Hello there, and welcome to our monthly feature of all kinds of tips. We at the business desk are pleased to bring you our monthly feature of a plethora of tips that cover a wide range of topics. All of our tips are designed to help you save time, cut down on your research, and help you get ahead. It’s what we do for a living! We help you to help yourself! So go ahead and read on. Enjoy!
From the business desk team at http://www.sterlingcreations.com.
Follow us on Twitter @accessibleworld
The new look for 2025
January 2025
Welcome to our new look monthly tips where we are pleased to share a plethora of tricks and tips that are relevant to such things as technology, travel, managing your daily life, and much more.
So just come aboard, sit back, take a deep breath, and enjoy!
If you wish to contact us then please do not hesitate to write to us at info@sterlingcreations.ca and we promise to respond within 2 business days as long as technology allows us to do so.
Give us your feedback, comments, suggestions, and thoughts!
For it is only through you and with you that we are able to do this!
Table of contents –
1. From our 10 tips on technology series
2. From the pages of Donna’s travel diary
3. A bit of this and a bit of that from Donna’s did you know diary
4. From the scam watchers
5. Tips from Melanie Mama Peach
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From our 10 tips on technology series
Hello everyone:
Welcome to my 10 tip series where each month I’ll be sharing 10 tips on various pieces of technology.
This would include tips on popular screen readers, office software, and browsers.
If you have any suggestions on what you would like me to share then by all means! Write to me at donnajodhan@sterlingcreations.ca.
For this month:
10 tips for learning firefox
Sure! Here are 10 tips for learning and using Firefox effectively:
1.
Customize Your Toolbar: You can add, remove, or rearrange buttons on your toolbar to suit your needs. Right-click on the toolbar and select “Customize Toolbar” to personalize it.
2.
Use Keyboard Shortcuts: Familiarize yourself with Firefox’s keyboard shortcuts to navigate and perform tasks more efficiently. For example, `Ctrl + T` opens a new tab, and `Ctrl + L` focuses the address bar.
3.
Leverage Firefox Add-ons: Explore and install add-ons to enhance functionality. Visit the Firefox Add-ons site to find tools that can improve your browsing experience, such as ad blockers, password managers, and productivity tools.
4.
Master Bookmarking: Use bookmarks to save and organize your favorite websites. Press `Ctrl + D` to quickly bookmark a page, and use the Bookmark Manager (`Ctrl + Shift + O`) to organize them into folders.
5.
Sync Across Devices: Create a Firefox account to sync your bookmarks, history, passwords, and open tabs across all your devices. This ensures you have a consistent browsing experience wherever you go.
6.
Private Browsing Mode: Use Private Browsing mode (`Ctrl + Shift + P`) to browse without saving your history, cookies, or temporary files. This is useful for maintaining privacy and security.
7.
Take Advantage of Firefox’s Reader Mode: Enable Reader Mode to declutter web pages and make them easier to read. Click the reader mode icon (a page icon with lines) in the address bar to activate it.
8.
Customize Search Engines: You can add, remove, or manage search engines in Firefox. Go to Settings > Search to customize which search engine Firefox uses by default.
9.
Use the Library for History and Downloads: The Library (`Ctrl + Shift + H` for history, `Ctrl + J` for downloads) lets you manage your browsing history, downloads, and bookmarks all in one place.
10.
Explore Firefox Developer Tools: For those interested in web development, Firefox provides powerful developer tools. Press `F12` or `Ctrl + Shift + I` to access the Developer Tools, which include elements inspector, console, network monitor, and more.
By following these tips, you can maximize your productivity and enjoy a more personalized browsing experience with Firefox.
To contact me please send an email to info@sterlingcreations.ca
I’m Donna J. Jodhan (sight loss coach and accessibility advisor)
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Important tips from the travel table
From the pages of Donna’s diary
What makes for an accessible airport
I do not think that one would ever be able to say that an airport is entirely accessible.
However, there are certain areas that should be as accessible as can be.
I’ll give you some hints and see how we go.
* Curbside – a must.
* a check in kiosk – More than a nice to have.
* A check in counter – a must.
Security area – a must
Lounges – a must
Boarding gate area – a must
Restaurants – a must
Washrooms – a must.
I’m Donna J. Jodhan enjoying my travels.
To learn more about me as a sight loss coach and author visit
http://www.donnajodhan.com
On your next trip you could enrich your down time with some of my audio mysteries. Take them with you wherever you go!
In the car, on the plane, on the bus or train, at the beach, anywhere!
And now you can listen to Donna’s weekly podcasts!
Ask donna – a plethora of tips from a sight loss coach along with book and product reviews!
Dining with donna – recipes and time saving tips for the kitchen!
Your mental stretch with Donna – how to recharge, renew, and get going! Save yourself from those dramas, traumas, and stress!
