter.

5. To avoid a line of demarcation on the nose lines, apply powder on your entire face with more applicastion on the sides of the nose than on top where the eye shadow was just applied. This makeup tip and trick makes the nose look short and sharp.

6. Pick either your eyes or the lips to complete the makeup. For eyes, use black eyeliner and an eye shadow that complements the eye colour. Finish it up with a nude colored shinny lip gloss. It distracts attention from nose to other parts of the face.

Use these tips and tricks to hide big fat nose and make the nose look short and sharp!

Windows 8: The top tips and tricks

Now that the developer preview of Windows 8 has been in our hands for some time, we felt that it was a proper moment to publish a few tips and tricks that will help you enjoy the operating system as fully as possible. Of course, we are working with such a ‘turned-down’ edition of Windows 8 that most of what the software is capable of is completely obscured. That is a disappointment, but there is still much to learn despite the restrictions in place.

Parts of this post we learned on our own, cradling Windows 8 in our arms and trying to coax out its secrets with love and soft words, but where we lean upon the knowledge of others we cite them. Every article noted in this piece is worth reading. Windows 8 is now part of the Microsoft developer and enthusiast community, so swapping tips is a new, and important part of the daily game.

Before we jump into the body of our topic, if you haven’t had a chance to play with Windows 8 and would like an overview of the software, head here. That link leads to our review and roundup of Windows 8. It is important to note that Windows 8, as we currently have it, will be updated by Microsoft over the coming months. The company promised, that unlike with Windows 7, it would update and improve the developer preview of the operating system, up to the public beta. At that point, Windows 8 should begin to follow exactly the Windows 7 release cycle.

That aside, let’s get into our favorite pointers, tricks, and hacks that Windows 8 has to offer.

Six Shortcuts

Shortcuts are shockingly unusable when the on-screen keyboard is in use. Why? Because often the keyboard is hidden, right when you want to execute a command. Happily, for anyone who is running Windows 8 in a tablet environment, an external keyboard solves the problem.

The following shortcuts are what we came up with after some rather chaotic testing. It is important to note that the list pertains to the computer when it is in ‘touch mode.’ That is to say, these are the shortcuts that work when not on the classic desktop. That would be a different list. These are the new shortcuts that you are going to need, as you go Windows 8.

Windows Key + E: This combination will take you from the touch interface to the classic desktop, and launch Explorer for you. It’s a very quick way to get to a file view that is full-powered.
Windows Key + C: This shortcut will pull out the charms menu and will also bring up the time panel. Note, the charms will not appear on the right if you employ this combination, as Windows 8 does not count your input as touch, and thus does not place the charms in their touch-initiated position.
Windows Key + O: This key combo turns off, and on, screen rotation. It allows you to lock the screen where you want it, thus when reading in bed the darn thing doesn’t rotate. This is the sort of shortcut that makes life far less maddening.
Windows Key + L: This functional little pairing of keys will take you to the lock screen, and pronto. It’s the dead simple way to lock your Windows 8 machine from the touch interface with no effort.
Windows Key + Z: This will bring up the application bar (on the bottom of the screen) in a Metro-style application. If you don’t want to reach up and swipe it with your finger, this is the simple way to pull up the options.
Finally, it should be noted that the combination of the Windows Key + any letter key that is not assigned to a specific function will yield a search that starts with that letter. I suppose that that was put together to ensure that any Windows Key combination had a purpose, thus lessening user confusion.

If you want a list that is comprehensive, and includes every single shortcut that we have found and more, Paul Thurrott has the master tally. Pipe up in the comments if we have missed any that you find to be exceptionally mission-critical.

Mouse Tricks

Running Windows 8, but not on a touch-enabled screen? You are going to be using your mouse in a touch house, so here are a few things to keep your on the straight and narrow:

In a Metro-style application, right clicking raises the app bar.
Your scroll wheel will reveal all open applications (Metro-style).
Hit your cursor onto the left side of the screen to see a thumbnail of your most recently used application.
For semantic zoom, use CTRL + your scroll wheel.
And don’t forget, the shortcut list is a bit different while not in the touch interface, so be careful.

File History

File History is going to be the new best friend of everyone who likes to constantly back up their data. It requires an external storage device of some sort, so that old external hard drive that you have banging around is about to find real use.

The idea is that File History allows for very simple backing up, and very quick restore, thus keeping your data as safe and comfortable as possible. Head to System and Security in the Control Panel and select File History. File History is off by default in Windows 8, as it requires an additional drive to function, as we noted.

Once turned on, you can set how long files should be kept, and how often they should be updated. Even more, you can set it so that certain files and folders are excluded, in case not everything you own is worth, ahem, holding onto. It’s something that could easily be buried among the other Windows 8 features, so we wanted to highlight it.

