"Why do you press harder on a remote control button when you know the battery is dead?" ~ Anonymous
Fairs Year-round Information	F.Y.I. Volume 8, Issue 7 April 10,1998

IN FOCUS

Computers ~
On or Off. On or Off.
Should computers be left on or turned off at the end of the day?

Welcome to one of the computer world's endless debates. Unfortunately, there's no easy or "right" answer to the question--there are simply too many factors that need to be taken into consideration.
To help you decide what's best for you and your trusty computer, PC Guide offers these points to take into consideration:

• Type: What type of computer do you have? A high-end server, for example, is more likely to be left on than a PC used twice a week at home or the office
• Convenience: Heavy "multi-taskers," people who run multiple programs at the same time, are more apt to leave their computers running. Rebooting every morning and resetting up the work environment is time consuming (and for some, annoying)
• Power Consumption: Leaving your PC on when you're not using it wastes electricity. You'll use less if you turn off your monitor (which you should be doing anyway). To help conserve energy, if you prefer to leave your computer on, use your computer's power management feature to reduce the amount of electricity used during idle hours
• Thermal Stress: After your PC has been turned off for a few hours, its components cool to room temperature. When the PC is turned on, the components heat up, sometimes to more than 70 degrees Fahrenheit, and expand. Turn the PC off, the components cool and contract. This cycle of expanding and contracting causes thermal stress on these components, and is a leading cause of system failure (thermal stress is also what normally causes light bulbs to explode when you turn a light on). Leaving your PC on reduces thermal stress, and can even increase the life of your system
• Wearout: While leaving your PC on reduces thermal stress, it can cause some components --especially monitors--to wear out more quickly
• Coo1ing: In some office buildings, the air conditioning shuts off at night. If it's 85 degrees at night, you run the risk of your system overheating if left on
• Risk of Power Interruption: Leaving your PC on for long periods puts you at a greater risk for power spikes and surges, brownouts, blackouts and other power-related problems. Using a good UPS (a hardware system that provides a backup uninterruptible power source) will solve the problem. (If you do use a UPS, make sure it supports powerdown signaling to shut down your computer, otherwise a one-hour blackout will result in about the same abrupt shut-off of your machine as without a UPS--it just takes a few minutes longer.)

Still not sure what's right for you? Call Mike Johnson at 916/263-6155.

Time (and merchandise) is running out at the CFSA Government Surplus Warehouse. With the goal of selling everything in the warehouse, the already low surplus prices on the following remaining items have been drastically reduced:

• Shade cloth - approximately 85 percent shade; measures approximately 28' x 32' hexagon. Eighteen pieces available
• New multi-meters - electrical tester/analyzers. Five available
• Desks - ideal for livestock or shop offices. Three available
• Tables - suitable for maintenance shops. Two available

Remember: All merchandise is available in limited quantities, on a first-come, first served basis
To make a purchase, please call Graeme Stewart at 916/765-3673.

Please Note: CFSA's Surplus Purchasing Program is only authorized to obtain surplus property for California's fairs.

Last call: You have just a few more days to send in your resume for the post of Chief Executive officer at the California Mid-Winter Fair in Imperial, California.

Candidates must be willing to relocate (if necessary) within 30 minutes of the fairgrounds, be available for flexible hours and weekends, and tolerant of extreme summer temperatures. Please send your resume to:
CEO Selection Process Fair and Fiesta P.O. Box 213 Imperial, CA 92851 Phone: 760/355- 1181

Applications are due April 15, 1998.

Mark your calendar for these upcoming Western Fairs Association events:

• TUESDAY, MAY 5th
  
  • WFA Finance Committee Meeting
    10:30 a.m. - 1 :30 p.m.
    Cal Expo Board Room
  • CEO Open Forum
    2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
    Cal Expo Satellite Wagering Facility
    Theatre
  • Professional Development/Faust Report
    4:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.
    Cal Expo Satellite Wagering Facility
    Theatre
  • WFA Reception
    5:30 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
    Cal Expo Satellite Wagering Facility
    Club House
  
  
• WEDNESDAY, MAY 6th
  • WFA Board of Directors Meeting
    9:00 a.m. - Noon
    (Location tbd)

Details on these programs including hotel information will be mailed next week to all California fairs.

Attention Fairs! Share your ideas and accomplishments with your friends and fellow fairs in F.Y.I. The Fair Exchange column is dedicated to articles from and about California’s fairs. Simply give Melissa Thurber a call, a fax, or make life really easy for yourself and add her to your fair’s press release mailing list. (She’ll even write the article for you.) Contact her at: