Robert Acosta, President
Helping Hands for the Blind
(818) 998-0044
www.helpinghands4theblind.org
From: dan Thompson [mailto:dthompson5@xxxxxxxxx]
Sent: Friday, June 19, 2015 8:06 AM
To: dan Thompson
Subject: Friday Finds Dan's tip for June 19 2015
Friday Finds for June 19 2015
Things to ponder:
Why don't sheep shrink when it rains?
Why are they called apartments when t
Fact of the day:
Why don't sheep shrink when it rains?
Why are they called apartments when t
Contents:
1. All about That Braille repost of link
2. New update to NVDA:
3. How to Clean Steam Irons and Granite
Countertops-Cheap and Easy!
4. absolutely free instructional video website, absolutely free
5. Sincerely Enthusiastic, by Gretchen Rubin
Start of Articles section
*1) All aAbout That Braille:
Here is a direct link to the song. When going to this link, wait for a few
seconds for the song to actually start.
https://soundcloud.com/osbjazz/all-about-that-braille
2) Flying Blind Newsletter share with us that:
The release candidate for the second update to NVDA for 2015 is now
available, with
improved handling of MathMl and more power in Excel:
http://community.nvda-project.org/blog/NVDA2015.2Released
*3) How to Clean Steam Irons and Granite
Countertops-Cheap and Easy!
By Mary Hunt of Everyday Cheapskate blog, where you can
These days its nearly certain that there's a pricey product available to
clean just about anything. But why spend the money when you can make your
own homemade products that perform just as well (maybe better!) from
ingredients you may have already in your cupboards and pantry? I'm talking
cheaper, faster and quite possibly better!
Dear Mary: What is the best and most effective way to clean a steam iron?
Bev
Dear Bev: You need to clean both the inside and the sole plate of a steam
iron regularly to keep it in tip-top condition. Before you proceed with my
cleaning suggestions, make sure you read the owner manual that came with our
iron to make sure there are not instructions or cautions that might preclude
the following.
INSIDE: To remove build-up from the inside of the iron, which over time can
really clog things up, pour equal amount of white vinegar and water into the
iron's water
chamber up to the maximum fill line. Turn the iron on to "steam" setting and
iron a soft clean cloth to clean out the steam ports.
Leave the iron on in an upright position for 10 minutes or so. Unplug it and
take it to the sink. Shake it to loosen the mineral build-up inside and then
turn it upside down over the sink to the vinegar and water to pour out. You
are likely to see flakes and chunks of gunk come out with the liquid. Repeat
this process until only clear liquid comes out of the iron into the sink.
Rinse with clear water several times to remove all traces of vinegar.
SOLE PLATE: There are numerous ways to clean the scorched ugly brown build
up of various stains from melted on fabric to spray starch from the sole
plate of a steam iron, but most are pretty messy.
A paste made of hydrogen peroxide and baking soda followed by vigorous
scrubbing with a rag will do the trick, but you'll be left with a wet soggy
mess and steam holes that are hopelessly clogged with the paste. I've been
there, done that and found it to be very frustrating.
My favorite way to clean the bottom of the iron is with a Mr. Clean Magic
Eraser (or
the generic melamine version which is cheaper in bulk). Make sure the magic
eraser is wet then rub the sole plate until it comes clean. No mess, no
residue and
no clogged steam holes. It really is like magic.
Dear Mary: What is the best way to clean hard water stains from my granite
counter tops, especially around the sink? Sheila
Dear Sheila: Granite is tricky, that's for sure. But once you understand a
few things, you'll have not trouble keeping your countertops beautifully
shiny and free of streaks and water stains.
The enemy of granite is anything acidic. That eliminates anything with
vinegar and or lemon juice. Acid can permanently "etch" granite over time.
Granite countertops, because they must be sealed (and resealed annually with
a good sealant available at any home improvement store or online), should
not be cleaned with cleaners, like Windex, that contains ammonia. Ammonia
strips strips away the sealant.
You already know that water is not great for granite because it can leave
water marks and a build up of minerals around the sink.
So what's left? Alcohol. You can buy commercial granite cleaners that
contain some type of alcohol and a lot of water, or you can make your own
granite cleaner for just pennies.
GRANITE CLEANER: Pour 1/4 cup rubbing alcohol (vodka, or gin are good
substitutes) into a 16-oz. spray bottle. Add 3 drops blue Dawn dishwashing
liquid
and 5 drops essential oil (optional, but makes it smell great). Add enough
water to fill the bottle. Label and keep out of reach of children. Shake to
mix. From now on, use this cleaner to keep your countertops beautifully
clean and shiny without wrecking the sealant or causing any harm to the
granite.
*4)instructional video website, absolutely free.
GCFLearnFree.org Creating Opportunities For A Better Life
http://www.gcflearnfree.org/
From the Web Site:
a. Who We Are:
For more than a decade, the GCFLearnFree.org program has helped millions
around the world learn the essential skills they need to live and work in
the 21st century. From Microsoft Office and email to reading, math, and
more, GCFLearnFree.org offers 125 tutorials, including more than 1,100
lessons, videos, and interactives, completely free.