Visit www.donnajodhan.com/youtube
and subscribe for free
Follow me on Twitter @accessibleworld and at author_jodhan
And like me on Facebook at
www.facebook.com/donnajodhan and at www.facebook.com/authordonnajodhan
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A bit of this and a bit of that from Donna’s did you know diary
January 2025
A bit of this and a bit of that from Donna’s did you know diary
Award winning sight loss coach, author and advocate
Welcome to my Donna’s did you know diary for this month and pleased to share the following with you.
Practical and natural!
Here’s what I learned for this month.
1) About laying hens:
They lay about 340 eggs annually.
2) Best not to put your wooden spoons and racks in the dish washer and why?
Because they can become warped!
3) Best way to clean your frying pans and sauce pans?
Wash them in warm water and a bit of dish soap.
4) About Magnesium?
It is most useful for circulation problems and helping to deal with cramps.
The liquid form is more affective.
5) 3 types of window cleaners?
Amonia based,
Amonia free,
And vinegar based.
6) And here are some old fashioned weather tips.
If you see clouds rising in the West then it is going to rain.
If winds are blowing from the South then it is going to be scorching hot
7) Some trivia about the Pacific Ocean?
It is the deepest and largest Ocean in the world.
8) 2 great ways to shine your kitchen sink:
Make sure first that it is completely dry.
Use either baby or vegetable oil on a paper towel to shine.
9) What is the difference between ice pellets and frozen rain?
Ice pellets are just like hale!
Frozen rain is rain that freezes as soon as it touches the ground.
10) Some common causes for headaches?
Lack of sleep.
Stress.
Hunger.
Sinus related symptoms.
Caffeine withdrawal.
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From the scam watchers
Certainly! Here are three common scams you might encounter in January:
1.
Holiday Charity Scams: After the holiday season, many scammers pose as charities seeking donations. They often use emotional appeals or claim to be raising funds for specific causes, like helping disaster victims or supporting veterans. Always verify the legitimacy of the charity by checking with official sources and avoid giving money through unsolicited calls or emails.
2.
Tax Refund Scams: As tax season approaches, scammers may pose as IRS agents or tax preparers, claiming you’re eligible for a large tax refund. They might ask for personal information, such as Social Security numbers or bank account details, under the guise of processing your refund. Be cautious and only communicate with the IRS or your tax preparer through official channels.
3.
Online Shopping Scams: In January, post-holiday sales and clearance events are common, and scammers often create fake e-commerce sites or social media ads offering deals that seem too good to be true. They lure victims into making purchases for non-existent items or counterfeit products. Verify the legitimacy of the website, read reviews, and use secure payment methods.
Always stay vigilant and verify the authenticity of offers and requests for personal information to avoid falling victim to these scams.
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Tips from Melanie Mama Peach
Some Basic Vegetable Preparations
(not meant to be comprehensive)
AVOCADOS
With their “good” fat, creamy texture and wonderful flavor, avocados can be an important part of healthy eating. The two most widely marketed avocados are the Hass, with a pebbly textured dark green skin that is almost black when the fruit is ripe, and the brighter green Fuerte, which has a thin, smooth skin. Avocados ripen best off the tree. Buy firm fruits that feel heavy for their size. To hasten ripening at home, put them in a paper bag with an apple, close the bag and leave at room temperature. Check daily. When the skin darkens and the fruit yields to gentle pressure at the stem end, the avocados are ripe and can be stored in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days.
To prepare: Cut the avocado lengthwise around the seed. Hold a half in each hand and twist in opposite directions to separate. Insert a small (tea) spoon between the seed and the fruit and ease out the seed. If you are going to mash the avocado, scoop it out with the spoon. To slice or dice, put the halves cut side down on a cutting board and pull off the skin. Then cut as the recipe specifies.
BELL PEPPERS
Before slicing, chopping or dicing red, green or yellow bell peppers, cut them in half lengthwise and pull out the stem, core and seeds. If the peppers are to be roasted whole or grilled, there’s no prep. Italian frying peppers, often called cubanelle, are not so thick as bell peppers but are treated the same way.
CELERY
Cut a slice off the root end, then separate the stalks. Wash before cutting. Celery is easy to slice. It is also easy to dice: Cut a stalk in 4 or 5 lengthwise. Hold the pieces together and slice crosswise from one end to the other.
CUCUMBERS
The choice of whether or not to peel a cucumber is yours. Some people like to peel regular cucumbers because they may have been waxed (to retain moisture). Others like to peel Kirby cucumbers when the skin has tiny bumps. The variety of cucumbers available in markets seems to grow year after year, making it hard to be size-specific in recipes. Japanese, Persian and the long, usually individually wrapped cucumbers (often called English or hothouse) do not need to be peeled. Neither do “mini” cukes.
