Hi All,

More than likely it is going to snow again this Sunday and Monday.  Ugh.  Enough already.  But, as the saying goes, 'people talk about the weather, but rarely can people do anything about it'. 

That said, one of the better things that you can do when it snows (besides for shoveling the driveway - click here for a link that explains how to safely shovel) is to put salt on the sidewalk and brick.  Click on this next link - from Popular Mechanics - entitled '16 Cardinal Rules for Snow Shoveling'.  Finally, click on this link that will help you learn how to shovel snow without injuring your back!

Once you shovel the snow you can put down the salt...but there is more to it than that.  Click on this article from Consumer Reports (entitled 'Best Ice Melts For Your Driveway, Walkways, and Steps') which explains the various types of ice melts for your house!

And if you can't get to  Lowe's or a Home Depot or an Ace Hardware to buy the ice melt, you can  make your own ice melt.  Click on this link to find an article entitled, 'Home Remedies For Melting Icy Sidewalks and Driveways' - link is from Eyewitness News in Minneapolis.

This next link gives you an alternative way to make homemade ice melt - courtesy of Topix...a news related website.  This next website is called '9 Eco-Friendly Ways to De-Ice Your Driveway'.  Finally, you can click on this link from eHow to find yet another way to 'Make Ice Melt At Home'.

Click on this link to see a video on how to  shovel your driveway using a Silver Bear Snow Scoop.  I am not advertising this product - I'm just showing it to readers for educational purposes...

And if you are tired after you shovel, click on this link that explains the number of calories burned by shoveling snow...hint: it's a lot!


So there you have it.  A few ways that might help you make shoveling a bit easier and faster for you.

Here's hoping that it doesn't snow that much this weekend.  Spring, spring...where are you?
 
Regards,
Stu

Hi All,

I haven't written a post like this in a while - actually, it has been over a year.  Here it goes! Click on this link to find out what I'm talking about (its the number 7).

Today I'm going to talk about the number 8 and its' 'cultural significance' to us.

Eight is Enough - family drama/comedy from 1977 that evokes life with 8 very different children.  See Internet Movie Database link for more information. 

Figure Eight - an ice skating term for a particular skate move.   Click here for a link to eHow to find out how to do a figure eight on ice skates.

Figure Eight Knot - click here for links to images of  a figure eight knot.  Click here for a link to video on how to tie a figure eight knot.  

Eight Track Tapes - from the mid-1960's to the early 1980's this was THE way to listen to your music!  Click on this link to learn more about Eight Track Tapes from Wikipedia. 

Eighth Amendment - excessive bail not required, nor excessive fines, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted are core precepts of this amendment to the United States Constitution.  Click here for some information about it from the Legal Information Institute at Cornell University School of Law.

8 Mile - musician Eminem stars in this movie about a young rapper living in Detroit. Interesting flick and good insight!  Try not to miss it.  Oh, and we do have the movie in the library!  Here is the link!

Behind the 8 Ball - phrase that means 'you are in a no-win situation'.  Click on this link for the derivation of the phrase - courtesy of UrbanDictionary.com. Now go play some pool or billiards!

Enjoy the sites.
Regards,
Stu

Consumer Reports

Hi All,

This entry is going to be primarily a library based entry.  It'll be educational, informative and pretty darn short.

That said the topic of the entry is Consumer Reports.  Consumer Reports offers free, unbiased advice on a myriad of products that consumers purchase.  For example, Consumer Reports covers washing machines, dryers, mattresses, tv's, best stores to fill your prescription, vaccuums, interior paints, whether or not to repair or replace appliances/electronics and more.  Other topics that Consumer Reports reviews include cars, computers, tablets, appliances like toaster ovens, refrigerators and much more.

So...users can access the online version via the library website on the Farmingdale Public Library homepage.  Click here for the link. Users can also access the printer version of Consumer Reports at the reference desk in the library.

