PSA Station
Business, Marketing, and New Technology
Extend the Life of Your Laptop Battery
Aug 11th
Laptop batteries are EXPENSIVE.
Here are several tips to extend the life of your lithium-ion battery.
One thing to remember is that heat is the enemy. So, whenever you are running your laptop from a cord, take out the battery, so it will stay cool. This includes avoiding hot places like a hot car.
Full discharges put a strain on the battery. Frequent partial charges with frequent recharging is much better. Although you should fully discharge and recharge about once every 30 partial recharges.
Here is a great video with more tips on extending your battery life from FrugalTech. More >
Red Dyes and Gooey Stains
Aug 10th
Stain removal has come a long way since the days of beating clothing on rocks, trying to get them clean. And it’s a good thing. We have created thousands of new chemicals with the capability to leave dark spots on just about any kind of clothing. One of the worst stains to get out is the color red. Who hasn’t seen (or experienced) the dreaded Pink Laundry? When you put just one tiny red thing in with a full load of lighter colors, and whoosh, More >
Be Sure Your Audios Are Legal
Aug 9th
A video without audio is likely to be flat and boring. Adding the right music as a background can create mood and excitement that can make or break the viewer’s experience. Unfortunately, YouTube videos are not showing without sound. Why? Because the soundtrack used is copyrighted, and the maker of the video did not have permission to use it. Be careful not to break the law by putting someone’s music track beneath your video is you do not have the right to do so.
There are various ways to get music tracks that you can safely use. One way is to make use of the music shared on sites such as Creative Commons, Incompetech, and Jamendo. On these sites, the creators share their works with the public. You might also try finding some at sites that have stocked libraries of classic music and loops, like iStockPhoto. You could tap into the membership site TwoBuckThemes, and get 5 loops each month for $10.
However you find your music, just make sure that you have the right to use it publicly, and there should be no problems.
Snipping Tool Captures That Screen!
Aug 7th
Have you ever wished you could just take a picture of what’s right there on your computer screen? Well you can. There are actually many different ways to do this. No, I’m not talking about your good ol’ Nikon.
One way to capture exactly what’s on the screen is by using the “Print Screen” button on your keyboard. Every time you press this key, it will capture an image of the entire screen and place it on the clipboard. Then, you can paste it onto a Word document, or into Excel, or any other program you wish. Then, of course, you have to crop off the parts you don’t want. I used this method for years, before I found out that there are MUCH easier ways to get images.
I found that you could download software that would make the job a snap. I tried GreenShot Image Editor (free) , which does a great job. So does Snagit by Techsmith (not free).
But my favorite of all was found right under my nose! In the Program Files, under Accessories, there is a thing called the Snipping Tool. It came with the system. (I am currently using Windows Vista- yes, I know, thanks for the sympathy) Just click it open, and it will grab whatever part of the screen you shade. The image is on your clipboard, and you have the option of saving as a jpeg, or sending it via email as an attachment. Or, of course you could just paste it onto whatever program you need it in.
Happy Snipping!
You Might Need A Fort Lauderdale Personal Injury Lawyer
Aug 5th
If you’ve been in an accident, and the other person was negligent, there is the possibility that you would benefit from the services of a personal injury lawyer. “Negligent” means that the person was careless, and did not do something that normally an ordinary person would do. For instance, if they ran a stoplight, that is something that people do not normally do, so this is a situation that might require looking into.
Sometimes accidents result in ongoing More >
Considering Becoming an Entrepreneur? Ask Yourself These 7 Questions
Jul 20th
Working for yourself sounds rosey, doesn’t it? No boss, no set hours, no boss, freedom to make your own decisions, did I mention no boss?
But it’s not as easy as it looks. Often the entrepreneur/business owner is the one who never gets a break, has all the responsibility, and works almost 24/7. Still, if you’re successful, it has its perks. Before taking that leap from the corporate world to one of your own making, consider these 7 questions.
1- What is your motivation? Make no mistake, you will hit rough times. Your motivation must be strong enough to carry you through.
2- What is your experience? You will probably have to acquire some new skills to make this work. How are your going to do this? Are you willing to put in the effort to learn?
3- How are you going to find customers? You must have a plan in mind for making contact, or a plan to find out how to do this.
4- Do you have the capital to carry you for the first year? The main reason for start-up failure is lack of cash flow. It takes time to get a business running, and you’ll need to be prepared with some means of support outside of the business itself.
5- What is your action plan? Do you have a map of where you are going and how to get there? Do you know what you are willing to do, and what you are not willing to do?
6- What resources are available to you for mentoring yourself? Make no mistake- you will need advice.
7- How dedicated are you? Do you have the will and determination to hang in there until success is at hand?
With a little planning, determination, and true grit, you can get there- go for it!
Making Videos is not all that Difficult
Jul 18th
Videos are hands down the greatest way to communicate with your customers. But many people think they are too difficult to attempt. While there is a learning curve, and perhaps a few tools to get as you begin, learning to make videos and get them online is not as hard as you might think.
Here is a video by my friend Simon, with some tips on making a good video. More >
Florida State Football Parking CAN Be Found
Jul 16th
Whoo-hooo sports fans! Ever felt frustrated because you really really wanted to have that great tailgate party before the big game, but you just couldn’t find a place to park? Who hasn’t heard their stomach grumble from the whiff of burgers grilling, hot wings steaming, oh yeah, man. There’s nothing quite like it, getting there hours early, setting up your own tent, and table, and folding chairs. Right there beside you is a cooler (or two!) full of beer and/or spirits of your choice. 
Set up a portable grill, and get out the goodies, then settle in for hours of good fun and camaraderie just perfect for working up a full steam of team pride so you can cheer your team on to victory at the game. Oh, yeah, that’s the life! Just make sure you haven’t More >
State of the Art Condos for Sale in Alexandria, VA
Jul 16th
If you’re looking for a condo that has easy access to Washington, DC, you might want to consider this. Construction has begun for The Isabella at Monticello Mews in Alexandria, Va. It is easy to get to, having convenient access to Interstates 395, 95, and the Capital Beltway, and is only a short distance away from DC. (located near the Kingstowne area of Northern Virginia) Not only that, if you don’t want to drive, you can always take the Metro which has a stop close by.
The new condos will come standard with all kinds of state of the art More >
Obama- “keep my eye on robots”
Jun 26th
National Robotics Engineering Center at Carnegie Mellon University this last Friday, President Obama joked around saying that part of his job is to “keep an eye on robots”. 
“I just met with folks from some cutting-edge companies and saw some of their inventions here in your National Robotics Engineering Center, but that’s not the only reason I’m here,” the president said. “You might not know this, but one of my responsibilities as commander in chief is to keep an eye on robots. And I’m pleased to report that the robots you manufacture here seem peaceful, at least for now.”
Yeah, I guess it is. Somehow, years ago, we were frightened with the idea that robots would take over the world and make slaves of us mere humans. Sure, yeah…
Anyway, it’s good to know that someone is watching out for us, right?