In one sentence, describe what the following article is about: Before you take your device to record a lecture, it’s a good idea to do a test run with it to make sure you know how to operate it properly. This will also help ensure that you don’t have any disasters the day of a lecture.  You can use the test run to figure out how close you need to be to a speaker to pick up her voice. You can easily do this by testing your own voice at different distances. Consider adding some background noise to your test run to see how this affects the quality of the recording and make adjustments as necessary. If you are aware of common recording problems, then you can avoid any disasters during the recording or when you play it back. This will help ensure that you also get the most from recording your college lecture.  Make sure you have enough memory and battery power to record the entire lecture.  Videotape the lecture if you’re allowed. It will allow you to record power point presentations if the professor uses them.  Make sure your device doesn’t make any loud noises or create any visual signals that will distract you, your classmates, or the professor. Before you go to a lecture, check to make sure that you have not only enough storage space on your recording device, but also that it has enough battery power. This will ensure that you capture the entire class and don’t miss anything.  If you have a battery-operated device, make sure it is charged or that you have spare batteries. If you are using a tape recorder, take an extra tape or two with you in case you run out of space or experience technical difficulties. In order to get the most optimal recording of a lecture, sit close to where the professor is standing. This will ensure that you directly hear her voice, but also that there isn’t as much background noise.  If the professor moves around the classroom, it may not be as easy to capture her voice. Try sitting near the front at one of the sides to make sure that there aren’t too many other people around you to dampen the professor’s voice. Don’t sit at the back of a classroom because you may not be able to record the lecture clearly.  Make sure that you are not moving around too much so that your movements don’t disrupt the sound recording. Taping a lecture is not an invitation to zone out during class. It’s important that you also take notes on a lecture. Not only will writing notes help you remember the subject matter more effectively, but there are also notes the professor wrote on a board or in a slide presentation that a recording might not capture.  Studies have shown that students who take handwritten notes actually learn and retain more.  Use the recording only to clarify what you don’t understand or didn’t catch in class. If you want to be able to listen to your recorded lecture for notes or to help you understand a topic, remember to save it at the end of class. This will be a good backup and help clarify your written notes if need be.  If you accidentally forgot to save the recording of your lecture, you can ask a friend if he has one. Many recording programs and devices will automatically save a recording as it progresses.
Summary: Do a test run with your device. Avoid common recording problems. Make sure you have enough storage and battery time. Sit close to the professor. Take notes to go with your recording. Save your recording.

In one sentence, describe what the following article is about: Being able to see properly is key to driving safely any time, especially when visibility is already reduced because of rain. To improve your visibility:  Clean the inside and outside of the windows regularly to remove dirt, dust, mud, smoke, fingerprints, grime, and other materials. If your windows fog up, turn on the air conditioning or cold air in the car and aim the vents at the windows. Turn on the rear defroster, and open the windows if necessary to increase the airflow. Take your car to a mechanic to have your headlights adjusted properly if you've never done this. This will ensure your headlights are pointing in the right direction, make it easier to see, and prevent you from blinding other drivers.  Check regularly to make sure none of your lights have burnt out, and replace dead lights immediately. This includes headlights, brake lights, turn signals, tail lights, and running lights. Keep the light covers on your car clean so that dust and dirt don't reduce their efficacy. Tire tread is what allows your tires to adhere to the road, which is why it's so dangerous to drive with bald tires. Without the right traction, you can skid, slide, and hydroplane easily in wet conditions. New tires generally have about 10/32 of an inch of tread. Tires should be replaced when the tread gets to 4/32 of an inch. Tires with 2/32 of an inch or less of tread are unsafe and shouldn't be used.
Summary: Keep your windows clean and clear. Maintain your lights. Maintain your tires.

In one sentence, describe what the following article is about: Before you do anything else, consider how you can use existing architecture to hang and anchor the lights. For instance, the roof of your home, trees on your property, fence posts along borders, and patio structures or awnings can be utilized to hang outdoor lights so that you don’t have to create separate posts to mount/anchor them to.  For example, string lights between your home and garage over your lawn. Alternatively, hang lights between your deck and posts you place throughout the yard. Obviously, you’ll need to be able to plug in the lights, so consider where the outdoor electrical outlets are located on your property. You’ll need to begin near an outlet with enough voltage to power the strings you want to use. Use an outlet on a circuit that does not have a lot of equipment plugged into it. If you plug too much equipment into one circuit, you'll trip the breaker and it will shut the power off. You may want taut strings or draping lines. Common patterns for outdoor lights include straight lines, v patterns or diamonds, x patterns, and checkerboards. Think about how much light you need and where you want to concentrate it. Also, consider how far from the ground the lights should be so that people can easily walk underneath them, if applicable.  For example, you may want to zigzag a string of lights over your fire pit or patio area. Alternatively, you could wind strings of lights between patio posts. Use eaves, beams, posts, or trees for mounting points. Pick mounting points at regular intervals, such as every 5 feet (1.5 m). Use at least 2 mounting points per string, and make sure that each mounting point is at the same height. You can purchase guide wire, wire rope clamps, eye to eye turnbuckles, zip ties, and screw hooks to add extra stability if you’re stringing the lights between structures. Or, for a simpler attachment, you can use a staple gun to secure the strings of lights directly to wooden fixtures. If you don’t have enough existing beams, structures, or trees, you can easily make wooden posts to anchor the lights to. Put 4 by 4 in (10 by 10 cm) wooden posts of the desired height in stainless steel buckets. Mix cement and pour it into the buckets. Allow the cement to dry completely, then place the buckets around your property at the desired mounting points. String is the perfect tool to help you determine how many lights you’ll need. Run a string from the outlet you intend to use to each mounting point. Then, measure the string to determine how long the light string should be or many sets of strings you’ll need to complete the pattern. There are many different types of string lights, from icicle and fairy lights to globe or rope lights. Choose what you like best, and make sure you get a little more than enough to create the pattern you mapped out. Always buy lights designed specifically for outdoor locations to ensure they can withstand the elements.  Star-shaped string lights would provide soft light and enhance the outdoor ambience. Colored lights would provide a party-like feel to your outdoor space, and could be tailored to holiday colors.
Summary:
Use existing architecture. Factor in outlet locations. Design a pattern for the lights. Choose your mounting points. Decide how to anchor the lights. Install wooden posts to anchor the lights to, if necessary. Measure the desired pattern using string. Buy enough outdoor lights to cover the pattern and a few spares.