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Top 20 ways to live longer

2012-01-21T20:35:00.004-08:00

How to increase your life expectancy

Living longer is one of the greatest benefits of leading a healthy active lifestyle and life expectancy for both men and women has continued to rise with improvements in diet, awareness and medical care. And to ensure that you are one of those helping boost future life expectancy figures we have prepared a list of 20 great tips to help with putting off the inevitability of death for as long as possible …

1. Laugh more

Research states that laughter may be beneficial to health. Laughing appears to boost the blood flow (by more than 20 per cent) and researchers say it may reduce the risk of developing heart disease. Laughing has previously been found to help fight infections, relieve hay fever, ease pain and help control diabetes. The positive effect of laughing is thought to last around 30 to 45 minutes.

2. Adjust sleeping time

Life expectancy may be reduced by sleeping more than eight hours a night. A study found that people who get only six to seven hours sleep a night live longer than those who sleep eight hours or more, or less than four hours.

3. Eat more garlic

Garlic has been referred to as ‘nature’s antibiotic’. It is a powerful cleanser of the body and regular ingestion promotes a healthy heart and circulation by lowering blood pressure and cholesterol. It also helps fight infection and can boost immunity. There is strong evidence to suggest that garlic helps with theprevention of cancers of the digestive system, including the oesophagus, stomach, colon and rectum. Those who don’t like the taste of garlic should try the odourless supplements that are available.

4. Boost your sex life

Having sex between three to four times a week is thought to reduce the risk of having a heart attack or stroke in half. During sex, the average person maintains their heart rate above 70 per cent of the maximum, making sex a wonderful CV workout! Sex reduces stress, leads to greater contentment and better sleep.

5. Drink tea

Many research studies support the view that tea is good for your health. Scientists tend to agree that tea, both black and green, may contribute positively to the promotion of health and the prevention of chronic disease. Recent research studies reveal the antioxidants in tea may inhibit the growth of cancer cells, support dental health, increase bone density and strengthen cardiovascular health. According to a study published in Circulation: The Journal of the American Heart Association, heart attack patients who were tea drinkers decreased their risk of death by up to 44 per cent, as compared to non-tea drinkers.

6. Drink red wine

Any excuse to drink more has got to be good! Recent studies show that drinking around one glass of red wine a day may have certain health benefits by protecting against certain cancers and heart disease, and can have a positive effect on cholesterol levels and blood pressure. Excessive or binge drinking, however, unfortunately doesn’t produce the same benefits.

7. Regular self examination

For women this means regularly examining their breasts, and while breast cancer is not unknown among men, males should regularly check their testicles for lumps. It is important to get to know how your body parts normally feel and look, and report any changes, such as a lump, to your doctor. More often than not, lumps prove to be benign, and these types of cancer are usually curable if they're caught early enough.

12 ways to feel healthier

2012-01-21T20:35:00.002-08:00

Health boosting lifestyle changes

Check out the following top 12 ways to make you feel more healthier. If you follow these tips you’ll surely get back to feeling good — or even start feeling better than you ever have before!

Get closer to nature

A growing band of scientists known as ‘ecopsychologists’ believe that we have an innate need to be close to the natural world on a daily basis in order to safeguard our physical and mental well-being. For example, in a classic study, hospital patients who looked out onto ‘green’ spaces healed faster, and needed fewer painkillers than those who looked out onto a brick wall. Also, outdoor environments — particularly those near running water or high up — also have more negative ions in the air, which help to energise us. And you don’t need to live in the country to inject some greenery and fresh air into your day: simply gardening, taking a walk in the park, watching the birds at the birdfeeder or sitting by a river will also help you get your daily dose from Mother Nature.

Eat more fruit ‘n’ veg

Eating more fruit and vegetables is one of the simplest things you can do to enhance your health. Despite the well-publicised ‘five a day’ campaign, a recent Nutrition and Diet Survey found that although fruit and veg consumption has increased, the average is still less than three portions per day. This is worrying, given that ‘five a day’ isn’t an ideal but a recommended minimum intake. So,make an effort to have at least one portion of fruit and veg with every meal, and then throw in two other fruit or veg snacks throughout the day. Also try not to have the same old things all the time. A good rule of thumb is to go for different coloured fruit and veg when you can, rather than having all fruit and veg of one colour. For example, you could try having red grapes instead of green, Romaine lettuce instead of iceberg, or pink grapefruit instead of white. And bear in mind that all your portions don’t have to be fresh — so you can eat dried, canned or frozen fruit or vegetables as part of your regular ‘five a day’ as well.

Stretch more

If you find yourself grunting or sighing heavily as you get out of the car or armchair, and strain yourself when trying to get your arms into a jacket or do up your bra, then it’s time to get flexible! Your flexibility begins to deteriorate from your 20s onwards as connective tissues stiffen, muscles shorten and joints become drier — but becoming as stiff as a board isn’t inevitable. Some gentle daily stretching and mobilising — such as doing some circling, bending and extending movements — will help keep you mobile. Or, if you still neglect daily stretching, you should make it an absolute rule to stretch after every workout. After a period of prolonged contraction, muscles can take up to two hours to be restored to their resting length — but just a few minutes of stretching will enable this to happen much more quickly.

Slow your pace of life down

If your life is just one big rush, stop a minute — or at least slow down! You are missing out on many of the best things life has to offer by always ‘doing’ and never ‘being’. Stopping and smelling the roses is not about living at a snail’s pace, and it’s not about turning Luddite or heading for the hills to live in a log cabin; it’s about balance. So, instead of tearing out of the door to get to the station on time, get up a little earlier to give yourself time to savour a cup of tea, or meander home through the park instead of rushing home to shove in another load of laundry.

12 ways to be healthier this time next year

2012-01-21T20:35:00.000-08:00

Easy ways to be healthier

If 2010 is the year you are finally going to get healthy, here are 12 ways to ensure you reach your goal by this time next year.

Quit the ‘social’ smoking

You may not be a fully-blown ‘smoker’ (if you are, then it goes without saying that that’s the most crucial step you can take to be healthier next year) but if you’re one of the 1 in 20 people who ‘only’ has a cigarette when you have a drink, or when you’re at a party, or when you’re nervous, you probably aren’t aware just how much harm you are doing. Nicotine is such a powerful drug that even if you only smoke at weekends or on occasional nights out, addiction may be taking a hold of you. No safe level has been determined. What’s more, statistics from the organisation Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) show that people who smoke fewer than 10 cigarettes a day are less committed to quitting than heavier smokers — so are likely to continue doing themselves harm for longer. Of course, smoking increases your risk of cancer and heart disease, but it also increases your risk of respiratory problems, diabetes, eye disease, erectile dysfunction and hearing loss, not to mention making you age prematurely, putting those around you at risk of inhaling your secondhand smoke and making your clothes, hair and breath smell bad. What’s social about that?

Get five a day, or more

Many people joke about the ‘5-a-day’ campaign. Does tomato ketchup count? What about wine? All very amusing, but the fact is, five portions of fruit and vegetables per day is the recommended minimum intake — not the ideal. The more, the better as far as health is concerned (guidelines are significantly higher in other countries), and yet according to Cancer Research UK, just 14 per cent of us even manage five portions, with one in five 4-18 year olds eating no fruit at all in a typical week. But we pass over the fruit bowl at our peril. Higher fruit and vegetable consumption will reduce the risk of colon, stomach, lung and oesophageal cancer, while research in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that a minimum of 6 servings of fruit and vegetables a day reduced the risk of stroke by around 30 per cent. What makes fruit and veg so healthy? Well, as well as being low in fat and calories and high in fibre, they are packed with health-promoting, disease-fighting phytonutrients, vitamins and minerals which you just won’t find in a capsule. If you have a long way to go to reach five-a-day, aim to increase your intake by one per week. Remember, one portion can be a juice, one can be dried fruit and one can come from beans or pulses. Canned and frozen varieties count, too — so get munching.

