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Archive for 2013

Monday, April 1st, 2013

Paying taxes is never fun — and there are certainly many of them out there. Property tax often leaves homeowners grinning and bearing as they drop the check in mail. Many homeowners are fed up with property taxes because they are left wondering: How is my property taxed?

Hopefully, this brief overview will answer that question and give you an idea of where your money is going.

What Are Property Taxes Used For?

Property taxes make up a large amount of the revenue that is given to local governments to use. This money is put forth to fund a number of public services, including, but not limited to:

– Public transportation

– Education

– Parks and recreational activities

– Emergency services

How Is My Property Tax Calculated?

Two major components are factored in order to determine what amount you pay in property taxes: the assessed property value and mill levy. Here is what those terms mean.

Assessed property value: This estimate is made every year and takes into account local real estate conditions. The assessed property value estimates the market value for your home.

Mill levy: This is just lingo for the tax rate. Mill levies differ from area to area. One mill is equivalent to $1 out of every $1,000 of your assessed property value. You might often see in local elections where residents are asked to vote for a millage increase, which would increase property taxes and, subsequently, the revenue available to the local government.

Contact A Local Accountant

Still left wondering: How is my property taxed? Accounting professionals are experts at all things tax-related, and are the perfect resource when you run into issues with your property or other taxes. TalkLocal makes it easy for you to locate such a professional. Simply visit our web site, provide a few details about the services you require, and you will have up to three professionals calling you within minutes.

Posted in Accountants | No Comments »

Why Is My Mac So Slow At Startup?

Monday, April 1st, 2013

Apple products are renowned for their speed, usability, and sleek designs. But what happens when your device starts to act up? These products seem perfect, so it can be very annoying when they are not performing properly — “Why is my Mac so slow at startup?” If your Mac computer is slow when starting up there may be a couple different things acting wrong.

Problems

There are a few possible things that will slow your mac down when it starts up:

1) There may be too many applications during Login.

2) The disk is too full.

3) Your Mac needs maintenance.

4) The hard drive is failing.

Solutions

If you have too many applications during login, it will cause your computer to be unusually slow at start-up. You should clear them out or change their settings so that multiple applications do not have to start up when you login to your computer. By only starting the applications when you need them, you will save both time when starting your computer, as well as battery life, because the applications will not be running 24/7 in the background.

Another problem could be that your Disk is overloaded with programs and installations. You should reset SMC and PRAM and then run the disk utility so that you can see exactly what is going on in your computer. If you see any programs taking up space that you don’t use and are unnecessary, you should delete them.

In the case that your computer needs maintenance, you should look up which operating system you have. The pre-Lion systems have a different method of repairing the hard drive from Lion’s method. You should look up the instructions in your operating system manual.

In the most severe case, where you have a traditional hard drive disk rather than a solid-state drive, this could be a indicator that your hard drive is failing. In this case you should seek professional help.

Additional Help

If you are having issues with your Mac you can go to Apple’s help site or find a professional. Use TalkLocal to be put in contact with reliable, local computer technicians within minutes. You don’t have to do any work! Simply input your problem and availability and we will do the rest! You will receive up to three calls from qualified computer technicians who can help you out.

Posted in Computer Repair | No Comments »

Natural Remedies for Bad Breath

Monday, April 1st, 2013

Bad breath is a common issue in dental hygiene, and can be embarrassing for anyone who has it. A date or a meeting can be over when bad breath rears its ugly head. Luckily, there are some simple causes, and natural remedies for bad breath.

Causes Of Bad Breath

– Plaque is one of the most common causes of bad breath. Plaque is bacteria that forms in the mouth. Massive build-up of plaque can cause periodontal or gum disease, which further produces bad breath.

– Decaying food between the teeth or broken filling.

– Dry Mouth.

– Smoking.

– Cavities or broken fillings can cause bad breath because they expose decaying teeth.

– Strong-odor foods such as garlic or onions.

– Frequent drinkers of coffee, soda, or alcoholic beverages can experience bad breath.

– If it is not these problems, it could be a symptom of a respiratory condition, gastrointestinal tract, or diabetes. A diabetic’s mouth may have a nasty chemical smell.

Natural Remedies For Bad Breath

– Brush twice and floss once each day to keep plaque at bay. When brushing, remember to clean the tongue. The tongue also harbors bacteria.