If you're willing to learn, we're ready to teach.
View one tutorial. Complete an entire class. We believe there's freedom in
the ability to learn what you want, when you want, regardless of income or
circumstances. We offer 125 tutorials on the subjects you need to continue
your education-or get it started.
Learn anywhere, anytime.
Our classroom is open 24 hours a day and serves people from around the
world. Join the 18 million people from all walks of life who have come to
the site to learn the essential skills they need to live and work in the
21st century. All you need is an Internet connection.
Always here. Always growing.
Online education isn't new. We've been here for more than 10 years, and
today we offer more tutorials than ever. When you take a class with us, you
know it's up to date-and that it will be available later when you need to
review.
A program of the Goodwill Community FoundationR and Goodwill Industries of
Eastern NC, Inc.R (GIENCR), all GCFLearnFree.orgR educational content is
designed and produced in the GCF Global
b. Who Uses Us
Did you know that GCFLearnFree.org is used in every country in the world?
It's true!
People from every walk of life visit our site.
From seniors learning computer basics to seasoned professionals brushing up
on Microsoft Office to unemployed individuals gaining career skills to
students practicing math, everyone can find something useful at
GCFLearnFree.org.
Organizations use us too!
All sizes and types have benefited from GCFLearnFree.org, including K-12
schools, homeschool groups, colleges, libraries, prisons, churches,
community centers, employment centers, hospitals, businesses, government
agencies, and nonprofits with a variety of missions and populations.
Some of the more notable organizations to use GCFLearnFree.org are:
. UNESCO
. TAFE NSW
. TechSoup Global
. Peace Corps Volunteers
. AARP
. Intel Education Service Corps
. World Vision
. Hackers for Charity
. Jobcentre Plus
. SOS Children's Villages International
. State Libraries of Florida, Idaho, Alaska, Washington, Iowa,
Wyoming, Minnesota, Michigan, North Carolina, Maine, Oregon, South Carolina,
Indiana, and Kansas
. Correctional Service Canada
. Corrective Services Australia
. State correctional facilities in Georgia, Idaho, Ohio, Maine,
Kansas, and Washington
. Wal-Mart
. Whirlpool Corp.
. Caterpillar Inc. (South Carolina)
. AdvancePierre Foods
. Saudi Arabian Airlines
. Arizona State Legislature
. California Department of Conservation
. Connecticut Department of Revenue
. Utah Governor's Office of Economic Development
. Australia Department of Planning, Transport, and Infrastructure
. Texas A&M University
. NCWorks.gov
. Learning.com
. Nativehire.org
. DigitalLearn.org
. DigitalLiteracy.gov
. Connect2Compete.org/EveryoneOne.org
So what are you waiting for? Join the more than 18 million people who have
learned for free at GCFLearnFree.org today!
http://www.gcflearnfree.org/aboutus/who-uses-us
c. How to Use GCF
So you've arrived at GCFLearnFree.org. Now what?
First, you need to know this: Everything at GCFLearnFree.org is completely
free. There's no catch and no gotchas.
To get started, decide what you want to learn. We're known pretty well for
our technology, found here:
Free Technology Training at GCFLearnFree
http://www.gcflearnfree.org/technology
Some topics available on the technology page include: technology basics,
computer basics, mouse tutorial, typing tutorial and much more.
Here is the link to the typing tutorial:
http://www.gcflearnfree.org/typing
The typing tutorial page says, " If you have Internet Explorer 8 or earlier,
this interactive will not play for you. IE 8 does not support HTML5. Please
update your browser or use a different browser to use the Typing Tutorial."
Microsoft Office Tutorials, found here:
Free Microsoft Office Training at GCFLearnFree
http://www.gcflearnfree.org/office
so if that's what you're interested in you can just click on those tiles
from the homepage and start on your way.
We also offer tutorials in math <http://www.gcflearnfree.org/math> , on this
page:
Free Math Tutorials at GCFLearnFree
http://www.gcflearnfree.org/math
career <http://www.gcflearnfree.org/career> s, found at this page:
Free Work & Career Training at GCFLearnFree
http://www.gcflearnfree.org/career
reading, found here:
Free Reading Tutorials at GCFLearnFree
http://www.gcflearnfree.org/reading
and Everyday Life <http://www.gcflearnfree.org/everydaylife> , available for
viewing here:
Free Everyday Life Tutorials at GCFLearnFree
http://www.gcflearnfree.org/everydaylife
You can get to any of the above mentioned links from the homepage too.
If you have a specific question, you can use our search feature, available
at the bottom of every page of the site.
