Dbology

One of the most functional pieces of furniture is the humble folding chair. The folding chair is easy to store, durable and easily transportable. One of the only problems with directors chairs is there nasty aesthetic reputation probably because they are often left to brave the outdoor elements.

In my areas of Sydney I often see directors chairs and folding chairs on the rubbish pile for collection – not because they are broken but usually because they are faded, dirty, and depressingly bedraggled!

So this article is how to recycle and re-use the good old faithful folding chair this summer.

If you want a cheap and no fuss way to refresh your folding chair you can buy slip covers. A fresh and bright gingham and striped directors chair cover will have you finding all sorts of excuses to sit in the garden. Folding chair covers are a great way to make your outdoor furniture new again. They make the once demure folding chair fit for even a garden wedding! To keep the vibrant look remove the directors chair covers after use or at the very least if you are going to leave them on the chairs store them out of the weather.

It is also very possible to make you own folding chair cover. For this project you will need lots of material like unwanted sheets or tablecloths, a needle and thread or hot glue gun. If you would like to make a fancy chair cover than you will need a long wide ribbon or a long piece of material about 10cm wide and some safety or sewing pins.

How much fabric will you need for each chair? There are two measurement methods: 1. Drape your fabric lengthwise over the chair until the material is draping on the floor on all sides – allow an extra 5 centimetres so you have some material to play with. 2. Or you can measure your chair with a measuring tape. Measure the chair beginning at the back legs on the floor. Measure to the top of the chair then down the front, across the seat and down to the floor at the front legs. This is how long you will need your material. Then measure the width of the seat. Measure from the right side of the chair legs, across the base of the chair and down to the left side of the chair legs. Add 5 centimetres for a seam to the length and width measurements.

Once you know how much fabric you need – cut it to size. You should have a long piece of material that is just about 5 centimeters wider than your chair. You can either sow a 2.5 cm hem or glue a hem. Drape the cover over the chair. You can leave it there or to dress the chair up for an occasion you can add a ribbon.

Take the ribbon or piece of material and wrap it around the chair, so you end up with the two ends of the ribbon draping down the back of the chair, one end of the ribbon coming from the right side of the chair and the other from the left. Tie a bow with the ribbon. Once the ribbon is positioned properly pin it in place. You can leave it pinned or add a few stitches at the front of the chair to secure the ribbon in place. Your project is now complete!

For bright, fun and affordable designer director chair covers visit AnnieB’s.

This is, of course, a nonsensical title. People do not choose when they are born. It is pure accident whether people are born into a time of low or high birth rates. Right now, the birth rate is only just enough to maintain the population at its current levels. Even so, the unemployment rate among the young remains stubbornly high. The reason is that too many Boomers are staying in their jobs. Go back a few years and people were lining up to retire from 55 onwards. This was great for the young because there were always enough jobs. Now times are tough for everyone. This forces us to look in more detail at the changes in the job market and its implications for life cover. If you go back to the 1950′s, the job market was dominated by men. Women were expected to marry and have children. This division of labor was very convenient because it always ensured enough work to go round. There were a large number of low-skilled jobs for the women before they married and after the children were grown up. The rest went to the men, regardless of ability. The key factor was the lack of any automation. Before the computers came along, every job required hands and a brain to tell them what to do. Then there was a slow change as technology sneaked into the workplace. Low-skilled jobs disappeared or could be managed by a fraction of the previous number of employees.

A further feature was offshoring. As companies looked for ever more profit, they moved their labor-intensive jobs to countries where the wages were lower. Suddenly, there were not as many jobs around. Now we are dealing with the fallout from the recession. One of the first results was everyone who had 401(k) portfolios was looking at big losses as the stock market crashed. Then companies began looking at their retirement packages. Many realized they were faced by a workforce that was going to live longer and make ever larger claims for medical expenses during retirement. The result was the decision to cut the pension benefits and, where life cover had been part of the remuneration package, to refuse to continue paying the premiums. Overnight, Boomers found their security removed. They had been planning an early retirement based on a good nest egg saved in the 401(k). Now many are planning to keep on working for as long as possible.

