INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Grab the shaft with your left hand, near where it connects to your camera. Use your right hand to operate the camera as you normally would. Tuck your elbows into your body when operating the camera, to reduce side-to-side movement. With your left hand, put some downward pressure on the monopod. This will help stabilize your camera as you shoot. It doesn't require a lot of pressure, just enough to keep the foot of the monopod securely in place. The heavier your camera and lens are, the more pressure you'll need to keep them stable. If you've got your monopod leaning at an angle, such as with the tripod position, you'll probably need a head attachment so that you can angle your camera. For most shots, a swivel head is all that's needed, as the monopod can be pivoted left and right easily. A ball head can also be used, and works well for wide angle shots. Some monopods come with heads, but some do not, so you may need to purchase them separately. Most monopods come with a wrist strap that's primarily used to carry the monopod around. However, you can also use this strap while you're shooting to both keep the camera from moving around on the head, and to push the foot of the monopod into the ground with ease. Just put your left hand into the strap as you hold onto the shaft.

SUMMARY: Hold the monopod properly. Push the monopod into the ground when using it to stabilize a shot. Use a head when using the monopod at an angle. Use the wrist strap to improve stability.

INPUT ARTICLE: Article: To be eligible for the show in the U.S., you'll need to own a house in NC that's within 45 minutes of the Raleigh-Durham Triangle. The show hasn't ventured out to other areas of the country, though it may in the future. You can fill out the form digitally using a program like Adobe Acrobat Reader, or you can print out the application and fill it in with pen or pencil. Fill out the application to be on the show by answering all of the questions to the best of your ability. Make sure to make your answers exciting and intriguing to increase your chances of getting on the show. In addition to your application, you'll also need to attach pictures of your home and family. Make sure to use a camera that can take high-resolution photographs. Put your photos in an attachment if you're sending the application via e-mail or send them a CD if you are sending a physical application. The necessary photographs that you need include 3-5 photos of the exterior of the house and backyard, 3-5 photos of each of the interior rooms that need to be renovated, and 1-3 pictures of your family. If you are attaching the photos to an e-mail, make sure to put them in JPEG format. Once you've answered all of the questions accurately and taken the required photos, e-mail the application to casting@bigcoatproductions.com or send a physical copy to 811 9th Street, Suite 215, Durham, NC 27705. Once you've submitted your application, it will take anywhere from two weeks to a month to hear back from the show if you've been selected.

SUMMARY: Own a house in North Carolina. Fill out the application. Take the necessary photographs. E-mail or mail your application to Big Coat Media, United States.

INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Strain the grease into a sealable container. Use a cheesecloth or sieve to separate any leftover bits of food from the grease. Then, label the container "Bacon Grease," and prepare to store it. Just like if you were going to throw your bacon grease away, make sure the grease is cool before attempting to handle it. Labeling your bacon grease container will help you avoid using it to cook an incompatible dish. If you plan to use the grease right away, it can be stored out on the counter at room temperature. If you have long-term plans for your tasty grease, place it in the refrigerator or the freezer. Bacon grease will keep safely for at least a month in the freezer. It's fine to add new grease to the same container over time. Bacon grease stored in the refrigerator can pick up other scents, so try to use fridge-stored grease sooner than later. Always sniff-test your bacon grease before using, as there is a possibility it could become rancid. Bacon grease is an excellent substitute for lard or shortening. It can be used to infuse a delightful bacon flavor into a new dish. Try using your bacon grease to prepare one of the following suggestions: deep fried vegetables, hearty meat dishes, authentic gingersnap cookies.

SUMMARY: Package your bacon grease for future use. Store your packaged bacon grease. Cook more delicious foods using your preserved bacon grease.

INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Windows needs a certain amount of free space on your drive to perform well. If your drive is too full, your computer may slow to a crawl or you might experience errors. Microsoft doesn't specify exactly how much free space you should have, but the general rule of thumb is about 20% of your hard disk capacity, or 2.5X the amount of RAM you have installed. You can check how large your hard disk is by pressing Win+E and selecting your hard drive. It is more important to keep free space on your Windows hard disk if you have more than one installed. You can check how much RAM you have installed by pressing Win+Pause. Win+R and type cleanmgr. This will launch the Disk Cleanup utility. This utility will scan your hard drive and remove unused and old temporary files. You can free up a significant amount of space using this utility. This is typically the C: drive. Disk Cleanup will scan the drive for files to be removed, which may take a few minutes. The amount of space you will recover will be listed next to each entry. Generally, it is safe to remove everything that Disk Cleanup reports. Clean up system files button. Once you have everything checked, click the button to remove the files. Disk Cleanup will handle the process automatically.

SUMMARY:
Delete old files that you don't use anymore. Press . Select your hard disk. Check the box for each item you want to remove. Click the .