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Updated: 13 years 3 weeks ago

Build a Fire

Wed, 12/08/2010 - 20:31

Summary: /* Start with tinder */

[[Image:Firelogcabin.jpg|thumb|250px|left|A classic "log cabin" style fire. Photo by kw.traveller/[http://www.flickr.com/photos/kw_traveller/4660176968/in/photostream/ Flickr]/CC]]
There's more to building a a good fire than just squirting some lighter fluid on wood and flicking a match.

Sure, it works to get things started. But if you build a proper fire and pay attention to the arrangement of the wood, your results will be longer lasting, hotter and safer, whether outdoors on the trail or in the fireplace in your living room.

''This article is part of '''a wiki anyone can edit.''' If you have advice to add about starting fires, log in and contribute.''
<br clear="all" />


===Know your science===

Before you start building a fire, it's worth taking a minute to understand what makes a fire possible -- namely, fuel, heat, oxygen and a sustained chemical reaction.

The first is easy. In this case, your fuel is wood and tinder.

The heat in the equation refers to the initial heat you provide to start the fire, whether from a match or by rubbing two sticks together.

To provide enough oxygen, we need to make sure the wood and other burnables aren't so tightly packed that the fire snuffs itself out.

The last bit is simply a reminder that a burning fire is actually a chemical reaction. Fuel and oxygen are consumed, producing heat and light as byproducts. Block any component of that reaction and your fire will go out.

===Start with tinder===

Tinder refers to anything that ignites easily and can feed the initial flame to the next step in the chain. Good tinder includes paper, dry grasses, dried moss, pine needles, wood shavings, and even lint or wax. Denim, if frayed and unraveled will do in a pinch.

If you're building an outdoor fire, pine needles and dry grass are likely to be your most plentiful sources of tinder. For indoor fires, grab the Sunday paper and crumple it up. What? The Sunday paper is on your iPad? Yet another drawback of digital publishing...

===Kindling===

The next step in the chain is kindling. Where the main goal of tinder is to ignite quickly, kindling consists of larger materials so that when the heat from the tinder moves on to the kindling the fire grows.

The best source of kindling will usually be dry twigs or small pieces of wood chipped from your main logs. Try to find twigs about 1/8 to 1/2 inch thick. Other good sources of kindling include bark or cardboard. Whatever you use, make sure it is very dry.

===Fuel===

[[Image:Teepeefire.jpg|300px|right|thumb|The classic teepee, one of the many architectural methods of fire-building. Photo by Matt DeTurck/[http://www.flickr.com/photos/dalboz17/295420227/ Flickr]/CC]]
Once the tinder ignites, it feeds heat to the kindling which then catches on fire and passes even more heat onto the actual fuel. This is where your logs come in. This is also where you'll find a number of different fire "architectures."

* '''The teepee:''' Stack your larger fuel logs in a teepee or cone shape around the tinder and kindling. As the the fuel begins to burn, the outside logs will catch at the base and then fall inward as they burn, feeding the fire.


* '''The trench:''' Best used when you don't have a lot of fuel. To build a trench fire, dig a small cross under the fire; dig down about 4 inches. Lay your tinder at the center of the two channels and then build the fire on top of that. The two channels you've dug out will pull in air and create an updraft that helps feed the fire.


* '''The log cabin:''' Build a four-walled box outside your tinder and kindling by stacking your fuel logs in alternating directions, just like a log cabin. This method creates an effect similar to a chimney, and the heat on the inside pulls oxygen through the gaps in your "cabin" walls, feeding the fire.


* '''The pyramid:''' Also known at the upside down fire, the pyramid starts with two larger logs laid on the ground, parallel to each other. Then lay a foundation of other logs across your base. Then add another layer in the opposite direction to the one below it. Continue adding layers, using smaller, thinner logs as you go up. Add your kindling above the last layer and then the tinder on top of that. Light from the top and the pyramid will burn down. This method works well in indoor fireplaces.


'''Tip''': Which architecture is best depends on the situation you're facing. The teepee is best if the fuel wood is wetter, since logs outside the main fire can dry before they burn. The pyramid is compact and requires very little maintenance, making it ideal for an all night fire.

===Summon the god of wind===

Occasionally, you have to fan your fire to keep it going, especially if it's small. We recommend this method:

<youtube>389DkzjHpus</youtube>



[[Category:Survival]]
[[Category:Travel]]


Christmas Gift - Laser Pointer

Wed, 12/08/2010 - 03:45

Summary: the cool gadget green laser pointer is always a good choice for Christmas Gift.

[[Image:Nether-green-laser-pointer.jpg|thumb|2315px|right|''Nether series green laser pointer'']]
With the coming of Christmas Day, gift has become an unavoidable outcome for all of American people. Well, what should I prepare for the Christmas day gift? Different people will hold different ideal, while more and more people would like choose cool gadget as their idea Christmas gift. For example, Iphone, a new brand wrist watch or the most popular [http://www.laserto.com laser pointer] are all wonderful gifts for Christmas day.
It is to strange for young adults and senior people in US, the green laser pointer is quite popular among them, which is not only a good choice for entrainment, also a very practical gadget for astronomy, teaching etc in our daily life. Why most of people would like to choose a green laser pointer as a Christmas gift?
It would be the best choice for laser man to choose the Nether series adjustable focus green laser pointer with safety key. This 532nm green laser pointer, ranging from 100Mw to 350Mw, has a long lifetime of more than 8000 hours and long warranty period of 1 year factory warranty. The most important of all should be its cheap price while comparing with those laser pointers with the same range of output power as the result of the application of the latest laser diode technology and higher working efficiency, which is a good way of money saving to choose this series green laser pointer from http://www.laserto.com.
The beam of [http://www.laserto.com/nether-series-green-laser-pointer.html nether series] green laser pointer can travel as long as 8000 hours, which can not only used for stargazing and watch celestial objects in astronomy, but also be to burn plastic, cut electric tape, light match and cigarette etc. The multiply function green laser pointer can not only bring people a lot of enjoys but also a useful tool in our daily life.
If you are still seeking the Christmas gift, just take a consideration of this cool gadget – Green laser pointer, which can never bring you any disappointment.


Smoking Bans: How effective are they?

Tue, 12/07/2010 - 19:46

Summary: New page: Smoking Bans: How effective are they? By Shane Although smoking ban’s have been around as early as the 1590, in the early 2000`s smoking bans began to take affect in cities and states ...

Smoking Bans: How effective are they?
By Shane

Although smoking ban’s have been around as early as the 1590, in the early 2000`s smoking bans began to take affect in cities and states across the country and even world. From the beginning there was many supporters and non supporters of these laws, with each having their own opinion whether they were effective or not. Now that time has past it seems that the ban has gotten out of the hot seat and is just a part of daily life for everyone, which makes it a good time to stop and look at its outcomes. Although I am a non smoker and personally support the smoking ban, but its important to look at the opinions of both supporters and non supporters no matter if they are smokers or not. Facts show that smoking bans have created healthier public environments and minimizes smoking all around. I’ll support my opinion by summarizing an article about the effectiveness of smoking bans, then we’ll look at non supporters point of view and lastly my opinion and supporters opinions.
The article is from Seed magazine, and is titled, Do Smoking Bans Work?, By Dave Munger. As the title sounds it is about smoking bans and how effective they are with deterring people from smoking and minimizing impacts on non smokers. Although the author states he believes many smoking bans have proven to be effective, he feels there may be a point where they can become counter productive. He doesn’t know where that point is, but he believes its possible and we need to be careful with the extent we place laws on cigarettes. An example he used to prove not all bans are effective was a study taken on the effectiveness of warning labels on cigarette boxes. The study used two different groups of kids, one with self esteem issues and one without. Then a label that had to do with self-esteem and one with death. The study showed that each label effected each group differently, with one label making one of the groups view smoking more positive than the other and vise versa. He also supports his opinion that smoking bans are having positive impacts on controlling smoking, by discussing “bloggers” opinions on public smoking bans. One “blogger” he mentions is a physician that posted there are studies that show workers in restaurants and bars have improved health after the ban has taken affect. Another “blogger” was a bar tender at a bar that ban smoking was enforced and felt it was effecting business. This article clearly shows the type of ban affect who it is targeting is key to being successful.
From the beginning of the to now, there are many people that still oppose the bans based on the idea of in just human rights. “The Case against Smoking Bans” is a good example of non supporters argument against smoking bans. The author Thomas Lambert discusses many strong points but three stood out to me. He first states that smoking bans do not allow for the control of smoking that there once was when there weren’t bans, which causes more smoking. Smoking was controlled by all aspects of businesses, owners and both smoking and non smoking consumers. Owners were able to manage smoking to the appropriate levels that they were comfortable with. This gave consumers choices of where to go, but also managed smoking because people were aware of the amount of smoke inside which slowed smoking. Having people smoke outside doesn’t give a gauge of how much they are smoking, causing them to smoke more. Second, smoking bans have increased health insurance costs and lowered wages costing the public money. Insurance costs have raised 7 percent for men and 4 percent for women because the life expectancy has raise since smoking bans came into affect(6). Employees have also suffered a pay cut since the work environment is cleaner and safer, they no longer have the power to request a higher pay. Lastly the processes of studies conducted by the EPA supporting the need to implement smoking bans were found to be unreliable and bias. These were all strong points but the personal view can change how you look at them.
As a supporter I feel that, yes it is unfortunate that smoking bans have increased the cost of health insurance. But the fact that its because the life expectancy has risen greatly out weighs the higher costs because that is why the bans were put in place, to increase public health. This also goes for the cut in pay for employees. Yes we are at tough economic times and more money would be useful, but since health has increased the chance of going to the hospital for smoke related illnesses drops, which means you save money on actual hospital bills. A recent study by the American heart and lung association shows that health costs have dropped by 16 million since the implementation(3). Since 37 percent of non smoking adults are affected by second hand smoke, these numbers aren’t just the savings of smokers. The health benefits mentioned are just one reason for supporting smoking bans. Another reason for supporting smoking bans is the idea that it minimizes smoking and the chances of non smokers picking up smoking. A study conducted in Canada found that 20% of smokers that lived and worked in smoke free environments quit smoking within two years of the ban being enforced(2). That’s nearly a quarter of the test subjects. If bans were this effective and the results were consistent with the studies results, almost a quarter of the population would quit smoking in two years.
These stats along with my personal feelings make me believe smoking bans are beneficial to society, but there’s a point to where it needs to be the smokers choice. I believe too much regulation can have a reverse effect and people should be able to make personal choices as long as it doesn’t affect the health of others. There are many reasons I believe smoking bans are affective but the most important considers the health of both smokers and non smokers. They no longer make people have to deal with the smell of smoke in public places and it creates a healthier work environment for employees trying to make a living at their work places. I also feel it helps smokers smoke less by making it no longer convenient to light a cigarette and smoke without having to get up and leave the building. On top of those reasons I feel it doesn’t make smoking as present in everyday life, making it easier for smokers to quit smoking and less of a chance for non smokers to pick up smoking. These feelings are backed by many of the studies I mentioned earlier. As far as personal experiences.
Ultimately there wont ever be a time when everyone agrees or disagrees with smoking bans but the fact is they are making a difference. It’s the persons perspective that makes them feel whether they are good or bad and mine makes me think they are good. Nothing is ever going to create completely positive results such but if the positives outweigh the negatives it believe it is successful. The possible financial side affects of smoking bans may not be desirable, but they have definitely made positive impacts by increasing the publics health, both smokers and non smokers. Law makers need to be careful, because smoking bans do regulate a right that many Americans rely on. Too much regulation could cause negative impacts, which makes me feel that ultimately it is a personal choice to smoke and no ban should prevent a person from being able to make that choice. Freedom of choice is a right that makes our society so great and taking that away would take away a key to our societies greatness.


