You can make your own garbage disposal cleaner with ingredients you have at home.

Doityourself.com, THE source for home improvement information.

If you would like to claim back some money on the purchase of a tankless water heater, then you should be able to find a suitable rebate, as long as you have bought the right kind of heater.

Doityourself.com, THE source for home improvement information.

A pesky odor coming from the kitchen after a thorough cleaning is likely to be come from the garbage disposal.

Doityourself.com, THE source for home improvement information.

Evan Roth wants a Graffiti Markup Language tag recorder badly enough to pay 1200 euros for one.

GML Field Recorder Challenge
An easily reproducible DIY device that can unobtrusively record graffiti motion data during a graffiti writer's normal practice in the city.

Project Description and Design Requirements: The GML Field Recorder Challenge is a DIY hardware and software solution for unobtrusively recording graffiti motion data during a graffiti writer's normal practice in the city. The winning project will be an easy to follow instruction set that can be reproduced by graffiti writers and amateur technologists. The goal is to create a device that will document a night of graffiti bombing into an easily retrievable series of Graffiti Markup Language (.gml) files while not interfering with the normal process of writing graffiti. The solution should be easy to produce, lightweight, cheap, secure, and require little to no setup and calibration.

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With an average of 17 million meetings a day in America alone, there will always be some held up by the latecomer. When you're late to a meeting, it's better to rise to the occasion with grace rather than sinking into the floor, and provided you're not an habitual late-nik, a courteous and considerate approach to being late in a meeting can smooth your way in and have you quickly reinstated in everyone's good books. In this article, you'll learn how to deal appropriately with being late to a meeting.

A shower pan is something that is going to need to be moved and modified if you have to make your bathroom accessible for a handicapped person.

Doityourself.com, THE source for home improvement information.

It's a LEGO world, we just live in it. 'Miracle on the Hudson' to be featured...

Several large exhibits built with Lego blocks will be on display Sept. 11 and Sept. 12 at the Clermont County Fairgrounds. Ken Osbon of Goshen Township, one of the organizers of the event, will have one scene depicting the Miracle on the Hudson airliner crash in New York City. Another scene will be based on the "Deadliest Catch" television show.

Bill Lynch, who is promoting the event with Osbon, said he will display a farm scene with barns, tractors, farm houses, bridges and a train. A Columbus-based club, the Central Ohio Lego Train Club, will feature a city with a train running through it, Osbon said.
"They have done quite a few shows in Columbus," he said.

A recently-formed Tristate group, the Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana Lego Users Group, will have a display based on a pirate scene. Osbon said the show, BrickExpo 2010, will be from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday at the 4-H Hall at the fairgrounds in Stonelick Township.

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Whether it has been affected by stains or the finish has worn away, there are occasions when an acrylic shower pan needs to be refinished.

Doityourself.com, THE source for home improvement information.

A stone shower pan is a very attractive looking element to a modern, luxury bathroom.

Doityourself.com, THE source for home improvement information.

The Vertex gas hot water heater from A.O. Smith has an impressive 96% thermal efficiency rating. The unit can reduce your water heating costs by up to 50%, and is so efficient that a PVC pipe can be used to vent the water heater to the outside. Watch this video to find out more.

Before building a garden shed or workshop in your yard, decide on the answers to these questions: How big should the shed be, should the design of a shed match the house, and where should a shed be built? Watch this video to find out more. Watch this video.

Here are some of the highlights from the first hour of the September 4, 2010, Homefront with Danny Lipford radio show.

Here are some of the highlights from the second hour of the September 4, 2010, Homefront with Danny Lipford radio show. Read in full.

Acrylic shower pans crack or split with usage and time, so how to fix a cracked acrylic shower pan is an often asked question.

Doityourself.com, THE source for home improvement information.

This week we learned how to pin an external drive to the Windows 7 taskbar, create an eBook or PDF from Wikipedia articles for offline reading, edit the hosts file, help computer users remotely with TeamViewer, minimize applications to the system tray in the simplest way, and more.

Photo by legofenris.

Weekly Feature

Enjoy this wonderful theme featuring horses in various locations during different seasons. Definitely a nice touch for your desktop.

Photo by Asian Angel.

Horses Theme for Windows 7

Random Geek Links

Photo by tramod.

