Simple way to fill out NC4 EZ

This blog post is a followup to my Simple way to fill out at W4 post.  This works well for filling out NC4 EZ and W4 for teens and single adults with no children.  This tax form is required to be filled out if you work in the great state of North Carolina.

Be advised that I am no financial adviser or tax adviser.  I am just an employer that has hired 100s of people that look at these documents with great confusion.  I have just grown weary of the lack of simple, straightforward resources on the web on how to fill these things out.

Here is best way to fill out NC4 EZ.  It matches up with the W4 from this post.



A few bullet points of interest:

• I am no financial or tax adviser.  I have created this graphic from experience and internet research.
• This solution is best suited for teens at their first job or single people with no children.  (However, I am married with 3 kids and still use the same figures)
• This solution is for SIMPLE taxes and finances.
• You can replace the 1's with 0's.  You will have MORE tax taken from your check each pay period.
• However, having 0's means you will get a larger refund. Keep in mind, if you use 0's, this means Uncle Sam has been sitting on your money all year when you could have had it for yourself.
• See my other post on how to fill out the W4.
• Don't forget to fill out the other personal info: name, address, SS#, sign, and date.
• If I have made a gross error here, please let me know in the comments so I can update my post.

Simple way to fill out a W4

I've hired 100s of people over the last 10-15 years.  For most folks, it's their first job.  They go cross eyed when they have to fill out a W4.  It is way more complicated than it has to be.  This post mirrors my blog post about how to fill out the NC4 EZ.

So, if it's your first job or you have simple taxes/finances the image below will tell you exactly how to fill it out correctly.



A few bullet points of interest:

• I am no where remotely close to a tax or finance advisor.  My online research helped me develop this solution.  I've just seen lots of confused people.
• This is only meant for extremely simple taxes and finances.  Perfect if you are a teenager or single with no children.  (Although, I am married with 3 kids and still am at a 1.)
• You can replace the 1's with 0's if you would like a larger refund when you file your taxes.
• IF you use 0's instead, you will pay MORE tax throughout the year -- hence the larger refund.
• Using 0's means Uncle Sam will be sitting on YOUR money all year when you could have had it all along. 
• If you are working in North Carolina, this is how to fill out the NC4 EZ.
• DO NOT ADD ADDITIONAL TAX.  Unless you anticipate on winning the lottery.  :)
• Make sure to fill out the rest of the stuff --- like your name, address, SS#, and for the love of God, please sign and date it.
• If I have made a gross error here, please let me know in the comments so that I can update my post.

How to get USB Block Erupters working on a USB Hub

These are destructions for getting your USB Block Erupters (Bitcoin Miners) working with a USB hub.  I'm currently running 6 block erupters on one hub with 2 more due in Friday.

STEP 1

Install CGminer 3.1.1 CGminer 3.1.1 According to my research, this is the newest version that will work with block erupters.  IF you try any newer version, CGminer won't even see them.

STEP 2

Install these drivers.  These drivers will allow your computer to "see" the block erupters.  In Windows 7/8, this will be in your "Devices and Printers" section in the control panel.  Note the COM numbers denoted by COM##, you'll need to know this later.

STEP 3

Plug in the miners if you haven't already done so.  You should hear the standard USB "device connected" sound.  From the research I've done, the Anker Hub seems to be the best hub to get.  It has enough power to power multiple miners.  It's pricier than most, but it will run 9 or 10 miners.

STEP 4

Create a new shortcut that looks like this:

C:\CGMiner\cgminer-nogpu.exe -o pool:port -u username -p password --icarus-options 115200:1:1 --icarus-timing 3.0=100 -S //./COM9 -S //./COM12  -S //./COM21 -S //./COM20 -S //./COM19 -S //./COM22

This one is for my computer's COM ports.  You'll have to plug in your own info in regards to the pool, username, password, and any additional (or less) "-S //./COMXX flags.  This shortcut is also setup for 6 miners, denoted by the 6 different COM ports.

STEP 5

Run your CGminer Shortcut!  Then you should see something like this:

OTHER INFO

Don't plug your hub into a USB 3.0 port. It won't work. Works fine with USB 2.0.

Only use CGminer 3.1.1.

The USB hub of choice seems to be the Anker 10 Port USB 3.0 Hub

Might not hurt to get a USB Fan.