Source:
Seed magazine (October 27, 2010) do smoking bans work?. Dave Munger
Retrieved 11/20/10 http://seedmagazine.com/content/article/do_smoking_bans_work/

(2) Physorg.com (August 22, 2007) Study: Smoking Bans reduce smoking. Retrieved 12/1/10 http://www.physorg.com/news107021203.html

(3)Instah.com (November 21, 2010) Smoking Ban Statistics in United States and Health Effects on the heart
Retrieved 12/1/10
http://www.instah.com/quit-smoking/smoking-ban-statistics-in-united-states-and-health-effects-on-the-heart/

(4) Not to smoke.com (2010) Smoking Ban- Obstruction of Freedom?
Retrieved 12/1/10
http://www.notosmoke.com/herbal-smoking-articles/public-smoking-ban.htm

(5) smoking Statistics.org ( July 29, 2009) How Smoking Bans have affected the USA
Retrieved 12/1/10
http://www.smokingstatistics.org/How_smoking_bans_have_affected_the_USA.asp

(6) Thomas A. Lambert (2007) The Case Against Smoking Bans
Retrieved 12/1/10
http://www.cato.org/pubs/regulation/regv29n4/v29n4-4.pdf


Weatherproof Your Windows

Mon, 12/06/2010 - 22:27

Summary: /* Eliminate drafts */

[[Image:Windowsweather.jpg|thumb|300px|left|Photo by Greg Emel/[http://www.flickr.com/photos/hillsdalehouse/1795065154/ Flickr]/CC]]

The arctic cold is creeping in again in the Northern Hemisphere, and we're all cranking up the heat. As nice as your heater is, you're wasting a good bit of energy -- and money -- if your windows aren't properly weatherproofed. But with a few inexpensive fixes, you can stop the chill from coming indoors and sending your heating bill through the roof.

Here's our guide to the tried-and-true DIY methods of stopping leaks and weatherproofing your windows.

''This article is part of '''a wiki anyone can edit.''' If you have advice to add about battling the chill, log in and contribute.''


==Eliminate drafts==

The most critical step is to simply fix up your existing windows. Give your windows a thorough inspection for cracks, gaps and holes. If there are any cracked panes, replace them or seal the cracks with clear caulk. Check the putty around the edges of the glass, and seal any cracked or missing areas.

Remember that it's entirely possible for air leaks to come from both inside and outside. Inspect the exterior of your window for gaps, missing weatherstripping or other damage. Exterior repairs can usually be made with a quality latex caulk, just be careful that the caulk doesn't interfere with the operation of the window.

===Seal the sill===

If drafts are your problem, check the crack at the bottom of the window where the window meets the sill. This is where cold air often creeps in through.

To block the crack, fill a pair of socks with rice or lentils and tie off the tops. Lay the filled socks across the window sill. Of course, make sure the socks are nice-looking, and sturdy enough to hold the rice. You can also get some bean bags and lay them across the window sill. Or, measure the length of the sill and sew your own long bean bag for a custom fit.

===Add weather stripping===

The next step is to get some weather stripping and seal the edges of your windows. Weather stripping is cheap and will go a long way toward keeping out those drafty flows of outside air.

<blockquote style="margin-left:20px; padding:10px 0; border-bottom:5px solid #333; border-top:5px solid #333; display:block; float:right; width:200px; font-size:12px; color:#666;">Vinyl is your best bet, especially if you live in a place with some pretty extreme weather conditions. It's waterproof, durable and forms a tight seal. Foam and felt are cheap, but they aren't as durable and the seal isn't as tight. All of these options come in self-adhesive strips. If vinyl's too ugly, you can use copper or some other metal, but you'll have to nail it in place.</blockquote>
Measure all the surfaces between the sashes and the frame -- the sashes are the movable pieces that hold the glass panes, and the frame is the box built into the wall that holds the sashes. If you have a double-hang window that slides up on a track to open, make sure you measure across the middle of the frame where the two sashes meet when the window closes. Add up all the measurements, then add 10 to 15 percent to the length to account for mistakes. That's how much stripping you'll need.

Apply the stripping to both surfaces to be sealed, keeping things snug in the corners. Make sure the seal is tight when the window is closed.

The areas where you're attaching the strips needs to be clean and smooth. You might need to do some light scraping or sanding if you have old weather stripping that's worn off.

===Seal your windows with caulk===

Inside, especially on older wood windows that are worn from time and use, there are temporary caulks you can use to seal all the gaps around the sashes for winter temperatures. This seals the sashes of the window to the frame, so you won't be able to open the window, but these caulks peel off easily so you can remove them when the weather warms up, restoring full use of the windows.

Look for the tubes of weather stripping caulking marked "removable" and "temporary". They're usually clear, they dry solid and they don't bond to paint or finishing. One tube should be enough for two or three windows.

==Plastic==

[[Image:Windowplastic.jpg|thumb|300px|left|Plastic window coverings are nearly invisible when installed properly. Photo by Christopher Patterson/[http://www.flickr.com/photos/dimmerswitch/2227042738/in/photostream/ Flickr]/CC]]
You're probably familiar with those plastic window-sealing kits they sell at hardware stores. They work surprisingly well -- the idea is to create a pocket of insulating air between the window and the air inside your house. It's the same concept as the one used by double-pane windows, which have pockets of inert gas between the panes. You won't be able to open your windows once you cover them with plastic, but the technique definitely will cut your heating bill down to size.

These kits are easy to install -- just seal the plastic over your window with the provided double-sided tape, then use a hair drier to shrink and tighten the plastic -- but they usually cost around $20 per window.

A cheaper option is to use generic plastic sheeting. It comes in big rolls, and it costs between $3 and $5 per window. The downside is that the result won't be as attractive. Plastic sheeting is on the opaque side, so sunlight will get through to warm the house, but you won't be able to see as clearly through the window. If visibility is important, use the bulk sheeting option on the windows in your house that you don't need to see through, and go with the more expensive kits where you need the plastic to be invisible.

Tip: For extra protection -- using either bulk sheeting or the kits -- put another layer of plastic on the outside of your window as well.


==Coverings==

Double up on curtains. Hanging one set an inch or two from the window, and a second set an inch or two away from the first. It uses the same technique as the plastic by creating an air pocket. It isn't as efficient as plastic, but it's better than nothing.

==Install storm windows==

A storm window is essentially a second piece of glass fitted over your existing window.

There are custom options, but now storm windows come pre-fabricated in the most common sizes. Just head to your local big box home improvement store and pick up a few storm windows that fit your existing windows. Mount them with a drill and screw driver to the outside of your house according to the instructions.

Just like with the plastic coverings, you won't be able to open your windows. Leave a window or two uncovered for ventilation and for escape options-- we recommend the window in the bathroom.


[[Category:DIY]]
[[Category:Lifestyle]]


Build a Suspension Exercise Device for Less Than $60

Mon, 12/06/2010 - 04:09

Summary:

'''Introduction: What Are Suspension Exercises?'''

Suspension exercises utilize a person's own body weight for resistance through the use of a supporting structure or apparatus. The term "Suspension Training" is a registered trade and service mark of [http://www.fitnessanywhere.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=SFNT&AFFIL=K0ocyD6T Fitness Anywhere, Inc.] and specifically refers to the use of their TRX (a rough acronym for T-otal-body R-esistance eXercise). The TRX has been available since 2005, but the original suspension exercise, the pull-up, predates bipedalism!

With the invention of the gymnastics rings in the mid-nineteenth century, the number of possible exercises exploded. Unlike the pull-up bar, rings are accessible to beginners--with one's feet on the ground, rings can provide as little or as much resistance as the user wants; the challenge typically depends on the pitch of the body or the amount of assistance from the legs.