Be screen savvy

When did you last have an eye test? When is your next smear test due? Have you had your blood pressure checked recently? What about that itchy mole on your back? Screening is one of the most important ways of staying on top of your health. It gives the experts a chance to identify problems before you are even aware of them — maximising the likelihood of them being able to deal with it quickly and easily. And yet according to a survey by healthcare provider HealthSure, 57 per cent of men and 42 per cent of women have never had a health screen or wellbeing check. Just as worryingly, the Blood Pressure Association estimates that one third of those who have high blood pressure are not aware of it — putting themselves at risk of stroke and heart disease. If you can’t remember when you last had the relevant tests for your age, gender and health status, ask your doctor. If in doubt, err on the side of caution and get checked again.

Four perfect workouts for body trouble spots

2012-01-21T20:33:00.001-08:00

Tone your trouble spots with targeted workouts

No matter your size, shape or level of fitness – everyone has a few trouble spots when it comes to their body; you know those wobbly bits that never seem to get in shape? Well, with our targeted tips and activity suggestions your less-than-perfect body zones could become history.

We’ve selected four trouble spots, highlighting the type of toning exercises you need to work into your daily routine – plus some extra training tips to complement your toning workouts. It’s time to hit those jiggly bits and watch your body transform.

Trouble spot 1 – Wobbly belly

If you're looking to get a slim waist and a set of killer abs, sit ups and crunches immediately come to mind. But exercises for your lower abs and obliques should be included too. Have a go at leg-only v-sits (sit on the floor with your legs elevated and alternately bend and straighten your knees).

To further train your core, use a stability ball to carry out your ab exercises – this will train the deeper muscles of your abdomen too which will lead to all-over better posture.

Trouble spot 2 – Saggy, flabby behind

For that perfect peachy rear you’ll need to be working all the glute muscles. There are many killer techniques that will set you on your way to a shapelier behind; squats, lunges, side leg lifts as well as running, stepping or skipping.

But one of the best ways to fit in an extra daily bum tone is to take to the stairs – go for two at a time concentrating on squeezing the cheeks as you climb.

Trouble spot 3 – Bingo wings

If you shy away from short-sleeved tops, you can banish those bingo wings by targeting your biceps, triceps and shoulders to get the sexy toned arms you desire. Triceps dips are one of the best exercises to tone the under-arm wobble and good old fashioned press ups are great for targeting arms, shoulders and the chest.

Combine the toning with some cardiovascular exercise too; boxercise or cardio kickboxing classes are a great cardio workout with lots of upper-body work.

Trouble spot 4 – Thunder thighs

Want sleeker hips and streamlined, jiggle-free thighs that don’t meet in the middle? Well the good news is that the squats and lunges for your peachy rear will also double up as great thigh trimmers too. But rather than just focusing on the large muscles on the front and back of the thighs (the quads and hamstrings) go for activities that work the hips and inner thighs too

In-line skating is a superb aerobic workout, burning 400 calories an hour, studies have shown that it works some muscles in the legs more effectively than running – particularly the inner thighs and hips.

Okay, so you know your body trouble spots and how to get them more toned and peachy but as an extra helper there are a few training rules and nutrition tips which will complement your workouts and get you closer to the body you crave.

Top six training and nutrition tips to complement toning workouts

Don’t forget to step up your cardio workouts (running, cycling, walking), in order to burn extra calories and ensure your newly honed and toned body isn’t buried under a layer of blubber.

Train early – Exercising in the morning kick-starts your metabolism (the rate at which you burn calories) and the benefits can last for up to 15 hours after training.

Up the resistance – As you progress the addition of hand/leg weights or resistance bands will make toning workouts that little bit tougher but will yield results.

Go natural when eating – Always try and select whole-food choices for meals and snacks. Processed foods (foods that come in packets) are generally low in nutritional quality and high in unwanted calories such as fat and sugar.

Hydrate for exercise – Inadequate hydration often presents false hunger pangs. Hunger pangs are often satisfied with processed foods (chocolate, sweets etc), which are generally high in calories, unnecessarily adding to total calorie intake.

Easy on the alcohol – The calories from alcohol in wine, beer and spirits are stored as body fat if they’re not used at the time of consumption; so reducing your alcohol intake will help with weight los

Fitness with a baby

2012-01-21T20:32:00.002-08:00

The pitter patter of tiny feet

Congratulations, you’ve a new addition to the family, or perhaps a happy event is onthe horizon. However, amidst all the excitement and activity, you’re wondering how you’ll be able to return to fitness, find the time to exercise and regain your shape post pregnancy.

Certainly your life has changed – and changed forever. But that doesn’t mean you have to forget about fitness even though there are many challenges to getting fit after giving birth including:

Finding the time to exercise
Coping with less sleep
General fatigue
Generating the motivation to begin to exercise – and keeping it going
Keeping a home/family/baby time/work/balance

A return to full fitness is possible

To prove that getting back into your pre-pregnancy dress size is achievable, there are many role models in athletics who have shown that not only is it possible to return to fitness post pregnancy, they have gone on to produce world-classperformances at the very pinnacle of their sports. Ingrid Kristensen, Sonia O’Sullivan and Paula Radcliffe have produced winning performances after giving birth and credited their improved stamina to the physiological benefits that occur as a result of being pregnant.

Getting started

If you’ve recently given birth, obviously you’re going to be very busy with the extra demands on your time. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (ACOG) recommends no physical stress for two weeks after delivery and not to resume to fulldaily activities for a further four weeks. Additionally, if you have had a Caesareandelivery, you should avoid exercise for 8-10 weeks to allow for full healing. Your midwife will also be able to advise you on when you can begin working out. However, it islikely that you will know yourself when you feel ready to commence exercise, not onlyphysically but also when your new baby is settled into a manageable routine.

After giving birth, your joints will be loose because of the hormonerelaxin which has allowed everything to stretch to accommodate your baby. Avoid excessiveflexibility training for 16-20 weeks, high impact activities and lifting heavy weights.Build your fitness gradually for both your body’s safety and for sensible physiologicalprogression.

Targets and benefits

Your primary targets for getting fit are likely to be:

Returning to your pre-pregnancy weight
Rebuilding your abdominal strength
Feeling good

Get the best bum

2012-01-21T20:32:00.000-08:00

How to strengthen your glutes

Are your buttocks heading south? Is your peachy behind losing its firmness? If you're looking to tone and strengthen your glutes, here’s an exercise workout that targets those below-the-belt bits that other exercise routines just don’t reach.

These six exercises will work all three of the bottom or ‘gluteal’ muscles — thegluteus maximus, medius and minimus — to make your rear end firmer and shapelier.

Although the glutes work as a ‘team’, they all perform slightly different roles in terms of the movements they enable. For example, exercises in which you lie on your side and lift your leg will work the minimus and medius, but you need toexternally rotate the hip to bring in the maximus.

Equally, the medius and minimus work hard to keep the pelvis stable during walking, but the hip doesn’t extend far enough behind the body to involve the glute maximus. However, running, hopping, stepping or skipping — where weight is transferred explosively from one leg to the other will work a treat.

Alongside these toning and strengthening exercises, you are going to need tostep up your cardio, in order to burn extra calories and ensure your newly honed and toned bottom isn’t buried under a layer of blubber!

So here’s the exercise plan …

Aim to do the workout three to four times a week, and use the alternate days to do 30 to 60 minutes of aerobic exercise.
See the box below for some ‘kick ***’ cardio ideas.
Ensure you take one day off completely a week. In week one, perform the exercises with no weight, to get a feel for correct technique and gear your glutes up for action.
Aim for three sets of ten of each double-legged exercise and two sets on each side for single leg exercises. In week two, add enough resistance to enable you to do eight to 12 repetitions at a level where you feel you couldn’t continue by the end of each set. Remember to rest for a minute between sets.
As soon as you feel comfortable with the weight, repetitions and sets you are performing, it’s time to up the ante don’t settle into a comfort zone. Provided you keep challenging your muscles, and work up a sweat in your cardio exercise, you can expect to be making a very grand exit eight weeks from now!