– Use a toothpaste with baking soda to make the mouth a hostile environment for bacteria.

– Rinse your mouth with water after each meal to help clean out food and smells from the mouth.

– Eating cheese has been known to fight bacteria in the mouth. Though eating smelly cheese might be counterproductive.

– Eat citrus fruits or suck on mints to salivate the mouth and tone down bad breath.

– Chew cloves, fennel, anise seeds, mint leaves, sage, or parsley to freshen your breath with herbal scents.

– Use a mix of apple cider vinegar and water as a natural mouthwash.

– Drink tea to freshen breath.

Prevention Of Bad Breath

– Lessen your consumption of coffee, soda, or alcoholic beverages.

– Remove strong-odor and sugary foods from your diet.

– Keep a water bottle close by to hydrate and refresh your mouth.

Find A Dentist

If you continue to have problems with bad breath, there could be a more serious underlying cause. Speak with a dentist to get checked out. TalkLocal will connect you with up to three dentists in your area in just minutes, so you can get the help you need, when you need it.

Posted in Dentists | 1 Comment »

Proper HVAC Size: Finding the Right Fit

Monday, April 1st, 2013

Many people simply don’t have the proper HVAC size for their homes. They buy air conditioning systems that are too large for their houses assuming that the systems will work better for them. However, this can lead to short cycling, which is not good.

There are tried and tested ways to properly estimate the correct size of the HVAC system for your home. The proper HVAC size that is suitable for your home will not only save you electricity costs but will help you become more comfortable during the summer months and winter months.

Manual J Calculations

Manual J calculations are the most recommended way for HVAC systems to be properly sized for a house. These calculations are based on the airflow, the insulation, and even the amount of sunlight that a room gets. Manual J calculations are performed by designers and engineers. They involve room-by-room calculations, and they also involve calculating the duct system.

Typically, there are two types of Manual J calculations. Whole house Manual J calculations are done when there are no intended changes to the house. These calculations can size up the proper HVAC size that will be needed to heat or cool a house that is already built.

A room-by-room Manual J calculation is done when a renovation is going to take place, such as adding a den or bedroom. The information provided by a room-by-room calculation is important when determining the duct sizes that are needed for the entire house that will be affected by the addition of the room. Manual J calculations are the most accurate way to determine the right HVAC size for your home.

Need Help Deciding?

Contact TalkLocal today and let us help you find a professional near you! We can help you locate a professional who will help you perform Manual J calculations for you.

Posted in Heating and Cooling | No Comments »

Common Exotic House Plants

Monday, April 1st, 2013

Nothing can add flair to your home like a beautiful plant in the right spot. Sometimes, the typical plants we see can get boring, though. If you’re interested in some common exotic house plants, or if you want to give a gorgeous plant as a gift, check out some of these exotic plants that will flourish in your home:

Zebra Plant: These house plants have really bold stripes on their leaves, similar to that of their namesake. During their peak season, autumn, they blossom golden flowers that are vibrant and vivid enough to steal the attention of every guest in your home. Zebra Plants are from Brazil, so you need to make sure they get a lot of sun and stay warm year round.

Moth Orchid: If you are tantalized by the beauty of the exotic orchid, but worried it may be too exotic for you, the Moth Orchid is your best friend. It’s also called the “Beginner’s Orchid” because it’s pretty easy to care for, but its exotic beauty’s appeal is similar to that of its wilder cousins.

Crab Cactus: This plant is named for the indentations on its petals that make it look like it’s full of crab claws. You can grow it in various sizes, and when it blossoms in the fall, the flowers range from white to pink to deep red and are oftentimes multicolored, too. This plant’s unique look makes it an eye-catcher.

Roses: Although these flowers are not the most exotic, they can beautify your home. They come in a range of colors that are associated with different meanings, which makes them the perfect flower for a gift.

Bromeliads: If you’re looking for a taller plant for your home, this gorgeous plant is what you will want. They average around 20 inches tall and they’re full of gorgeous red-orange flowers that complement their deep green leaves perfectly.

Bougainvillea: The name isn’t the only unique thing about this plant. It thrives well in containers or even baskets, which allows you to get creative with your potting. Bougainvillea flowers profusely, showing off awesome petals in different shades of pink, purple, red, orange and sometimes even a light blue.

Consult A Local Florist

These common exotic house plants will do well in your home even though they’re typically found in more exotic locations. For help with other questions related to home floral arrangements or gardening, use TalkLocal. We can connect you with local florists quickly and easily.