The true innovation behind Randy Hetrick's TRX is the merger of the gymnastics rings' two anchor points into one. A user can rotate 360 degrees around a single anchor point, allowing unencumbered movement through all planes of motion. This enables an unlimited number of exercises and offers a degree of instability that fosters functional strength and balance. At $189.95, the TRX is cheaper than most gym equipment but still too pricey for my college kids (that's a lot of Top Ramen noodles). For those on a budget, ten minutes and $60 worth of chains, carabiners and handles offer a fully functional and weatherproof clone of the TRX.

Suspension exercises are suitable for people of all ages and abilities, but only when done with proper technique. Please see the libraries available at the the [http://www.fitnessanywhere.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=SFNT&AFFIL=K0ocyD6T&RU=http://www.fitnessanywhere.com/trx-resources/trx-exercise-video.php Fitness Anywhere] and [http://www.acefitness.org/exerciselibrary/exercises.aspx?equipment=6 American Council on Exercise] websites to learn proper form before you begin. Ask your doctor or physical therapist before starting any exercise program.


'''Gather the Materials:'''

1. A length of chain from the hardware store (8 to 16 feet depending on the height of the object to which you will anchor it).

2. A short chain (1-2 feet depending on the circumference of the object around which you'll wrap it).

3. A used bicycle inner tube.

4. 3 strong carabiners from the hardware store. They should be able to hold your weight several times over.

5. 2 handles (I ordered mine online from Power Systems. Metal handles are available at second-hand sporting goods stores)


'''Assemble the Parts:'''

1. Connect the handles to opposite ends of the long chain with carabiners.
2. Connect the third carabiner to the center of the long chain and to one end of the short chain.
3. Pull the short chain through a piece of a used bicycle inner tube with a string or a coat hanger.
4. Fasten the short chain around a sturdy structure.


Hints:

* Remember, a chain is only as strong as its weakest link! Use materials that can hold your weight several times over and only attach the Chains to a sturdy structure.
* You can substitute a long eye bolt for the short chain if you have a strong structure to screw it into.
* Ensure that the chain links are wide enough for the carabiners to fit through them.
* Check that each side is the same length (if the chain links are not perfectly uniform one side might be longer than the other).
* Slide a strap through each handle and tie or sew its ends together to create foot cradles (like the ones on the TRX in the third photo below).
* At their lowest point (clipped to the very end of the chains) the handles should be a few inches from the ground--the one I made is a little too short for the chosen anchor point.


'''Learn proper suspension exercise technique!'''

Please see the libraries available at the the [http://www.fitnessanywhere.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=SFNT&AFFIL=K0ocyD6T&RU=http://www.fitnessanywhere.com/trx-resources/trx-exercise-video.php Fitness Anywhere] and [http://www.acefitness.org/exerciselibrary/exercises.aspx?equipment=6 American Council on Exercise] websites to learn proper technique before you begin.

If you have any questions, contact me at [http://www.budser.com/suspension.html budser.com] or seek the help of a certified personal trainer. Ask your doctor or physical therapist before starting any exercise program. By creating and using your own suspension device, you alone take full responsibility for your safety and well-being.


Put music or movies on Droid X

Mon, 12/06/2010 - 03:19

Summary:

''This article needs to be edited to meet quality standards. The information is here, it just needs organization and clarity. Please log in and contribute.''


'''Video''':

Video Format: H.264/MPEG4 .MP4
Size: 854x480
video bitrate: 1500
video framerate: 29.976 fps
Audio:AAC
Audio bitrate: 160 kbps
Sample Rate: 44100 HZ
Audio Channel: 2

'''Audio''':

Audio format: AAC, MP3, MPEG-4, WAV, eAAC+, WMA v10, MIDI, AAC+
This worked perfectly for the Droid.

1. If you want to play your .AVI .MKV .WMV .VOB .MOV .M2TS DVD Blu-ray on Droid X, you need to Rip or Converter them to the best Droid X video format( .MP4 H.264 854*680 AAC), just use a Droid X video converter, and just Google it.

2. Droid X Music/Movies format Specifications provided by Foxreal Droid X

'''Sync Music/Movies to Droid x'''

Step 1: Connect your Droid X with PC or Mac via USB.

Step 2: Go to Notifications , press the nitification bar at the top of the Droid X’s screen and drag it down, or press Menu - > Notifications. Then USB connection.

Next, touch USB Mass Storage and press OK. The computer will read the handset as an external drive.

Once your SD card is mounted on your PC or Mac, open the memory card in My computer/Computer.

Step 3: Transfer music/movies from your computer to Droid X. If you wanna easily sync your music/movies on Droid X, just create a folder named movie or music in the root folder on the Droid X.

Enjoy your movies/music on Droid X anytime and anywhere!

'''See more: How To Put music/movies on Droid X'''

Unmount SD card. Enjoy your Droid X Music/movies Now!


Indian Slap Bass

Sun, 12/05/2010 - 07:19

Summary:

'''Slap Bass-The evolution'''

Many changes occurred in making and playing the instrument Bass Guitar during the last century. Slapping the bass is considered to have begun in the 1920s on the Double Bass. On double bass it refers to the technique which is a more vigorous version of pizzicato, where the strings are plucked so hard that when released it bounces off the finger board, making a distinctive sound. A percussive sound is also made by smacking the strings with all four fingers of the right hand.


'''On electric bass guitar'''

"Slap bass" is referred to percussive playing technique in electric bass as well, that the style sounds and looks percussive rather than the usual fingering of notes. Slap bass is more technically called “slaps" and "pops". In the slaps, the bassist uses the bone of the thumb joint to strike the lower strings near the base of the guitar's neck. In the pops, the bassist uses the index and middle fingers of the plucking hand to snap the higher-pitched strings away from the body of the bass, causing them to bounce off the fret board; this produces a prominent buzzing tone with a sharp attack and more high-frequency vibrations than in plucked bass.

'''Innovations'''

Double Bass player, Bill Johnson is considered by many as the father of slap bass. The methods developed by Larry Graham followed by Louis Johnson are nowadays practiced by a majority of electric bass players around the globe. Some bassists use fingers instead of the thumb to do slapping. Abraham Laboriel, Sr. developed a technique of using the thumb to pop the strings while his other four fingers slap the strings. Bassist Victor Wooten uses a double thumb technique, where he slaps the string when the thumb goes downward and pops when it goes upward. This gives him extra speed to play to sound it like a drum roll on the bass guitar. Tony Levin created a similar drumming sound by using a hard surface on the fingers to strike the strings which was named Funk Fingers. Funk Fingers are kind of small drum sticks strapped to fingers. To get a metal slap tone, bassists usually use their nails to hit the strings. Doug Wimbish also plays slaps with his fingers other than thumb.

Some of the double and electric bass players who are notable in slapping the bass are Bill Johnson, Pops Foster, Wellman Braud, Chester Zardis. Milt Hinton, Kim Nekroman, Scott Owen, Alcide Pavageau, Lee Rocker, Amy LaVere, Bootsy Collins, Stanley Clarke, Jonas Hellborg, Marcus Miller, Stuart Hamn, Les Claypool, Mark King, Kai Eckhardt, Mike Gordon, Flea, Fieldy, Brian Bromberg, Gustavo Dal Farra, Stuart Zender and the list goes on and on. A close watch of these bass players reveals that each and everyone has very distinctive styles. Similarly, every musician whether he is professional or amateur has his distinctive methods and techniques hidden inside. What matters is to develop it with proper training and self motivation.


'''Applications'''

Since the acceptance of electric bass guitar in Jazz Music and subsequent revised applications of the technique since 1940's, slap bass has been increasingly attracting music lovers all over the World. When funk music became more popular, slap bass has been subjected to various experimental playing techniques. Slapping is applied in most of the music genres since the 1960’s especially in funk, disco, jazz, pop and world music fusion

During the changes in the music of the West, fusion music was silently having its own innovations. One of the inevitable instruments of India for fusion music has been Tabla. Bass players succeeded in blending the slap bass with Indian percussion instruments due to the similarity in the slap tones and sound of tabla. Jonas Hellborg and Kai Eckhardt adapted a different approach to the slap to blend it with Indian Classical music.


'''Indian Slap bass'''

“Indian Slap Bass” is playing the Bass Guitar just like the Indian classical percussion instruments Tabla, Mridangam or Kanjira. This is a very simple method because strings are hit like two drum sticks: The index finger acts like one stick and the middle and ring fingers held close together form the other stick. The exercise to begin is hitting the last string with fore finger (F) first and then with the other two fingers, middle and ring (MR). To be precise, the right hand fingering is F-MR-F-MR | F-MR-F-MR for 1-2-3-4 | 1-2-3-4. Later the playing is reversed to MR-F-MR-F | MR-F-MR-F. Subsequently it is practiced on other strings. The same exercise is also practiced on more than one string by slapping alternately. The player can choose his/her convenient position of left hand fingers on the fretboard. In the beginning it is always better to hold the strings half muted with left hand fingers. The sound created when the string is hit with MR fingers is slightly different from the sound created by F finger. The strings which are not aimed to hit may also ring in the beginning. But when it is practiced for few months, the hitting will be controlled. It is therefore better to begin this on a four string bass, because the gap between the strings is higher than other bass guitars having more strings. Many different methods/exercises can be worked out to get playability and to avoid the problems caused by crossing the strings, fingers and notes. Any method is difficult in the beginning and the result is also not apparent immediately. But those who practice persistently will succeed in the application of any difficult technique. It does not matter how an instrument is played, it only matters how it sounds.