The squat exercise
Stand with feet eight to 12 inches (roughly 30cm) apart, arms across the chest and hands on opposite shoulders. Take your weight back into your heels and lower your body by bending the legs, leading with the bottom, and with knees directly over the middle toes. Aim to lower to 90 degrees. Pause for a moment, then raise yourself back up and repeat.

To progress:
Use a weighted bar across the fleshy part of your upper back, or a dumbbell in each hand, with arms at your sides, to add overload. Suggested starter weight: 10kg.

Side lying leg raise
Lie on your right side, with hips stacked one on top of the other, and your head supported on your outstretched right arm. Keep the body in a straight line (you can lie against a wall to ensure you are straight) and lift the left leg up, toes pointing forwards, without allowing the pelvis to roll open. Pause then lower and repeat.

To progress:
Tie a resistance tube around both ankles so that lifting the top leg requires you to work against the resistance of the band. Alternatively, use an ankle weight.

How to get fab abs with our workout routine

2012-01-21T20:31:00.000-08:00

Let’s start off with a harsh but simple truth. No matter how hard you work your tummy muscles, no matter how fantastic your core stability, how strong your six-pack — if you are carrying excess body fat, that impressive midriff will be hidden under a layer of flab. So while this workout will hone and tone, strengthen and flatten your abdominal muscles, it won’t melt away a spare tyre. For that, you need to look at your diet and overall physical activity levels, too.

That said, though, you will be amazed at the effect the flatter tummy workout will have on your midriff. Many of us get into a rut with our abdominal exercise regimes, doing the same old crunches and sit-ups every time, neglecting the muscles at the sides of the waist and the all-important ‘core’ muscles (the transversus abdominals), which lie deep below the surface and surround the lower trunk like a corset.

Bringing these muscles into the equation helps to nip in the waist and flatten the lower part of the tummy far more effectively than boring old curls and crunches. And believe me, you’ll certainly know you’ve done an abs workout the morning after your first session!

As well as using more of the musculature of the trunk, the workout is also highly efficient because it doesn’t just use one range of motion. Crunches and curls all involve flexing the trunk forward and rolling back, while lying on your back. Think about it. How often do you do that movement in daily life? Probably just the once, first thing in the morning when you get out of bed!

This routine works multi-dimensionally — by challenging the abs in all positions and through all planes of movement. For example, you’ll be working lying face down, on your side, even standing-up. The more directions you tackle your abs from, the more muscles you will use and the better the results will be.

You’ll notice that some of the exercises use a Swiss ball or medicine ball. All of them can be done without, except for the Jack-knife. It’s fine to improvise at first, but as you get more experienced, it will make the exercises more difficult if you use the right equipment. For example, the journal Physical Therapy found that curl-ups on the floor recruited 21 per cent of the rectus abdominis muscle (the six-pack), compared to 35 per cent on a Swiss ball.

Before we get started, here are some essential tips:

Make sure you have a mat, or a thick towel to exercise on, to protect the spine, knees and elbows.
To do the exercises correctly, you need to ‘engage’ the deep abdominal muscles. Imagine you are wearing a corset, which has a zip from the top of the pubic bone to the belly button. Take a breath, and as you exhale, slowly ‘do up’ the zip. When you get to the top, fasten the button (your navel) to an imaginary buttonhole on your spine. Maintain the contraction, but don’t hold your breath at any time.
Don’t ‘grip’ tightly around the midriff. You will find it hard to do any kind of movement if you are holding your tummy too tensely. To get the right level of tension, contract to your maximum, and then let the contraction go by 50 per cent.
Don’t try to flatten your back into the mat (or ball) when lying face up during exercises. As long as your navel is drawn to your spine, it doesn’t matter if there is a small curve at your lower back.
Work through the exercises slowly and breathe throughout. If possible try to exhale on the toughest bit of the exercise and inhale during the easier phase but if you find it difficult to coordinate, just breathe any old how!
Only perform the exercises every other day at most — three times a week is fine. Like any muscle, the abs need time to recover and develop between training sessions.
Follow the directions – when it says ‘pause’ in the exercise instructions, it means hold the position momentarily before returning to the start position. When it says ‘hold the position’ for a given period, it doesn’t mean hold your breath, too!
For the first week, do routine A and routine B once each, to get a feel for the moves, and to prevent you ending up with muscle soreness that puts you off doing the workout again.
Following that, add a second session of either routine. If you really want to go for it, do both routines twice a week, with a day-off between each. Start with one set of each exercise, increasing to two sets after four weeks, and three sets after eight weeks.

10 flat-belly tricks

2012-01-21T20:30:00.000-08:00

Most women have experienced the feeling of being bloated at some point in their lives. However, for some it can be a recurring problem, leading to frequent discomfort and embarrassment. To help beat bloating and get the flat stomach you’ve dreamed of, check out these 10 de-bloating tips.

Consult your GP

Bloating can be caused by numerous factors including water retention and poor digestion. However, if you frequently suffer from chronic bloating you should visit your GP to discuss your symptoms and try to pinpoint a cause. As bloating can be a symptom of manageable conditions such as IBS or coeliac disease, as well as a reaction to certain medications, it is important to get an expert opinion.

Keep a food diary

If you tend to get bloated following meals, it could be that you are suffering from a food intolerance. It may be worth getting tested for food intolerances; however, experts are unsure of the effectiveness of these tests. The best thing is to keep a food diary, noting everything you eat as well as any signs of bloating, to help identify a link.

Take a probiotic

A healthy gut is packed with good bacteria which help to break down food and prevent yeast overgrowth. However, due to factors such as stress and medication (particularly antibiotics) levels of good bacteria can get low. When this happens, digestion and levels of yeast in the gut are affected, both of which can lead to bloating. To rectify this, try taking a probiotic supplement. Probiotics can also be found in some yogurts, although dairy can be a cause of bloating for some.

Stay hydrated

Ironic as it may sound, staying well hydrated is one of the best ways to reduce the water retentionwhich can lead to bloating. Furthermore, getting enough fluids can help you to improve your digestion and avoid constipation. Try to drink regularly throughout the day, opting for uncarbonated drinks such as water, peppermint or fennel tea.

Avoid gas-inducing foods

The leading cause of bloating is excess gas, so try to limit your intake of gas-inducing foods such as cabbage, sprouts, beans and grains. Also, avoid the sweeteners sorbitol and maltitol, try not to overdo your intake of fiber, and avoid chewing gum, which can exacerbate bloating. Try to also cut down on refined sugars, fermented products such as alcohol and cheese, and foods containing yeast, as these can cause yeast in the gut to thrive, which can lead to excess gas and bloating.

Concentrate on your meals

Many of us eat our meals on the go or while chatting with family and friends; however, taking more time over your meals and not talking while you eat could help reduce post-meal bloating. Eating too quickly and talking while eating can cause you to swallow air, leading to excess gas. Also, as digestion begins in the mouth, not chewing your food enough times can affect how well it is digested. It is also beneficial to eat little and often, as large meals can overload the digestive system.

Give your digestive system a helping hand

If you regularly feel bloated after meals, it may be that you have low levels of certain enzymes, meaning that foods are not being digested properly. To rectify this, try supplementing your mealswith natural enzymes such as papain, bromelain or lactase which can help the digestive system to break down certain foods.

Try natural bloating remedies

Sadly, bloating will affect most of us from time to time, regardless of our best efforts. Luckily, there are some natural remedies you can turn to in times of tummy distress. A good natural remedy for bloating is charcoal capsules, which help to absorb excess gas. Peppermint capsules and aloe vera juice are also good for supporting the digestive system and preventing bloating when taken regularly.

Get active

To help gas pass through the digestive system more quickly when bloated, try heading out for a brisk walk or jog. Also, try to establish a regular exercise routine as regular workouts help to keep the digestive system working efficiently and strengthen core abdominal muscles, which will help to reduce the extent that abdominal muscles relax when gas builds up in the gut.