64-bit Internet Explorer 10

Unlike with Internet Explorer 9 in Windows 7, there are not two separate executables (32 and 64 bit) that you can summon from the start menu. Instead, if you want to run the 64-bit version of Internet Explorer 10, and why not, go to IE10’s Internet options menu, head to the security tab, and click the ‘Enable 64-bit mode’ box. You will have to restart your browser.

Happily, there are options as to when Internet Explorer 10 should run in 64 or 32-bit mode. You can change the mode that Internet Explorer will run based upon what zone is in play. You could, for example, “set 32-bit mode for the Internet zone while using 64-bit mode for your local intranet, or you could use 32-bit mode for trusted sites for maximum compatibility and 64-bit mode for untrusted sites for maximum security.” We love the flexibility.

The Flash Solution: Chrome

While Internet Explorer 10, which you are now running in 64-bit, is a capable browser, Flash does not come included. There is a solution for this: Chrome.

Head to the Chrome page, download the package, install it, and run it. If you are on a tablet, you will notice a problem: you cannot bring up the on-screen keyboard to interact with it. External keyboards to the rescue, as it were.

Chrome does run on the current build of Windows 8. It comes with Flash. If you were having a flashing problem, consider it solved. Provided you have a keyboard. However, Chrome is not written to accept touch input past what it could handle on Windows 7. In other words, using your hands is a rather difficult task.

That is what we have noticed and cared about thus far, but there is surely more out there that we have missed. What is more exciting is what we will learn once Microsoft allows the general market to play with more of the Windows 8 feature set. There is so much that we have not had a chance to actually get our hands onto. Email, for example.

Windows 8’s touch interface has been generally well received, but most seem cautious to praise or condemn the operating system until there is more available for use. Right now trying to judge Windows 8 is akin to declaring a meal perfect or inedible based on the amuse-bouche alone.

The comments are yours for listing neat and useful things that you have found in the software. Get to it!

ACCLO Tips and Tricks From the Trade

The Association for Chinese Canadian Lawyers in Ontario (ACCLO) hosted a CLE session on September 17, 2011, on “Tips and Tricks from the Trade,” featuring Sean Zhang of Blakes, Jeffrey Lem of Davies, Roslyn Tsao of Epstein Cole LLP, and Madam Justice W. Low of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice.

Notes from the sessions follow.


IP Tips and Tricks

Zhang started out by defining IP law as an intangible personal property often associated with intellectual activity or creation. IP rights are often enforced in courts and vary between jurisdictions. Registration and application terms vary and are often for a limited term.

There are several different types of IP used to protect distinct aspects of products and processes, and can include trade-marks, copyright, patent, industrial design, and trade secrets.

A trade-mark can be a word, slogan, symbol, shape of goods or packaging, colours, or sounds, which are used to distinguish wares and/or services from those of others. Common law rights to trade-mark are acquired through use, which is usually required to obtain registration. An application is required for registration but confers enhanced rights, and can be renewed for successive terms of 15 years.

Copyright is a bundle of rights granted to protect the form of expression, not the idea. The author usually owns the copyright unless it was created during the course of employment, or they assigned the rights in writing. Moral rights to the integrity of the work belong to the author, but may be waived, not assigned. No registration is required for copyright, but the term ends 50 years after the author’s death.

Patents are rights granted by the state to exclude others from making, using, or selling the “claimed invention.” If there is any public disclosure it could destroy the claim to novelty. Some jurisdictions provide a one-year grace period from public disclosure. A patent term starts from granting and ends 20 years from filing, and an application is required before granting which correctly and fully describes the invention. Patents are commonly granted for methods or processes, machines and devices, manufactured articles, and chemical compounds compositions of matter.

A trade secret describes types of confidential information which confers a competitive advantage in business or trade. The Federal Court of Canada ruled in Société Gamma Inc. v. Canada [Secretary of State], (1994), 79 F.T.R. 42, at pg 45 (F.C.T.D.) that a “trade secret” must be something “that is guarded very closely and is of such peculiar value to the owner of the trade secret that harm to him would be presumed by its mere disclosure.”

Industrial design protects the look, not the function, and required registration for protection. Some level of originality is required, and the term ends 10 years from the date of registration. Protected industrial designs may include shape, configuration, pattern, ornamentation, or a combination of these, and some level of originality is required.

When advising on a business deal, consider any agreement to ownership of IP or IP rights. A non-disclosure agreement (NDA) may protect the novelty of a possible invention or originality of design. Consider any disclosure to an industry partner or customer that could trigger the 12-month grace period for patents or industrial design.

When advising on employment issues document the ownership of IP rights and confidentiality provisions. Record the obligation of the employee or contractor to disclose or transfer IP rights to the employer, and their obligation to assist the employer in obtaining registration or granting of IP rights.

IP deadlines are very rigid and often have disastrous consequences if they’re missed, including a total loss of rights (deemed abandonment) with no remedy, the valuation of which could be substantial (as with the Nortel patents recently). Prosecution deadlines of IP applications vary with different types and the applications.