Except, as the technology develops, many Boomers now find they no longer have the skills to do even the simple tasks relying on using the latest packages and apps. This should be good news for our young, but they find themselves in competition for those jobs with people all around the world. With so many jobs now based on teleworking, employees can be based anywhere there is an internet connection. Sadly, the unions have lost their power to defend local jobs. Downsizing and offshoring is the new corporate reality. All this should force Boomers to review their life insurance provision. If their employers have canceled the company policy, term or permanent replacement must be found. This is the time to get life insurance quotes from all the companies to see how much it will cost to repair the damage.

October is internationally known as Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and Pink Ribbon Day is always on the fourth Monday of October, which marks the culmination of breast cancer activities. This day is for fund raising to support research.

In October, people are encouraged to wear a pink ribbon to prove their support. The pink ribbon has become a favorite among women. This is because breast cancer has hit home to almost everyone. Unfortunately, it’s hard to find someone in America who hasn’t known someone suffer or died from this disease.

Breast cancer has become the most common cancer among women. It forms in the tissues of the breast, either in the ducts. It has been confirmed numerous times over that the early detection is the key to success for effective treatment. That’s what the pink ribbon is really about, wearing which might remind other women to have a mammogram. In this way, you might save a life, and a home.

The pink ribbon is an international symbol, which means you can wear it in any country to raise the awareness of breast cancer. You can also pick some pink products to show your support. Many companies and non-profit organizations have offered lots of related products such as jewelry, t-shirts, handbags, and hats.

During this special month, many online shops, especially most of whose customers are women, will have promotion activities to help raise the awareness and also increase their impact among customers. It’s a win-win marketing strategy.

Many celebrities also make use of their impact to help bring this awareness. They wear ribbons in shows, awards ceremony, and other public activities.

So, this October, wear a pink ribbon and pick something pink to show your support to this great cause. Only with a few efforts, we can make big difference in the struggle against the breast cancer.

Ally Keer is an expert author who has been writing on diet, fitness, weight loss, and relationship for over 4 years. She is also a fashion addict, who is especially interested in handbags. http://www.bagsok.com is one of her favorite bag online shops, which provides stylish, fashion, and cheap bags.

You’ve seen the pink ribbon before. It’s the international symbol for breast cancer awareness, going as far back as 1991 when the Susan G. Komen Foundation first handed them out to participants in a breast cancer survivors convention.

But did you know that peach almost became the color of the ribbon for the fight against the disease? A breast cancer survivor by the name of Charlotte Hayley decided to sell cards bearing peach-colored ribbons to promote awareness. The agenda caught the interest of cosmetic company Estee Lauder, but they wanted to change the peach ribbons to pink, thus going back to the original color first used in 1991. And ever since, it has been pink.

If the HIV awareness ribbon is red, the ribbon for breast cancer is pink. Pink suggests femininity, delicateness, the maternal instinct: an appropriate color indeed. It is the awareness of a disease that can take a life, if not radically alter a lifestyle. The pink is the awareness of a disease that doesn’t just disfigure women but also robs them of their inherent capacity to nourish their children.

Breast cancer, like all forms of cancer, is a traitor. It strikes when you’re not watching. This is why October has become the designated month for Breast Cancer Awareness, a time to raise consciousness among women (and not just women but everyone in general) about the disease. This is the time when the pink ribbons start coming out, delicately pink, but steadfast in mission.

The main goal is always to encourage women to get a mammogram and have themselves checked, something many women ignore. The alibis go from There’s always something more important to do, or That trip to the doctor can always wait, until it’s too late. What many people miss is that early detection is very important because time is always a factor in cancer. The chances of survival are greater when the disease is diagnosed properly and treatment is administered as soon as possible.