'''The future'''

The Indian Slap Bass technique was innovated by Bass Player, Jayen Varma and his effort was appreciated by great bass players like Bootsy Collins, Jeff Berlin, Victor Wooten, Stuvart Hamn, James LoMenzo, Marcus Miller, Michael Henderson, Regi Wooten, David Pastorius, Kai Eckhardt, Phil Powell and many known and unknown bass players. It blends perfectly not only with funk, jazz or rock, but with many other genres including heavy metal. Since the right hand fingers can distinctly produce clear 16th notes on the same string, it goes well with metal music. It can also be blended beautifully with Indian classical music. Jayen Varma believes that the next generation of musicians will find the potential in its application in future music to come.



*Video Link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r_hAFabslho


Rich and Famous

Sun, 12/05/2010 - 05:38

Summary: New page: Why does the rich and famous always complain about their lives when they have everything in the world handed to them on a silver platter. Ever heard Good Charlotte’s song “Rich and th...

Why does the rich and famous always complain about their lives when they have everything in the world handed to them on a silver platter. Ever heard Good Charlotte’s song “Rich and the Famous”? “Lifestyles of the rich and the famous they’re always complaining always complaining, if money is such a problem well they got mansions think we should rob them.” They really don’t offer good role model examples to our growing population and fans with the impression that stacks of dollar bills is the best way of life. On the flip side, there are artists that offer vast role model examples who are superior both musically and environmentally friendly. Artists that influence us, the fans, in a positive way do exist out there other than the media and scandal seekers.
A few to name right off hand is the founder of Bushfire Records Jack Johnson and his inclusive talented signed artists Mason Jennings, Matt Costa, and Zack Gill. The creator and artist, Mr. Johnson, and his label made positive messages to their fans and other artists by making their CD’s and cases from recycled materials. Their recording studio is made of entire refurbished wood. Johnson is also a member of the one percent for planet organization. Last but not least, their music is not only inspiring and positive, it helps raise money for various shows, organizations, charities. Rather than spending money on fancy Lamborghinis and outrageous court costs for indecent exposure like Lindsay Lohan and Brittany Spears.
Jack Johnson an American singer, song writer, film maker, surfer, and record label owner was born and raised on the north shore of Oahu, Hawaii. He started off as a professional surfer but was later forced to quite because of a tragic accident and while recovering in the hospital is when he began writing songs. He graduated high school and received a film degree in Santa Barbara, California. His breakthrough came after his friend G Love covered his song Rodeo Clowns for G Love’s album entitled Philadelphonic. Shortly after the release of G Loves album Jack caught the ear of JP Plunier, Ben Harper’s producer, who worked with Johnson to bring his debut album, Brushfire Fairytales to music stands around the world in early two thousand and one. He married his college sweetheart Kim where they live with their three children in Hawaii on the island of Oahu.
Instead The label uses one hundred percent post consumer waste recycled paper and plastic to make their CD cases. From the exterior to the interior of the studio the label once again uses one hundred percent post consumer waste to build it. The entire studio walls are made of refurbished wood that are insulted with cotton and jean scraps. The roof is constructed from recycled shingles and the solar panels power the studio and offices below. Unlike most artists who have over the top fancy light fixtures and over use electricity without finding other helpful resources, Brushfire Records monitors their energy use and benefit energy efficient light fixtures and supplies. When on tour his trucks and tour buses run on biodiesal despite all other artists in their fancy limos and cars with the atrocious smoke clouds.
In two thousand and four Johnson became the fiftieth member to the join the one percent for planet organization. Later on that year he promoted the one percent logo on his album, In Between Dreams, and ever since then has printed it on his albums. Like artist Little John who promotes Krunk Juice or Beyonce, make-up collections, Jack Johnson promotes to show how to give a little back to mother nature The Brushfire Records signed artists including Jack Johnson and twelve hundred companies donate one percent of their sales to a network of more than eighteen hundred environmental organizations world wide. At his concerts Johnson screens a short film about the one percent campaign to get the word out on the organization. Most other artists that I have seen live worry about all the cool illusions and effects they can perform rather than taking a few moments to help promote something good for the environment.
Rather than seeing Johnson in headlines or magazine covers for DUI charges or influencing violence and animal cruelty such as Michael Vick, he is in the media making a positive impact on today’s society. Jack Johnson is involved in many charities and non-profit organizations that help raise money for several occasions. One major charity is the Kokua Hawaii Foundation. It is an organization he started for the schools in the Hawaii communities. It teaches students to appreciate and understand the importance of being environmentally friendly so they learn to take better care of the land. Their use of hand on techniques leave a long lasting impression in the children and encourages them to be creative and inventive in thinking of new ways to reuse, reduce, and recycle. Every year the program in funded by a festival Johnson holds which includes big names such as Ben Harper, Willy Nelson, Eddie Vedder, Matt Costa, and Dave Matthews. From the success of the Kokua Hawaii Foundation Johnson has now partnered up with several other non-profit organizations. A few include… Head Count is a non-profit organization that uses live music to encourage people to register to vote and voice their opinion in democracy. Water Keeper Alliance is s program Johnson is involved with to protect and preserve water from polluters. Him and his crew also started the Johnson Ohana Charitable Foundation. The charity promises to match any donations the fans agree to give in the Village Green (environmentally friendly information stands) areas at his concerts. I know what your thinking, “ok, right, he supports this many organizations without wanting media attention for the fame and fortune, who does that”? He truly is an inspiring artist who contributes to making the world a better place and does make money by media spotlight, but it’s inspiring and betters our environment. I mean who else has a song like his entitled, 3 R Song (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle) made for kids to have fun singing and dancing the wonderful ways to better our world .
In conclusion, there are several artistst that do everything for the flashiest, most overpaid, overuse of resources to gas guzzling cars and music videos that only weaken our environment and sends out negative messages. Artists do contribute to charities and non-profit organizations once in while, but like Jack Johnson he makes it an everyday routine to better our world. Johnson is not at all concerned with luxuries but finds great interest in bettering the world by being environmentally friendly. From cleaning rivers to crew re-use of water bottles to buying organic food to promoting peace to encouraging and helping people to register vote, Johnson is an artist that stands out as a true and respectable role model for everyone. Jack Johnson, good music, good person, green decisions.
 


Work Cites:
1.) “One Percent for the Planet.” Highlands Publishing. 2005. Web 10 November 2010.
http://www.greensteps.org/steptwo/onepercent.htm

2.) “All at Once.” Author Unknown. Web 10 November 2010.
http://allatonce.org/nonprofits/

3.) “Jack Johnson to the Sea.” Universal Republic. 06 August 2010. 11 November 2010.
http://www.marketwire.com/press-release/Jack-Johnson-Announces-Donation-up-to-70000-for-Gulf-Oil-Spill-Relief-1301482.htm

4.) “Jack Johnson Letting It All Out.” Donnelly, Tim. 3 April 2008. Web 11 November 2010.
http://www.huckmagazine.com/features/jack-johnson/





 


How to Edit Blogs from Smartphone Via Mobile Browser, and Completely Forget the Computer!

Sat, 12/04/2010 - 15:36

Summary:



The exponential growth of mobile technology is allowing smart-phone users to carry out most of the internet related tasks on their device itself with no need to remain dependent on the availability of either a desktop or a laptop.

One of these activities that's gaining momentum is blogging. But mobile blogging is still restricted to what we call micro-blogging, as it's not possible to categorize the posts and also publish useful links in a presentable manner. For that, we have no option but to use our computer.

Yes, there are a few apps available that we may install on our device. Word-Press has recently launched an app, but installing it eats away a huge memory slowing down the phone; Typepad too officially have a mobile app but it doesn't work on my blackberry, and I'm sure elsewhere too, and Blogger is still far away from coming out with a convenient solution.

Obviously, we bloggers, from all over the world, have no option but to hang-on to our desktop or laptop for incorporating necessary modifications after posting articles via email. Right?

Not really, there's a solution to this problem that I could work-out a few months ago -- and, I've been using it since then for updating my blog entries from a blackberry smart-phone.

I've successfully tried it on Blogger, Wordpress and Typepad -- and the methodology is more or less same except a few tricks here and there.

Let me explain how it works for blogger blogs:

Assuming that you already know the procedure for email posting,

1. Send an article to your blog via email. ( Keep the post setting in 'draft' mode by making necessary changes in in blogger account through your desktop or laptop)

2. Now point your mobile browser at m.operamini.com to download and install the mobile browser 'Opera Mini.'

3. Once completely installed, type www.blogger.com to open blogger dashboard after duly feeding your user name and password.

4. Scroll down a bit to locate 'edit post' button and click on it, and you'll be presented with a list of postings.

5. Locate the post, you just mailed, from the list (which should be at the top) - being shown as draft - and click on corresponding edit button located just above the title.

6. What appears next, is what you've been eagerly waiting for: The edit page, where you can change your post title, make necessary changes in blog content and also allot relevant categories.

Do it, and then click on red color 'Publish Post' button. First click will take you to an irreverent destination but don't lose heart and go back to previous page, and click the same button again -- and you're through. Your post is published!

7. You will be seeing the message 'Your blog post published successfully.' Just below that message you will notice 'view post' which you may click to open you published post and check, if the changes you made on your smart-phone are included or not. Don't worry, they would be, as I've already done it a few thousand times.

8. Now, what I'm going share with you is something amazing: Since the edit function that you open on your smart-phone is in html mode, you can make any change that you want just by embedding relevant scripts -- including changing link text, incorporating quote, changing font size, and even image and video.

So, I keep blogging from my Blackberry Curve- in totality - even if I'm travelling, and mind it, for that, I need not open a laptop or install a memory eating application on my smart-phone. In fact, I rarely use laptop now a days.

Why don't you try it on you smart-phone, and let me know -- that it works!