Real Estate Tips and Tricks

Why does real estate matter? It’s one of the major reasons for malpractice claims, with over 50% of small-firm claims are related to real estate. Lem represents the prosecution side of LawPRO claims, and has seen plenty of disasters. Although 85% of these claims result in a pay-out, this does not necessarily mean that malpractice was not present, simply that proof of causation was absent for ab out half of them.

The primary tip in this area is to document everything in the retainer, outlining the scope of the retainer and the responsibilities that the lawyer is taking on. If the court is allowed to determine the retainer it will invariably be broader than intended. Putting all of this in writing helps avoid ambiguities and prevents clients from retroactively blaming the lawyer for not examining aspects of a real estate transaction.

Clients do not normally perceive this as being a negative thing because it provides realistic expectations and alerts them to areas that may need further attention. Some lawyers go beyond this and state the costs associated with expanding the retainer, allowing clients to choose to take on additional costs with a broader project.

Documentation isn’t always enough though, especially when clients don’t speak English fluently. Lem feels that practicing real estate in any language other than English is a risky proposition. Instead, he suggests lawyers send a letter in their first language outlining basic facts, and explaining that all future correspondences and documents will be in English, stating that it is their responsibility to obtain a translator if needed.

Another practical tip useful in this area is to use a calculator with a print-out. Not only does it help lawyers review figures that were calculated to come up with an amount, but it provides documentation of the calculation used for the records.

Family Law Tips and Tricks

Most people in law school state that the last thing they would want to do is family law due to the exposure to conflict and emotional tensions. Tsao highlighted a few family law issues that could arise for lawyers practicing in other areas.

Tsao warned of keeping a mind out for domestic abuse, but also various forms of financial abuse. These situations can often result in one partner being less forthcoming about information. Although most violence is typically male, it can also be a female abuser.

Checking the status of the children is also very important. If issues arise down the road, it’s important to note that inquiries about their health, status in school, and general well-being was made.

The financial situation of the couple should be established, including any joint accounts and joint lines of credit. In many matrimonial disputes one partner removes all funds from a joint account without notification or consent of the other partner. Purchases on credit cards in both names will still be the responsibility of both partners. Money can be nasty, and a particular source of contention between partners.

Gauging the general tone of the divorce is important because it will signal whether it is amicable and whether action needs to be taken in an immediate fashion.

Before moving out of the house, the implications for custody of children should be considered. Courts like to maintain the status quo. Both partners have right of possession of the matrimonial home, whether they are on the title or not. But a different living arrangement may be necessary if the context is particularly acrimonious, especially if one partner is threatening to call the police to remove the other partner.

Tips from the Bench

Without integrity, a lawyer will not have self-respect or the respect of their peers. Without competence you will have no clients. And without courtesy you will have no friends.

Lawyers today often enter the practice without the benefit of a structured bar admissions course, or the mentoring that used to occur during articles and the early years of practice. Justice Low indicated that one of the hardest parts of practice is managing client expectations.

Some lawyers are good rainmakers. Others are great at research and writing. Some have no difficulty getting on their feet for a motion, or have a great rapport with juries. However, very few lawyers have the luxury of doing only a few tasks that they are good at and they like, requiring lawyers to play all of the instruments in the band.

One thing every lawyer should do is help manage client expectations. Managing client expectations on the front-end helps pay dividends throughout a case. A litigation plan should include expected results, including adverse outcomes. Many litigators commence with their case with little idea of where they want to go. Planning can optimize your likelihood of getting paid, and paid on time.

There are matters that the lawyer should be clearly in control of, and not the client, such as procedures, legal arguments, and litigation strategies. Relinquishing control of those matters undermines the skill that a lawyer has. Far too often counsel are not familiar enough with the facts or the law. Building a case is like building a house. You need a foundation, and plans. Research should be done at the beginning and not the end.

Providing arguments in the form of a factum, whether it’s required or not, does both you and your client a service. Not only does it help organize your arguments, if the judge reserves judgments they will have the materials on hand for review.

Facebook Tip: Restore Your Email Notification Settings

Facebook had a busy few weeks. It rolled out a new privacy suite and friends list feature, it redesigned the News Feed and announced new profiles. In the middle of those changes, Facebook also started testing a new feature that overrides all your original email notification settings.

Facebook seems to have had good intentions with this feature. It's acknowledged before that it believes email is a thing of the past, and the new feature does significantly reduce how much email it sends you. Instead of emailing you as your original preferences indicated, Facebook will send you an email once a week with a summary of what happened.

While this feature might be a attractive to some, it does pose a problem: Not only does Facebook automatically opt you in, you no longer immediately know when you have a new friend request, when someone sends you a message, comments on your posts or posts something to your wall.

This could be a concern if you've opened up your profile to Subscriptions, which I've found several problems with, as you will likely want to know who posts what to your wall, when it happens.
New friend requests and new messages are indicated at the top of your Facebook page with a small number, but it's easy to overlook them. If you want to reset your email preferences to your original settings, here's what to do.

