10 Top Photoshop Tips

by David Peters

1) Auto-Select a Layer – Hold down the Cmd/Ctrl key and at the same time click on a layer in the main image window in Photoshop.

2. Press Shift Cmd/Ctrl U (Desaturate) to do away with all color in an image in RGB mode and without having go into grayscale mode. Using the channel mixer and clicking on the Grayscale option will create a better result however

3. Press Cmd/Ctrl J to copy a selection into its own layer. Press Shift Cmd/Ctrl J to cut and move a selection.

4) Hide the Selction Marquee (‘Marching Ants’) – Press Ctrl/Cmd H.

5. If you are using the Lasso Tools, and want to set a feather, just press the Return/Enter key and the Feather field in the Options palette will highlight and you can enter or change the value.

6) Color Fill – Press Alt/Option Delete to fill a layer or area with the color in the forefront. To fill a layer or selection with the background color, press Cmd/Ctrl Delete.

7. To change the brush size. Press the [ ] keys. If you hold the shift key down and press the [and ] keys, the brush gets softer and harder, respectively. (You can change the level up to five times).

8) Removing Scratches or Blemishes ” If your edition of Photoshop does not have the Spot Healing Brush, edit out blemishes or scratches from a photo by double clicking on the Blur Tool. Next in the Blur Tool Options palette, decrease the opacity to 15%, and then change the mode to Lighten. Now when you paint over scratches they will vanish.

9) Drawing With Brush Tools ” If you want to draw a straight line with one of the brush tools, click, hold the Shift key, and click again where you want the line to end. The Photoshop program will draw a straight line from point to point. These steps also work with most tools, including erasers and even the highlight tool in the Extract filter.

10. In the Layers palette, when you choose Duplicate Layer, you can change the document setting to ‘New’ to create a brand new picture from any layer.

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The Best Option for your Broadband Needs

by Joplin DeMazzier

If you’re in the market to upgrade your internet access from dial up or choose a broadband provider for the first time, it can be confusing. With the different options available, the choice to move to a broadband one is an affordable and smart one as the internet adds more and more broadband content.

The main choices the typical consumer has are DSL, cable, and fiber optic broadband service. The three have different speeds and prices, and their level of access to you can depend on location. But, they all do offer a great boost over the connection speeds one would see with dial up service.

The least expensive broadband access available today is DSL. Telephone companies market the service and install it, but your proximity to a phone company service station affects the speed of your service. Cost wise, the service ranges from $15 to $30 per month, and is perfect for the basic internet user looking to surf the web.

Cable broadband is an option run by your local cable television service and provides a middle tier of broadband options. The price is higher than DSL, ranging from $25 to over $500 per month for business access, but offers a faster speed than most DSL packages.

Cable broadband does have wider availability, however, as you can get it if you can also get cable in your home. This service is perfect for those with multiple internet users in their home, or those looking to play games or music online.

A new technology making waves in broadband is fiber optic service. Starting with Verizon’s FiOS, fiber optics have become a great broadband option. However, limited fiber network installation nationally have resulted in this service being absent from many markets.

The price of fiber optic service can range from $30 to over $200 per month depending on the package. But, for those seeking the fastest speed, have a lot of computer users in the home, or run a website or other online business, fiber optics can be the way to go.

As with all purchases you make, check all of the local providers’ websites or contact them directly and see what packages are available in your area. Be aware, too, that bundling your services like television and telephone along with the broadband connection through one company can save you more in the long run.

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Select The Proper Hinge For Your Project

by Jerry Blackburn

Choose The Right Hinge For Your Project

Because the display of hinges in a home improvement and hardware stores can be dizzying to the inexperienced homeowner, many need some help to know which hinge is correct for the woodworking project or home repair. The first essential step would be to narrow the selection based on weight, shape and size, so that the hinge will be appropriate for the materials used in the project. Large heavy hinges are fine for doors, but not appropriate for smaller, delicate wooden boxes and so on.