Relax

One of the biggest precursors to digestive problems and bloating is stress. The digestive tract can be extremely sensitive to stress hormones, which is why many people experience abdominal pain or bloating during turbulent times in their lives. To help reduce bloating, try to manage your stress by experimenting with different relaxation techniques, such as yoga and meditation, to find one that works for you.

Golshifteh Farahani

2012-01-21T20:28:00.000-08:00

Actress banned from Iran over nude photo
Iranian actress Golshifteh Farahani has been banned from returning to her homeland after appearing naked in a photoshoot.

Google revenues worse than expected

2012-01-20T06:13:00.001-08:00

Google reported a 27% increase in revenues for the last three months of 2011, but even that was not good enough to meet Wall Street estimates, sending the shares tumbling.

Google shares fell 10% in after-hours trading to $575.

It reported 3-month revenues of $10.6bn (£6.8bn). Its net profit rose 6.4% to $2.7bn.

"Google had a really strong quarter ending a great year," said chief executive Larry Page.

"I am super excited about the growth of Android, Gmail, and Google+, which now has 90 million users globally - well over double what I announced just three months ago."

It came as fellow technology firms Microsoft and Intel also posted results for the same period.

Microsoft posted flat earnings of $6.62bn in the same quarter, seeing strong business demand for software and services.

Intel, the world's largest chipmaker, posted a better-than-expected 6% rise in earnings to $3.36bn, even though floods in Thailand knocked out factories that produce hard drives and components.

'Pressure' outside US

Speaking to BBC Radio 5 live, Graham Palmer, head of Intel, said: "We're seeing strong growth in the merging PC markets.

"China now has 20% consumption of the personal PC market - there are about one million PCs 'consumed' every day globally and there is still lots of growth, especially the emerging markets of Brazil, Russia, India and China."

But analysts were less impressed with Google's figures.

"Expectations were very high and they have missed that," said Trip Chowdhry, from Global Equities Research.

"Unlike Microsoft and Intel, estimates for Google have been rising for a few months."

The number of clicks on Google's search adverts rose significantly in the fourth quarter, but the amount that Google was able to charge advertisers for each click fell 8%.

"Expectations had got ahead of themselves for Google, largely because investors don't have a good feel for what happens outside the US," said Jordan Rohan from Stifel Nicolaus.

"North America has remained strong, but there are parts of the world where there's a lot of economic pressure. I would have to assume Europe, particularly Germany and some others, undergoing austerity measures. The underlying demand in those countries is weak."

For the full year, Google reported a 29% rise in revenue to $37.9bn, with net profit up 14% to $9.7bn.

Microsoft quarterly profits fall slightly

2012-01-20T06:12:00.001-08:00

Microsoft's profits in the three months to the end of December fell slightly as lower computer sales hit its core Windows business.

The world's largest software firm made a net profit of $6.624bn (£4.27bn), against $6.634bn for its second quarter last year.

Revenues rose 5% to $20.89bn, slightly down on some analysts' expectations.

Revenue at the Windows operating system division fell, but rose at its server, Xbox 360 and online services arms.

Wall Street welcomed the figures, with Microsoft's shares rising 2.1% in after-hours trading.

Colin Gillis, an analyst with BGC, said: "People were afraid it was going to be much, much worse."

Tighter cost control and a continuing reduction of losses at the Bing search engine helped boost the figures, he said.

Analysts were expecting a fall in business at the Windows division due to slower sales of PCs.

The computer industry is facing a worldwide shortage of hard disk drives due to flood devastation in Thailand hitting suppliers.

But Windows is also facing competition from the growth of tablet computers such as Apple's iPad and mobile devices using Google's Android system.

However, Microsoft is hitting back with the release of Windows 8, an operating system for PCs and mobile devices.

Microsoft chief executive Steve Ballmer said in a statement: "We delivered solid financial results, even as we prepare for a launch year that will accelerate many of our key products and services."

During the quarter the Windows and Windows Live division posted revenue of $4.74bn, a 6% fall on the previous year.

The Entertainment & Devices division saw the sharpest revenue rise, up 15% to $4.24bn.

HP Printer Installation

2012-01-12T07:07:00.000-08:00

Understanding How HP Printers Work

HP printers are, at a very basic level, a piece of hardware, or a device, that receives and executes printing-related commands. The printer works with software and drivers to process and carry out your commands. Keep reading to learn how drivers work with the HP printer.

What is a print driver?

Think of a driver as the manager and translator for your printer.

When you tell your printer to print something, you are sending it a command. The driver works with a translator to translate your command into a language the printer understands, directs the printer what to do with the command, manages other tasks the printer might be doing, and instructs the printer to carry out your command. The drivers control the device and communicate with other hardware devices that you have installed on your computer.

In more complex terms, drivers are small software programs that help control devices attached to your computer. Drivers enable your operating system and other software to communicate with various hardware devices, controllers, and other peripherals.

Why do I need a print driver?

Your HP printer doesn’t know what to do without a driver to manage it. Without a driver to translate, manage, and execute your commands, a printer can't do anything. It needs guidance.

Also, drivers help computers identify and run installed hardware (printer). Without drivers, computers cannot distinguish between a sound card and a modem. Most computer devices and peripherals need drivers to run, which means that computer accessories, like printers, also need drivers to function.

Choosing and installing the correct drivers for your printer is often a key component of computer system configuration.

What does it take to make a print driver?

It depends. Print drivers are specific to several factors, including (but not limited to):

The specific printer model. Many printers have variations within a range (series). For example, the HP Photosmart 4200 has 11 different models within the series. Each of these models requires a variation on the print driver.
The operating system (OS) on the computer. Print drivers are different for Windows XP, Windows Vista, and Windows 7, even for the same printer. Of course, Mac operating systems require different print drivers as well.
The features that the connection type supports. The way the printer is connected also contributes to the variations in print drivers. Printers that are connected with a USB connection require different features than a printer connected to a wired (Ethernet) or wireless network.
The features of the printer. Features like automatic duplexing (printing on both sides of the paper), multiple paper trays, faxing, scanning, and copying all have their own sections within the print driver. Each unique functionality requires a set of instructions specific to that printer.
The printer's command language. Printers and computers communicate with each other using command languages. These languages are unique and contribute to the need for unique print drivers.
The print mechanism. Many printers have different ink cartridges, nozzles, and printheads, all of which make up the print mechanism. This also requires a unique print driver.

So, for models that are similar to other models, it might not be as time consuming to create a driver. But if a printer has a new mechanism or other new features, it can take over a year to create a new driver. Then, print drivers all have to be tested individually, which is the most time and labor intensive part of the process.

OpenVMS Alpha FAQ

2012-01-12T07:04:00.001-08:00

1.0 General software release information

Will Java™ applications run on OpenVMS VAX?

2.0 Downloading and installing the SDK & documentation

Do I need to install any patches in order to run the SDK?
Can I use MultiNet instead of TCP/IP Services for OpenVMS Alpha (UCX)?
Where can I find documentation for the SDK?
Would you explain your version naming convention for the SDK?

3.0 Using the SDK & error messages

I've written a Java program that is in a file called SERTEST.JAVA and attempted to compile it two ways. Both Failed. What am I doing wrong?
I've copied some Java source files with some errors. What's wrong?
I've copied a .ZIP file from another computer and got some error messages. What can I do to prevent this?
I am seeing error messages regarding 'shareable image's symbol vector table mismatch'.What is the problem?
I get DECwindows error messages when trying to redirect my Java application's output to a VAXstation. What do I need to do?
Can I use HPjmeter on OpenVMS? Or are there any tools to measure, view, and improve Java performance on OpenVMS?

4.0 Interfacing with non-Java code

(a) Do you have any additional documentation that explains step by step what I need to do towrite some native C programs to interact with Java code?
(b) How do I handle procedure names over 31 characters?
(c) How do I call OpenVMS System Services from Java code?
(d) How do I invoke Java methods from C code?

5.0 Third party applications, Java tools & other utilities

Will the JavaBeans^TM Development Kit (BDK) run on the OpenVMS Alpha implementation of the SDK, and if so, how do I install it?
Where can I find a JDBC driver if my application requires database access?
Does Java Web Start run on the SDK for OpenVMS?