[Want more tips, tricks and analysis on Facebook? Check out CIO.com's Facebook Bible.]

First, click the drop-down menu in the top right corner of your Facebook homepage and select Account Settings. Click Notifications on the left-side menu and uncheck the box at the top below Email Frequency.

Below that, you'll see a list of your notifications from today, and past notifications from the week before. Following that section is "All Notifications," where your original notification settings should be saved. Click the Edit button next to each section to view which emails you will receive and tweak them if necessary.

Facebook has added significantly more notification options--and,it appears, has opted you in to all of them. If you do choose to restore your original settings and opt out of the summary emails, be sure to adjust every setting under each group to ensure you're only receiving emails that are important to you.

Tips From 10 Top Entrepreneurs

This is Part 2 in a series on entrepreneurialism and career changes by Porter Gale, Former VP of Marketing at Virgin America. Part 1 is here.

In the spirit of collaboration (and entrepreneurship), I sent a quick email out to my successful self-employed friends and asked, "What is the best advice you have for business owners?"

Interestingly enough, a large percentage of the responses received were focused on work ethic, finding the best people and treating them right. Below are 10 "success" tips from 10 top entrepreneurs.

1) "Hire slowly, fire fast." --Bill Clerico, CEO of WePay

2) "The Brand is The Amusement Park, the Product is the Souvenir." --Nick Graham, CEO of Fresh Happy People and Founder/Chief Underpants Officer of Joe Boxer

3) "Trust your gut, keep your sense of humor, surround yourself with adult supervision, and know that starting and running a growing business is filled with adversity and challenges. I doubt any successful business was easy." --Lily Kanter, CEO of Serena & Lily

4) "Never ask anyone to do something that you wouldn't do." --Guy Kawasaki, author of Enchantment and former Chief Evangelist of Apple

5) "When you become an entrepreneur you need to understand 'people' are at the heart of your success. The most successful entrepreneurs master the art of dealing with and attracting the right people." --Daren Klum, CEO of CRAM Worldwide

6) "Do business in person, use email for follow-up." --Ido Leffler, Co-founder of Yes To Inc.

7) "I believe a business can thrive with the right attitude towards people. Treat everyone with courtesy (you never know who might be a customer or a conduit to one), think about what your employees need to thrive and work hard (set a standard and an example as the founder), and take time to get to know your banker." --Wendi Norris, Co-Owner of Frey Norris Contemporary & Modern

8) "When tackling a problem, I would rather work with a team of people who don't know they can't solve it rather than with an experienced group that would tell me how difficult it is to get the job done." --Jeff Pulver, Founder of #140conf and Co-founder of Vonage

9) "Problem solving is a joy." --Jodee Rich, CEO of PeopleBrowsr

10) "There is no way to fake hustle." --Gary Vaynerchuk, Co-founder of Vaynermedia

These tips remind me of a program created at Virgin America called ViVa, based on the idea that you should "call someone out on their awesomeness." The premise? Often, it's easy to forget the importance of giving positive feedback and rewarding your team. So today's tip for entrepreneurs is to call at least three people out on their "awesomeness."

You don't have to give them a gold statue of Sir Richard Branson. Giving your recognition of a job well done will probably do the trick. As these tips point out, a little bit of team-building, positive feedback and of course acknowledgment of your team's success can go a very long way.

If you have advice you'd like to share or, alternatively, if you have a job title that tops "Chief Underpants Officer," feel free to tweet it to @portergale. I enjoy hearing from you all each week.

Killer response time for non-overlapping intervals

Assume you have a table where you store non-overlapping intervals using two columns, e.g. IP ranges. IP ranges are simple to represent using integer notation:

CREATE TABLE ip_owner (
   owner_id int NOT NULL,
   /* some columns */
   ip_start_int bigint NOT NULL,      /* IP address converted to integer */
   ip_end_int bigint NOT NULL,        /* IP address converted to integer */
   PRIMARY KEY (owner_id),
   INDEX ip_range (ip_start_int, ip_end_int)
) ENGINE=InnoDB;


And then you find yourself in a situation where you want to know who, if anyone, owns the IP address X. This can be done using the following query:

SELECT * FROM ip_owner WHERE ip_start_int <= X AND ip_end_int >= X;

