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Evaluate products and politics for you.

Fast And Easy Way To Present File Maker Pro Database Into WordPress.

Fast And Easy Way To Present File Maker Pro Database Into WordPress.

02/08/2015 Score Card

I had a customer WordPress web site where I needed to share a File Maker Pro Advanced database.  I wanted the data to appear in the web site.  My Internet search sort of painted a rather dark picture in that I would have to deal with database migration tasks that I was unfamiliar.  Suddenly I found a solution that was quick and rather elegant.  Here are the steps:

  • Take FileMaker Pro database and go to File > Save/Send Records As > PDF.
  • Save the file where you can easily find it.
  • Open your web site and go to Plugins > Add New.
  • Do a search for “PDF Embedder” and install it.
  • While in your web site change to the menu Posts > Add New and make a new post where the database will be shown.  Add a good post header title.  Next put a short paragraph explaining the database into the text portion of the post.
  • After you make a new post, go near the top of the post page and click on “Add Media”.
  • Add Media will show on your computer and then upload the PDF file in your computer.
  • Once the media has completely uploaded into your web site host, then add that PDF to your web page.

Caution:  I could NOT get Safari web browser to display the database (PDF) content.

PDF Embedder has made this process work rather well.

 

 


Computers, Product Reviews, Reviews, Software
Add Media, File Maker Pro Advanced, PDF Embedder
Samsung Galaxy S5 Update

Samsung Galaxy S5 Update

01/28/2015 Score Card

In my previous post where I found the Samsung Galaxy S5 unsatisfactory because, for me, battery life is my prime concern.  I chose the Samsung Galaxy S5 because reviews stated that it had a very good battery life.  My experience found the phone to be quite awful.  I had to charge the phone one or two times to achieve usable service in an 8 hour period.  After poking around at the cell phone settings, I think I found a usable configuration.  My cell phone lasted the whole day.  Here are my setting changes:

Go to Settings.

Choose Power saving.

Turn Power saving mode “ON”.  You are then given 3 options:

  • Restrict background data (Turn ON)
  • Restrict performance (Turn ON).  This in turn has four sub menu items:
    • CPU performance (Turn ON)
    • Screen output (Turn ON)
    • Turn off touch key light (Turn ON)
    • Turn off GPS (for some reason this was greyed out and I could not change this.  So I guess it was on).
  • Grayscale mode (Keep OFF)

I did have to go into the Settings again and turn “Display” > “Brightness” > Automatic brightness off and revert to manual screen illumination because the screen went way too dark.

I did NOT turn Ultra power saving mode on.

Now if you think that the Samsung Galaxy S5 is now the best cell phone for extended battery life, think again.  I compared my cell phone with my son’s HTC One M8 just before dinner time and my phone had about a 38% charge while my son’s HTC had a 57% charge.  He uses his phone all day long and plays video games on his phone.  And, he did not have to cripple his phone at all to get such good battery performance.


Cell Phone, Reviews
Samsung Galaxy S5, Samsung Galaxy S5 review
Samsung Galaxy S5 Product Review

Samsung Galaxy S5 Product Review

01/27/2015 Score Card

Samsung Galaxy S5 Review

I have been greatly annoyed with my Samsung Galaxy S3 for not lasting a day’s worth of charge.  I finally realized I qualified for a phone upgrade recently and spent about two days doing research to find the best phone that would last, hopefully a whole day on a single battery charge.  My son tried to talk me into buying the HTC One M8 which he said was a better phone for the reason it lasts more than one day on a single charge.  My Internet research and looking at Consumer Reports seemed to point to the Samsung Galaxy S5 so I went into T Mobile and did the upgrade to that phone.  The results were very disappointing.  My opinion is that the Galaxy S5 has the same battery life as the Samsung Galaxy S3!  The S5 does have some nice new features but one of them is NOT better battery life.  If you are looking for a phone that can retain a decent charge for one full day, I do not recommend the Samsung Galaxy S5.  You might look closely at the HTC One M8.


Cell Phone, Product Reviews, Reviews
Samsung Galaxy S5, Samsung Galaxy S5 review
Dickey’s Barbecue Pit Review

Dickey’s Barbecue Pit Review

01/19/2015 Score Card

My son recommended we do a take out order from Dickey’s Barbecue Pit located near our home.  We ordered three Westerner sandwiches.  We got the sandwiches home and were disappointed.  I can make much better BBQ sandwiches so what is the point in buying from this place?  There was no barbecue sauce on the sandwich or as a side.  The raw onions in the sandwich were also a bit harsh, totally unexpected.  The onions should be grilled in my opinion.  I called the store (franchise) and was told that when the sandwiches are made in the store, they put barbecue sauce in the sandwich but do NOT include it in TO GO orders.  You have to know enough to ask for it.  I strongly suggested that they include it as a side, in a plastic container that most to go restaurants offer for optional items.

Dickey’s Barbecue Pit is not recommended for to go orders.