Cross-posted from [http://www.abhijitkar.com]


Print With Any Printer From iPad, iPhone

Fri, 12/03/2010 - 20:14

Summary:

[[Image:Ipadrelease277.jpg|thumb|630px|left|Photo by Bryan Derballa/Wired.com]]

Apple's latest mobile-operating-system update introduces a much-demanded feature: wireless printing. Problem is, it will only officially print from printers labeled "AirPrint-compatible," which you likely don't own. However, if you want to print from just about any printer, there's a mod for that.

AirPrint Activator offers a solution for Macs to set up wireless printing with iOS 4.2 with any printer shared on your network. Here's how to set it up, with instructions courtesy of the hack's maker, [http://netputing.com/airprintactivator Netputing].


''This article is part of '''a wiki anyone can edit.''' If you have advice to add about printing from the iPad to any printer, log in and contribute.''

===You will need===


* Mac OS X Snow Leopard 10.6.5
* iTunes 10.1 (if you have neither, select the Apple icon in the upper-left corner of your screen and click "Software Updates" to download the latest software.
* [http://netputing.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/AirPrint-Activator-v1.0.zip AirPrint Activator] [.zip]


''Note:'' Netputing has removed the original file for this hack, AirPrint Hacktivator, per Apple's request. Airprint Activator accomplishes the same thing without breaking any of Apple's rules. Download [http://netputing.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/AirPrint-Activator-v1.0.zip Airprint Activator] [.zip] instead.

===How to proceed===

[[Image:Airprint.jpg|right]]
1. Copy the AirPrint Activator software into your Applications folder, then launch the app.

2. Toggle the switch to "On."

3. Enter your admin password.

4. A window will prompt you to add the printer you want to use with AirPrint.

5. The hack will launch the Print & Fax utility in your Settings folder, and you'll be able to perform the add-printer task here.

6. And you should be ready to start printing!


===Video===

See the video below by Netputing, the hack's creator, for a visual tutorial.

<youtube>Id5VOiO8Jd8</youtube>


''Originally submitted by [http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2010/12/ipad-iphone/ Gadget Lab] contributor Brian X. Chen.''

[[Category:IPad]]
[[Category:IPod and IPhone]]
[[Category:Work]]
[[Category:Computers]]


Build an Igloo

Fri, 12/03/2010 - 19:58

Summary:

[[Image:St howtoownwinter6 f.jpg|thumb|315px|left|Illustration: David Wilson/Wired]]
If you're planning an excursion into the frozen tundra, learn a few tricks from those who've lived there the longest. The Inuit of Northern Canada have been making shelters out of snow and ice as long as the white stuff has been around.

An igloo is warmer and more durable than a tent, providing better insulation from the harsh winter elements. Here's a guide to building an Inuit snow house.

''This article is part of '''a wiki anyone can edit.''' If you have advice to add about building an igloo, log in and contribute.''
<br clear="all" />

===Some advice===


It will probably take you five or six hours to build an igloo that sleeps two adults comfortably.

All you need is a large knife (a saw is helpful, too), a shovel, and a strong back. Any shovel will do, but you'll have an easier time if you use a small, sturdy snow shovel, like the kind found at outdoor and camping supply stores.


===Step 1: Pack the snow===

To replicate the dense, wind-packed snow of Inuit country, shovel it into a 2-foot-high, 10-foot-square sheet cake and stomp it down. Use snowshoes or a snowboard to stomp, if you have them. Wait a few hours, allowing the ice crystals to interlock and strengthen.


===Step 2: Slice the blocks===

Cut blocks roughly 2 feet long, 1 foot wide, and 1.5 feet high. Think of them as big, cold Legos.


===Step 3: Build the dome===

Mark out a ring 6 feet across and begin stacking blocks in an ascending spiral. Use larger blocks at the bottom and smaller blocks at the top.

When setting the first layer of blocks, shave a slope into the top surface of each block so the wall curves inward as it rises.

The best way to ensure a tight fit is to place a block and then cut through the joint. Work from the inside.

Once the dome is underway, lower the floor of your igloo to give you more headroom, then level it out.

Place the last few blocks on top with the help of somebody standing inside. You can spear the last few blocks on a knife to stabilize them as you lower them into place.

To place the anchor block at the top, cut a block bigger than the last hole. Spear the block on the end of a knife and hold it above the hole from the inside. Then, cut it with another knife to fit into the hole.


===Step 4: Finish it up===

Smooth out the blocks inside and out. Push the excess snow into the joints between blocks, sealing any holes or cracks.

Cut a doorway. Additionally, you can help protect yourself from the wind by digging down into the snow to make an entrance, so that you duck down to enter, then stand up inside.

Poke a hole in the dome for air. To brighten up the joint, replace one block with pure ice — voilà, a picture window!


===Additional advice===

The National Film Board of Canada has an [http://www.nfb.ca/film/How_to_Build_an_Igloo/ instructional video].



''Originally submitted by Wired contributor Bob Parks''

[[Category:Survival]]
[[Category:Travel]]


Free to rip movie DVD discs to iPod touch 4

Fri, 12/03/2010 - 17:53

Summary: New page: Apple unveiled the 4th generation iPod Touch on September 1, 2010. It features Apple's Retina display and two cameras; one for FaceTime and the other for photos and HD video recording. In ...

Apple unveiled the 4th generation iPod Touch on September 1, 2010. It features Apple's Retina display and two cameras; one for FaceTime and the other for photos and HD video recording. In relation to iPod touch 4 new svelte size, i prefer its screen. Apple calls this screen a Retina Display screen and god is it ever a great gift for your eyes. This 3.5" screen is gorgeous as it not only has a twice the resolution of the previous model at a whopping 640x960 but also has TWICE the DPI at 326. These key hardware upgrades mean you can take iPod touch 4 as a stunning media player even a DVD player.


Actually, there has been alot guys to ask how to transfer DVD movies to iPod touch 4, or get some free working DVD to iPod touch 4 converter. If you have some awesome DVD movies, and are being at a loss about how to rip movie DVDs to iPod touch 4, this text will display how to convert DVD to iPod touch 4 for free.

'''How to convert DVD to iPod touch 4 for free'''

For DVD fans, [http://handbrake.fr/ Handbrake] is no stranger as a free DVD Ripping software. It's a free Windows utility for ripping videos from DVDs and saving them in various formats including MP4 files that are playable by the iPod Touch 4. Below is a quick guide for converting DVD to iPod touch 4:

* Insert the desired DVD into your computer's optical drive

* Download HandBrake and launch the application

* You should be presented with a prompt to open a source. If not, select File > Open Source and choose your DVD.

* Select Presets > Update Presets.

* Click the -Toggle Presets" button in the upper right corner of the main window.

* Select iPod Touch from the resulting list

* Click the -Start" button in the upper-left of the main window
* Click the -Show Queue" button, then the arrow next to your movie's name. This will tell you where HandBrake is saving the resulting .MP4 file.

However, there is no free lunch in the world. If your DVDs are encrypted by CSS, Handbrake is willing to help but unable to do so about this. For protected DVDs, the first thing you will need to do when ripping a movie DVD to iPod touch 4 is remove the copy protection. So, i will show you how to convert commercial DVDs(Protected) to iPod touch 4

'''How to convert encrypted DVDs to iPod touch 4'''

Most DVD discs use a variant of the Content Scrambling System(CSS), but many also use other techniques. Although some DVD-ripping apps, like autoMKV, can bypass copy protection, they are not updated as frequently and aren't always successful at defeating new copy protection schemes. Your best choice , therefore, is to top one of the utilities that are dedicated to the task, such as Wondershare DVD Ripper platinum.

Wondershare [http://dvdrippingsoftwares.com DVD ripping software] justifies its high price by bypassing new forms of encryption almost immediately after they appear. This apps serve as on-the-fly disc decrypters, stripping copy protection before your ripping or playback software recognizes the disc. Want to rip an encrypted disc to your iPod touch 4? It is as easy as coping contents of the disc's VIDEO_TS files to your iPod touch 4 once you installed Wondershare DVD Ripper platinum.

Step1. [http://dvdrippingsoftwares.com/dvd-ripper-software.html Free Download Wondershare DVD Ripper platinum], install and run it.

Step2. Put DVD to this App through pressing "Load DVD" button. You can either choose load DVD Folder, ISO file, IFO file, or your DVD disc.

Step3. Set the output format on "Profile": iPod touch 4 (*.mp4)

Step 3 click "Start" to begin the DVD to iPod touch 4 conversion.

A full length DVD rip will generally take around 60 minutes to process(If your Graphics is NVIDIA® CUDATM, you will get 5x speed to rip DVD). This time will depend on the speed of your processor, optical drive and whether you are using your PC for other tasks during the rip/encode process. Once the DVD rip has completed you will want to add the file to iTunes so you can sync it with your iPod Touch 4. To do this open iTunes, navigate to the file menu → add to library and select your new video file. The file will then be added to your library and available for sync with your iPod touch 4.


Modify the promotion of destinations

Fri, 12/03/2010 - 15:43

Summary: Modification of how destinations may promote themselves from a new perspective

Which arguments make a destination attractive for tourists? Is there a correspondence between what tourists expect from a destination, and how the Destination Management Organizations (DMO) promotes it?
Webatelier.net (www.webatelier.net), a research laboratory of the Faculty of Communication Sciences at the Università della Svizzera italiana (Lugano, Switzerland), conducted a research to define which are the reasons that push tourists to visit a potential destination in the online tourism domain. Moreover the research investigates if the promotion pull factors used by the Destination Management Organization (DMO) correspond to the visitors expectations.

The study, called “Destination Marketing: why tourists like a destination? A research in eTourism and Argumentation”, analyzed the Republic of Malta as a case study destination.
The research aims at giving a practical contribution to the Destination Management Organizations in finding solutions for developing new marketing strategies and to improve and increase the interest of potential customers.