Get CenterEdge Work Schedule into Google Calendar

CenterEdge Software has a nice feature to push work schedules to the web and in turn generate an iCal Feed.

There is a bug in Google's Calendar in which it does not like iCal feeds in https format.  (Secure HTTP)

Alas, there is a workaround!

Summary:

1.  Get your iCal feed for your schedule.
2.  Shorten your iCal Link with bit.ly.
3.  Add "Other Calendar" by URL.
4.  Paste shortened bit.ly link.
5.  Profit.

Details:

Get your iCal Feed

Log into your web account for your CenterEdge powered business.

(For Palace Pointe, goto www.palacepointe.com and goto "Info and Directions."
Click "Employee Login.")

Right Click on "iCal Feed" and click "Copy Link Address"

Now that the iCal Feed is copied to your clipboard, goto bit.ly to shorten your address.

Paste your iCal Feed into the box in the upper right hand corner.  The iCal Feed is REALLY long and full of random letters and numbers.

Click Shorten!  This will produce a very short, non-https address that Google Calendar will like.

Then click "COPY."  This will copy your shortened address to your clipboard for use with Google Calendar.

You can see the shortened address, http://bit.ly/XXXXXXX versus your original iCal Feed address that is really long!

Now for the final steps.  Pull up your Google Calendar.

Click the small down arrow next to "Other Calendars"

Click "Add by URL" and the dialog box below will pop up.  Paste your shortened URL there.

Click "Add Calendar" and your work schedule will appear under "Other Calendars."

As you can see above, my work schedule is visible in Google Calendar.  My particular schedule says, "Palace Pointe Schedule" because that is where I work.  Actual schedule names may differ depending on where you are employed.

If you use another calendar such as Yahoo Calendar, you can just use the original long iCal Feed.  Yahoo doesn't seem to be persnickety about what kind of iCal Feed it is.

Now, your work schedule will automagically update on your calendar or phone (with Google Calendar) anytime there is a change.  Changes aren't always immediate.  It could take severals minutes to several hours for your calendar to update after a schedule change.

How to force a DirecTV update

Sometimes for various reasons you may need to force your DirecTV receiver to update itself, whether to a new version of firmware or reinstalling an old version to clear up some problems.

It's very easy.

#1 Reset your receiver. You can do this from the Settings menu on the receiver or just cycle the power.

#2 Once the first blue boot screen comes up, type 0 2 4 6 8 into the remote. Make sure you hit the keys slowly and deliberately. A software upgrade will initiate itself within a few seconds.

That's it!

How to fix Facebook

1. Install Firefox. A faster, safer web browser than Internet Explorer.

2. Once you have installed Firefox, you need to install an addon for Firefox called Greasemonkey. The Greasemonkey add-on will let you install all kinds of cool scripts (tiny programs) that will manipulate the way webpages look.

3. Once Greasemonkey is installed, you must install a script that uses Greasemonkey called Facebook Fixer.

4. Once that is installed, close your browser and pull up Facebook again.

You should get a new menu like this: (Note the FACEBOOK FIXER OPTION)




Bonus: Also install this script called Facebook Purity and it will kill all those annoying things that say X is friends with Y, X joined Y Group, X is attending stupid Y event.

Fix Hawking HWREN1 Hi-Gain USB Wireless 300N Range Extender

Apprently through searching the internets there is a huge problem with the HWREN1 Wireless Repeater. The problem is that sometimes it works, sometimes it doesnt. Pretty broad.

I've searched about and the problem lies that the repeater does not auto-scan channels to connect to your main wireless router. In the intital setup, the HWREN1 scans for your router and sets the wireless channel accordingly. Here the problem lies that the HWREN1 assumes that the wireless channel will NEVER change. WRONG! 101% of wireless routers have auto-scanning features to scan for the most optimal channel, thus creating a constantly changing channel.

So...how do we fix the HWREN1?

1. Turn off auto-scanning on your router.
2. Pick a wireless channel on your router. I have read that 5 is a bad idea and many people chose 11. So I chose 11.
3. Log into your HWREN1 and change it's wireless channel to what your router's channel is. I changed my HWREN1 to 11...just like my router.
4. VIOLA! Problem solved.

Now, you should not have any problems with your HWREN1 losing connection or not getting an internet connection.