California, Food, Restaurant Reviews, Reviews
Dickey's Barbecue Pit, Dickey's Barbecue Pit review
Sony Pictures and Pakistan Taliban May Have Similarities.

Sony Pictures and Pakistan Taliban May Have Similarities.

12/19/2014 Score Card

In war it makes sense to initiate a surprise attack, choose soft targets that are unprepared for the attack and can result in measured success to advance your aims.  North Korea did just that when it hacked Sony Pictures.  But one must ask why did they follow the Japanese Pearl Harbor example?  Why was Sony Pictures so important to take down?

There is a similarity linking North Korea allegedly attacking Sony Pictures computer system through an attack and the Pakistan Taliban attack upon a school catering to children of the military.  The Talaban killed at least 141 children.  North Korea may have successfully diminished free speech, free expression in the rest of the world.  Both attacks were motivated by getting even for some perceived attack.

Because Sony Pictures was attacked in the way it was, should indicate that North Korea felt some pending hurt.  In the case of the Talaban in Pakistan the hurt came from the military carrying out a offensive against the Taliban.  The Taliban went after the children of the military staff a very soft target and unexpected.

I only wish to draw a parallel between the Pakistan Taliban and North Korea to show that the attacks in both cases seemed to be similar.  Both attacks were carried out with such force and both attacks seemed successful in that they were not anticipated and no protection was set up by the Pakistan  government and Sony Pictures.  Both attacks shocked the world.  We know the reason for the Pakistan attack but do not seem sure about why North Korea attacked Sony Pictures.  But, looking at both instances you might draw more understanding of why North Korea made their attack by looking at why the Taliban made their attack.

A key point I wish to explore is why would North Korea think the pending movie called The Interview?  North Korea is a heavily controlled dictatorship where the citizens are treated like slaves.  There is no free expression, no freedom of speech, no economic freedom.  The society is oppressive and demeaning toward its citizens all for the purpose of enriching the oligarchy.  The country is not on par with any western nation for enlightenment and being civilized.  The population is told what to believe.  It stands to reason that the leadership of North Korea would be horrified if any reference is made to assassinate their supreme leader in any public forum, anywhere.  This is point is my main recommendation, that being that North Korea wanted to kill The Interview so no one would view it and the idea it carries come into infect the minds of the North Korean people.  In other words, North Korea adores the notion that anyone would assassinate their supreme leader, even in fiction.  Ideas can be powerful and dangerous.

My second view, but less important in my mind, is the movie may ridicule the North Korean dictatorship.  It also implies that the rest of the world hold North Korea in some disdain due to its fascist political system.  The leadership of North Korea would not want their slave population realize that other people in other countries look at North Korea as backward and uncivilized as it truly is.  No individual in any country would want to think that their nation is backward (as North Korea is).  This notion would may also grate upon the North Korean population if they knew that other people in other countries think of them this way.

Sony Pictures does have a powerful weapon.  They can shoot back.  Here are some suggestions:

  • I suggest that Sony Pictures retaliate and try to get even with the scum lords of North Korea by releasing the movie.
  • I recommend that Sony Pictures makes a Korean language version so the chances are better that the movie is viewed by the North Koreans.
  • I recommend that Sony Pictures renames the movie “The Interview With Fat Boy” and releases the movie in a pay per view venue and  direct DVD sales.
  • I also recommend that Sony Pictures tries to find every method they can to invade copies of the movie into North Korea.  This may be likened to laying a garage of artillery shells at the country.  I just read that Google is thinking of putting balloons up high enough to offer more Internet connectivity.  Internet in North Korea is naturally heavily restricted but I am betting that there are enough bright people in North Korea that can circumvent these restrictions.

Asia, North Korea, Opinion, Politics
Sony Pictures getting hacked
Target Does Stupid

Target Does Stupid

11/13/2014 Score Card

Target had a sale where you buy two games and get one free about the time of Veterans Day 2014.  My daughter reserved one game by putting down $1 and came in a few days later to pick up all three games.  As part of the deal my daughter was given a card that proved that she had one game reserved to be picked up.  The card apparently had a redemption code that allowed the buyer to get a free weapon in one of the games.  Problem is that she had to hand over the card to the sales clerk to get her games when she came in a few days later. This was a big mistake by Target.  She was told that the store needed the cards to track pre orders.  Problem for my daughter is that the card had a scratch off one time code that she needed to gain the game reward  The customer allegedly should have retained the card to activate the code.  It took my daughter some time to realize that she needed the code to activate the reward.  She called the store and a clerk gave her a code over the phone which did not work.  She called the store manager and was told that they threw all the cards away and did not have access to the codes.  The store allegedly did two things wrong. They took the cards that should have been kept by the customer. Second mistake is they threw the cards away, which I frankly do not believe they did.  My guess is they did not want to  go through the verification process of who qualified for a code and come up with a code that works.  My daughter did get an apology from the store manager. My daughter works retail sales and accepted the apology because she sees really bad customer behavior.  I am much older and less wiling to accept stupid for an excuse.


Business, Reviews
Target, Target Store

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