FENNEL
Crunchy fennel may be found year-round. All parts are sweetly delicious and often appeal to children. Slice the large white bulb (discard the two outer “leaves” if they seem very tough) and use it in salad. Or cut thicker slices to braise or roast. Thinly slice the stalks (they are too tough to eat raw) and add to soup. Use the feathery leaves (fronds) as you might dill, snipped over sour cream or yogurt in a bowl of soup, or in a fish salad. Small young bulbs, found in farmers’ markets, can be braised whole. More mature bulbs generally weigh about one pound.
GARLIC
Because of the wide range in size of garlic cloves, most recipes specify the amount of garlic in teaspoons or tablespoons chopped or minced (minced is very fine and often used when the garlic is to be eaten raw).
Break off as many cloves of garlic as you think you might need. Pull off the papery skin with the help of a small paring knife, or put the cloves on a chopping board, hold the flat side of a knife on top of them and hit the knife firmly with the other hand. The garlic cloves should split open, allowing the papery skin to be easily removed. Cut a thin slice off the root end of the cloves before chopping, dicing or mashing with salt.
A garlic press works well and there’s no need to peel the garlic.
Finely chopped garlic packed in a jar has a somewhat stale, over-garlicky flavor and is not recommended.
GINGER
Look for firm, unshriveled roots (botanically speaking, ginger roots are rhizomes, like potatoes). Wrap in plastic and store in the refrigerator.
To use fresh ginger, cut off small knobs. Peel root with a vegetable peeler or small paring knife, or scrape with a teaspoon. Then slice to use as slices, or to finely chop. You can also grate the root with a box or rasp grater. If you use ginger infrequently, slice or grate the entire amount and freeze in a thin layer so you can break off what you need.
JALAPENOS, SERRANOS AND OTHER HOT CHILE PEPPERS Cut the peppers in half lengthwise. Pull out and discard the stem, core and seeds (where much of the “heat” lurks). Then chop or cut as the recipe directs. Be careful not to touch eyes or other sensitive areas before thoroughly washing your hands.
LEEKS
Leeks are members of the onion family, they resemble oversize scallions and can vary in size from 3/4 inches across to a mature 2 1/4 inches across. To trim, cut off the root and the tough dark green part of the leaves. Cut the white and pale green part as recipe directs. Leeks harbor sandy soil so be sure to wash carefully before cooking. This is easiest when the leek is sliced. Leeks tend to be expensive because their growing time is long, compared to scallions, and extra labor is required to produce the white bottom half but their mild flavor is an asset to many dishes. Unlike scallions, which are often eaten raw, leeks need cooking to bring out their best.
ONIONS
Cut a thin slice off the root end and pull some of the skin off with the slice. You will probably need to pull off one or two layers of skin until you reach pearly-looking onion.
Onion is chopped most easily in an organized way that takes advantage of its form. Peel a large onion and take a practice run.
Use an 8 or 9 inch chef’s knife, whichever size that feels comfortable. Cut a large peeled onion in half from stem end to root end. Put one half cut side down on chopping board, with stem end pointing toward your knife hand. Hold with palm of other hand. Cut off and discard a thin slice from the stem end. Leaving the root intact, cut the onion lengthwise in thin wedges, angling the knife as you follow the curve of the onion. Now, slice across the onion, starting at the stem end and working toward the root end. As you slice, chopped onion will fall from beneath your knife.
By varying the space between the slices, you end up with coarsely chopped, finely chopped or even minced (very finely chopped) onion. Try finely chopping the other half of the onion. The closer the spaces between the slices, the more finely chopped the onion. If this is a new experience for you, with a little practice you will be able to do a very neat job of chopping an onion.
SCALLIONS
Trim root ends with a small knife. Pull off and discard any mushy or very torn leaves, then rinse the scallions. Use the white part and most of the green part. To slice scallions, hold several together close to the white end. Using a chef’s knife, cut thin or thick slices as the recipe calls for, starting from the white ends and gradually moving your fingers (that are holding the bunch) back along the green part.
SHALLOTS
Shallots, a mild, less-oniony form of onion, are now easily available. Shallots used to be tiny and a pain to peel, but farmers are now growing larger varieties, making peeling and chopping easy. Follow directions for onions.
TOMATOES
As with avocados or bananas, you may need to ripen tomatoes at home. Leave them stem side up in a basket on the counter. Or put them in a closed paper bag to speed up the ripening process. Only refrigerate tomatoes if they are fully ripe and you won’t be able to eat them within a day. Refrigeration kills flavor and stops the ripening process dead in its tracks. Plum tomatoes are often called for in recipes because they contain less water and have fewer seeds than other tomatoes.
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Contact info:
Visit our websites at www.sterlingcreations.ca
www.donnajodhan.com
www.sterlingcreations.com
Email us at info@sterlingcreations.ca
Or call us at 416 491-7711