1.0 General software release information

Q1.1: Will Java applications run on OpenVMS VAX?

A: No. You can run Java applications on any operating system platform that implements the Java Virtual Machine. The Virtual Machine is included in both the Software Development Kit (SDK) for OpenVMS Alpha from HP and in the Netscape Navigator for OpenVMS Alpha. However, the Virtual Machine won't be available on OpenVMS VAX. Why? The Virtual Machine requires an implementation of the IEEE math standard within the operating system. This IEEE standard is not part of the OpenVMS VAX architecture. In our attempts to emulate this IEEE standard on OpenVMS VAX, we encountered architectural restrictions that hindered our ability to deliver a conformant Virtual Machine implementation required by Sun. Further attempts to work around these architectural restrictions on OpenVMS VAX resulted in Java applications running with unacceptable performance.

2.0 Downloading and installing the SDK & documentation

Q2.1: Do I need to install any patches in order to run the SDK?

A: Yes. In order to successfully install and run the SDK for OpenVMS Alpha, mandatory prerequisite ECOs (patches) must be installed. Do not attempt to run the SDK kit without these patches. For more information, refer to release product page.

Q2.2: Can I use MultiNet instead of TCP/IP Services for OpenVMS Alpha (UCX)?

A: Currently, we are not planning to support MultiNet directly. All of our testing and certification is done using TCP/IP Services for OpenVMS Alpha (UCX). However, since we do not call UCX directly and only use the socket functions available from HP C, it is possible that MultiNet will work with this SDK.

Q2.3: Where can I find documentation?

A: The SDK documentation is installed on your system at the following location:

Version 1.1.8 SYS$COMMON:[SYSHLP.JAVA]INDEX.HTML

Version 1.2.2 and higher SYS$COMMON:[JAVA$1XX.DOCS]INDEX.HTML
(where 1xx=122, 130, 131...)

Documentation is also on-line and available from our software documentation page.

For information on how to optimize performance of the SDK for OpenVMS, see Optimizing Java™ technology software performance on OpenVMS - Tips and Trick for Users.

Q2.4: Would you explain your version naming convention for the SDK? An example is that when typing the command, java -version, the SDK v 1.4.2-7 version displays as follows:

java version "1.4.2-7"

A: The number following the hyphen indicates an Update release - in this case number "7". It does NOT indicate that this is a beta release. Beta releases are indicated by including the word "beta" as part of the version name; for example, "1.4.2-beta". This version naming convention (hyphen#) is necessary because we have had to re-release kits to fix Sun's or other problems. This numbering scheme makes it much easier to determine exactly which kit you are using.

Also note that an 'Update' release contains the full SDK release based on Sun's Java Development Kit (J2SDK) along with the latest features and bug fixes.

3.0 Using the SDK on OpenVMS Alpha & Error Messages

Q3.1: What am I doing wrong? I've written a Java program that is in a file called SERTEST.JAVA. My public class definition starts off with:

public class SerTest {
...
I've tried to compile it with:
$ javac SERTEST.JAVA
and with
$ javac sertest.java

In both cases the compilation fails with the error message:

sertest.java:7:
Public class SerTest must be defined in a
file called "SerTest.java".
public class SerTest {
^
1 error

A: The Java runtime environment insists on a one-to-one relationship between class names and file names.

You must express the file name in the same case-sensitive manner as your public class declaration -- namely "SerTest.java".

In the the example above you need to type the command as:

$ javac "SerTest.java"

If you don't quote the file name, DCL will automatically upcase the string, and by the time javac sees it, the file name will be SERTEST.JAVA which doesn't match the classname.

Q3.2: I've copied some Java source files from another computer and/or have created some new .java files from scratch. Some files compile just fine on OpenVMS. But if an error occurs it tells me what the error is but the indicator "^" showing where the error occurs on the line, does not point to anything. What's wrong?

A: Java source files on OpenVMS should be in Stream_LF record format. Other record formats will, in fact, work if the compilation is error-free. However, if an error occurs, the program cannot show you where it is on the line. In order to do this, the file must be in Stream_LF record format. Do a:

$ DIR/FULL mysource.java
and note the line that starts with the string:
Record format:

If it does not indicate that the Record Format is "Stream_LF" you will have to convert it so that it is Stream_LF.

Text files can be converted to Stream_LF format by doing:

$ convert/fdl=stream_lf.fdl input_file.java output_file.java

An example of a valid stream_lf.fdl is shipped on the kit and can be found in:

SYS$COMMON:[SYSHLP.JAVA]STREAM_LF.FDL

See the technical documentation for more details.

Q3.3: I've copied a .ZIP file from another computer and I've added a reference to this .ZIP file to my CLASSPATH. I still get error messages indicating the system is not seeing the classes define in my new .ZIP file. What can I do to prevent this?

A: Make sure that this new .ZIP file is in Stream LF format. Do a:

$ DIR/FULL MY.ZIP
and note the line that starts with the string:
Record format:

If it does not indicate that the Record Format is "Stream_LF" you will have to convert it so that it is Stream_LF.

Binary files like .ZIP files can be converted by doing:

$ SET FILE MY.ZIP /ATTR=(RFM:STMLF,RAT:CR)

See the technical documentation for more details.

Q3.4: What is the problem? I am seeing error messages such as:

%IMGACT-F-SYMVECMIS, shareable image's symbol vector table mismatch
-IMGACT-F-FIXUPERR, error when JAVA$JAVA_SHR referenced DECC$SHR

A: The SDK for OpenVMS Alpha has been linked against a specific set of OpenVMS shareable images that are assumed to be on the user's system at run time. These images contain enhanced functionality required by the Run Time Environment (RTE). This specific set of images is packaged into one or more 'ECOs' (Engineering Change Orders). These ECOs are specified on the download page from which you obtained the pointers for the SDK. You MUST download and install these ECOs in order for the SDK to operate correctly.

Q3.5: What do I need to do? My Java application displays its output to an Alphastation with no problems. But when I try to redirect the display to a VAXstation, I get no window at all or DECwindows error messages like the following:

X error event received from server:
BadValue (integer parameter out of range for operation)

A: You will need to add a line that says:

$DEFINE/TABLE=DECW$SERVER0_TABLE DECW$CARD16_VALIDATE TRUE

to the file:

SYS$MANAGER:DECW$PRIVATE_SERVER_SETUP.COM

for the DECW$PRIVATE_SERVER_SETUP.COM controlling your VAXstation and restart DECwindows.

See the technical documentation for further details.

Q3.6: Can I use HPjmeter on OpenVMS? Or are there any tools to measure, view, and improve Java performance on OpenVMS?

A: Yes, the ClassicVM offers the profiling option supported by Hpjmeter.

http://www.hp.com/products1/unix/java/hpjmeter/

What does Hpjmeter offer?

HPjmeter features include:

CPU Time - Inclusive or Exclusive; List or Call Tree; Process or Thread
Clock Time - Inclusive or Exclusive; List or Call Tree; Process or Thread
Call Count - List, or Call Tree; Process or Thread
Object Creation - Location in code where created
Heap Analysis - Live and Residual Objects; Heuristic memory leak detection
Monitor Contention - List or Call Tree; Process or Thread
Thread-based Metrics - Histogram color-coded: CPU, I/O, GC, Lock-wait, ... Program Heuristics.

Quickly identify performance bottlenecks in your Java application:

Save readable performance information to a file.
Compare profile files - See impact of your changes on application performance.
Find relevant information - package, class or method.
Find methods with high monitor contention.

VMS specific example:

download hpjmeter.zip (in binary mode)

$ SET FILE/ATTR=(RFM:STMLF,RAT:CR) HPJMETER-1-6.ZIP
$ jar -xvf hpjmeter-1-6.zip
extracted: HPjmeter.jar
extracted: Java2Demo.eprof
extracted: HPjmeter.release.notes

Note: For long running application, make sure you include the "gc_okay=n" option.
This will keep the PC sample and Garbage collector threads from creating a deadlock condition.