And all it takes is a simple non-invasive mammogram. A mammogram can be costly, but nowadays every health insurance company in the U.S. has been required by law to provide coverage for this procedure for their clients. Women with Medicare can avail of the procedure at a low-cost too, and some clinics offer absolutely free screening so there’s still no reason why women shouldn’t be able to find time to have themselves examined.

In the U.S. alone, for the year 2010, an estimated 207,000 new cases of invasive breast cancer are expected to be diagnosed among women, along with over 54,000 new cases of non-invasive cancer. These figures are significantly lower than in previous years, (2% from 1999 to 2006), and that’s a good thing.

It means the pink ribbons are working: people are getting aware that there is such a disease and that it can strike them (even males can be candidates ), but only if they allow it too. It means people are taking care of themselves more these days.

Finding out that you have breast cancer should not be the end of your life. Rather, it is only the beginning. This may sound clichéd, but the statistics in survival from the disease is very hopeful. In 2010 the number of breast cancer survivors has reached more than 2.5 million, and it’s still on the rise.

Celebrities like musician Sheryl Crow, Golden Girl Rue McClanahan, pop star Kylie Minogue, actress Cynthia Nixon (of “Sex and the City”), Edie Falco (of “The Sopranos”), and Christina Applegate have all been diagnosed with the disease, battled it, and are now doing their part in promoting breast cancer awareness.

Eric has been writing articles online for about 1 year now. He is also sharing many of his passions through his blogs, his latest being on Backyard Putting Greens [http://www.backyardputtinggreens.info/] which among others give you reviews on Indoor Putting Greens [http://www.backyardputtinggreens.info/indoor-putting-greens/].

A diaper cake is a popular centerpiece and gift for baby showers. Each one contains 50 to 150 diapers, depending upon the size of the cake, and many are packaged with additional baby products. A cake may have a baby blanket or basket wrapped around part of it, or various toys, clothing, and teething rings may be attached to parts of the outside. Colorful and festive in appearance, a diaper cake is put together with ribbons, making it perfect as a centerpiece for a shower, and new parents will have a starting supply of diapers and other baby products once the party is over.

A diaper cake starts with 50 to 150 diapers, depending upon the size. A manufacture of these baby shower gifts often uses a cardboard platter and ribbon for tying together the individual diapers and tiers. Various small baby products are also used in the package.

The first step for making a diaper cake is tying the diapers. Each is rolled outward and tied with a ribbon. After this has been done to each one, the tiers can be assembled. A three-tier cake is typical, although two and four-tier styles are also sold. The smallest or top tier is assembled first from five to 10 diapers tied together. The next largest or second tier is assembled after this from 15 to 40 diapers, all tied together with a ribbon. The third tier or base is the last to be put together, and the remaining diapers, which may range from 30 to 60, are used. Most manufacturers use two pieces of ribbon to assemble this tier. A smaller circle for the center is created and tied with a ribbon; around this, another circle of diapers is added and tied with a ribbon.

Once all tiers have been assembled, the next step for making a diaper cake is putting the product together. The base is attached to the cardboard platter by tape but not too much tape; too much might cause the diapers to tear. The top two tiers are attached using the same method. After the basic body has been put together, any smaller baby products and decorative ribbon can be added to give the diaper cake a unique appearance.

Your little one is invited to a themed birthday party. She wants to be a princess but you do not have so much money to buy what you need. Luckily, with a little bit of imagination and the things around your house, you can transform a nice simple dress of your little one in a princess dress. And you can enjoy the process with the little one, transforming this whole process into a game.

The game can begin by finding in your girl’s closet a simple dress, meaning with no other gems or applications on it. Then, look into your drawers for beads of different colors and sizes. I would stick to two colors, white and the color of your dress, but it’s all up to you. The white beads look like pearls and gives the dress elegance. If you do not have at home, you might need to buy them, however they are not expensive and your child can come with you and choose the ones she likes. If you go to the store, you might want to try glass beads as well and use them either for the crown or for the dress. Now that you have bought the beads find or buy some lace or ribbon. You can choose a narrower and a broad ribbon, as you are going to need both.