MySQL can resolve this using a range scan, but will unfortunately only be able to use the ip_start_int <= X part of the condition as a range as explained here. Thus, the query will either be resolved by range scan if fairly few records have ip_start_int <= X or table scan otherwise. That means unreliable response time because it will be much quicker to query low-valued IPs than high valued IPs. I inserted 1M records into the table before running the queries below:


mysql> /* IP near lower end */
mysql> EXPLAIN SELECT owner_id, ip_start_int, ip_end_int
    -> FROM owner_ip
    -> WHERE ip_start_int <= 3270002832 AND ip_end_int >= 3270002832;
+----+-------------+----------+-------+---------------+----------+---------+------+------+--------------------------+
| id | select_type | table    | type  | possible_keys | key      | key_len | ref  | rows | Extra                    |
+----+-------------+----------+-------+---------------+----------+---------+------+------+--------------------------+
|  1 | SIMPLE      | owner_ip | range | ip_range      | ip_range | 8       | NULL | 1417 | Using where; Using index |
+----+-------------+----------+-------+---------------+----------+---------+------+------+--------------------------+
1 row in set (0.00 sec)

mysql> SELECT owner_id, ip_start_int, ip_end_int
    -> FROM owner_ip
    -> WHERE ip_start_int <= 3270002832 AND ip_end_int >= 3270002832;
+----------+--------------+------------+
| owner_id | ip_start_int | ip_end_int |
+----------+--------------+------------+
|     1417 |   3270002832 | 3270002833 |
+----------+--------------+------------+
1 row in set (0.01 sec)

mysql> /* IP near upper end */
mysql> EXPLAIN SELECT owner_id, ip_start_int, ip_end_int
    -> FROM owner_ip
    -> WHERE ip_start_int <= 3272090000 AND ip_end_int >= 3272090000;
+----+-------------+----------+------+---------------+------+---------+------+---------+-------------+
| id | select_type | table    | type | possible_keys | key  | key_len | ref  | rows    | Extra       |
+----+-------------+----------+------+---------------+------+---------+------+---------+-------------+
|  1 | SIMPLE      | owner_ip | ALL  | ip_range      | NULL | NULL    | NULL | 1048576 | Using where |
+----+-------------+----------+------+---------------+------+---------+------+---------+-------------+
1 row in set (0.00 sec)

mysql> SELECT owner_id, ip_start_int, ip_end_int
    -> FROM owner_ip
    -> WHERE ip_start_int <= 3272090000 AND ip_end_int >= 3272090000;
+----------+--------------+------------+
| owner_id | ip_start_int | ip_end_int |
+----------+--------------+------------+
|  1045001 |   3272090000 | 3272090001 |
+----------+--------------+------------+
1 row in set (6.63 sec)

mysql> /* IP close to median IP value */
mysql> SELECT owner_id, ip_start_int, ip_end_int
    -> FROM owner_ip
    -> WHERE ip_start_int <= 3271032832 AND ip_end_int >= 3271032832;
+----------+--------------+------------+
| owner_id | ip_start_int | ip_end_int |
+----------+--------------+------------+
|   516417 |   3271032832 | 3271032833 |
+----------+--------------+------------+
1 row in set (3.32 sec)


Luckily, we have valuable information we can use to significantly improve the response time:
The intervals are non-overlapping, so there is at most one record matching the conditions
The record we're looking for is the last record in the range of records with ip_start_int <= X. If ordered by ip_start_int in descending order, MySQL will scan the range in reverse order and thus find the record we're interested in first.
Let's use that for something good to get killer response time for any IP:
mysql> /* Apply knowledge */
mysql> /* IP near lower end */
mysql> SELECT owner_id, ip_start_int, ip_end_int
    -> FROM owner_ip FORCE INDEX(ip_range)
    -> WHERE ip_start_int <= 3270002832 AND ip_end_int >= 3270002832
    -> ORDER BY ip_start_int DESC
    -> LIMIT 1;
+----------+--------------+------------+
| owner_id | ip_start_int | ip_end_int |
+----------+--------------+------------+
|     1417 |   3270002832 | 3270002833 |
+----------+--------------+------------+
1 row in set (0.00 sec)

mysql> /* IP close to median IP value */
mysql> SELECT owner_id, ip_start_int, ip_end_int
    -> FROM owner_ip FORCE INDEX(ip_range)
    -> WHERE ip_start_int <= 3271032832 AND ip_end_int >= 3271032832
    -> ORDER BY ip_start_int DESC
    -> LIMIT 1;
+----------+--------------+------------+
| owner_id | ip_start_int | ip_end_int |
+----------+--------------+------------+
|   516417 |   3271032832 | 3271032833 |
+----------+--------------+------------+
1 row in set (0.00 sec)

mysql> /* IP near upper end */
mysql> SELECT owner_id, ip_start_int, ip_end_int
    -> FROM owner_ip FORCE INDEX(ip_range)
    -> WHERE ip_start_int <= 3272090000 AND ip_end_int >= 3272090000
    -> ORDER BY ip_start_int DESC
    -> LIMIT 1;
+----------+--------------+------------+
| owner_id | ip_start_int | ip_end_int |
+----------+--------------+------------+
|  1045001 |   3272090000 | 3272090001 |
+----------+--------------+------------+
1 row in set (0.00 sec)

This can of course be used for any non-overlapping ranges. Another example is car rental, in which any one car can only be rented by one customer at a time:

CREATE TABLE car_rental (
   id int AUTO_INCREMENT PRIMARY KEY,
   customer_id int NOT NULL,
   car_id int NOT NULL,
   pickup_date date NOT NULL,
   return_date date NOT NULL,
   INDEX idx_rent_date (car_id, pickup_date, return_date)
) ;

SELECT *

7 Tips for Achieving Active Directory Compliance

In many organizations, Active Directory is a key point of authentication and authorization to important corporate resources. As a result, the user identities stored in Active Directory and the groups they are members of are important points of control and audit for knowing what is being ac­cessed within your organization. The ability to audit and be alerted about changes to Active Directory is a critical part of any organization.