Run your application:

$ java -Xrunhprof:gc_okay=n,cpu=samples,depth=6,thread=y yourapplication
$ java -jar HPjmeter.jar !
Then open java.hprof.txt from the file dialog.

Note: The FastVM does not support hprof, you should tune or debug your application using the ClassicVM.

4.0 Interfacing with non-Java code

Q4.1a: Do you have any additional documentation that explains step by step what I need to do to write some native C programs to interact with Java code?

A: You're in luck! We have a few examples, each in the form of a set of files that contains sample Java and C code to show you the basics of how they interact. They also include some command procedures which will compile, link and execute the sample JNI-based application. See the answer to Q4.1b for more information on calling C code from Java code. Q4.1c demonstrates calling OpenVMS System Services from Java code. Q4.1d demonstrates calling Java methods from C.

Starting with Java 1.4.2, the VMS save sets discussed below are on the SDK kit itself and are installed in a directory called [.VMS_DEMO] below where the product itself was installed.

There is no longer a need to manually download them.

For example, the files from the Java 1.4.2 kit are typically at:

SYS$COMMON:[JAVA$142.VMS_DEMO]

INVOKE_JAVA_FROM_C_EXAMPLE.SAV;1
JNI_EXAMPLE.SAV;1
SYSTEM_SERVICE_INVOKE_DEMO.SAV;1

Q4.1b: How do I handle procedure names over 31 characters?

A: There are two ways you can shorten external names that are longer than 31 characters.

Starting with our SDK v 1.1.8-5 and SDK v 1.2.2-1, you don’t need to take any special action as long as you compile your C and C++ code with the /NAMES=(AS_IS,SHORTENED) qualifier. The SHORTENED keyword for this qualifier instructs the compilers to shorten external names that are longer than 31 characters. The Java runtime system automatically shortens long names using the same algorithm. We recommend this method, as it simplifies the process of building native images, and it can make debugging easier too. The file JNI_EXAMPLE.COM, in the example saveset, demonstrates this method.
If you are using an older version of the SDK than listed above, or you don’t wish to use the SHORTENED keyword on the /NAMES qualifier, then you can use the utility program contained in the JNI_EXAMPLE.BCK saveset. This utility will manually shorten the long names in your native code. The file JNI_EXAMPLE_31CHARS.COM demonstrates this method.

To obtain this set of files:

Expand the save set:

$ BACKUP -
SYS$COMMON:[JAVA$142.VMS_DEMO]JNI_EXAMPLE.SAV/SAVE –
[…]*.*
Read JNI_README.TXT for an overview of what files are in this package.
Read and execute JNI_EXAMPLE.COM or JNI_EXAMPLE_31CHARS.COM to see how it all works.

Q4.1c: How do I call OpenVMS System Services from Java code?

A: We have packaged an example that demonstrates how to call OpenVMS System Services from Java code. It is a complete example that compiles and links everything it needs from the components on the demo kit file.

It creates two classes—LibGetJPI and LibGetSYI—which act as jacket routines that call Java Native Interface (JNI) C-based native code that actually accesses the GETJPI and GETSYI system services.

This example demonstrates a number of techniques:

Defining the needed item codes, etc. at the Java level. This is accomplished by creating *DEF*.java files which were hand-edited from their corresponding *DEF*.h files for these system services.
The use of packages to organize the overall positioning of these files within a larger application.
The approach of creating classes to represent these system services—thereby allowing seamless Java-based access to the results of these system service calls.
The creating of shareable libraries to allow the dynamic loading of these services as needed.
The use of SCAN_GLOBALS_FOR_OPTION.COM and JAVA$BUILD_OPTION.EXE to dynamically create the .OPT files needed for linking the shareable libraries.

To obtain and use the example:

Expand the saveset:

$ BACKUP -
SYS$COMMON:[JAVA$142.VMS_DEMO]SYSTEM_SERVICE_INVOKE_DEMO.SAV/SAVE –
[…]*.*
Go to the example directory created by BACKUP

$ SET DEF [.SYSTEM_SERVICE_INVOKE_DEMO]
Set up your Java environment, e.g.

$ @SYS$MANAGER:JAVA$142_SETUP.COM
Read/Execute the command procedure which builds the example from scratch and executes it.

$ @BUILD_EXAMPLE.COM

Q4.1d: How do I invoke Java methods from C code?

A: We have packaged an example that demonstrates how to write an application that starts in C code and then calls Java methods.

The example program demonstrates:

Compiling and linking the example.
Starting application in C code.
Activating a Virtual Machine
Calling a Java method which, in turn, throws an exception. The sample code shows how to detect and process the Java exception.
Calling a Java method which, in turn, calls back to a native C routine—demonstrating how to establish callbacks in C code that are eventually called from the Java code.
The creating of shareable libraries to allow the dynamic loading of the C code as needed.
The use of SCAN_GLOBALS_FOR_OPTION.COM and JAVA$BUILD_OPTION.EXE to dynamically create the .OPT files needed for linking the shareable libraries.

To obtain and use the example:

Expand the saveset:

$ BACKUP -
SYS$COMMON:[JAVA$142.VMS_DEMO]INVOKE_JAVA_FROM_C_EXAMPLE.SAV/SAVE –
[…]*.*
Go to the example directory created by BACKUP

$ SET DEF [.INVOKE_JAVA_FROM_C]
Set up your Java environment, e.g.

$ @SYS$MANAGER:JAVA$142_SETUP.COM
Read/Execute the command procedure which builds the example from scratch and executes it.

$ @JNIINVTEST.COM

5.0 Third party applications, Java tools & other utilities

Q5.1: Will the JavaBeans^TM Development Kit (BDK) run on the OpenVMS Alpha implementation of the SDK, and if so, how do I install it?

A: Yes, the Java BDK will run on the OpenVMS Alpha implementation of our SDK. There are two methods for installing the BDK, depending on the format of the disk (ODS-5 vs. ODS-2) to which you install the BDK.

with ODS-5, do the following:

Make sure you have the latest version of the ZIP utility for OpenVMS which can be found athttp://h71000.www7.hp.com/.
Set JAVA$FILENAME_CONTROLS = -1. See the release notes for the SDK for details on JAVA$FILENAME_CONTROLS settings.
Download the BDK from Sun. Currently, this can be found athttp://java.sun.com/products/index.html.
Unzip the file and you can begin using the BDK on OpenVMS.

with ODS-2, do the following:

Set JAVA$FILENAME_CONTROLS = -1. See the release notes for the SDK for details on JAVA$FILENAME_CONTROLS settings.
Download the BDK from Sun to a computer running UNIX or Windows. Currently, this can be found at http://java.sun.com/products/index.html.

Extract the contents of the downloaded zip file and then repackage it using the jar utility. For example:

UNIX> unzip bdkjul98.zip -d /bdk

UNIX> jar cvf bdk.jar bdk/*

Windows> unzip bdkjul98.zip -d \bdk

Windows> jar -cvf bdk.jar bdk\*

Move the jar file to your OpenVMS system and extract it in the area where you want your JavaBeans development kit to be located.

NOTE:

$ jar xf bdk.jar

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

To test the JavaBeans development kit:

Go to a directory containing a sample application:
```
$ SET DEF [.bdk.beanbox]
```

Set your classpath to include the files needed by the BDK. For example for SDK v 1.1.8:

$ DEFINE CLASSPATH -
"/your_class_directory/JDK118_CLASSES.ZIP:./classes:./infobus.jar:."

Run the test application:

$ java "sun.beanbox.BeanBoxFrame" - version
BeanBox version: BDK1.0 - July 1998
$ java "sun.beanbox.BeanBoxFrame"

Q5.2: Where can I find a JDBC driver if my application requires database access?

A: A JDBC driver and several data source interfaces can be obtained from Attunity as part of their Attunity Connect product suite. For additional information, go tohttp://www.attunity.com/Products/AttunityConnect.Asp.