Posted in Florists | No Comments »

Seva Call Launches Match-Making Service Category

Monday, April 1st, 2013

Written by Dallea Caldwell

(BRWeb) In response to growing demand for a simple way to find and connect with the “right” romantic life-partner to fulfill everyday cuddling needs, Seva Call proudly presents our new Match-Making service category!

Avoid the Hassle Of Meeting Real People!

Local singles typically spend years browsing dating profiles and texting different people before finally settling down into a serious relationship. With Seva Call, you need only enter your location, unfulfilled romantic longings, and the time when you are loneliest and most desperately needing companionship. In minutes, Seva Call’s algorithm instantly connects you to three, local, eligible bachelors or bachelorettes. Our system will only match you with singles who know your deepest fantasies and most irritating quirks, and are ready to settle with you — so long as you don’t snore too loudly.

“I was tired of the bar scene, then I had a Vodka and Redbull. After I got my second wind, I used Seva Call, which instantly connected me to somebody, anybody who would have me!”

– Margaret Doe of New York, NY

How Does It Work?!

Seva Call filters area singles and selects the “right” match for you based on percentage of body shown in Facebook pictures, credit score, the number of times his or her car tires have been slashed by a bitter ex, and other quality assurance indicators. We then provide you with their phone number, home and work address, and social security number before proceeding to call them incessantly until they return our call… which we then route back to you.

Plus, if your romantic encounter goes poorly, Seva Call instantly canvasses your metro area advertising the heartbreaker’s name and number as a guaranteed means to a “good time”.

Further Match-Making Help

Seva Call raised $1.3 million in alimony yesterday and has launched in 28 major cities, including Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, Boston, and New York; We currently have plans to release an iPhone and Android app, and admit this to be an April Fool’s joke in the near future — if you haven’t figured it out already.

Posted in Seva Call | No Comments »

Types of Cabinet Door Hinges

Sunday, March 31st, 2013

If you’re looking to renovate your kitchen, one of the easiest and most effective ways to achieve a spectacular renovation is to install new hinges for your cabinets. You’ll want to choose a style of hinge that matches the style of your cabinets, but fortunately there are many different types of cabinet door hinges to choose from, so you can customize your home to your heart’s content! The most important feature to note when choosing a hinge is whether or not your cabinets are Face Framed or Faceless: simply look to see if there’s a frame in the opening or not. Then you’ll want to look at how your doors fit on top of your cabinet.

For Face Framed Cabinets:

Overlay Hinge: These hinges are for doors that completely overlay your face frame and should wrap around two sides of the frame.

Full Inset Hinge: These hinges are designed for doors that are flush with the face frames and are actually set in the frame. These oftentimes will conceal both wings and only leave the knuckle of the hinge exposed.

3/8” Inset Hinge: Some doors may partially overlay the frame by having a groove cut along their back edge. The door wing usually will be concealed and only the frame wing should be visible you close the cabinet door.

For Frameless Cabinets:

Frameless Overlay Hinge: If your door overlays your cabinet edge completely (full overlay), then you’ll need a frameless overlay hinge. These hinges will be attached to the side of the cabinet.

Frameless Inset Hinge: Some doors will be completely flush with the side edges of the cabinet. You have a couple of options here. You may want a partial wrap-around hinge that screws to the edge and wraps around two sides of the frame. You can also do a concealed frameless inset hinge as well.

Find a Professional for All of Your Renovation Needs

These are the major types of cabinet door hinges you can choose from, and they all come in a variety of different colors and finishes. If you ever feel unsure of yourself in a home renovation project, you can always use TalkLocal to contact a high-quality, local handyman in just minutes! They’ll be able to advise you on how to make your home renovation pop!

Tags: cabinet door hinges, cabinetry, door hinges, kitchen
Posted in Handyman | No Comments »

What Is A Skeleton Key?

Sunday, March 31st, 2013

You might hear them referred to as master keys, passkeys, or passing keys, but they are all synonymous with the term “skeleton key”. Sounds ominous. So, what is a skeleton key? A skeleton key is one which is designed specifically to fit many different locks, giving you the sense of power of a “master” key. They are often used when the key to a particular lock is not available or has been broken or lost. They can easily give access to doors and rooms once inaccessible.