In addition, some hinges are designed as reversible hinges, so that either end can be mounted to the top. Other hinges are more decorative and must be installed in a certain position. There are also hinges for left-hand and right-hand doors to consider as well. The loose-pin hinge used for hanging doors is made so that the hinge pin is inserted and removed from the top. Right-hand hinges and left-hand hinges can be distinguished by simply standing on the outer side of the door to see if the door opens to the right side or to the left side.

One detail that some do-it-yourself homeowners don’t consider is how much of the hinge will be visible when the project is complete. If the hinge shows, it may be best to choose something more decorative, though some homeowners prefer simple and functional hinges to show as well. This depends on personal taste. Some people prefer the hinge to be hidden, so thought should be given to how the hinge will function in this case.

Shopping for the appropriate hinges can be much easier if the homeowner can ask good questions and understands the printed information about each type. This list may help.

? Back flap hinge ? a version of the butt hinge, commonly used for furniture

? Ball-bearing hinge ? permanently lubricated but slightly more expensive, for heavy-duty doors

? Butt hinge ? normally range in size from 13 mm to 150 mm. Varieties include rigid pin and loose pin. Often used for mounting home doors and cabinet doors

? Butterfly hinge ? for lightweight doors, in a variety of shapes and patterns

? Double-acting hinge ? opens in either direction, usually on folding doors

? Flush hinge ? less strength than butt hinge, often used for cabinets, concealed except for hinge barrel

? Knuckle hinges ? loose joint hinge, decorative, shows only the knuckle

? Offset blind hinge ? full opening and swing away, screen/storm doors

? Parliament hinges ? when hinge pin must extend past door face

? Pivot hinge ? versatile, recessed doors, overlay doors, flush doors

? Spring-loaded hinge ? automatically closes door, adjustable tension available

? Table top hinges ? leaf section tables

? Concealed hinges ? 25 mm to 36 mm in size, adjustable after fitting, chipboard and MDF

In addition to these hinges, there are a number of specialty hinges, including the strap hinge, T-hinge and continuous hinges. Some are designed for heavy-duty use while the continuous hinge is perfect for chest lids, cabinets and so on. A piano hinge is a continuous hinge. No matter your home plans, there’s a hinge right for it.

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Website Design for Small Businesses

by Steve Morin

Since your interested in Ecommerce web hosting this is very often the heart beat of your organization. Business web hosting is often very affordable for the largest companies. You can have solid security and backups for your website at a very affordable cost.

Web hosting for your ecommerce business is the main thing you will need to get your business on the internet for users to see. Ecommerce web hosting packages give you an opportunity to build a solid foundation and presence on the internet.

In todays world of the net and business online ranking in Google is also a very big factor in being seen online. Having a reliable web host is a must for uptime and being seen by the major search engines such as Google.

Whether if your an online business or just trying to figure out what you want to do, having a reliable web host and web designer is a must.

Having a professional web host and designer is a must to making a statement online. If your site doesn’t look professional then people will not want to do business with you.

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Do Your Own Divorce In Orange County, California.

by Jon D. Alexander, Esq.

Assuming you and your spouse can agree on some key areas, you may be able to save money on legal fees and handle your own divorce. The Superior Court of Orange County, California provides all of the required documents and an instruction packet that explains the divorce proceeding.

You and your spouse are properly suited for do it yourself (“DIY”) divorce if the both of you:

1. Have been married for less than 5 years;

2. Agree on how to divide possessions and debts;

3. Do not have kids together;

4. Own less than $36,000.00 in property together;

5. Owe less than six thousand dollars ($6,000) together.

In the event that you answer yes to all of these questions a DIY divorce may be a great option. The Orange County, California Superior Court provides a packet of forms for your DIY divorce at http://www.occourts.org/scripts/formsearch.pl?PacketNum=L012.

Be sure to pay attention to the Superior Court’s disclaimer: Packets have been developed which meet filing needs in most circumstances. There may be some circumstances when additional forms (not included in the packet) will be required by the court.

If you answered no to some of the questions above, it’s time to retain a qualified Orange County, California divorce lawyer. You will no doubt have questions and may indeed require representation. For a free consultation please visit us at www.oc-familylawyers.com to schedule an appointment.

