How Stuff Works?

Hi All,

How do things work? I'm talking about things like 'Are Married People Happier Than Singles?', or 'What are The 10 Worst Foods to Eat?', or 'How Does Your Computer Know How Much Ink is Left in Your Cartridge?', or  'Why Can't We Remember Being Babies?'

Well, for all of the above listed questions, readers can click on the link to answer that particular question.

One really, really excellent feature of HowStuffWorks.com is the search box at the top right corner of the screen. Users can type in a phrase or search term and results will appear after you click on the magnifying glass (aka the 'enter' button).  Great stuff because links appear at the bottom of the page.  One possible negative to the site - there are Google Ads after each search. This can be disconcerting, but the actual HowStuffWorks? results appear right after the advertisements.

And with that nugget out of the way, searching for the exact result or answer that you need is a snap!

Readers can click on this link from 'HowStuffWorks.com' to find a plethora (a lot! - not a google however) of answers to a huge variety of questions.  Topics range from Adventure, Animals, Auto, Culture, Entertainment, Health, Home & Garden, Lifestyle, Money, Science, Technology and more.

In addition, HowStuffWorks has links to Video, Shows and Quizzes - click on links just listed for more information on those topics.

My favorite link is the Technology link.  Currently there is an article titled, '10 Internet of Things Nightmares', and 'Could You Put a Camera in a Contact Lens?'  But wait, there is more!

Other categories in the Electronics section of How Stuff Works? include: Family Tech, Everyday Tech, Gadgets, Cameras and Photography, Future Tech, How-to-Tech and Tech Myths...

Whew!  That was a mouthful!

Enjoy the site, find an answer - and get on with your life!  Kind of helpful, useful and easy to use!
Regards,
Stu

Library Book Club

Hi All,

I don't know if you know this or not, but the library has a book club.  Yep. We do. Actually we have two book clubs.

The first book club meets on Monday morning at 10:30am and second book club meets on Monday nights at 7pm.

Click on this link to the Farmingdale Public Library Eventkeeper calendar.  You'll be able to search for all future book club events - and other library related events for that matter. 

Click on this link from the Iowa Center for the Book for an insightful article on 'How to Begin and Lead a Book Discussion Group'.  This is a great gateway article as it includes 'Great Resources to Get Started' and 'Articles' about book discussion groups. 

Here is just a smattering of the variety of links:
1. American Library Association - Book Discussion Groups  - link has a long article about book discussion groups.  Headings include 'Resources for Getting Started', 'Selected Print Resources', 'Websites', 'Quick Start Guide', 'How to Structure a Meeting', 'Basic Ground Rules', 'Meeting Format', 'How to Select Books' and 'If You're Leading a Book Discussion'. Insightful, unbiased, clearly written and very, very authoritative!

2. Seattle Public Library - Book Group How-To's - Has sections on 'Choosing Good Books for Discussion', 'Leading the Discussion' and 'Learning More About an Author'.

3. About.com - Top 5 Resources For Starting and Maintaining a Successful Book Club - entry has topics like 'How to Start a Book Club?', 'How to Lead a Book Club Discussion?', 'How to Structure a Book Club Dinner Group?', 'Ready-to-Go Book Club Discussion Questions', and 'One Year Book Club Reading List'.

So there you have it....3 great links on how to start, maintain and grow a book discussion group!

Good luck and regards,
Stu

Pet Day in Farmingdale!

Hi All,

The North Shore Animal League is having a charity event on Saturday, June 28th, 2014.  Click this link for more information about this event.

There will be a doggie fashion show, dogs and cats can get groomed and have their nails cut from Mobile Grooming which will be on premises.

Food will be available to buy for attendees.

When: 12noon-4pm on Saturday, June 28th, 2014
Where: Village Green - Main Street in Farmingdale
Who: North Shore Animal League
What: A charity event for dogs and cats!
Why: Click on this link for adorable pictures of cats and dogs from the North Shore Animal League!

Click on this link to find books in the Farmingdale Public Library about puppies. 
Click on this link to find books in the Farmingdale Public Library about kittens.


Enjoy - maybe you can make a new best friend by adopting puppy or kitten!

Regards,
Stu

Nine is Just Fine!

Hi All,

Just a quickie post to end the week on a fun note.  If you remember, okay, I didn't - I had to look this up!  Back on Friday, May 25th, 2012, I wrote a blog entry titled, 'Eight is Definitely Not Enough'.  Click on the blog title previously or the here to see the blog entry.

Today, I'm going to write about the number 9.