• Google sticks Wave in a box, puts a bow on top
  Google plans to expand upon the open source code that it has already released to form a more complete, standalone application known as “Wave in a Box.”
• Rogue Win7 AV Copies the Microsoft Security Essentials Site
  A new fake antivirus is imitating a number of legitimate security mitigations, the Microsoft Security Essentials website, and various graphics elements from Windows in order to trick users into installing it.
• Microsoft tool for DLL vulnerability interferes with some applications
  Microsoft’s tool to protect against the DLL hijacking vulnerability results in some programs no longer working properly.
• Microsoft continues to workaround DLL vulnerability
  Microsoft has released a ‘fix-it’ solution to help with problems encountered using some programs because of the DLL protection tool.
• Compromising Twitter’s OAuth security system
  The article explores some of the problems with Twitter’s OAuth implementation and some potential pitfalls inherent to the standard.
• Backdoor discovered in QuickTime
  An undocumented parameter in QuickTime’s ActiveX plug-in could allow attackers to inject malicious code.
• India: Hand over your data Google, Skype
  India has instructed Google and Skype to allow its government to monitor their customer data or face being banned from operating in the country.
• Without a Trace: Turn Your Flash Drive into a Portable Privacy Toolkit
  See how to set up your own personal privacy toolkit with this tutorial.
• Microsoft: Silverlight still has a future in an HTML 5 world
  Brad Becker has made the case that Silverlight is the right solution for developers looking to create premium media content, as well as content/apps that can run on multiple platforms.
• Microsoft unveils shape-shifting Arc Touch Mouse
  Redmond is touting Arc Touch as “the first mouse designed to flatten for portability and pop up for comfort.”

Geek Video of the Week

Construction paper? More like DESTRUCTION paper! Watch Mortal Kombat fatalities happen in a whole new style.

Photo by CollegeHumor.

Mortal Kombat Fatalities Paper Animation

Productive Geek Tips

Photo by ginnerobot.

• How to Avoid Computer Eye Strain and Keep Your Eyes Healthy
  Does eyestrain keep you from doing your work on the computer? Take preventative measures to avoid eyestrain—and get your work done.

Sysadmin Geek Tips

Photo by Travis Isaacs.

• Replace Text in Plain Text Files from the Command Line
  A very useful function which is missing from the Windows library of command line tools is the ability to replace text in plain text files. Our solution is a VBScript which interfaces with the Visual Basic Replace function.
• Diagnose Linux Server Load Problems with a Simple Script
  If you have ever had a situation where a server spikes in CPU use or memory utilization and/or load levels & running `top` does not give you the answer, then the following script might be able to help.
• How to Prevent Yum from Updating the Kernel
  When you’re running production servers, the one thing you don’t want to do is upgrade the kernel every time a new update comes out.
• How to Change Your Linux Hostname Without Rebooting
  See how to change the hostnames on your server to match a new naming standard without incurring downtime.
• How to Setup milter-greylist Spam Blocking in Sendmail
  Learn how to set up a milter-greylist to help combat spam in Sendmail.

The Geek on Lifehacker

Your Windows PC might be designed to make your life easier, but they often have a non-stop list of problems. Today we’ll walk through some of the more common problems and how to troubleshoot them.

Photo by xkcd.

The Basic Guide to Troubleshooting Common Windows PC Problems

Random TinyHacker Links

• Create a Password Reset Disk in Windows 7
  If you’re prone to coming up with crazy passwords and then absolutely forgetting them days later, the first thing you should do with a new Windows 7 computer is create a password reset disk.
• Repair Corrupted Excel Files
  If you have a corrupt Excel file, check out the post to learn how to recover your data.
• Fix Common Task Manager Problems
  The Task Manager in Windows is a great tool to find out information but there can be times when you run into problems like the task manager being disabled or loading with no tabs or menus. Read on to learn the fixes.
• If at first the page doesn’t load, Try, Try Again (Firefox)
  Firefox extension Try Again attempts to connect repeatedly with the server when a website is down.
• Use AutoStitch to Create Cool Panoramas
  Here’s a nice tool that lets you join multiple pictures to create cool panoramic photos.

Super User Questions

Enjoy looking through this week’s batch of hot questions from Super User.

• Wireless Signal Strength
• Is there any benefit from installing Windows 7 64-bit when you have less than 4GB or RAM?
• Should I install graphics card drivers from Windows Update?
• Should I disconnect the power cable when the battery is full?
• Blocking *.example.com at the OS (Windows) level

Latest Reviews at How-To Geek

See our latest software review.

• Postbox
  Postbox is an innovative new email program that brings the best of popular webmail features and combines it with social media and content discovery features to give you the best of both in a desktop email program.

How-To Geek Weekly Article Recap

Make sure to look through our best articles of the week.

• How To Disable or Enable the Homegroup Feature in Windows 7
• Use Email to Send Text Messages (SMS) to Mobile Phones for Free
• The How-To Geek Guide to Windows 7 Media Center
• How to Transfer Your iTunes Collection from One Computer to Another
• Upgrade Your old iPod with Rockbox

One Year Ago on How-To Geek

Engage in a little bit of time traveling to enjoy these articles from last year.