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Get out of Debt – Top 7 tips

by Philip McClarence

Debt affects millions of people today. Bankruptcy’s are on the rise and more and more people are struggling to stay afloat.

The effects of bankruptcy can be far reaching and can impact people’s lives long after the bankruptcy has actually ended, making it difficult to obtain credit and even spoiling many employment opportunities when companies credit check potential employees.

Many people who have become trapped with large debts will find that bankruptcy is their only option and if that is the case, you should face it head on. For most though, options may still exist. If this is the case for you, it is important that you take action as soon as possible.

Consumers in general now carry a huge amount of revolving debt on credit cards and 47% of people who don’t pay off the full balance each month pay only the minimum balance, a terrible strategy for paying off your credit cards and a very expensive one.

If this applies to you, you are not alone. It is constantly hammered into us through T.V. and advertising that it is ok to spend money before you have earned it and many of us have been fooled. The problem is that this way only traps you into a life of working hard for someone else. That doesn’t sound good to me!

It is time to take a stand and make a difference in your life and to help you do that, here are the 7 top tips to help you become debt free.

Tip 1. Write down all of your debts. It sounds simple, but you’d be amazed at the difference that this one simple step can make. Make a list of all of your debts, list the amount, who it is owed to and the monthly repayments. This can be hard as it is difficult to face up to this problem, especially if you have been hiding from it for some time. It is the most important step though so get started now.

Tip 2. Decide what your most important debts are. You may want to pay off a few small balances first to get some small wins. Otherwise, you should pay everything that you can to the debt with the highest interest while paying the minimum to the rest. When you have paid that off, you should take all of that amount and add it to your payments for the debt with the next highest interest and so on.

Tip 3. Get rid of your credit cards. If you don’t have them then you can’t make it worse by using them. It may be scary at first but you will soon get used to managing without them.

Tip 4. Take the time to examine your Credit report. You can get a copy of your credit report from a number of sources online now. Most of these services will also send you alerts when it is updated. This can help you stay on top of identity theft. The most important reason to check it out though is to make sure that you have no black marks on it.

Tip 5. Write down and stick to a budget. When you stick to a budget, it fills you with confidence that you can make a positive change and break free of your debt trouble. It also makes it much more likely that you will because you know that you are working everyday towards improving your situation.

Tip 6. Don’t switch one debt for a worse one! If you are a home owner, it may be tempting to take out a loan secured on it to pay off your credit cards. This can backfire badly though if you fail to keep up the repayments because now your creditors can take your home away from you. If you are considering this route, you should seek professional help from someone who does not stand to profit from you first.

Tip 7. Get help. There are many sources of free help out there for people in your situation. They can advise you on your rights and the options open to you. Also, it helps to talk to someone impartial and to know that you are not alone and that there is always a way out!

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Hinges: Dazzling Display Of Hardware

by Jerry Blackburn

Choose The Right Hinge For Your Project

Because the display of hinges in a home improvement and hardware stores can be dizzying to the inexperienced homeowner, many need some help to know which hinge is correct for the woodworking project or home repair. The first essential step would be to narrow the selection based on weight, shape and size, so that the hinge will be appropriate for the materials used in the project. Large heavy hinges are fine for doors, but not appropriate for smaller, delicate wooden boxes and so on.

In addition, some hinges are designed as reversible hinges, so that either end can be mounted to the top. Other hinges are more decorative and must be installed in a certain position. There are also hinges for left-hand and right-hand doors to consider as well. The loose-pin hinge used for hanging doors is made so that the hinge pin is inserted and removed from the top. Right-hand hinges and left-hand hinges can be distinguished by simply standing on the outer side of the door to see if the door opens to the right side or to the left side.

One detail that some do-it-yourself homeowners don’t consider is how much of the hinge will be visible when the project is complete. If the hinge shows, it may be best to choose something more decorative, though some homeowners prefer simple and functional hinges to show as well. This depends on personal taste. Some people prefer the hinge to be hidden, so thought should be given to how the hinge will function in this case.

