Tuesday, March 27, 2007
A MuVar Opportunity Knocks
When opportunity knocks, do you open the door? And if you do, how do you recognise it as an opportunity?
I once camped in a desert for several weeks. When we arrived the place was indistinguishable from anywhere else for miles around - flat sand with tufts of spinifex and shimmering heatwaves.
After probably 10 days, an amazing transformation began to take place. Ridges and valleys began to form, and some of the spinifex began to transform into shapes resembling the turpentine scrub farther north. And we began to know our way around, navigating by the newfound topography rather than our compasses.
Had the landscape really changed? No. We had become more discerning. We were picking up subtleties that had completely escaped us when we arrived.
Opportunities are a bit like that. They sneak up on you the more you immerse yourself in your current focus.
Which is why I raised my eyebrows when James Brausch posted that he was looking for suggestions to improve his MuVar multi-variate tracking software. I'd been using it as designed, to optimize the visitor experience on static websites. But the more I explored Wordpress blogs and social networking sites such as Squidoo and Reddit, Myspace and YouTube, the more I wondered whether something such as MuVar could be applied there.
It would need to run on php, and remote servers where administration is shallow, and on variables set by others. But if results akin to those achieved on static sites were possible, it could leverage such freely available business building tools enormously.
Just a thought. There was a knock on the door, you see.
I once camped in a desert for several weeks. When we arrived the place was indistinguishable from anywhere else for miles around - flat sand with tufts of spinifex and shimmering heatwaves.
After probably 10 days, an amazing transformation began to take place. Ridges and valleys began to form, and some of the spinifex began to transform into shapes resembling the turpentine scrub farther north. And we began to know our way around, navigating by the newfound topography rather than our compasses.
Had the landscape really changed? No. We had become more discerning. We were picking up subtleties that had completely escaped us when we arrived.
Opportunities are a bit like that. They sneak up on you the more you immerse yourself in your current focus.
Which is why I raised my eyebrows when James Brausch posted that he was looking for suggestions to improve his MuVar multi-variate tracking software. I'd been using it as designed, to optimize the visitor experience on static websites. But the more I explored Wordpress blogs and social networking sites such as Squidoo and Reddit, Myspace and YouTube, the more I wondered whether something such as MuVar could be applied there.
It would need to run on php, and remote servers where administration is shallow, and on variables set by others. But if results akin to those achieved on static sites were possible, it could leverage such freely available business building tools enormously.
Just a thought. There was a knock on the door, you see.
Saturday, March 24, 2007
Energy-Saving Tips for Refrigerators
With warmer weather around the corner, here's how to make your fridge energy- efficient.
Chris Hall, president of RepairClinic.com, says refrigerators are the most attention-deprived household appliance, but a few simple steps could make them perform better and cheaper than ever.
Here are some areas that often need attention, and some easy fixes:
Dusty coils - The condenser coils on self-defrosting refrigerators are
fan-cooled and must be kept clean. Look for black, radiator-like coils
underneath the refrigerator -- you may have to remove the toe-kick
grill on the front to gain access to them. On older refrigerators, they
may be on the back.
How to fix: Use a special condenser cleaning brush (a long, narrow
bristle brush), fitted to your vacuum cleaner to clean the coils once a
year. If you have pets, clean them more often.
Please shut the door! The refrigerator and freezer door gaskets provide
a tight seal to keep the cool in and warm air out. If the gaskets are
torn or bent, or if the door isn't closing tightly, the refrigerator
will have to work overtime to keep its contents cold.
How to fix: Inspect the gaskets all the way around and check for any
tears or rips. If the gasket is torn, replace it -- it's an easy job.
If there is a gap where the gasket meets the refrigerator/freezer, you
might be able to correct this by loosening the screws that retain the
gasket to the door. Then, gently twist the door so that the gasket
makes contact, and tighten the screws.
Give it some room. If the refrigerator never seems to stop cooling,
there may be inadequate clearance around the appliance, restricting
airflow to the cooling coils.
How to fix: If the condenser coils on your fridge are on the back, make
sure there's at least one inch between them and the wall behind the
unit. If they are underneath, make sure the bottom front of the
refrigerator is clear so that cool air can reach them.
Now here are some cheap items that make for a healthier fridge:
1. Condenser cleaning brush. This handy device makes it much easier to
thoroughly clean the condenser coils. This brush is also useful for
cleaning lint build-up in dryers.
2. Freezer and refrigerator air cleaner. These special packs last up to
a year and work much better than baking soda.
3. If racks and bins inside the fridge are old or cracked, these can
easily be replaced to make a fridge look good as new.
RepairClinic.com provides tools and parts for all brands of refrigerators, along with some additional maintenance and cleaning tips here: http://www.repairclinic.com/referral.asp?R=1451&P=46&Ref=836.
Chris Hall, president of RepairClinic.com, says refrigerators are the most attention-deprived household appliance, but a few simple steps could make them perform better and cheaper than ever.
Here are some areas that often need attention, and some easy fixes:
Dusty coils - The condenser coils on self-defrosting refrigerators are
fan-cooled and must be kept clean. Look for black, radiator-like coils
underneath the refrigerator -- you may have to remove the toe-kick
grill on the front to gain access to them. On older refrigerators, they
may be on the back.
How to fix: Use a special condenser cleaning brush (a long, narrow
bristle brush), fitted to your vacuum cleaner to clean the coils once a
year. If you have pets, clean them more often.
Please shut the door! The refrigerator and freezer door gaskets provide
a tight seal to keep the cool in and warm air out. If the gaskets are
torn or bent, or if the door isn't closing tightly, the refrigerator
will have to work overtime to keep its contents cold.
How to fix: Inspect the gaskets all the way around and check for any
tears or rips. If the gasket is torn, replace it -- it's an easy job.
If there is a gap where the gasket meets the refrigerator/freezer, you
might be able to correct this by loosening the screws that retain the
gasket to the door. Then, gently twist the door so that the gasket
makes contact, and tighten the screws.
Give it some room. If the refrigerator never seems to stop cooling,
there may be inadequate clearance around the appliance, restricting
airflow to the cooling coils.
How to fix: If the condenser coils on your fridge are on the back, make
sure there's at least one inch between them and the wall behind the
unit. If they are underneath, make sure the bottom front of the
refrigerator is clear so that cool air can reach them.
Now here are some cheap items that make for a healthier fridge:
1. Condenser cleaning brush. This handy device makes it much easier to
thoroughly clean the condenser coils. This brush is also useful for
cleaning lint build-up in dryers.
2. Freezer and refrigerator air cleaner. These special packs last up to
a year and work much better than baking soda.
3. If racks and bins inside the fridge are old or cracked, these can
easily be replaced to make a fridge look good as new.
RepairClinic.com provides tools and parts for all brands of refrigerators, along with some additional maintenance and cleaning tips here: http://www.repairclinic.com/referral.asp?R=1451&P=46&Ref=836.