The native auditing with Active Directory can meet some, but not all, of your auditing and compliance needs. In this paper, we provide tips and tricks to make the best use of native Active Directory auditing, as well as guidelines on what auditors and compliance officers look for when it comes to keeping an eye on what’s going on within your Active Directory environ­ment. We also look at some third-party alternatives to native auditing that can greatly enhance your ability to fully report on what’s happening within your Active Directory infrastructure.

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For the hungover, by the hungover

With football season upon us, it's happening more often. You wake up, head pounding, stomach queasy, afraid to look at your phone and it's official: you have acquired a hangover. A hangover varies from person to person but is usually characterized as the unpleasant after-effects of consuming alcohol, which can include nausea, headache, fatigue, vomiting, trouble concentrating, difficulty sleeping, fever and an aversion to anything alcohol-related. Most of you reading this have been there; after a football game, a big test you passed, some holiday or maybe after your 21st birthday at which your friends "iced" you four times. Whatever the case, here you are, feeling bad physically and most likely embarrassed (you performed that favorite showchoir dance of yours, ate three burritos at 3 a.m. or perhaps sent that text message you regret now) and you need to feel better quick.
Seeing as I have only just recently reached legal drinking age and therefore have abstained, I don't have immense personal insight on hangovers, but I have compiled some research and talked to other of-age drinkers to try and shed some (dim) light on the subject.
First things first: you need water. Dehydration is the cornerstone of the hangover, generally contributing to the headache and fatigue. Also, water (or vitamin-rich orange juice or a sports drink) helps flush out any toxins that are still in your body, contributing to your woes. The best beverage for the hangover besides water? Naked Juice Green Goodness. Trust me: all the nutrients in that green liquid (including wheatgrass, kiwi and barley) are your morning-after best friends.
Second, after hydrating you're going to want to make a decision. Do you have class, work or some other time-sensitive obligation? Then you need to move on to damage control tactic number two: food. No responsibilities? You might also want food, but your best bet is to stay horizontal and nap it off. Sleep is the ultimate hangover cure, second only to water. As far as food goes, you should try to eat healthy. Simple foods such as bread, bananas or eggs will be easier on your stomach than something greasy or fried, but I suggest whatever treat pops into your head that doesn't make you nauseated. If you are feeling too queasy for food, don't worry and keep on sippin' that Gatorade, and reach for the Tums; it'll do you good. Something else you might want to try: milk thistle. Apparently this herb helps your body jumpstart its recovery.
A third option is exercise. Raising your metabolic rate and sweating out toxins sounds great in theory, but my experiences show that getting up to run a mile or two while hungover is a very lofty, if not absurd, goal. I suggest oxygen. Sounds silly but your cells need to recover, and how do they function best? Oxygenated. Take a couple deep breaths and hold them for 15 seconds, repeating this occasionally until you feel better. Taking a multivitamin or at least a B vitamin complex is also going to do wonders for replenishing what you lost last night and getting you to a higher level of functioning.
We've all heard an alcoholic beverage the next morning, two Tylenol before bed or a cup of coffee can make you feel better but, unfortunately, this isn't always the case. A beverage such as a Bloody Mary will only fend off symptoms through nutrient-rich tomato juice and actually just prolong the hangover in the long run. Tylenol before bed not only wears off before you wake, but also causes some potentially serious liver damage each time because alcohol increases the side  effects (for headaches try Motrin or Advil instead). And coffee? Well it might help your fatigue, but it will only dehydrate you and potentially agitate your stomach further.
Want to avoid the whole mess in the first place? Your best option is to drink as much water as possible while drinking alcohol and afterwards. Nip that dehydration in the bud. Also, being aware of what you drink is influential. Mixing different types of alcohol can lead to a worse hangover than sticking to just one type of drink. You can always not drink at all, the painfully obvious, fool-proof way not to get hungover, but, then again, you knew that already.

Tips & Tricks: Supreme Commander 2

Inside Mac Games has posted a new article featuring tips and tricks for success in Virtual Programming and Gas Powered Games' Supreme Commander 2. The real time strategy game drops players in the middle of a galactic war between three galactic empires and gives them the chance to command enormous armies from a host of customizable units.