Shopping for the appropriate hinges can be much easier if the homeowner can ask good questions and understands the printed information about each type. This list may help.

? Back flap hinge ? a version of the butt hinge, commonly used for furniture

? Ball-bearing hinge ? permanently lubricated but slightly more expensive, for heavy-duty doors

? Butt hinge ? normally range in size from 13 mm to 150 mm. Varieties include rigid pin and loose pin. Often used for mounting home doors and cabinet doors

? Butterfly hinge ? for lightweight doors, in a variety of shapes and patterns

? Double-acting hinge ? opens in either direction, usually on folding doors

? Flush hinge ? less strength than butt hinge, often used for cabinets, concealed except for hinge barrel

? Knuckle hinges ? loose joint hinge, decorative, shows only the knuckle

? Offset blind hinge ? full opening and swing away, screen/storm doors

? Parliament hinges ? when hinge pin must extend past door face

? Pivot hinge ? versatile, recessed doors, overlay doors, flush doors

? Spring-loaded hinge ? automatically closes door, adjustable tension available

? Table top hinges ? leaf section tables

? Concealed hinges ? 25 mm to 36 mm in size, adjustable after fitting, chipboard and MDF

In addition to these hinges, there are a number of specialty hinges, including the strap hinge, T-hinge and continuous hinges. Some are designed for heavy-duty use while the continuous hinge is perfect for chest lids, cabinets and so on. A piano hinge is a continuous hinge.

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Hinges Are Critical Hardware Items

by Jerry Blackburn

Choose The Right Hinge For Your Project

Because the display of hinges in a home improvement and hardware stores can be dizzying to the inexperienced homeowner, many need some help to know which hinge is correct for the woodworking project or home repair. The first essential step would be to narrow the selection based on weight, shape and size, so that the hinge will be appropriate for the materials used in the project. Large heavy hinges are fine for doors, but not appropriate for smaller, delicate wooden boxes and so on.

In addition, some hinges are designed as reversible hinges, so that either end can be mounted to the top. Other hinges are more decorative and must be installed in a certain position. There are also hinges for left-hand and right-hand doors to consider as well. The loose-pin hinge used for hanging doors is made so that the hinge pin is inserted and removed from the top. Right-hand hinges and left-hand hinges can be distinguished by simply standing on the outer side of the door to see if the door opens to the right side or to the left side.

One detail that some do-it-yourself homeowners don’t consider is how much of the hinge will be visible when the project is complete. If the hinge shows, it may be best to choose something more decorative, though some homeowners prefer simple and functional hinges to show as well. This depends on personal taste. Some people prefer the hinge to be hidden, so thought should be given to how the hinge will function in this case.

Shopping for the appropriate hinges can be much easier if the homeowner can ask good questions and understands the printed information about each type. This list may help.

? Back flap hinge ? a version of the butt hinge, commonly used for furniture

? Ball-bearing hinge ? permanently lubricated but slightly more expensive, for heavy-duty doors

? Butt hinge ? normally range in size from 13 mm to 150 mm. Varieties include rigid pin and loose pin. Often used for mounting home doors and cabinet doors

? Butterfly hinge ? for lightweight doors, in a variety of shapes and patterns

? Double-acting hinge ? opens in either direction, usually on folding doors

? Flush hinge ? less strength than butt hinge, often used for cabinets, concealed except for hinge barrel

? Knuckle hinges ? loose joint hinge, decorative, shows only the knuckle

? Offset blind hinge ? full opening and swing away, screen/storm doors

? Parliament hinges ? when hinge pin must extend past door face

? Pivot hinge ? versatile, recessed doors, overlay doors, flush doors

? Spring-loaded hinge ? automatically closes door, adjustable tension available

? Table top hinges ? leaf section tables

? Concealed hinges ? 25 mm to 36 mm in size, adjustable after fitting, chipboard and MDF

In addition to these hinges, there are a number of specialty hinges, including the strap hinge, T-hinge and continuous hinges. Some are designed for heavy-duty use while the continuous hinge is perfect for chest lids, cabinets and so on. A piano hinge is a continuous hinge.

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