Now just start sewing. Use the narrower ribbon around the collar or the neck of the dress. If possible, try to bring part of the ribbon outside and the other part inside, as to have a dotted line. Begin with two pieces of ribbon or lace from each side of the neck and make a bow at the middle of the dress, where the pieces of lace or ribbon come together. Now, you can sew the beads you have bought in this way: on the ribbon or lace, at the middle, a bead in the color of the dress; on the dress, a bead in the color of the lace. It will be a collar that it is both playful and elegant.

Use the other piece of ribbon or lace, the broader one, to make a belt. You can sew other beads on it and this time you can form little flowers from three beads sewn together. Then sew just a bead or if you have, a glass bead. Then again three beads together, a glass bead and three beads together and so on until you finish the belt. Great game, wasn’t it?

Now all you need is a princess crown that can be made of a simple bandeau on which you can add other beads. And so your little princess is ready to head for the party.

World renowned for some of the best diving experiences you will ever encounter, the Ribbon Reefs are long, thin strips of reef, which form the outer edges of the Great Barrier Reef around 50 km — 100 km off the northern Queensland shore and so are accessed only by Australian liveaboards.

Characteristically no wider than 450m, the Ribbon Reefs are part of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park and are covered in colourful corals that attract a plethora of reef life big and small, with sandy gullies separating them, themselves containing interesting critters.

The Ribbon Reefs are generally quite shallow, coming up to as high as 5 metres below the surface from a sandy bottom that is between 15-20 metres below the surface. With great visibility year round and mostly calm sea surfaces, they are the staple of many liveaboards and provide fascinating Australia scuba diving opportunities for all levels of diver.

Highlights

One of the most famous Great Barrier Reef dive sites and a spectacle to behold, Cod Hole, as the name suggests, is a dive site famous for cod. Giant potato cod to be exact. What makes this site special is that the giant potato cod are virtually domesticated thanks to 2 decades of being fed by divemasters. There’s something special about a 60 kg fish swimming right up to you for a nibble from your hand. During feeding time everyone joins the action as coral trout, sweetlips, triggerfish and trevally also try to muscle in on the action.

Steve’s Bommie is a bit of a legendary dive site. The ballade of Steve varies according to who’s telling the story, but the common thread is that Steve loved this bommie, came to an untimely end and had the bommie named after him. A memorial plaque can be seen at 25m where most divers start on this site. Legends aside, Steve’s Bommie features a wealth of schooling action, big fish and macro life. Cruising barracudas, whitetip reef sharks and possibly even minke whales will leave you wanting to look everywhere at once.

The Temple of Doom is another peculiarly named Ribbon Reef dive site. Aside from macro action on the bommie itself, pelagic fish are a constant and you’ll have to ration your time between the reef and the blue. Shark sightings are common as are large rays and bluefin trevally of the 70 cm plus variety.

Diving Season

Due to Queensland’s tropical climate, any time of the year is a good time to dive the Ribbon Reefs. Water temperatures fluctuate between 22°C in winter and 29°C during summer. Visibility is good year round, with best vis from September to November.

During the wet summer months rainfall is moderate but usually limited to early mornings and later afternoons. The dry winter months see little rain. Surface conditions are always calm, but can become moderate during winter.

Reef Summary

Good for: Underwater photography, large animals, reef life and health and small animals
Not so good for: Wreck dives
Depth: 5 — 30m
Visibility: 10 — 30m
Currents: Gentle
Surface conditions: Calm, moderate in winter
Water temperature: 22 — 29 °C
Experience level: Beginner — advanced
Number of dive sites: about 25
Distance: 140 km north of Cairns
Access: Australian liveaboard
Recommended length of stay: 1 week

Gavin Macaulay is Marketing Director of Dive The World which aims to help divers find the perfect scuba diving holiday in some of the world’s most exciting dive destinations. He offers opinions and advice on diving related topics based on his own experiences.

