Google Hacks Book

Google Hack #12 – Get to know and use Julian Dates.

Date-based searching is good!  Date-based searching with Julian Dates is annoying. (For humans anyway!)

The Julian date is the number of days that have passed since January 1, 4713 BC. Unlike Gregorian dates, which begin at midnight, Julian days begin at noon, making them useful for astronomers.

A Julian dates is just one number.  It is not broken up into month, day and year.  That makes it problematic for humans, but handy for computer programming because to change dates, you simply have to add and subtract from one number, and not worry about month and year changes.

To use Google’s date-range syntax in Perl, you’ll need a way to convert the computer’s local time to Julian.  You can use the module Time::JulianDay, which offers a variety of ways to manipulate local time in Julian format.  You can get the module and more info at http://search.cpan.org/search?query=Time%3A%3AjulianDay.

Hacks that use the Julian date format and date-range searching pop up throughout this book; start by learning more about using the date-range syntax [Hack#11].  Also included are hacks for building recent searches into a customized form. [Hack #42], and date-range searches with a client-side application. [Hack#60]

End of Google Hacks Book Excerpt

Give your home a new look as often as you want with slip covers.  Make a custom slip cover or have one made for your uniquely shaped chairs.  Prevent boredom with the flexibility of appearance changing slip covers!

Denim, canvas, chintz, and various stretchable fabrics may be the best choice for chair slipcovers.

Do you have a sewing machine?  If not, borrow or buy one!  Sewing can be fun and you will enjoy the possibilities that are opened to you when you have a sewing machine.  A slip cover can also be hand sewn.  All you need is a needle and thread.  If you don’t want to have the frayed ends of thread each time you bite the end off, you need scissors too…:)

Take all of the measurements of your chair so that you can better create your slip cover.  Ah….this is another reason for scissors…You may want to cut the fabric.

Oh yeah…here’s an idea….  Take down your curtains, turn them into slip covers and sew or buy new curtains.  Your home will really look redecorated then!  Use coordinating colors for your curtains of course….

Patterns are available online and at your local department store at reasonable prices. Slipcovers are to fit snuggly to even your most unique, or odd shaped chair you had purchased for your living room.  Creating your own slipcovers can be fun, challenging, and a less expensive way to decorate your living room chair with slipcovers.   

Write down what you want to do before your begin.  This kind of organization will help you to proceed more successfully.

You can even use the patterns you purchase for making your slipcovers from fabrics you had laying around the house. You can change your décor quickly for just about any occasion from Christmas, Easter, to a birthday party. You can become quite the talk of the town with your new creative slipcover looks that your neighbors, friends and family will want to do the same thing too. You can even make it your own business and sell them online or at garage sales. There are so many different types, colors, prints, and styles to select from your local department or fabric store that you can keep changing them often for new and different looks.

Online shopping makes it a lot easier to be able to purchase new slipcovers, materials, or patterns to be able to make them at home.  Instead of purchasing a new chair, which can be very costly, purchasing or making your own slipcovers can give your living room chair a new look to go with you décor or special event or occasion. Keeping a new and different look at be fun for your living room couch, chairs, patio chairs, kitchen chairs or just about anything you want to use a slipcover to change your old look to a new look. You can show your family and friends how creative you are by the way can keep chaining the slipcovers often to create new look for your living room!