• Change the Windows 7 Taskbar to Work Like Vista
• Tux Paint – A Great Image Program for Your Children
• Customize the Notification Area in Windows 7 Using Local Group Policy
• Set Up User Scripts in Opera Browser
• Keep Track of New Email with Gmail Notifier

The Geek Note

That finishes things up for this week. If you are one of the lucky people getting an extra day off for the holiday, then make certain to enjoy that extra sleep! Remember to keep those great tips coming to us at tips@howtogeek.com.

Photo by WTL photos.

Similar Articles	Productive Geek Tips
Google Wave Dies a Deadly Death We Have 20 Google Wave Invites. Want One? Export and Backup Your Data From Google Wave Before It Shuts Down Integrate Google Wave With Your Windows Workflow Windows 7 Welcome Screen Taking Forever? Here’s the Fix (Maybe)	How to Avoid Computer Eye Strain and Keep Your Eyes Healthy Three Potentially Risky Ways to Save a Lot on Textbooks Using Microsoft Word 2010’s References Feature (for Students) Optimize Your Computer Screen Real Estate Regular Financial Monitoring Leads to Less Overspending How to Use Voicemail Effectively at Work

If you'll soon be replacing your shower pan liner, it may interest you to learn that there are a number of ways the liner can be recycled.

Doityourself.com, THE source for home improvement information.

Water on your bathroom floor around your shower may suggest a leaking shower pan liner, but if you have a concern for adding more junk to your community's garbage dump, don't plan on disposing of...

Doityourself.com, THE source for home improvement information.

Pumpkin carving has come a long way. If what comes to mind when you hear "pumpkin carving" is cutting out three triangles (for eyes and nose) and a crescent moon lying on its back (for the mouth), then you need to visit a pumpkin festival this fall to see what creative carvers are doing nowadays. Or you could just view my pictures for some pumpkin carving ideas.

...

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The shower pan liner is a big help when it comes to waterproofing the tiles in your shower.

Doityourself.com, THE source for home improvement information.

A leaking shower pan liner results from the tearing apart of the membrane due to improper shower pan installation or from a long exposure to moisture.

Doityourself.com, THE source for home improvement information.

Fiberglass shower pans crack with repeated usage.

Doityourself.com, THE source for home improvement information.

A tile shower pan has its advantages, but one of its disadvantages is that one or several of its tiles may become chipped.

Doityourself.com, THE source for home improvement information.

Faux Finish Secrets The Wall Wizard brings his painting expertise to homeowners in this innovative and fun follow-up to his first book, Painting Secrets. Faux Finish Secrets focuses attention and detail on decorative (faux) techniques, such as sponging, ragging, combing, and color wash. Illustrated step-by-step instructions demonstrate 15 of the most-asked-for faux effects, along with ideas for endless [...]

When your tile shower pan begins to show loose tiles, missing grout, and dull and unattractive tiles, it may be time to make a change.

Doityourself.com, THE source for home improvement information.

Installing a tile shower pan may be a little difficult, but is not impossible for a beginner.

Doityourself.com, THE source for home improvement information.

When installing a shower it is always a good idea to install a shower pan and liner.

Doityourself.com, THE source for home improvement information.

Are you tired of that Facebook friend who annoys you with their posts and app updates? Or do you and a friend just not have much to talk about anymore, but your Facebook connection keeps the friendship from dissolving into oblivion, like it would in real life? If deleting that person from your friends list is too cyber-confrontational for you, here's how to enjoy the benefits of unfriending them without actually unfriending them.

College (or university) is a time in your life when you are learning many things. Outside your academic studies, college may be when you learn to live on your own, to keep up your own home, and so on. A big part of that is learning to cook for yourself, and it is easiest to cook regularly if you keep some ingredients on hand. That's where your pantry comes in.

Perfectionism and parenting can be a recipe for exhaustion and a life filled with stress. Being a "slacker mom" is not a negative; it's a way of thinking smart and of being clued into what really matters over what can wait till another day. Slacker mom was a term coined by Muffi Mead-Ferro,[1] and it's also known as being a Beta mom, or slow parenting.[2][3] Slacker moms are moms who reject any over-parenting models that involve children being sent to every possible after-school improvement option, with mom staying up till dawn baking homemade cookies before rushing off to work or starting the day's tasks. If you're ready to be a slacker mom, then it's no more sitting for hours on end in traffic and in your car at the soccer practice field; and it's no more helicopter parenting where overbearing goodwill takes away your child's self-sufficiency and capacity to learn by trial and error. Take the over-the-top expectations out of being a mom, and start really enjoying your slow parenting experience.

Ping is a music social network that was introduced with release of iTunes 10 on September 1, 2010. As with Twitter, you can follow others and be followed, keep tabs on your favorite artists, and post comments and suggestions for others to read - and even post pictures and videos. Here's how to use it.