Microsoft Word 2007 Track Changes is found on the Review Ribbon, in the Tracking group. In this tutorial I will show you how to turn on and turn off Track Changes, and also how to accept or reject the changes made.

Turn On Track Changes:

When you wish to start tracking the changes made to your document select the Review Ribbon and click once on the Track Changes button. Track Changes is now turned on. From this point on, Microsoft Word will store your edits which you can then review later.

As an example, if I was tracking the changes to the above text and I deleted the word Ribbon and typed the word Tab instead, I would see a red strike through the word Ribbon and a red underline on the word Tab. Any word that gets deleted is formatted red and struck through. Any word that gets inserted is formatted red with a red underline. You will also see a black line on the left-hand margin to indicate that an edit has been made in that particular line of the document text.

Turn Off Track Changes:

To turn off the track changes feature when you have finished editing your document simply click on the Track Changes button again. Once Track Changes is turned off any edits that you make are not stored.

Accept or Reject Tracked Changes:

If you select the Review Ribbon again, you will see the Final Showing Markup option displaying in the Tracking group. Change this to Final and you will see how your document will look if you decide to accept all the edits that you made in your document. If you change the option to Original, you will see how your document looked prior to any edits being made to it. You can also sett the option to Original Showing Markup if you wish to observe the differences from that view point.

Once you have checked how your document looks using the Final option, if you are 100% happy with the edits you can accept the changes one at a time by selecting the Review Ribbon / Accept option from the Changes group. If you would like to accept all changes in one go, simply click once on the drop-down arrow head under the Accept button and select the Accept All Changes in Document option.

Similarly if you wish to reject the changes one at a time click the Reject button, or to reject all changes click once on the drop-down arrow head under the Reject button and select the Reject All Changes in Document option.

You will probably find that accepting or rejecting changes one at a time is a better option as this will allow you to decide on whether you prefer the original text or the subsequent edit on a per edit basis rather than a global accept all or reject all basis.

Important:

If you do not Accept or Reject the edits, the changes stay stored in your document. This can lead to possible annoyance or indeed embarrassment if you later email the document on to someone else as they would be able to compare your original to final edit and observe the edits between the two versions.

Check to Insure Stored Edits Have Been Removed:

If you wish to insure that all stored edits have been removed from your document you could go to the Review Ribbon and select the Original and the Final options as before and see if there is any difference. You could also select the Accept All Changes in Document or Reject All Changes in Document also. A better method would be to use the Office Button / Prepare / Inspect Document feature. Once selected make sure the options to check for Comments, Revisions, Versions, and Annotations is on and then click the Inspect button. If the results show *Revision Marks, there are still stored edits in your document that have not yet been accepted or rejected.

Keyboard Shortcuts:

To turn on or turn off Track Changes – Ctrl + Shift + e

To Accept the change and move to the next edit – Alt / r / a / m

To Reject the change and move to the next edit – Alt / r / j / m

Mike Derham is a corporate trainer with over 20 years experience. He trains a variety of IT applications and business soft-skills. He also had an IT training aid published by Gill & Macmillan in 2004 (ISBN:9780717137459). Mike currently operates his training company from an office in Cork, however he regularly finds himself travelling to all parts of Europe.

They Call Me Mellow Yellow

I was 12 years old when Donovan came out with this song in 1966, the same year my gorgeous wife Maggie was born. If my math is correct, that would make me 12 years older than her which would also make my step-daughter reiterate the fact, “SEE… you ARE old!”

‘Mellow Yellow’ was one of the first songs I thought of when writing up this segment on the color yellow. All these years I thought of it as a cute, catchy, harmless little toe-tapping tune. Now I’m thinking they should call ME ‘Very Naive’.

Like I said in our last installment (orange), you’ve got to take up blogging as a hobby just for the wonderful, weird and wacky information you’ll accrue. In my time I’ve been known to entertain the occasional naughty thought or two, but there’s no way even I could have guessed the meaning of this song. If you’re good again today, I’ll expose the correct connotation of ‘Mellow Yellow’.