Or if you just want to browse around, our All Topics
<http://www.gcflearnfree.org/topics> page is a great place to start.
http://www.gcflearnfree.org/topics
Most of the content at GCFLearnFree.org is what we call self-paced
tutorials. This means these tutorials <http://www.gcflearnfree.org/topics>
are available when you are, on your schedule. You can view one lesson or an
entire tutorial. And you don't have to create an account or sign in; you can
start learning immediately.
If you need a quick answer, click on the relevant tutorial, view the
applicable lesson, and then go on with your day.
Or if you want to really learn a topic in depth, you can start with Lesson 1
and work your way through the entire tutorial. You can review the tutorial
as many times as you want and anytime you need.
IF you create an account (and you really don't have to), then the self-paced
tutorials you view while logged in will be tracked in your Learning History.
Within your account, you can see where you were last, how many tutorials you
have completed, and even print off a Self-Paced Transcript. Just something
to keep in mind if you think that would be helpful for you.
We also offer instructor-supported Microsoft Office classes
<http://classes.gcflearnfree.org/> in Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Access.
Take a look here:
http://www.gcflearnfree.org/
As a student in a class, you will have access to well-crafted lessons,
practice files, challenges, and quizzes to assess your own knowledge. A team
of instructors is available via a dedicated Message Center to answer your
questions as you move through the content and complete assignments. Once you
have successfully completed all three assignments and submitted an
end-of-course survey, you will be awarded a Certificate of Completion and
continuing education units (CEUs).
This is the only thing on the site that requires an account. Once you've
completed the class, your certificates of completion are available for you
within your account, as well as through an Online Class Transcript.
For more information on registering for our classes, please see this support
topic: How do I register for a class?
<http://www.gcflearnfree.org/support/faqs#OnlineClass>
http://www.gcflearnfree.org/support/faqs#OnlineClass
Mobile Apps
If you prefer to take your learning on the go, we've got mobile apps
<http://www.gcflearnfree.org/mobileapps> that may help!
http://www.gcflearnfree.org/mobileapps
With apps available for iPhone/iPad, Android, and Kindle, now you can learn
for free anytime, anywhere.
So what are you waiting for? You can start learning right now for free. And
if we don't offer what you are looking for, tell us
<http://www.gcflearnfree.org/support/request-a-topic> !
At this link:
http://www.gcflearnfree.org/support/request-a-topic
*5) Sincerely Enthusiastic, by Gretchen Rubin
I wanted to laugh more, I wanted to show more loving-kindness, and I also
wanted to be more enthusiastic. I knew that it wasn't nice to criticize but
it was fun. Why was it so deliciously satisfying to criticize? Being
critical made me feel more sophisticated and intelligent - and in fact,
studies show that people who are critical are often perceived to be more
discerning. In one study, for example, people judged the writers of negative
book reviews as more expert and competent than the writers of positive
reviews, even when the content of both reviews was deemed to be of high
quality. Another study showed that people tend to think that someone who
criticizes them is smarter than they are. Also, when a person disrupts a
group's unanimity, he or she lessens its social power. I've seen people
exploit this phenomenon; when a group is cheerfully unanimous on a topic
like 'The teacher is doing a great job' or 'This restaurant is terrific,'
such a person takes the opposite position to deflate the group's mood. Being
critical has its advantages, and what's more, it's much easier to be hard to
please. Although enthusiasm seems easy and undiscriminating, in fact, it's
much harder to embrace something than to disdain it. It's riskier.
When I examined my reactions to other people, I realized that I do often
view people who make critical remarks as more perceptive and more
discriminating. At the same time, though, it's hard to find pleasure in the
company of someone who finds nothing pleasing. I prefer the company of the
more enthusiastic types, who seem less judgmental, more vital, more fun.
For example, one evening, as part of a surprise birthday party for a close
friend, we went to a Barry Manilow concert, because my friend loves Barry
Manilow. Afterward, I reflected that it showed considerable strength of
character to be such an avowed Barry Manilow fan. After all, Barry Manilow
is . . . well, Barry Manilow. It would be so much safer to mock his music,
or to enjoy it in an ironic, campy way, than to admire it wholeheartedly as
she did. Enthusiasm is a form of social courage. What's more, people's
assessments are very influenced by other people's assessments. So when my
friend said, 'This is terrific music, this is a great concert,' her
enthusiasm lifted me up.
I wanted to embrace this kind of zest. I steeled myself to stop making
certain kinds of unnecessarily negative statements: 'I really don't feel
like going,' 'The food was too rich,' 'There's nothing worth reading in the
paper.' Instead, I tried to look for ways to be sincerely enthusiastic.
This article originally appeared in Awakin.org
"With God, no problem is too big and no detail is too small."
- Woodrow Kroll
Read more: <http://www.christianquotes.info/#ixzz3dVoXE0Wa>
http://www.christianquotes.info/#ixzz3dVoXE0Wa
To subscribe to Dan's tips or HotSpot with God Daily Devotional, send a
blank message to dthompson5@xxxxxxxxx and include "subscribe Dan's Tips" or
Subscribe HotSpot with God" in the subject line.
