REthink Wine Blog

Being in support, I have seen how planning ahead and implementation can play key roles for a winery event to be a success. I have seen it over and over again how failure to plan can result in full scale panic, with last minute calls to support with questions that need addressing immediately. The great way to create an event is to ask your Account Manager or go through the event planning documentation ahead before running the event and make a note of dos and don’ts. Whether you are building your own special event or coordinating with another winery, planning ahead can save a lot of time and as we all know, time = money!

Microsoft Excel 2007 has been confusing for some of us who have been using the Excel older version. Recently, we had an opportunity for Excel 2007 training and there are a few amazing things to share.

The Microsoft Office button located in the upper left hand corner of the program window replaces the file menu found in previous versions of Microsoft office (which we all know was copied from Apple).

The quick access toolbar provides easy access to the commands you use frequently. The Save, Undo, Redo/Repeat and Quick Print buttons appear on the Quick Access Toolbar by default, but you can add and remove commands to meet your needs. To add a command to the “Quick Access Toolbar,” click on the “Customize Quick Access Toolbar” button and select “Customize” from the menu. Select the command you want to add, click the Add button, and click Ok. To remove a command from this toolbar, right click on the command you want to remove, and select “Remove from Quick Access Toolbar” from the contextual menu.

Those using excel 2007 may send out some of their files in .XLSX format. This formatted file can only be viewed with 2007 Excel version, which can be frustrating sometimes. But we can save an .XLSX file into an XLS format and then forward the file. You can also you can set the file to be saved automatically in an older version by going through the Microsoft office button, selecting excel options and then selecting the format in which you would like to save.

For users who don’t want to download Excel 2007 version, they have .XLSX conversion which can convert the file in the format you would like. If you would like to download the new excel 2007 version you can download it from here:

http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/help/HA101672621033.aspx

Just as wines that are tasted one after another, should not distract one from the other,neither should the wine consumed during the meal affect the taste of the various dishes accompanying it.The old saying, ‘red wine with red meat, white wine with white meat’, is certainly not set in concrete. If the old rule says; ‘You must drink Cabernet Sauvignon with char grilled beef’, what if you don’t like beef, or, for that matter, any red wine at all?

First of all, there are no rules; they are only time honored suggestions, ideas and opinions that have developed over the years. Wine is supposed to enhance the flavors and aromas of food, and certain varieties of wine styles have been shown to compliment certain types of food.
A good tool that I found to match food to wine and wine to food is available @ http://www.nataliemaclean.com/matcher/.

This tool is only a starting point. Different cooking techniques can change the taste and style of the same food. Asian food, in all its national flavors and styles, spice, sweet and sour in the same dish, can be quite difficult to find the ideal match. The thing about matching what food to what wine is only somebody’s opinion; and nobody is completely right, and nobody is completely wrong. The answer is, of course, education and experimentation. One fact is beyond dispute - if you can find a good combination, the wine will make the food taste better and the food will enhance the wine.

Many genuine advertisers on the Internet use windows that Pop-Up in the middle of your screen to display a message. They might also open when you click a link or button on a web site, and they might open either over or under the window you wish to view. Some pop-ups are helpful. For example, if you click an image to see a larger version, it might open in a pop-up window.
Unfortunately, Pop-Ups are now being used by some advertisers to install spyware, adware, trojans and other harmful software products. They often advertise product that will “speed up your computer” or “optimize your memory”. While these appear to be products that would help a user and make the computing experience more enjoyable, they often install software designed to serve ads collect personal information and result in the slow down your computer. These products also install other product, and can render a computer virtually unusable.
When you’re browsing the Internet, pop-up windows can be very distracting. Pop-Up Blocker is a feature that is supported by many browsers or browser toolbars that lets you manage pop-up windows. Pop-Up Blocker stops many types of windows that try to open automatically on top of the browser window, including:
pop-up and pop-under ads
windows that open after a page loads
windows that open when you leave a site
windows that open when you close your browser
You can turn Pop-Up Blocker off and on and adjust other Pop-Up Blocker settings whenever you want.

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/web/sp2_popupblocker.mspx

http://www.bu.edu/webcentral/learning/vista/start/popup.html

Report on deceptive and unfair business practices: If you feel you were deceived when you installed a program that creates pop-ups, you may want to take action. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) handles complaints about deceptive or unfair business practices. To file a complaint, visit: http://www.ftc.gov and click on “File a Complaint,” call 1-877-FTC-HELP, or write to: Federal Trade Commission, CRC-240, Washington, D.C. 20580
If your complaint is against a company in another country, please file it at http://www.econsumer.gov