Commanders (ACU): Everyone has a single Armored Command Unit. Not only can they build buildings faster than your worker units, but they also have powerful combative abilities as well. Certain upgrades on each ACU are vital, such as Hunker, Overcharge, Jump Jets and Teleport, allowing them great defense, damage and mobility during fights. Don't be afraid to use your commander heavily, but take great care to protect him for he cannot be rebuilt or resurrected if killed.
Enemy ACUs: Beware of when they die because they go nuclear, unleashing that oh so familiar giant mushroom cloud. It destroys any units or buildings caught in the blast - including your own. Best destroyed from long range or with your ACU to prevent damage to your forces.

Tips and tricks for stain-free teeth

Who doesn’t want a healthy, white smile? Stained, discoloured teeth can age you or make you feel self-conscious. Thankfully, an ounce of prevention goes a long way.
Most types of stains are found on the surface of the tooth. These are called extrinsic stains and the most common culprits are coffee, tea, red wine, tobacco and colas. If you brush after every meal, you can prevent most of these stains from ever happening in the first place. If you’re not able to brush right away, simply rinsing your mouth with water can help.
Changes to your diet can also make a difference. Sticky foods are more likely to adhere to your teeth and cause staining. Avoid these as best you can. Eating more crunchy foods can help prevent other foods from sticking to your teeth.
It helps to be realistic. Start by accepting the fact that your teeth will yellow naturally over time. Many products currently on the market, such as at-home whitening toothpastes and strips, can help lessen the effects of this natural, age-related discoloration. To be safe, select one that has been approved by the Canadian Dental Association (look for the CDA’s seal of recognition). And remember, no matter which whitening system you choose, the results will only be temporary.
Intrinsic stains are tougher. They’re found inside the tooth, under its surface. Causes can include various medications, high fever or even leaching from silver-coloured fillings. Only your dentist can help to treat these.
It’s best to talk to your dentist or orthodontist before attempting stain-removal on your own. The harsh abrasives found in many products can damage your tooth’s enamel, which is a much bigger problem than having discoloured teeth. We can direct you to the safest, most reliable and up-to-date products available.

Useful Tips And Tricks Concerning Your Wedding Bouquet

Everyone knows that a wedding bouquet should expose a lot of joy, happiness and charm. But, when it comes to picking the ideal flower bouquet, unfortunately there are many impediments that prevent you from fulfilling this task, easily. These impediments are represented either by the fact that the bride isn’t sure what model would be best for the style of her ceremony, or by the fact that her budget does not allow her to find something decent, elegant and glamorous.
But, since we are very good at giving pieces of advice and recommendations, we desire to instruct you on choosing the perfect wedding flowers. Therefore, pay attention at the following lines, and the impediments mentioned above will disappear.
To begin with, let’s discuss the topic concerning the budget of your wedding. If you have problems in respecting it, then you should make compromises at least with: a few wedding elements. One of these elements could be your flower bouquet.

Thus, you could try getting a discount from the floral designers, or you could shop online by sales, or maybe if you’re lucky enough, one of your friends may have a flower garden, which you were not aware of. So, ask your friends if they could help you with some natural flowers, because they will look great on your wedding day and besides the most important thing is that they will be gratis.

The second problem that will prevent you from easily completing this task would be the style of your wedding ceremony. Actually, you should not buy your wedding bouquet before deciding on your wedding theme, because otherwise everything will seem disorderly and quite messy. So, choose a white bouquet for a traditional ceremony or a colourful one in case you are planning on having an extravagant and exquisite wedding. Don’t worry, it will happen just like the dress, you will know it is yours, the very moment when you will see it!

These being said, the last tip that we would like to offer you is that you should add something personal in this special item. For instance you could add a ribbon or a heart decoration, if you are very romantic, or you could play with the flowers, and combine then in your favourite colours. Thus, you will add that unique touch, which will prevent you from being just like anybody else.

So, forget about the possible impediments, be confident and thus you will buy the perfect flowers!

handling artifacts, Summer school shows academics

Organized by the Canada Science and Technology Museum, the Reading Artifacts Summer Institute is a summer program for graduate students, post-doctoral students, academics and teachers.

The museum has organized the program for the past three years, according to Michel Labrecque, who assists with the program.

“We try to foster museum themes and give the participants a better understanding of what to do with artifacts,” Labrecque said.

The program lets the participants investigate the artifacts and look beyond the object and think about the history and the people who had a part in making it.

“It is about people making connections,” Labrecque said.

The week featured hands-on workshops, group artifact research, presentations and speeches by guest faculty and teaching students the basics when it comes to conservation and cataloging of an historically valuable objects.

“This week opens communications across the country and the world, it also allows scholars to make connections that will hopefully last a long time,” Labrecque said.

Fleming College professor Deb Scott teaches museum management and curatorship at the Peterborough, Ont.-based school and said she attend the program to better learn about preservation so she can take that knowledge back to her students.

“I wanted to learn more about the objects themselves and I have learned so much about the importance of the history behind an object and how an object can tell many stories,” Scott said, adding that she has found the week has opened her mind to look at objects in a much broader context.