1.  International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (ICD-9). 
Do you remember seeing those little codes next to your doctor bills that you receive?  Basically the ICD is a health care classification system that provides for a systemof diagnostic codes by classifying diseases. A bit like the Dewey Decimal System, but for diseases.  ICD includes 'nuanced classifications of a wide variety of signs, symptoms, abnormal finding, complaints, social circumstances, and external causes of injury or disease.  ICD-9 is the ninth version of the system.

2. 9Lives - is the name of a brand of cat food owned by Del Monte Foods and introduced to the market in 1959. It is best know for its mascot, Morris the Cat.  See more about Morris the Cat by clicking on this link.

3. Nine West - is a fashion wholesale and retail company.  Initially founded as a fashion footwear brand, Nine West expanded into handbags, sunglasses, legwear, outerwear, jewelry, beelts, watches, cold weather accessories, hats, scarves, wraps and eyewear.  Nine West was acquired by Jones Apparel Group in 1999.

4. Culturally, the number nine is considered a good number in Chinese because it sounds the same as the word 'longlasting'.

5. Nine is also associated with the Chinese Dragon - a symbol of magic and power.

6. The nine Muses in Greek mythology are Calliope, Clio, Erato, Euterpe, Melpomene, Polyhymnia, Terpsichore, Thalia and Urania.

7. The phrase 'cat-o-nine-tails' suggests perfect punishment and atonement....

8. In urban culture, the 'nine' is a slang word for a 9mm pistol or homicide.

9. There are nine circles of hell in Dante's Divine Comedy.

10. In Tolkien's Middle-Earth world, there are nine rings of power given to men.   In the Fellowship of the Ring, there are nine companions, representing the free races.

11. Casting out nines is a quick way of testing the calculations of sums, differences, products, and quotients of integers. 

12. Click here to find a list of highways numbered 9.

13. Click here to learn about Ninth Avenue - a major avenue in Manhattan.

14. Finally, a human pregnancy lasts nine months....

Enjoy the list - and have a great weekend.

Stu 

Consumer Action Handbook

Hi All,

The new, 2014 Consumer Action Handbook (CAH hereafter in this blog entry) is now available for download now.  Readers can download the CAH by clicking on this link.

A good summary of the CAH is that, 'Users can use the Consumer Action Handbook (CAH) to get help with consumer purchases, problems and complaints. Find consumer contacts at hundreds of companies and trade associations, local, state, and federal government agencies, national consumer organizations, and more'

The 2014 CAH is 148 pages long and is divided into 4 parts:
Part I - Be a Savvy Consumer
Part II - Filing a Complaint
Part III - Key Information Sources
Part IV - Consumer Assistance Directory

In the 'Be a Savvy Consumer' section alone the reader will learn about 'Service Contracts and Extended Warranties', 'Identifying and Stopping Fraud', 'Shopping From Home', using 'ATM/Debit Cards', using 'Prepaid Cards', 'Buying a New Car', 'Buying a Used Car', 'Financing', 'Leasing', 'Lemon Laws', 'Car Repairs' and much, much more. 

this part on 'Being a Savvy Consumer' has further sections on 'Credit Reports and Credit Scores', 'Dealing with Debt', 'Paying For College 101' and more. 

The book is 148 pages for a reason! It is extensive, comprehensive and chock full of useful information for consumers of all needs and interests. And it is free!  What a helpful resource!!!!

Other sections that are notable in the 'Be a Savvy Consumer' section include: 'Insurance' - which covers Auto Insurance, Health Insurance, Homeowners/Renters Insurance, Life Insurance and more, 'Privacy and Identity Theft', 'Telemarketing and Unwanted Mail' (National Do Not Call Registry', 'Travel' (Resolving Air Travel Problems, Cruises, Travel Safety) and 'Utilities' (Billing questions and starting Utility Service).

There is one section in particular that users should be aware of: Part III - Key Information Resources contains a list of  various federal agencies that deal with various products.

For example,
 - Animal Products safety hazards are dealt with the Food and Drug Administration
 - Automobile safety hazards are dealt with the national Highway Traffic Safety Administration
 - Consumer Household Product hazards are dealt with by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.

Finally, 'Key Information Resources' has information regarding Drugs, Cosmetics, Medical Devices, Toys, Baby Products and Play Equipment in this section. 

So there you have it.  A blog entry that might be short on additional links, is very, very long on useful, helpful, time-saving and money-saving information!

Enjoy the free download - and remember that you can access the CAH by clicking on this link!

Regards,
Stu