Patrons need to have a valid Farmingdale Public Library card to access the site remotely.
 The online version of the Consumer Reports lets users search for topics in a variety of ways.  Users can use the A-Z index or use the dialog box that enables them to 'Find Ratings' or look for 'Alphabetically Look For Products by Name'.

At the top of the page is a list of categories that users can use to find reviews of various products.  Categories on this list include Cars, Appliances, Electronics, Home & Garden, Babies & Kids, Money, Shopping and Health.

Once a user clicks on a topic (in this example, I am going to use Dishwashers as an example) a dialog box of subtopics appears.  In this case, when you choose Appliances, the dialog box shows items like Air Conditioners, Blenders, Coffee Makers, Dishwashers, Microwave Ovens, Steam Irons, Toasters and Washing Machines.  Clicking on the topic of Dishwashers, users find a huge amount of information on the page.  There are topics entitled, 'What's Behind Our Dishwasher Ratings?', a Dishwasher Buying Guide, a list of ratings and recommended dishwashes as well as a list of recently viewed dishwashers. 
There are also a whole bunch of articles on Appliance news
for users to investigate.

Users can search for dishwashers by types, features and by brands on the Consumer Reports website!!!

Specifically, when users click on a particular product you'll find a one-two sentence summary of the item as well as a quick review of the dishwashers' highlights.  Pictures are available as well.  The overall score is located on the right side of the screen and a chart compares the item to other items in the same category. 

Further down on the page is a Ratings Report Card which includes various components of the job the dishwasher performs (washing, ease of use, energy use, cycle time, noise).  Each of these criteria are ranked as being Excellent, Very Good, Good, Fair or Poor.

Finally, each product includes a tab with various pieces of information related to the product.  For example, above the Ratings Report Card is a tab which includes an Overview, Ratings, Brand Reliability, User Reviews and Specs about the product.  Click on any of the links above to see what I'm talking about. 

The best way to learn about how to use the online version of Consumer Reports is to actually use it.  And once you become familiar with the nuances of the database, you'll probably use it before you purchase almost any product that Consumer Reports covers.  It'll become a 'go to' resource before you buy almost anything for your house, car, computer or any other product!

Regards, and enjoy the resource.

Stu

Better Body Language

Hi All,

Body Language.  Have you heard of it?  No? Yes!  Possibly?  Well, if you haven't, click on this link and you'll get a quick and brief introduction to what body language - and what it is not.  Basically, body language refers to various forms of nonverbal communication, where a person may reveal clues as to some unspoken intention or feeling through physical behavior.  Behaviors can include body posture, gestures, facial expressions, and eye movements...

Pretty cool stuff - and it works. Reading body language accurately can help you get insight into what another person is 'really' thinking - without having to actually say what they are thinking.

For example, have you ever been talking to someone who constantly 'looks through you' and never makes eye contact?  Or what about talking to someone who explains things with an over-emphasis of hand movements?  What about talking to someone who has his/her hands crossed over their chest?  Yep - it all has to do with body language. 

And, for the folks who are sensitive enough to (and who can process the information in real-time) recognize these forms of nonverbal communication it can be a big advantage in situations as varied as dating, business and other inter-personal relationships. 

With that all send, here is a link to help you improve your own body language - it comes from Inc Magazine - a notable business/entrepreneur magazine - which will help you understand the context of the article. The title of the article is '8 Powerful Ways to Improve Your Body Language'.

From Wikihow, comes this article entitled, 'How to Read Body Language'.  Interesting, but the article is definitely geared toward dating and not particularly business oriented.

For another perspective on body language - and how to feel more confident even when you are not - click on this link from a TED talk given in October 2012. 

Psychology Today is a very well-known, professional publication for Psychologists.  Click on this link to go to an article aptly titled 'Understanding Body Language'.  It is a series of smaller articles on a wide variety of sub-topics of body language...interesting stuff.  And thorough!



Now...that all said, you might want to click on this link to the library card catalog to find actual books about body language and nonverbal communication.  Click on this link to go to the library card catalog.


Here's to helping you not reveal your inner thoughts via nonverbal communication.  Hope the links help!

Regards,
Stu