25 July 2009 | Do-It-Yourself, Programming |
Everyone loves WordPress – especially when it comes time to upgrade to the latest version of a plugin or of WordPress itself. You just click a button, and it does all the work.
Those of you who are used to doing things “The Joomla Way” can no doubt testify to the glory that is WordPress.
Sometimes, you can’t automatically update WordPress itself. In such cases, you need to manually install the newer version. Normally, you delete most of your old WordPress files (be sure to read the manual update instructions!), and then simply upload and uncompress the new version in your application’s directory. Voila! Everything just works…
Well, most of the time. Sometimes, it doesn’t. Sometimes, you are dumped back to the initial WordPress setup screen. If you fill in the fields and carry on with the install, it will look like you have just destroyed your entire old WordPress site when you are greeted with a default, empty home page.
Fortunately, you haven’t destroyed anything! Here’s how to get your site back in just 3 steps…
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9 May 2009 | Do-It-Yourself |
Never let children use a chainsaw!
Let’s face it: everyone loves chainsaws. A chainsaw can make very short work of any trees, bushes, or branches that happen to be causing a problem. I have even seen a small chainsaw skillfully used in place of a large circular saw for home remodeling – no electricity required! They are seriously handy devices.
The one problem with chainsaws is that they require maintenance. In fact, they require a lot of maintenance in order to perform optimally. A lot of “service” shops really don’t do a very good job of taking care of saws. If you can find a service shop with an old guy who still uses files to sharpen chains, then you have discovered a true gem!
For the rest of us, you can save some bucks – and have a lot of fun – by servicing your chainsaw yourself.
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22 April 2009 | Do-It-Yourself |
Those of you with hard water have no doubt encountered one of the most annoying problems ever: descaling appliances.
Sure, calcified bathtub superscum is also seriously annoying, but there are plenty of products out there that will magically descale and de-scum your bathtub with a few sprays and some waiting. It’s the appliances that are particularly annoying to clean – appliances like coffee makers and water distillers.
There are a number of different products available for removing rock-hard mineral deposits from your gizmos, but how do you know which one to use to make your life as easy as possible? You don’t! Otherwise, what the heck are you reading this for? But now you will know soon enough…
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11 April 2009 | Do-It-Yourself, Gizmos, SuperSaver |
If you’re still using an inkjet printer, you have my sympathies. If you’ve taken the plunge and purchased a laser printer, you’ll probably want to keep it in tip-top shape for years to come. After all, they’re a lot cheaper than they used to be, but not that cheap!
Most printer problems are caused by gummed up inner workings. A lot of people simply chuck their malfunctioning printer in the trash can and buy a new one. With the economy the way it is, that isn’t the best move for most of us.
Lucky for you, it’s actually surprisingly simple to clean out a laser printer and make it work like new!
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21 March 2009 | Do-It-Yourself, Gizmos |
Let’s face it: in this dawning age of high-definition video, a good old fashioned VHS tape seems rather, well, ancient. Nevertheless, a lot of people have movies on VHS that they can’t get on DVD. And sometimes, there’s even a bit of nostalgia attached to certain video cassettes.
It has become more and more difficult to find an inexpensive VCR that doesn’t include a DVD player as well. If you already have a DVD player and you want to save some money (who doesn’t these days!), you may find yourself out of luck.
VCR repair is also a dying occupation. So if you can’t buy a new VCR, and you can’t get your current one repaired, what do you do?
Why, you open up your current VCR and fix ‘er yourself!
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11 March 2009 | Do-It-Yourself |
One of the problems I have encountered again and again is how to cheaply and easily soundproof something.
Whether you are dealing with a noisy dishwasher or you just want a soundproof wall, there are many products available that you might use. There are rigid styrofoam sheets, expandy foam, various types of soft foam, fiberboard, etc. Most of these materials will provide a slight degree of soundproofing, and different materials will block sound at different frequencies.
But when it comes right down to it, nothing beats the general soundproofing characteristics of a certain material that you probably didn’t even consider…
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1 March 2009 | Do-It-Yourself |
Mmm, expandy foam...
Nearly everyone has heard of expanding foam, or “expandy foam” as I call it. It’s the stuff that comes in a spray can at your local home improvement store. It has a long tube that screws on to the top, and when you squirt it out, it usually looks like a thick, solid yellowish foam that expands over time as it dries and hardens.
Generally speaking, most people use it for insulating gaps, sealing around newly-installed windows, sealing cracks or gaps in old roof structures, etc.
What you might not know is that it has another particularly handy use.
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20 February 2009 | Do-It-Yourself, Gizmos |
So, you’re merrily using your cell phone, MP3 player, or other electronic gizmo when it just happens to slip out of your hand and fall into the bathtub, ocean, river, a bowl of soup, etc.
After panicking and maybe swearing a bit, what the heck are you supposed to do?
With a little ingenuity, the proper tools, and a dash of bravery, you CAN bring your device back to life. Unless it’s a digital camera – in that case, you’re probably screwed. Sorry.
The first step is the most important: REMOVE THE BATTERY IMMEDIATELY!!!
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