Priority Inbox is a new feature in Gmail that finds the messages of importance and sorts them for you, to prevent email overload. It does this by basing the importance on the emails you read and reply to. Here is how to start using it in your Gmail account.

Although it might seem silly for someone to pretend that they're a little less into you than they really are, this type of restraint is one of the ways by which some people gauge the extent of each other's interest when dating. In addition, if you don't play hard to get, you might come off as needy, calculating, or worst of all, desperate. Then again, if you play too hard to get, you'll seem standoffish and cold, even a snob. Follow these steps to find a good balance when playing hard to get, and remember, dating is not an exact science; it's more of a game, with lots of guesswork, self-confidence, and risk-taking involved.

Due to the many parameters involved in compiling a Google map, URLs for Google Maps tend to be very long; too long in fact to add to a tweet on Twitter, or to insert anywhere that space is an issue. This article explains how to fix this easily, using an easily enabled Google Maps Labs feature known as "short URLs".

Doityourself.com, THE source for home improvement information.

You can lengthen the life of your kitchen cabinets and keep them looking brand new if you clean and polish them regularly.

Doityourself.com, THE source for home improvement information.

Fresh mushrooms purchased from a store or harvested from the wild can be used many months later if stored correctly. There are many different kinds of mushrooms and many different ways to preserve them, so perfecting the method will require some trial and error, but the basic methods outlined here should work for the more common types of mushrooms available from fruit and vegetable suppliers.

Attic gable fans are among the most common fixtures you will find in an attic.

Doityourself.com, THE source for home improvement information.

Setting a passcode on your iPad is key to protecting your personal information, as anything from email accounts to contact addresses can be accessed without one. This article will show you how to set a password on your iPad.

After you have fitted your attic fan, you need to prevent air escaping around the sides of the fan.

Doityourself.com, THE source for home improvement information.

This gregor calendar by Patrick Frey seems to be the spiritual opposite of the knitting clock that we covered previously. Instead of creating a garment to mark the passage of time, this one works by unraveling a tapestry that the dates are printed on.

Perhaps both ideas could be combined, to create a calender that perpetually renews itself? [via dude craft]

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Removing an asbestos wallboard can be dangerous to the health of you and your family if not done correctly.

Doityourself.com, THE source for home improvement information.

This is a blast from the past, an old school "Classic Castle" fortress. It looks like someone made this in 1975, but it still rocks! I love how the creator has as story to tell about each room. Follow the link above and click on "Start the Tour" to learn more about Hoernersburg.

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With the invention of gypsum wallboard, it is very easy and inexpensive to install a gypsum ceiling in your home.

Doityourself.com, THE source for home improvement information.

Pete McKenna and Steve McGrath, with help from others, have built a multi-tool CNC at the Hack Factory in Minneapolis. It began as a CNC inspection machine that someone donated to the hackerspace. When I was at the HF on Wednesday the guys had it set up to draw with a Sharpie, and they also tested out a rotary tool as well. After I left, they attached Jon Barclay's blue laser and did some etching with that. The results aren't as slick as we'd like but the guys have made great progress. In the Twin Cities area? Come by during one of our open houses, held weekly on Wednesdays at 7pm.

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Chicago artist Kris DeGraeve tweeted:

I needed (2) 12" clamps, but I made (6) 4" clamps do the job.

Great work!

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The $5 iPhone Microscope Mod by Crabfu!

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It's a great honor for me to be able to use this Maker Birthdays forum to offer up an entry-day shout out to one of my favorite living makers, Jeri Ellsworth. If ever there was someone for whom the fire for making appears to have blazing since birth, it's Jeri. She seems to live for the diverse pleasures of deconstructing, learning about, and re-engineering the world around her. She's had several impressive careers already: dirt-track racer and race car designer, computer-chain store owner, self-taught computer chip designer, creator of the C-One and C64-DTV systems, and Internet streaming video star (as half of Fatman and Circuit Girl). Of all of the things that amaze me about Jeri Ellsworth, I'm most inspired by are the boundless depth of her curiosity and her enthusiasm for sharing her discoveries with others.

Happy Birthday, Jeri, from all of your pals at MAKE! We actually got you a little something. We hope you like it. (It's after the jump...)

BTW: The picture on the right is Jeri showing off her singed index finger after an unfortunate encounter with some homemade rocket fuel.

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Metal kitchen cabinets can become sticky for a number of reasons, from old sticker adhesive to spilled ingredients staining and sticking to the surface.

Doityourself.com, THE source for home improvement information.

If any of the cabinet handles in your home have started to lose their shine, you may be wondering how to polish cabinet hardware.

Doityourself.com, THE source for home improvement information.

Painted kitchen cabinets need to be cleaned as regularly as cabinets made of metal or other materials.

Doityourself.com, THE source for home improvement information.