You know the drill… hold back on the age jokes and keep reading!:)

The Yellow Rose of Texas

This was another song I considered using for this piece. For quite some time it has been considered as the unofficial state song for – you guessed it, Texas. My, you are razor-sharp today, aren’t you?

What you most likely did NOT know was that during the time the song was written in the mid-1800′s, the tag ‘Yellow Rose’ referred to a biracial lady, a mix of African-American and Caucasian. Legend has it that one such lady was single-handedly responsible for winning the war for Texas Independence from Mexico because she seduced Mexico’s leading general, thus allowing the battle to be won literally in minutes and with almost no casualties.

While historical accounts do not concur with this legend, it does make for some interesting reading, which leads us to another common term…

Yellow Journalism

The color yellow typically represents radiant warmth and friendliness. However, when one is accused of ‘yellow journalism’, there is nothing warm, fuzzy or even remotely complimentary. On the contrary, this form of writing refers to exaggerated, irresponsible and sensationalized reporting.

Since yellow is also associated with cowardice, yellow journalists are considered cowards because they use cheap tactics rather than honest, accurate reporting to lure more readers.

Back in the late 1800′s to early 1900′s when newspapers were the primary source of information, two major newspaper owners – east coast publisher Joseph Pulitzer and west coast publisher William Randolf Hearst – quite literally waged circulation war and would stop at nothing to increase their readership, and thus their profits. For example, during a heat wave in Manhattan, Pulitzer used the headline, “How Babies are Baked” to entice more readers.

Hearst answered by buying out one of Pulizter’s local newspaper competitors. Hearst then started paying enormous salaries in an attempt to steal Pulitzer’s top writers. The sensationalism and one-upmanship continued to escalate, each owner trying to top the other with increasingly outlandish headlines and copy.

Of course, this infuriated other smaller, more accountable newspapers. One small publisher in particular, Edwin Godkin referred to Pulitzer’s paper as a ‘yellow journal’, accusing the mogul of being a coward for using sleazy strategies. The term stuck.

Carefully Chosen Yellow Gifts Are Good!

The gift of flowers is considered by many as a terrific token of thoughtfulness. However, it’s most important to contemplate exactly what you are thinking before you give just any old thing. “It’s the thought that counts”, is a phrase designed to let otherwise thoughtless people off the hook.

For example, freedom and friendship are highlighted when you give yellow flowers. However, if your intentions are more on the romantic side, your object of affection may misread that yellow as a sign of cowardice. (For years, I wondered why I couldn’t manage to get or keep a relationship… people, if you’re experiencing the same difficulties, these are some clues!)

As for wearing yellow jewelry, use them when you want to influence and increase creativity, focus and mental acuity. Gem stones such as Amber, Florite, Calcite and Cat’s Eye worn at the pulse points (neckline, ankles, wrists, and ears) will stimulate clarity, cheerfulness and communication.

As always, remember to balance the use of yellow. Too much of the color leads to perfectionism and stubbornness, while too little may result in becoming isolated, insecure and depressed.

Tie A Yellow Ribbon

Yet another song I considered for this entry was the extremely popular, “Tie A Yellow Ribbon” by Tony Orlando and Dawn first released back in February, 1973. To put this date into perspective, I was halfway through my second year of college while Maggie was halfway through second grade – as in grade school!

Hey, I warned you… watch those age jokes!

* Anyway, in this particular song, the yellow ribbon represents a ‘welcome-home’ sign for an ex-convict returning to his wife after spending three years in prison. Singapore has implemented a similar annual program, promoting a second chance in society for ex-convicts.

* Traditionally, the yellow ribbon has been used by the U.S. Military, again as a ‘welcome-home’ for soldiers returning from duty. This symbol actually dates back several centuries to Puritan times.

* In more recent years, yellow ribbons have been used by the U.S. as symbols of support for hostages and troops in the Middle East conflicts.

* The Yellow Ribbon is used to represent ‘Press Freedom’ in Malaysia

* Japan recognizes professionals who have become public role models by awarding them with a Medal of Honor featuring a yellow ribbon.

Yellow-Bellies Beware

OK, it’s time to reveal the true meaning of the song, “Mellow Yellow”. While I hesitate to lower myself to ‘yellow journalism’ to boost my readership, I certainly cannot back down from the challenge presented to me by my gorgeous wife to, “Put it in… I dare you.”

As you wish, Gorgeous!:)

In the music video for “Mellow Yellow” (seen on our website – find the link below in our resource box) there is a scene depicting an ‘electric banana’. If you haven’t viewed the presentation yet, stop reading here and go watch.

It’s OK… we’ll wait…

You saw the video, right? No cheating, because you won’t appreciate the context unless you’ve seen it.

Now where were we… oh yeah, the ‘electric banana’. Apparently it’s the pride and joy of Saffron, the 14 year old girl mentioned in the song. This ‘electric banana’ is actually a vibrator (that’s right, the… ah-hem… adult toy).

And to think I went 43 years without knowing this! I’m so much the wiser now, just because I decided to write a little article on the color yellow.

Makes you want to start blogging, doesn’t it?

For those who just can’t get enough yellow check out the link in our resource box below for more fascinating reading.

Other Articles in this Color Series:

Colors – The Unspoken Communicators (introduction)

White

Red

Orange

Yellow

Green

Blue

Indigo

Violet

Brown

Black

When you understand and use the colors that work best for you, I know you’re gonna Love That Feeling!

Fascinating stuff, don’t you agree? Read the entire ‘Color Series’ starting here! http://lovethatfeeling.com/blog/colors-the-unspoken-communicators/
All the best from Toronto,
Russ

Are you considering laptop keyboard repair? You might think twice if you happen to be the lucky owner of a Compaq Presario, because replacing the keyboard rather than repairing it could be a lot less expensive. Laptop keyboard replacement on this particular model is very easy and takes just a few minutes. Here is a quick laptop keyboard repair tutorial with step-by-step instructions.

Once you have purchased the new keyboard, all you need to replace the old with the new is a screwdriver and something plastic, flat and thin like a credit card or guitar pick.

Step one: Remove the two screws from the bottom of the computer that are holding down the keyboard bezel. The bezel is the bar that sits right above all the function keys.

Step two: Turn the computer over, open the cover and insert the credit card or guitar pick between the bezel and the computer screen. The bezel has pegs that sit in holes, you need to slowly pry up the bezel. It will make a bit of a popping noise as it is removed.

Step three: Now hold on to the keyboard from the end closest to the screen and gently pull it away from the touch-pad end and flip it over. You will see the ribbon attached to the underside of the keyboard. There is a little plastic connector holding the ribbon to the computer. To unlock it, carefully pull up on the two tabs; one located on each corner of the connector. Be very gentle when you do this as this is the one part that gets broken the most often when changing a keyboard. The ribbon will now be released.

Step four: Carefully pull the ribbon out of the connector and remove it along with the entire keyboard.

Final step: To insert the new keyboard, place the board face down so you have easy access to the ribbon. Make sure the keyboard is lined up so when you flip it back over the keys are in the correct position. Keep the ribbon straight at all times; twisting it could damage it. Place the ribbon in the connector; it only goes in one way. Once in place, push down on the connector tabs to lock it. Now flip the keyboard over and slide it down toward the touch pad and take the bezel and line the pegs up with the holes and push it in place. Then turn the computer over and replace the two screws you removed from the bottom. You can now power on your computer and see if the keyboard works. If it is not working, more than likely the ribbon was not inserted properly.

Here is a detailed laptop keyboard repair video tutorial to walk you through the steps.

This article was submitted by Nancy Mirr for Laptops Plus West, a San Diego computer repair company, rated A+ with the Better Business Bureau. Three San Diego County locations provide all laptop computer repair services including laptop keyboard repair, motherboard repair and more.