Proper care of CDs
Proper care and maintenance of your CDs will ensure a lifetime of listening enjoyment.
Your CDs have the potential to live a long, lustrous life. Take care of them, and they'll take care of you. You'll have years of listening enjoyment by exercising proper care and maintenance.
Create an environment for your CDs. Show that you care for them by handling and storing them correctly. Follow these simple tips to keep your CDs in top condition:
Always handle and pick up discs by the outer edge or centre hole. Never touch the disc surface!
Store CDs individually in CD jewel cases. Store them upright, not flat.
The best environment for CD storage is cool, dry, dark and clean. A temperature of 39-68 degrees Fahrenheit is ideal for long-term storage.
Return the disc to its case immediately after playing.
Don't stack CDs out of their cases. They can scratch one another.
If you have to lay a disc down, always face it shiny side up. This way, you won't risk scratching or soiling the side that the CD player reads.
Do your best to avoid spilling, smudging or otherwise soiling your CD. Even the tiniest smudge or speck of dust can affect its ability to play correctly.
Never bend CDs. Although they're flexible, they're not unbreakable. Any bowing of the CD can affect play.
Use a non-solvent based CD writing pen to mark the label side of a homemade CD. Don't use adhesive labels.
Never expose your CDs to bright sunlight or extreme heat. If you keep CDs in your vehicle, protect them in the summertime. One way is to store the CD book under the seat and/or cover it with a towel.
Avoid eating, drinking and smoking around open CDs. The best way to prevent damage is not to invite it.
If a CD becomes soiled or damaged, here are some tips to repair surface flaws, from minor smudges to deeper scratches:
To clean smudges, dust and other minor blemishes, use a clean, damp piece of cotton fabric (old Hanes t-shirts work great) and rub in a straight line from the center outward. Do NOT rub in a circular motion. Do not use a dry cloth, it may scratch the surface.
To clean more stubborn grime, use rubbing alcohol or a special CD cleaning solution. Dry with a lint-free cloth.
If your CD has some scratches, all is not lost. There are a few methods that may help fix them. Keep in mind that scratches perpendicular to the CD (line from the inner hole to the edge) are easier to repair than parallel scratches which run with the data tracks.
To remove minor scratches, use a mild abrasive such as toothpaste or silver polish. Rub the CD in a straight line from the centre outward. Use water or rubbing alcohol to remove the excess abrasive, then dry with a lint-free cloth.
For deeper scratches, or if an abrasive is ineffective, try filling them with wax. Regular car wax will work fine. Apply the wax over the entire CD and buff with a lint-free cloth, rubbing in a straight line from the centre outward. Buff until the CD shines like new. The scratches should be filled by the wax, and the CD should play fine.
Collector's Guide: Autograph collecting tips
Collecting autographs is a fun hobby, tips on the best way to get your baseball or book signed?
You look down at the scrawl in your notebook, reliving the experience over and over again of standing in line for hours; waving your pad and paper in the air at the slightest sign that your idol would come out to you and the other fans. Suddenly it happened; the pen taken from you and the notebook, the quick signature shoved back into your hand as another wave of fans pushed by you towards the barrier as you retreated, lost in a wave of happiness as you add the autograph to your mental highs. But getting an autograph can be both easier and harder, depending on how you want to proceed.
One way of getting an autograph is to attend the function and stand in line, hoping that the star you're attracted to will spend the time to sign autographs. The only problem with this is that there's a big chance that he/she won't stop and sign - many stars these days are concerned with personal safety and security and rarely hesitate for a session - or their own personal bodyguards disapprove and move them along as quickly as they can. But this is one of the best ways to assure yourself that the signature is authentic and certainly the most thrilling.
Another less stressful way is to send your book backstage with one of the stagehands or security guards; attaching a small note and perhaps a few flowers for your idol, asking politely for a signature. Most stagehands or guards will perform this small errand for free or for a few dollars, delivering the package backstage in plenty of time for the person to sign at their leisure. Returning after the performance to the stage door or where you met the delivery person and retrieving it is another way of obtaining the autograph and not putting any stress on anyone. Many stars appreciate this method because it is at their own discretion and on their own schedule, not a mixed mob of screaming fans waving books in their faces. Your odds are much higher with a nicely-worded note of thanks as well as a good attitude all around.
This also works for sports fans; sending the intended baseball or poster into the clubhouse via a security guard or usher. Most players greatly appreciate not being disturbed during the preliminary warm-ups of the game and will willingly sign at their own speed while waiting for their turn to play or a break in the action.
The last and perhaps the riskiest in a way is to purchase an autograph from a dealer. This is a great alternative if you want a foreign star's autograph or someone who doesn't live in your part of the country and therefore is unlikely to be available for a local performance. Many on-line auction sites and local conventions will have dealers who carry a plethora of autographed pictures for sale of almost anyone who's ever been on screen or television - and others can be found with a few clicks of the mouse.
The only caveat is that you don't know where or when the autograph was given - nor if it is authentic. Unfortunately there is a chance that you might get a forgery, although this is small indeed. Many dealers include a certificate of authenticity with their product guaranteeing that this indeed is a real signature and valid and the average collector would be best to keep said certificate and pursue any legal action should your purchase prove to be false.
Many people think that if their specific autograph is different from another displayed in a magazine or auction house that it must be false. This, unfortunately, is not true. As our own signature changes over time, celebrities have their own changes as well. Signing dozens of autographs a day can result in a scrawl that has no resemblance to the neat signature shown in another catalogue and the buyer should remember that before accusing any dealer of forgery. Again, you can only be truly certain of authenticity by obtaining it yourself which is why the autograph market is so fluid - it truly is a case of supply and demand.
If you want to get it yourself, always be prepared with the right items - a working pen and a clean sheet of paper at the least. Many stars don't have the time or inclination to stand around as you fumble for a new pen or scribble their names below the parking ticket stub. Be aware that these people are on the clock constantly and your autograph will depend on how fast you are prepared and willing to go with the flow of traffic.
Autograph collecting can be fun and profitable for anyone who wants a little bit of stardom for their home or office. And with a few quick tips, you can score every time with the right stuff!
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