Oracle also provides JDBC drivers for Oracle Rdb and Oracle Database. For more information , seehttp://www.oracle.com/technology/products/rdb/htdocs/rdb_jdbc/rdb_jdbc_more_info.html orhttp://www.oracle.com/technology/tech/java/sqlj_jdbc/htdocs/jdbc_faq.htm#02_00 respectively.

Q5.3: Does Java Web Start run on the SDK for OpenVMS?

A: No. Java Web Start is not supported on OpenVMS. Currently, there are no plans to support Java Web Start applications on the OpenVMS platform.

Getting started

2012-01-12T07:03:00.000-08:00

1.0 Getting started, current software releases available & future development

(a) What software releases for the Java™ Platform are currently available?
(b) On what platforms is the JDK and SDK and related development software available?
(c) Will JDK 5.0-4 Alpha run on OpenVMS 7.3-2? If so, is it supported?
Is there any way I can determine if my Java application will run on the 64-bit Alpha platform?
What are your plans for supporting Java 3D API?
Would you explain the version-naming convention used for your SDK kits?
What are your plans for supporting the Java™ 2 Enterprise Edition (J2EE)?
What are your plans for supporting Java Web Start?

2.0 Downloading, installing, and accessing JDK and SDK & documentation

(a) How do I download the Java software?
(b) How do I install the software?
(c) Are there mirror sites for European and Asian users?
What documentation is available? In what formats? How can I get it? And where can I find a list of 'known problems'?

3.0 Database access, networking & browsers

How do I get Remote Method Invocation (RMI) to work across the network?
I'm having trouble getting my applet to run in the Netscape Navigator®. Should I report this problem to HP?

4.0 Third party applications, Java tools & other utilities

Will Sun's HotJava™ Browser run on the Tru64 UNIX and VMS implementation of the SDK, and if so how do I install it?

5.0 Getting information, staying in touch & finding software support

How can I stay informed of the latest software releases?
How can I get information on your software products?
Where do I find software support for the SDK releases?

1.0 Getting started, current releases available & future development

Q1.1a: What software releases for the Java™ Platform are currently available?

Please note: For 5.0, Sun Microsystems' has reverted to the terminology JDK and JRE. The Java software from HP prior to version 5.0 is called SDK and RTE.

A: HP offers software with the very latest Java™ technology. Our Software Development Kit (SDK) and Run Time Environment (RTE) releases are available for Tru64™ UNIX®, and OpenVMS Alpha. For a complete list of available releases for these platforms, please see our software download page.

Note: HP's End of Life (EOL) processes and schedules for Java releases is based on Sun's EOL processes and schedules. We strongly encourage developers to migrate to the latest software releases. To understand if a release has begun EOL, refer to the index page for that release version.

Q1.1b: On what platforms is the JDK and SDK and related development software available?

Tru64™ UNIX® The SDK release for Tru64 UNIX is available to download from this Web site, beginning with version 4.0F. The SDK kit from HP is not available on our UNIX prior to version 4.0F. For details, please see our software download page. Technical documentation for a given release contains details regarding operating system version and other requirements. To view the documentation for our SDK and other software, see our software documentation page. To view questions and answers about our software for Tru64 UNIX, see the Tru64 UNIX faq.

OpenVMS Alpha: The SDK kits for OpenVMS Alpha V7.2-2 (and higher) are available to download from this Web site. The JDK 5.0-3 kit is supported on OpenVMS Alpha Version 7.3-2 and higher. The JDK 5.0-4 kit is supported on OpenVMS Alpha Version 8.2 and higher. For details, please see our software download page. Technical documentation for a given release contains details regarding operating system version and other requirements. To view the documentation for our JDK, SDK, and other software, see our software documentation page. To view questions and answers about our software for OpenVMS Alpha, see the OpenVMS Alpha faq.

OpenVMS I64: The JDK and SDK kits for OpenVMS I64 Version 8.2-1 (and higher) are available to download from this Web site. For details, please see our software download page. Technical documentation for a given release contains details regarding operating system version and other requirements. To view the documentation for our JDK software, see our software documentation page.

OpenVMS VAX: You can not run our Java applications on OpenVMS VAX. You can run SDK applications on any operating system platform that implements the Virtual Machine. The Virtual Machine is included in both the SDK for OpenVMS Alpha and in the Netscape Navigator® for OpenVMS Alpha. However, the Virtual Machine won't be available on OpenVMS VAX. Why? The Virtual Machine requires an implementation of the IEEE math standard within the operating system. This IEEE standard is not part of the OpenVMS VAX architecture. In our attempts to emulate this IEEE standard on OpenVMS VAX, we encountered architectural restrictions that hindered our ability to deliver a conformant Virtual Machine implementation required by Sun. Further attempts to work around these architectural restrictions on OpenVMS VAX resulted in Java applications running with unacceptable performance.

Q1.1c: Will JDK 5.0-4 Alpha run on OpenVMS V7.3-2? If so, is it supported?

A. Because this JDK version was built against the OpenVMS Alpha V7.3-2 libraries, it will continue to install and execute on V7.3-2. However, support is available only for customers that have a Prior Version Support (PVS) contract for OpenVMS Alpha V7.3-2.

Q1.2: Is there any way I can determine if my Java application will run on the 64-bit Alpha platform?

A: Yes. You can access an AlphaServer remotely through HP's new technology test drive an Alpha program. This program enables you to test your Java applications on Tru64 UNIX and OpenVMS Alpha on systems configured with the necessary SDK. Visit the HP test drive Web site for details.

Q1.3: What are your plans for supporting Java 3D API?

A: We currently have no plans to license or implement the Java 3D API. However, we will continue to re-evaluate our engineering plans in the event that customer requirements indicate a change to our business strategy. Stay tuned to this Web site for future announcements.

Q1.4: Would you explain the version-naming convention used for your SDK kits? In this example, when typing the UNIX command, java -version, SDK v 1.4.2-2 displays as follows:

java version "1.4.2-2"

A: The number following the hyphen indicates an Update release - in this case number "2". It does NOT indicate that this is a beta release. Beta releases are indicated by including the word "beta" as part of the version name; for example, "1.4.2-beta". This version naming convention (hyphen#) is necessary because we have had to re-release kits to fix Sun's or other problems. This numbering scheme makes it much easier to determine exactly which kit you are using.

Also note that an Update release contains the full SDK release based on Sun's Java 2 SDK along with the latest features and bug fixes.

Q1.5: What are your plans for supporting the Java™ 2 Enterprise Edition (J2EE)?

A: The Java™ 2 Enterprise Edition (J2EE) is a set of components and APIs that are related to Enterprise applications. This capability is licensed separately from the Java™ 2 Standard Edition (J2SE). HP licenses the J2SE for its Alpha platforms, the terms under which we provide our SDK and RTE kits. HP does not license the J2EE for the Alpha platform, and does not have any plans to license it. The J2EE capability is provided by middleware vendors, such as our HP partners BEA, Oracle, Iona, etc. For more information on these vendors, please see the 'deployment' section on our 'Java technology on Alpha' homepage.

Q1.6: What are your plans for supporting Java™ Web Start?

A: Java™ Web Start is a new application deployment technology that allows you to launch Java applications with a single click from your web browser. Java Web Start is included as part of the SDK v 1.4.

2.0 Downloading, installing, and accessing JDK and SDK & documentation

Q2.1a: How do I download the Java software?

A: You can access our releases from our software download page. Choose the version of the Java software kit you want, and proceed from there.

Q2.1b: How do I install the software?

A: For installation instructions, refer to the technical documentation that is provided with the kit and on this Web site.

Q2.1c: Are there mirror sites for European and Asian Users?

A: No. Our customers can reach the HP home page athttp://thenew.hp.com/country/us/eng/welcome.html or http://www.hp.com/.

However, FTP sites are available in the U.S. and Europe for our customers to easily download our software for the Java Platform. Since we are experiencing good connectivity in Asia Pacific, there are currently no plans to add an FTP site there.

