INPUT ARTICLE: Article: It's the compass icon typically found on the Dock and/or in the Launcher. It's in the menu bar that runs along the top of the screen.  It's the globe icon at the top of the window. " It's under the "Web content" header. If the box was already checked, Safari is already set up to block pop-up ads.

SUMMARY: Open Safari on your Mac. Click the Safari menu. Click Preferences on the menu. Click the Websites tab. Check the box next to "Block pop-up windows.


INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Make sure the wood screws you use are long enough to pierce both pieces of two-by-four at each corner. Use a power drill to ensure that the ends are firmly locked together. Create the square piece of plywood to fit beneath the square frame. Use the frame to trace the cutting lines directly onto your plywood. Cut the plywood once you have measured the shape. Simply flip the nicer side of the frame downwards (if applicable), place the plywood on top, and screw down through the plywood into the two-by-fours. Make sure your screws aren’t too short for the plywood or too long for the two-by-fours. First, place the carpet right-side-up in the box to make sure it fits snugly within the square frame. Then, place the PVC pipe in the center of the carpet; you may have to twist it back and forth a few times as you press it into the hole (or even lift the carpet and insert it from the back) to get it all the way through. Finally, insert the saved circle of carpet into the center of the PVC pipe. Make adjustments as necessary. Do this in the same order in which you test-assembled the pieces. Let the glue set for the amount of time recommended on the bottle.  For additional stability, use finishing nails and a punch to nail the carpet to the plywood base. When applying construction adhesive, be sure to press the the PVC pipe and carpet firmly together.  You may also use 1’ L brackets or a 4” toilet flange to firmly set the PVC pipe.

SUMMARY: Screw the square frame together. Measure and cut a piece of square plywood. Screw the square of plywood to the bottom of the square frame. Assemble the carpet and PVC pipe inside the wooden box to test the fit. Glue the carpet and PVC pipe to the wooden frame.


INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Place one foot on the skateboard and make sure you’ve got solid footing. Then, quickly and cautiously lift the other foot and set it down beside your first foot. Your feet should be about shoulder width apart, the way you practiced. Once you’ve gotten on the board successfully, the hardest part is over!  Don’t go too fast or too slow. If you hurry, you might cause the board to shift unintentionally. If you take too much time, you could throw yourself off balance standing on one leg. Aim to step up with an easy 1-2 pattern, with about the same pace that you would walk up stairs. You’re most likely going to fall a time or two as a beginner. Don’t let this discourage you. After you’ve taken a spill, your fear of falling will begin to fade and you’ll be able to better commit. A good rule of thumb when you’re first getting comfortable with standing on a skateboard is to stay centered over the trucks. The trucks are the long metal shafts on the underside of the board that attach the wheels to the deck (the wooden platform you stand on). Rest each foot over the bolts on the top of the board that hold the trucks in place. Don’t let your feet spread out too far or come together in too narrow a stance. Conveniently, the distance between the trucks is approximately the same as your feet when in a shoulder width stance. Lean your weight forward slightly until you’re poised on the broad part of your foot directly behind the toes. When you’re skating, you need to be able to shift and reposition to stay balanced and perform different maneuvers. Staying on the balls of your feet makes it easier to lift, slide, and pivot your feet at will, and will also allow you to absorb shock through your lower leg muscles while you’re riding.  Standing flat footed on a skateboard feels awkward because it essentially takes all agility out of the equation. When you’re on the balls of your feet, you’re ready to respond to the movements of the board. Raising up on tiptoe or letting your heels come off the board will also compromise your balance. Your entire foot should remain in contact with the top of the board; it’s just a matter of where your weight is directed. Use delicate movements of the feet, ankles, knees and hips to maintain your balance on the board. Lean, tilt, pump your legs and do whatever else you have to do in order to stay upright. You can even wave your arms to steady yourself, if it helps. You should constantly be making small adjustments to keep the board under control, especially once you’re in motion. It will continue to get easier the more you practice.  If your feet and body are fixed in place, you will almost always come unbalanced. Try not to sway too far forward or backward. You might fall off or even tip the board over. Balancing on a skateboard is similar to standing on the deck of a boat that is rocking,  pitching and swaying. It forces you to stay light on your feet.

SUMMARY: Step onto the board carefully. Position your feet over the trucks. Keep your weight on the balls of your feet. Make small adjustments.


INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Whether you are moving into a new house or reorganizing an existing closet, you need to take everything out of it to assess it as a space. Removing all the items from the closet will help you pare down some of the possessions that you have.  Be sure to vacuum or sweep the floor of the closet once it is empty. This will make sure your closet is in its best possible state before your reorganize it. If you are having trouble organizing your closet, there is a good chance you have too many possessions. Research shows that modern consumers are driven by the desire to own new things, but buying new items does not necessarily satisfy our desire for more possessions.  The consumer goods industry is the largest in the United States, where it generates more than $419 billion every year. The vast majority of this money is spent on non-essential goods that fill our closets. One very popular and highly successful method for organizing is the method designed by Marie Kondo, a professional organizer from Japan. Her method is very simple and easy to follow.  After you have laid out all of your clothes from your closet in a pile on your floor, sit down and touch each item on the floor. As you touch the item, ask yourself "Does this spark joy in me?" Does the item make you happy? Or does it make you feel guilty for not having lost those ten pounds? Does it remind you of a stressful time in your life? If it doesn't spark joy in you, then prepare to donate or discard the item.  After you have gone through your clothes, then apply the same method to your shoes, bedding, cosmetics, and any other items that might be in your closet. If you share a closet with someone else, ask that person to also go through their items and discard any items that do not bring any joy. This may take a few days to get through if you have a very large closet. You might plan to do this over the course of a long weekend or if you have an extended break, like the time between Christmas Day and New Year's Eve. If your clothing, shoes, and jewelry are still in good condition, consider donating them to a local organization like Goodwill or the Salvation Army. You can also look into donating at a homeless shelter or a shelter for survivors of domestic violence. You can read more about this method in Kondo's book The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying-Up. (Ten Speed Press, 2014). With fewer possessions, you probably won't need as many boxes or shelves to hold all of your things. Put all of your remaining clothes back on their hangars and see how much space they take up in your closet.

SUMMARY:
Take everything out of the closet. Apply the KonMari method of organizing to your closet. Reassess your storage needs.