A skeleton key can also be referred to as one which is designed to unlock a warded lock. In such a case, skeleton keys, which usually don a very simple style in which the center of the key has been removed, can bypass the ward structure of several ward locks, all containing specific configurations.

A Brief History of the Skeleton Key

Skeleton keys were often used in earlier centuries, for old home locks, antique furniture, or large chests, and commonly resemble the picture above. Today, the popular term used is master key. They have a similar appearance in that they are designed to fit many different lock structures, and are often used in home, hotel and office settings where many keys are used to open several different locks and doors. In business and hotel settings, for example, you may find a janitor with a passkey or master key to open up offices, bathrooms, and utility doors using just one key.

Need a Skeleton Key?

If you have lost your key or have locked yourself out of your car, office or home and need some help, try using TalkLocal to locate a locksmith near you. You could even have a skeleton key made for your home or business! TalkLocal is a free service that will connect you with top-quality, reputable professionals in your neighborhood, within minutes. Simply enter in your problem, location and availability and we will contact multiple locksmith companies, who will then call YOU directly, ready to help. Don’t fret if you’ve suddenly lost access to your home, car, or office. Let TalkLocal find the right professional to help you out immediately!

Posted in Locksmiths | No Comments »

IE 9 Pop-Up Blocker

Sunday, March 31st, 2013

Pop-ups are everywhere, in their all invasive forms, trying to thrust their content into our overworked brains. But the good news is that, if we know how to use pop-up blockers, we can avoid them easily, and even decide which ones we want and which we don’t! Internet Explorer has been known for having built-in pop-up blockers. However, some pop-ups may slip through the cracks, or the default settings of your browser could be blocking content you actually want. We have some simple instructions to help you customize the new IE 9 pop-up blocker.

Enable or Disable IE 9 Pop-Up Blocker

1. Open Internet Explorer 9.

2. Press Alt and select Tools. Alternatively, you can click the Settings (gear) icon in the top right corner.

3. Select Internet Options.

4. Click the Privacy tab.

5. Check the “Turn on Pop-Up Blocker” option to turn your IE 9 pop-up blocker on, and uncheck it to turn it off.

6. You can also click on Settings to manually customize which websites you want your pop-up blocker to allow. This way, you will have access to your favorite websites, and not have to worry about unwanted spam, pop-ups.

This is a pretty simple process, but you still want to ensure that you only allow content that you actually want. Even your favorite websites may still allow some pop-ups. What the pop-up blocker does best is completely block the content that you really don’t want, like all of those annoying ads for “enhancement” or “lose-weight-fast!” tips.

Still Need Help?

If you are having trouble customizing your IE 9 pop-up blocker, you may want to speak with a professional. A computer technician will be able to optimize your pop-up blocker, and can even give you tips on what types of content to avoid. TalkLocal will connect you with up to three, reputable computer technicians in your area, so you can get the help you need, when you need it!

Posted in Computer Repair | No Comments »

How to Connect Game Console to TV

Sunday, March 31st, 2013

If you are unsure how to connect game console to TV, don’t worry, this is a relatively uncomplicated task. All you need to do is make sure that you have the necessary cables, which should all come with the video game console package, and a TV. A game console usually has a variety of output options, so you’ll mostly be choosing the connection based on what your TV accepts as input.

High Definition Multimedia Interface

This is probably the highest-quality option you can currently use with most game consoles. All you need to do is plug in the HDMI cable (rectangular cable) into both the game console and the corresponding HDMI port on your TV, and switch to the right input on your television, most likely labeled HDMI.

RCA Connection

This is probably the most common type of input for older televisions. You’ll be looking for the composite cable, which is the cable with the three colored prongs (yellow, white, and red) and simply plug those into the corresponding colored ports behind the TV.

Component Connection

This connection utilizes the standard RCA connection audio plugs (the red and white), but also has three other channels to deliver a full high definition signal. These plugs are usually green, blue, and red, and will have ports that are listed under “component”. Remember that you’ll need to plug in both the old RCA cables alongside the component cables.

Get Your Console Connected

The three options listed above are the most common types of video game connections you’ll see on today’s TV consoles. If you have an older console that you want to hook up to your TV and don’t see the correct port, you may need a converter box or to talk with a television expert to find the correct adapter. TalkLocal can save you a lot of time by finding up to three, high-quality, local television repair professionals for you in just minutes.

Posted in TV Repair | No Comments »

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