The study received a strong attention by the academic community, it will be presented at ENTER2011 (The 18th International Conference on Information Technology and Travel&Tourism – http://www.enter2011.org) and that it will be published in the proceedings.

The study can be downloaded at the following link: http://www.webatelier.net/research/reports/white-paper-destination-marketing


Build booking engines for hotels

Fri, 12/03/2010 - 15:41

Summary: Suugestion to develop booking engines for hotels

What are booking engines’ main functionalities? How can booking engines sound as the welcoming voice of a receptionist?

Webatelier.net (www.webatelier.net), a research laboratory of the Faculty of Communication Sciences at the Università della Svizzera italiana (Lugano, Switzerland) conducted a research to investigate contents and functionalities of the main hotel chains' booking engines worldwide.

During the research, called “Booking Engines for Hotel Chains”, 162 international Hotel Chains have been analyzed in order to improve the quality and the efficiency of the services provided by hotel booking engines. The research aimed at measuring the interactivity of reservation systems through relevant practices.
Results give a contribution to the hotel management in finding new solutions to better design and increase the online business.

Considering that the study received a strong attention by the academic community, it will be presented at ENTER2011 (The 18th International Conference on Information Technology and Travel&Tourism – http://www.enter2011.org) and that it will be published in the proceedings.

The study can be viewed on http://www.webatelier.net/research/reports/white-paper-booking-engines-for-hotel-chains


Transition to the New Google Apps

Fri, 12/03/2010 - 00:34

Summary: New page: [[Image:Google docs.png|right]] If you're a paying Google Apps customer, you were curiously on the losing end for a long time. Google's paid version of its core app suite starts at $50 pe...

[[Image:Google docs.png|right]]
If you're a paying Google Apps customer, you were curiously on the losing end for a long time.

Google's paid version of its core app suite starts at $50 per year per user, and you get Google's services behind your own domain name instead of the common, free @gmail.com address. You can use the famous Gmail interface, but with any e-mail address from a domain of your choosing, plus you get extra support and security features. Mail, Docs, Calendar and Sites are also included in the core package, and you can install additional third-party apps to run locally.

But the rest of the Google apps -- Reader, Google Voice, Picasa, YouTube, and so on -- couldn't be accessed using that same account until recently. After a couple years of awkwardly trying to explain the technical hurdles, [http://www.webmonkey.com/2010/11/google-closes-the-app-gap/ Google finally updated its Apps service] to allow paying users to access most Google products that were previously only available to those with free Google accounts.

That's good news for anyone who's been wanting to use their Google Apps account to tie together e-mail, a feed reader, a YouTube channel, a Blogger blog, and anything else in Googleland.

As part of the process, the name of the service changed from "Google Apps for Your Domain" to simply "[http://www.google.com/apps/intl/en/business/index.html Google Apps]."

Unfortunately, the transition from the old system to the new system requires a little effort on your part. Here's our guide for managing the switch, whether you're a single user or the administrator for a small business with a number of accounts.

''This article is part of '''a wiki anyone can edit.''' If you have advice to add for other Google Apps admins, log in and contribute.''


===Administrators only===

In order to get the transition process started, you're going to need to be the domain administrator. If you've set up Google Apps for Your Domain for your personal website then you most likely are the admin.


===Getting started===

The first thing you'll need to do is login to your Google Apps account as the admin user. Then click the "Manage this domain" link in the upper right corner of the screen. That will take you to the domain's main dashboard management page where you should see a message inviting you to transition your account.

If you don't see the link, well, be patient. As with most Google upgrades this a rolling release, so keep checking back. Or, if you'd like to expedite the process, use [https://spreadsheets1.google.com/a/google.com/viewform?hl=en&formkey=dGdfTTA2eGhFT0c0SDVLXzMzMFNwUUE6MA#gid=0 this form] to let Google know that you want to test the new setup.

Assuming you already have the option to make the transition, click the "Get started" button. The next screen gives you and overview of what the transition means both for users and admins. Review the information there, and then click "Continue."


===Picking apps===

[[Image:Googleservicesscreen.jpg|thumb|250px|right]]
The next page has a complete list of all the Google services that are available to Google Apps users. Select the services you want to make available to your users and then click confirm new services.
<br clear="all" />

===Picking users===

The next thing you need to decide is whether you'd like to transition all users on the domain, or selectively transition individual accounts.

[[Image:Googlesusersscreen.jpg|thumb|630px|left]]

For large Google Apps accounts with hundreds of users, we suggest starting with a few test accounts just to make sure everything works the way you'd like (be aware that Google says anyone you leave out will be "automatically transitioned in early 2011"). If it's just your personal domain, then feel free to transition everything.

The last step is to simply confirm everything you've just done. Check all the boxes saying you understand what you're doing, then choose either "Start the transition" or "Transition later."

===Problems and Gotchas===

The biggest problem will likely be [https://www.google.com/support/a/bin/answer.py?answer=185172 conflicting accounts]. An account conflict happens when a user creates a personal Google Account with the same email address/username as their Google Apps account. For example if your Google Apps account is me@mydomain.com and you used that e-mail to sign up for personal Google account, then there will be a conflict.

For now, Google is not transitioning conflicted accounts without a fairly complex workaround. Either your users with conflicting accounts need to change the e-mail address for the account in question, or they need to log in with a temporary username provided by Google. For full details see the [https://www.google.com/support/a/bin/answer.py?answer=185186 Google Support Page].

Another thing to be aware of when transitioning your accounts is that in some cases you may not be able to log in to your accounts the same way you used to. For example, if you want to log in to two Gmail accounts, one with your @gmail username and other with your Google Apps username, you may run into problems.

Because of the way browser cookies work, you may want to enable multiple sign-ins for your users, which will allow them to use multiple accounts simultaneously. Multiple signs will work with Gmail, Reader, Calendar, Code, Sites and Voice. For everything else, you'll either need to sign out first or use multiple web browsers.


''Got any additional tips or workarounds for transitioning or dealing with account conflicts? Please contribute to the wiki by adding them here.''

[[Category:Work]]
[[Category:Google]]
[[Category:Software]]


Indian Slap Bass a new genre Funk

Wed, 12/01/2010 - 13:02

Summary: New page: '''Slap Bass-The evolution''' Many changes occurred in making and playing the instrument Bass Guitar during the last century. Slapping the bass is considered to have begun in the 1920s on...

'''Slap Bass-The evolution'''

Many changes occurred in making and playing the instrument Bass Guitar during the last century. Slapping the bass is considered to have begun in the 1920s on the Double Bass. On double bass it refers to the technique which is a more vigorous version of pizzicato, where the strings are plucked so hard that when released it bounces off the finger board, making a distinctive sound. A percussive sound is also made by smacking the strings with all four fingers of the right hand.


'''On electric bass guitar'''

"Slap bass" is referred to percussive playing technique in electric bass as well, that the style sounds and looks percussive rather than the usual fingering of notes. Slap bass is more technically called “slaps" and "pops". In the slaps, the bassist uses the bone of the thumb joint to strike the lower strings near the base of the guitar's neck. In the pops, the bassist uses the index and middle fingers of the plucking hand to snap the higher-pitched strings away from the body of the bass, causing them to bounce off the fret board; this produces a prominent buzzing tone with a sharp attack and more high-frequency vibrations than in plucked bass.


'''Innovations'''

Double Bass player, Bill Johnson is considered by many as the father of slap bass. The methods developed by Larry Graham followed by Louis Johnson are nowadays practiced by a majority of electric bass players around the globe. Some bassists use fingers instead of the thumb to do slapping. Abraham Laboriel, Sr. developed a technique of using the thumb to pop the strings while his other four fingers slap the strings. Bassist Victor Wooten uses a double thumb technique, where he slaps the string when the thumb goes downward and pops when it goes upward. This gives him extra speed to play to sound it like a drum roll on the bass guitar. Tony Levin created a similar drumming sound by using a hard surface on the fingers to strike the strings which was named Funk Fingers. Funk Fingers are kind of small drum sticks strapped to fingers. To get a metal slap tone, bassists usually use their nails to hit the strings. Doug Wimbish also plays slaps with his fingers other than thumb.

Some of the double and electric bass players who are notable in slapping the bass are Bill Johnson, Pops Foster, Wellman Braud, Chester Zardis. Milt Hinton, Kim Nekroman, Scott Owen, Alcide Pavageau, Lee Rocker, Amy LaVere, Bootsy Collins, Stanley Clarke, Jonas Hellborg, Marcus Miller, Stuart Hamn, Les Claypool, Mark King, Kai Eckhardt, Mike Gordon, Flea, Fieldy, Brian Bromberg, Gustavo Dal Farra and the list goes on and on. A close watch of these bass players reveals that each and everyone has very distinctive styles. Similarly, every musician whether he is professional or amateur has his distinctive methods and techniques hidden inside. What matters is to develop it with proper training and self motivation.


'''Applications'''

Since the acceptance of electric bass guitar in Jazz Music and subsequent revised applications of the technique since 1940's, slap bass has been increasingly attracting music lovers all over the World. When funk music became more popular, slap bass has been subjected to various experimental playing techniques. Slapping is applied in most of the music genres since the 1960’s especially in funk, disco, jazz, pop and world music fusion

During the changes in the music of the West, fusion music was silently having its own innovations. One of the inevitable instruments of India for fusion music has been Tabla. Bass players succeeded in blending the slap bass with Indian percussion instruments due to the similarity in the slap tones and sound of tabla. Jonas Hellborg and Kai Eckhardt adapted a different approach to the slap to blend it with Indian Classical music.