She also said she didn’t expect to get quite so much hands-on experience.

Labrecque said in some ways, getting one’s hands a bit dirty is the best way to tell the story of an object. One of the sessions saw the students re-wiring a 1980s-era circuit board under the guidance of two former employees of the Ottawa-based Gandalf Technology.

Scott said they got to hear about the history company.

“We learned the background, which is so important,” Scott said. “When you collect objects, you have to collect more, you have to collect their stories for the object to come to life, and it is important on a whole pile of levels. That is what museums should do, help people connect with objects.”

Accessing carrier services menu

This week Daniel gives us a quick demo on how to access your carrier services menu. From here you can easily check your data usage, message count, bill balance, and more!

Smarter Shopping at the supermarket

Before testing Smarter Shopping, I hadn’t heard of Phil Lempert, but the Supermarket Guru, as he’s also known, has been tracking trends and passing on his knowledge to consumers for more than 25 years. Yeah, Lempert knows his stuff, and his smarts are now available for iPhone and iPod Touch in the free app Smarter Shopping.

In Smarter Shopping, users will find a variety of information centered upon grocery store shopping. Aside from a few broken links, my favorite section of the app is "Phil’s Hits & Misses." Updated each Wednesday, Lempert takes five new products and rates them, based on taste, healthfulness and sustainability, among other things. This is a good way to find new foods or to get the real scoop on new items on the supermarket shelves. Smarter Shopping also features video clips for Food News as well as money-saving tips. I found the "Recall" section particularly useful, since there are quite a few notices.

Smarter Shopping also includes a recipe section, a place to store a shopping list, general education for when to buy organic and what produce is in season, based on your GPS location. There’s also a helpful smart substitutions section that provides alternate ingredients should your pantry be missing an item or two. If you’re trying to watch what you eat, the label translator is key for figuring out what  those chemicals really do, and Product 101 explains when to use a particular ingredient.

Smarter Shopping’s biggest drawback is its design. It’s not pretty. I could get past its poor UI if this app offered incredible functionality, but it doesn’t rank high in this area either. Tapping into the "Video" section won’t show you all the clips included — instead it serves as an archive of older "Hits & Misses" and "Food News" segments. It also doesn’t include the week’s current clips, so you have to find those on the home screen.

Smarter Shopping deserves high marks for its content — there’s a lot of buried content if you’re willing to put in the time to explore — but a redesign would make this app truly stand out.

Download the free Appolicious iPhone app

7 iPad Tips

Looking to get the most out of your iPad?  Who isn't?!  As if searching for the latest, greatest, free-est apps isn't enough...it's just as important to learn tips and tricks to using your new "toy" more efficiently.   I've had my iPad for about a month now - and some days I wonder how I ever lived without it.

Later I'll post about some of my favorite apps (one app has saved me at least an hour a day!) but for now, here are some helpful tips and tricks to using and navigating your iPad.

1. The "Hidden" Apostrophe
If you're in Notes, Pages, or just writing an email, it's often time consuming (and slightly annoying) to locate the apostrophe.   Usually, you have to tap the  {.?123} button to go to the second screen of the keyboard.  But did you know you can just hold the {!} key and a hidden apostrophe option will appear?  It's simple to just slide your little finger across it...and voila!


2.  Create Folders 
Get organized!  You can easily create a folder to help organize your apps.  Simply tap and hold on any app until it does the "jiggle dance."   Then drag that app over another app icon that you wish to share a folder and then release.  A folder will be created with those two apps, and you can add additional apps.  The folder name will be based on the category of apps it contains, but you can always change it.

3. Control Notifications
"Would you like to receive push notifications from XYZ game?"  If you've ever accidently said "yes" to this question then you know how annoying notifications can be!  Good news is you can control them.  Simply go to Settings, Notifications, and you can set alerts and sounds!

4.  Quick Mute
Playing a game as your students walk into the class?  Quick! Mute your iPad! I know...this would never happen...teachers don't play games on their iPads between classes (he he).  When iPad first launched there was no way to quickly mute the device.  Now, however, just press and hold the Volume-Down button.

5.  Screen Shots
It's easy to take a screen shot of your iPad.  Simply press the Home button and then the Sleep/Wake button.  You'll hear the click, your screen will flash, and your new screen shot will be saved in your Photos.

6.  Street View in Maps
You may know and love Street View while viewing Google Maps on your computer, but it's not as obvious how to access this on your iPad.   The trick is to drop a red pin first then tap on the icon of the person to enter Street View.  HINT:  When you perform a search, a red pin is automatically dropped in that location.

7. Clear Browsing History
On our computers it's easy to located the "clear history" options in our browsers.  We're trained to do it from within the browser itself.  On the iPad, however, to clear Safari browser go into Settings then click on Safari.  You'll see three options to clear history, cookies, and cache.