'''The Innovation'''

The Indian Tabla style technique was innovated by Bass Player, Jayen Varma. Even from the beginning of his bass playing career in 1986 the tabla/mridangam style technique was more convenient for him than the usual slap method. May be because he had some training in the Indian percussion instrument mridangam, application of this technique on the strings was easy for him. In the early 1990s, when he could not get a slap tone due to inefficient pick ups and guitars available at that time, he was forced to use hard plastic pipe pieces on the fore finger and middle finger to get the tone while playing like a tabla. That was a success as far as tones were concerned, but the playability was comparatively poor. In those days the music genres he used to play in bands did not require slap bass, so he had to keep that idea aside after experimenting for few years. In the early days he did not have enough access to the world outside India, but in one of the videos of the great Abraham Laboriel he heard him say that what is important is the sound that is produced and not necessarily how the bass is played. Those words lit the fire inside him; therefore he decided to move ahead with this unconventional style. Later on he was encouraged by the words of some of the greatest names in the bass world; Bootsy Collins, Jeff Berlin, Victor Wooten, Stuvart Hamn, James LoMenzo, Marcus Miller, Michael Henderson, Regi Wooten, David Pastorius, Kai Eckhardt, Phil Powell and many known and unknown bass players.

'''How to practice'''

“Indian Slap Bass” is playing the Bass Guitar just like the Indian classical percussion instruments Tabla, Mridangam or Kanjira. This is a very simple method because strings are hit like two drum sticks: The index finger acts like one stick and the middle and ring fingers held close together form the other stick. The exercise to begin is hitting the last string with fore finger (F) first and then with the other two fingers, middle and ring (MR). To be precise, the right hand fingering is F-MR-F-MR | F-MR-F-MR for 1-2-3-4 | 1-2-3-4. Later the playing is reversed to MR-F-MR-F | MR-F-MR-F. Subsequently it is practiced on other strings. The same exercise is also practiced on more than one string by slapping alternately. The player can choose his/her convenient position of left hand fingers on the fretboard. In the beginning it is always better to hold the strings half muted with left hand fingers. The sound created when the string is hit with MR fingers is slightly different from the sound created by F finger. The strings which are not aimed to hit may also ring in the beginning. But when it is practiced for few months, the hitting will be controlled. It is therefore better to begin this on a four string bass, because the gap between the strings is higher than other bass guitars having more strings. Many different methods/exercises can be worked out to get playability and to avoid the problems caused by crossing the strings, fingers and notes. Any method is difficult in the beginning and the result is also not apparent immediately. But those who practice persistently will succeed in the application of any difficult technique. It does not matter how an instrument is played, it only matters how it sounds.


'''The future'''

Indian Slap Bass blends perfectly not only with funk, jazz or rock, but with many other genres including heavy metal. Since the right hand fingers can distinctly produce clear 16th notes on the same string, it goes well with metal music when the high frequencies are cut with equalizers. It can also be blended beautifully with Indian classical music. Jayen Varma believes that the next generation of musicians will find the potential in its application in future music to come.



== Courtesy ==


* Article courtesy http://www.jayenvarma.net/?page_id=8

* Video Link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r_hAFabslho


Human Embryonic Stem Cell

Wed, 12/01/2010 - 03:57

Summary: New page: Embryonic Stem Cell Research How would you feel if you never had to worry about someone you love getting an incurable disease? Well, with the recent studies...

Embryonic Stem Cell Research
How would you feel if you never had to worry about someone you love getting an incurable disease? Well, with the recent studies on human embryonic stem cells, cancer and many more diseases will potentially have a cure. Just think how great it would be to know that future generations will have so many more life saving procedures and techniques. There is even a possibility that perhaps one day we can find the cause of birth defects.
What is human embryonic stem cell research? Human embryonic stem cell (H.E.S for short) is research done on embryos that are fertilized in an in vitro office that are donated from the egg and sperm donors with a signed consent. What happens is these families use in vitro to have a fertilized egg implanted into the mother in order to have a child. Well, because several eggs are fertilized to ensure pregnancy more fertilized embryos than needed are produced. Instead of the embryos being tossed in the trash researchers are using these embryos to do research (again with a signed consent) to obtain cures for major diseases like cancer.
All stem cells have three general properties: they are capable of dividing and renewing themselves for long periods; they are unspecialized; and they can give rise to specialized cell types. (Stem Cell Information) Embryonic stem cells are blank cells that have not yet been categorized or programmed by the body, and can be prompted to generate any of the 220 human cell types. (White) What this means is when a stem cell divides, each new cell has the potential either to remain a stem cell or become another type of cell with a more specialized function, such as a muscle cell, a red blood cell, or a brain cell. (Stem Cell Information) Everyone knows someone or has been themselves injured in a car accident, and some of which resulted in brain damage. Instead of losing part of their brain they can have it repaired with these stem cells that can become specialized brain cells that would in turn repair the dead or injured part of the brain by inhibiting themselves into that portion of the brain.
Scientists see almost infinite value in the use of embryonic stem cell research to understand human development and the growth and treatment of diseases. (White)Some diseases that might be treated by transplanting cells generated from human embryonic stem cells include Parkinson's disease, diabetes, traumatic spinal cord injury, Duchene’s muscular dystrophy, heart disease, and vision and hearing loss. (Stem Cell Information) Can you imagine what it would be like if you never had to worry about your child getting sick from a disease because of the cures that can be created with this research? Even though it may be a decade or longer before any real breakthroughs are made researchers regard this as the greatest potential for the alleviation of human suffering since the advent of antibiotics. (White) Not to mention there have been two approved studies on humans by the FDA this year alone. One of those studies is on Stargardt’s macular dystrophy which is a progressive form of blindness and the other is using the stem cells on people’s spinal cords that have been crushed. (Peter Marcus) I could not even imagine what it would be like for a blind person to be able to see or what it would feel like to know you might be able to walk again.
Given their unique regenerative abilities, stem cells offer new potentials for treating diseases such as diabetes, and heart disease. (Stem Cell Information) This will hit home for many people simply due to the fact that nearly 24 million people in the US alone have some sort of diabetes and about 82 million people in the US have some sort of heart disease. This is something the researchers are working on diligently to see what kind of cures they can find. There are so many possibilities of saving someone’s life and even making one’s daily life so much easier. Just think about all the things a diabetic has to go through every day from checking their sugar levels to giving themselves shots and for some people this has to be done four or five times a day. With this research a cure can be found and all of it would go away. How about the person with a heart disease that has to wear heart monitors everywhere they go. Not only is it embarrassing to have people staring at you but you have a potential of that heart monitor failing and having no one around that can help.
Now that we know what human embryonic stem cell research is, why don’t we get into the moral side of things for a moment. This is a very touchy subject for some people being that this is a human embryo that is duplicating itself and being tested on in a laboratory. “Some staunch pro-lifers and most pro-life organizations regard the destruction of the blastocyst, which is a laboratory-fertilized human egg, to be the murder of human life. They believe that life begins at conception, and that destruction of this pre-born life is morally unacceptable.” (White) This quote says it all, “pre-born life” without a womb to carry the embryo it is not living. I want you to think for a moment, is it really morally wrong to do research on this embryo that would normally be thrown in the trash? It has absolutely zero chance of surviving outside a womb and would become extinct once thrown away. I have been in several debates with friends and family on this topic where they would tell me “how could you believe in this how can this be good?” The one thing I say to all of them is if it could save your child or your mother’s life would you want them to do it? Not one of them said no. Why should these researchers let these embryos go to waste when so much progress can be made? When it is all said and done there is just too much to lose if we don’t do this research.



Works Cited
Peter Marcus, DDN Staff Writer. Embryonic stem trial raises concerns. 24 November 2010. 24 November 2010 <http://www.thedenverdailynews.com/article.php?aID=10821>.
Stem Cell Information. 28 April 2009. 20 November 2010 <http://stemcells.nih.gov/info/basics/basics1.asp>.
White, Deborah. Pros & Cons of Embryonic Stem Cell Research. 23 November 2010 <http://usliberals.about.com/od/stemcellresearch/i/StemCell1.htm>.


Improve Your iPad's Battery Life

Tue, 11/30/2010 - 21:48

Summary: New page: [[Image:IPadVideoKillDVD.jpg|thumb|630px|left|Photo by Jon Snyder/Wired]] Part of the iPad's appeal is its long battery life -- Apple claims the wi-fi-only version will last ten hours, a...

[[Image:IPadVideoKillDVD.jpg|thumb|630px|left|Photo by Jon Snyder/Wired]]


Part of the iPad's appeal is its long battery life -- Apple claims the wi-fi-only version will last ten hours, and the 3G iPad will last nine hours before needing a charge. Both of those stats are pretty impressive.

Of course, what happens in the real world is considerably different than what happens in Apple's laboratory stress tests. Watch movies continuously at full brightness with push e-mail notifications for a dozen accounts going in the background and you aren't likely to get six or seven hours out of the iPad.

In our experience, it is possible to get close to Apple's claims, provided you're willing to turn off a few features and dim your screen a bit. Here's our guide to making your iPad battery last as long as possible.

''This article is part of a wiki anyone can edit. If you have extra advice, corrections, or tips for keeping your iPad alive longer, please log in and contribute. There's a section at the bottom for additional tips that don't fit into the two main sections.''


===The obvious===

* '''Lock your iPad''' when you aren't using it. Sure, it will auto-lock after a set period of time, but why leave it sitting there wasting battery when it's so simple to lock? While you're at it, shorten the auto-lock settings; head to '''Settings''' > '''General''' > '''Auto-Lock''' and set the interval to a shorter time -- a minute at the most.


* '''Dim the screen.''' This is probably the biggest single thing you can do to save battery life. By default, the iPad has its Auto-Brightness feature turned on. This means the screen adjusts to the ambient lighting around you. That's convenient, but in low light situations, the screen is running at battery-draining level of brightness for no reason. Head to '''Settings''' > '''Brightness & Wallpaper''' and notch the brightness down a bit.


* '''Ditch the case.''' Some cases can cause the iPad to become quite warm. The rechargeable Lithium-based battery in the iPad is sensitive to heat, and it lasts longer when it's cooled. Taking the iPad out of its case will keep it from retaining heat, giving you more battery life. Not much, but every bit counts sometimes. Apple says 72° F (or 22° C) is the ideal working temperature. Also, taking your iPad out of its case while charging it will help, since it generates extra heat while charging.


* '''Completely drain your battery.''' Every so often (Apple says once per month) it's a good idea to charge your iPad all the way up, then use it until the battery completely drains and the device shuts itself off. This lets the device know where the lower limit of the battery is, as that mark can change over time.


* '''Keep the iPad up to date.''' Make sure you're always running the most recent version of iOS. Software updates usually fix bugs and odd behaviors, and running the most current OS usually benefits battery life.

<br />

===Features worth disabling===

'''Learn to love Airplane Mode.''' All of the wireless networking services in the iPad -- wi-fi, bluetooth and 3G -- will cause stress on your battery, even if you're not surfing the web or streaming lots of data. The easiest way to temporarily disable all forms of networking at once is to switch into Airplane Mode when you don't need to connect to anyone or anything -- say, when you're watching a movie, working on a document, or reading an e-book.

If you'd like to keep some services running, stay out of Airplane mode and only disable whatever you need to.

* '''Turn off 3G.''' Whenever you're on wi-fi, turn off the 3G network radio if your iPad supports 3G. Go to '''Settings''' then '''Cellular Data''' and flip the switch to off.


* '''Turn off wi-fi.''' Although it severely limits the usefulness of your iPad, if you're just watching a movie or reading a book anyway, turn off the wi-fi and make the battery last a bit longer. Go to '''Settings''' > '''Wi-Fi.'''


* '''Disable Bluetooth.''' Like the other forms of wireless networking, Bluetooth drains the battery. Assuming you aren't using any peripherals that need it, turn it off.


* '''Watch your apps.''' There are two types of apps that are particularly hard on your iPad's batteries -- games that never let the screen dim and social location-based services that constantly check your geo-whereabouts. Make sure you shut down such apps when you're not using them.


* '''Disable push notifications.''' The built-in Mail app, as well as dozens of social apps you may download, poll servers in the background look for new tweets, mail and messages, all of which costs your precious battery life. Open '''Settings''' and tap '''Mail, Contacts, Calendars'''. Then find the '''Fetch New Data''' settings and turn off '''Push'''.


* '''Delay data fetching.''' If you've turned off push notifications, go a step further and make Mail and other apps check-in with the server less frequently. To increase the fetch interval, go to '''Settings''' and select '''Mail, Contacts, Calendars'''. Then select '''Fetch New Data''' and tap '''Hourly'''. You won't get mail or calendar invitations immediately unless you manually fetch that stuff, but your iPad will still check once per hour. Note that this is a global setting and applies to all apps. It's also worth noting that setting '''Fetch New Data''' to hourly means you can't find your iPad using the MobileMe '''Find My iPad''' tools.


===Additional tips and tricks===

If you have additional tips for saving your iPad's battery life, put them here.


===Other iOS How-Tos===

* [[Activate Find My iPhone for iOS 4]]
* [[Use iPad Webapps on Your Desktop]]
* [[Get Rid of Your CDs and DVDs]]
* [[Encode Videos for Your iPad With HandBrake]]


[[Category:IPod and IPhone]]
[[Category:IPad]]


Activate Find My iPhone for iOS 4

Mon, 11/29/2010 - 21:41

Summary: New page: [[Image:Findmyiphone.jpg]] <br clear="all" /> Apple last week rolled out a major update for its mobile operating system iOS 4, and among the new features is a nifty free tool: Find My iPh...

[[Image:Findmyiphone.jpg]]
<br clear="all" />

Apple last week rolled out a major update for its mobile operating system iOS 4, and among the new features is a nifty free tool: Find My iPhone.

As its name suggests, Find My iPhone is a tracking feature to locate a missing iPhone 4, iPad or fourth-generation iPod Touch. (Only the latest models get the free feature.) If you've dropped your iDevice in a cab, or if someone's stolen it, you can hop on a computer to follow the GPS coordinates of the iPhone on a Google map (see above).

Or, if you're just absent-minded like me and you misplace your iPhone as often as you lose your keys, you can use your computer to trigger a beeping sound to help you find it. It should be loud enough to hear from under a couch cushion. (You'll never have to bug a friend to call your phone again.)

If you do indeed think your iPhone is in the hands of a thief, you can use Find My iPhone to remotely lock the device or wipe the data. Do note, however, that if you wipe the device, you won't be able to track it anymore (hap tip to [http://twitter.com/shacker/status/9333444077166592 @shacker] for catching that). Also, a clever thief could just remove the SIM card, and you wouldn't be able to track or wipe the phone.

Of the many new features in iOS 4.2.1, I found this one to be one of the sweetest bonuses. Find My iPhone originally was only available as part of a MobileMe subscription, which costs $100 per year. Making it free was a nice move on Apple's part: An iPhone can potentially contain a treasure trove of personal information, so losing one is a big deal.

You need to activate Find My iPhone before you lose your phone, so do it now. Since the steps to turn this useful feature on aren't immediately obvious, here's how to do it.

===How to proceed===

[[Image:Findiphone.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Click for larger]]
1. Make sure you have the latest iOS update (iOS 4.2.1) installed. Plug in your iPhone and click "Check for updates" in iTunes to get the software.

2. With iOS 4.2.1 installed, tap the Settings app on your iPhone. Then tap "Mail, Contacts, Calendars" and "Add Account." Then choose MobileMe.

3. In the MobileMe account menu, enter your iTunes or Apple ID and password (i.e., the login you use to buy iTunes media on the iPhone).

4. The "Find My iPhone" option should appear. Slide it to "ON" to activate it."

And you're done! From here on, you can hop on a computer and enter [http://www.me.com www.me.com] in a web browser. Then enter the same login credentials you used to register for Find My iPhone, and you'll immediately get a GPS reading of the phone, along with a simple menu of buttons allowing you to lock, wipe, or send a message or sound to the iPhone.
<br clear="all" />

===Tips & Advice===

* Depending on how long you've had your Apple user account, your Apple ID may need to be an e-mail address. If your Apple ID doesn't have an e-mail suffix (like @gmail.com) it may not be accepted during the MobileMe account set up. If you run into this problem, go into your Apple ID settings and change it to your primary e-mail address, and it should work just fine.


[[Category:IPod and IPhone]]
[[Category:Gadgets]]


Free YouTube FLV Downloader

Mon, 11/29/2010 - 08:36

Summary:

'''Foxreal YouTube FLV Downloader''' is a good free YouTube and other Internet video downloader tool. With the powerful YouTube FLV downloader software, you can easily and quickly download any YouTube movie/music from YouTube, MySpace, FaceBook, iFilm, Yahoo!Video, Google, Dailymotion, MSN and other online video-sharing sites for playing with good video quality.

http://www.foxreal.com/theme/foxreal/images/downloader.jpg

The guide will show you '''how to [http://www.foxreal.com/how-to-free-download-youtube-videos-with-foxreal-youtube-flv-downloader/ download online YouTube video] with Foxreal YouTube FLV Downloader'''.

'''First''', please ensure you have downloaded and installed YouTube Downloader here (download link). Then launch it. The application will open, along with a pop-up step-by-step tutorial.

After the pop-up window is closed, you will see the main interface of the downloading tool, as well as Foxreal Video Website Library offering a huge of video-sharing websites for video downloading. Just follow the steps to download YouTube video clips from online with free YouTube Downloader:
Step 1: Go to link. Choose video site(s) from Foxreal Video Website Library or type in the link of the online video site(s) you want to download.

'''Step 2''': Detect URL for download. After clicking the video in the process of playing, the free YouTube downloader tool can auto-capture the YouTube video URL you plan to download in a fast way.


'''Step 3''': Start YouTube downloading. Choose the right video URL you want to download in the detection list section and then click . Then, the New Downloader window will show up.

URL: Display the video URL auto-captured to download from the video-sharing website.

Save as: Rename the downloaded FLV file under the “Save as”. Otherwise, the program will save the downloaded Flash video file as its default name.

Save to: Click the “Browse” button to determine where to save the downloaded YouTube FLV/F4V file.

Library: Choose where you want to save the download FLV in library, movie or music.


After clicking “OK” button, you will view the Downloader section showing a list of downloading file(s). Here you can start, delete or locate download tasks. Once the download task(s) is completed, you will see the downloaded YouTube videos in Downloaded section, as well as your output folder.

'''Useful tips''':
1) Download YouTube video files in batch. The fast YouTube download tool allows you to download up to 5 video files at the same time.
2) Play YouTube FLV/F4V videos. With its built-in Flash video player, you can easily watch YouTube movies/musics offline without additional FLV players.
3) Manager YouTube video clips. It offers “Movies” and “Musics” options to help you arrange your Internet video clips.
4) Display the detailed information of the downloading video file. You can easily get the information of the video files to download, like name, size, progress, location, etc.


PS: If you plan to watch YouTube movies and musics on iPad, iPhone 4, iPod Touch 4, Samsung Galaxy S, Galaxy Tab, BlackBerry Torch, Droid X, and other portable media devices, there is another alternative tool – Foxreal YouTube FLV Downloader Pro which will do the greatest job for you by downloading and converting YouTube videos to any other video/audio format without quality loss.