Note: if you can not access our FTP sites, there is an HTTP option on the U.S. server; replace fttp://ftp with http://ftp.

Q2.2: What documentation is available? In what formats? How can I get it? And where can I find a list of 'known problems'?

A: Software documentation is packaged as part of each SDK kit, and is available in HTML format. The software documentation can be viewed by pointing your browser to the directory/file on the system where the SDK kit is installed as the following examples show:

for Tru64 UNIX:

/usr/opt/java131/docs/index.html

for OpenVMS Alpha:

SYS$COMMON:[SYSHLP.JAVA]INDEX.HTML (SDK v 1.1.n)

SYS$COMMON:[JAVA$122.DOCS]INDEX.HTML (SDK v 1.2.2)

SYS$COMMON:[JAVA$130.DOCS]INDEX.HTML (SDK v 1.3.0)

Documentation is also on-line and available from our software documentation page. For a list of 'known problems', refer to the release notes.

3.0 Database access, networking & browsers

Q3.1: How do I get Remote Method Invocation (RMI) to work across the network?

A: RMI will work across the network if the following is true:

The server machine needs to have available: the interface class, the server class, and the skeleton class. The client machine needs to have available the interface class, the client class, and the server or the stub class. If the stub or server class is not present on the client machine, the server machine must have a web server or some kind of simple HTTP server running to send the stub class to the client. Sun's RMI tutorial for our SDK version 1.3.n contains a URL for a simple class server. Go to the on-line software documentation page. Refer to the documentation 'index' page to find a pointer to the Sun 'Tutorial'.

On the server machine, first start the RMI registry. It is critical that your classpath contain only the SDK classes at this point. Do not put "." in the classpath. And do not run the registry from a directory containing any classes that will need to be transported to clients. If the class is in the RMI registry process’s classpath, the registry will not encode the URL, and remote clients won’t know from where to download the object’s class.

The RMI server class files must be placed in a directory where the RMI server and the web server can find them. Specify this area when invoking the RMI server program by setting the codebase property as shown below. The trailing '/' on the URL specification is required.

java -Djava.rmi.server.codebase=http://host/dir/ classname

The following example is UNIX-specific but can be generalized if you are using another Alpha platform. The associated java source code is located after the example, below.

Perform steps 1 through 5 while logged into the system on which the RMI server will run, and step 6 while logged into the system on which the client will run. Start with the following files in some work directory:

myInterface.java
myClient.java
myServer.java (interface java source)
(client java source)
(server java source)

1. In the work directory, java compile (javac) the java code.

cd ~smith/work1
javac myInterface.java
javac myClient.java
javac myServer.java

Expected output:

myInterface.class
myClient.class
myServer.class

2. In the work directory, RMI compile (rmic) the server class to produce the skeleton and stub classes.

rmic myServer

Expected output:
myServer_Skel.class
myServer_Stub.class

3. Change to the work directory that does not contain any files related to RMI. Make sure that the classpath does not contain the reference to the area where the RMI classes are stored. You may set it to the location of the classes needed by the SDK and other Java applications. Start the RMI registry. In this example, '&' is used to run it in the background. Also, a port (4444) is specified to override the default port 1099. The client and server code must have knowledge of the port if the default is not used (see the Naming.lookup call in myClient.java and the Naming.rebind call in myServer.java).

cd ~smith/work2
setenv CLASSPATH <system-classes.zip>
rmiregistry 4444 &

4. Start the RMI server. It does not matter what your working directory is at this point. In this example, it is assumed that there is an HTTP server running and that a user whose home directory is ~smith contains a subdirectory called public_html on node mysrv.zko.dec.com. It is also assumed that the server, interface, and skeleton classes are in this subdirectory (This example shows all class files being copied. However, myClient.class does not need to be included).

cp ~smith/work1/*.class ~smith/public_html
setenv CLASSPATH ~/public_html
java -Djava.rmi.server.codebase=http://mysrv.zko.dec.com/~smith/ myServer &

5. Copy myInterface.class and myClient.class to the remote client system (the directory is not important). The stub class does not have to be copied to the client system in this example because the server system has a web server that will be able to send the stub class to the client. In this example, we assume that myInterface.class and myClient.class were copied to the ~jones/work1 directory of the system where the client program will be invoked.

6. Invoke the client program while logged into the client system. The client and interface classes must be on your classpath. In this example, the only parameter the client class takes is the node name of the server system:

setenv CLASSPATH ~jones/work1:$CLASSPATH
java myClient mysrv.zko.dec.com

-------------------
Java Source Code

myInterface.java

public interface myInterface extends java.rmi.Remote {
String runCmd( String inputCmd ) throws java.rmi.RemoteException;
}

myClient.java (Note: Naming.lookup returns the remote object for the URL)

import java.io.*;
import java.net.*;
import java.rmi.*;
import java.rmi.registry.*;

/**
* This program connects to a server at a specified host and port.
* It reads text from the console and sends it to the server.
* It reads text from the server and sends it to the console.
**/

public class myClient {
static private myInterface server;

public static void main(String[] args) throws RemoteException,
                                                 IOException {
  try {

   // Check the number of arguments.
// The RMI server host name is required.
      if (args.length != 1)
       throw new IllegalArgumentException("Wrong number of arguments");

   // Parse the host specifications
   String host = args[0];
   // Connect to remote host
   if (System.getSecurityManager() == null) {
       System.setSecurityManager(new RMISecurityManager());
   }
   server = null;
   try {
       System.out.println( "Attempting to connect to server." );
       server =
       (myInterface) Naming.lookup("rmi://"+host+":4444/CLIserver");
       System.out.println( "Server obj created. " );
       System.out.println
          ("Client writes this sentence on Client screen.");
       System.out.println
          ("(Client calls Server) " + server.runCmd("UNIX"));
   }
   catch (Exception e) {
       System.out.println( e );
   }
  }
  catch (Exception e) {
       System.out.println( e );
  }
}
}

myServer.java (Note: Naming.rebind rebinds the name to a new object, replacing any existing
binding)

import java.rmi.*;
import java.io.*;
import java.rmi.server.*;
import java.rmi.server.UnicastRemoteObject;

public class myServer extends UnicastRemoteObject implements myInterface {

   public myServer() throws java.rmi.RemoteException {
      super();
   }

public String runCmd( String inputCmd ) {
// We'll actually execute the command here at this point.

      System.out.println( "(Server writes) Client sent string: " +
                            inputCmd + " :to Server screen." );
      return "Server writes this sentence on Client screen.";
   }

public static void main( String args[] ) {

       if (System.getSecurityManager() == null) {
         System.out.println( "Starting a new security manager." );
         System.setSecurityManager(new RMISecurityManager());
       }
       else {
         System.out.println( "A security Manager already exists." );
       }

       try {
         myServer obj = new myServer();
         Naming.rebind( "//mysrv:4444/CLIserver", obj );
         System.out.println( "Server codebase is: " +
                    System.getProperty( "java.rmi.server.codebase" ) );
         System.out.println( "Server policy file is: " +
                    System.getProperty( "java.security.policy" ) );
         System.out.println( "CLIserver is now bound in registry." );
       }
       catch (Exception e) {
         System.out.println( "CLIserver error: " + e.getMessage() );
         e.printStackTrace();
      }
   }
}

Q3.2: I'm having trouble getting my applet to run in the Netscape Navigator. Should I report this problem to HP?

A: No. The support in the Netscape Navigator is implemented by Netscape in a JVM built into the browser. Therefore, problems with applet execution in the Netscape Navigator should be reported to Netscape.

However, we suggest that you try our Plug-in. Our Plug-in allows you to run Java applets and JavaBeans™ components using HP's latest Run Time Environment (RTE), as an alternative to using Netscape's Virtual Machine. Visit our software download page to download a copy of the Plug-in, now included as part of the SDK v 1.3.1 and higher releases.

4.0 Third party applications, Java tools & other utilities

Q4.1: Will Sun's HotJava™ Browser run on the Tru64 UNIX and VMS implementation of the SDK, and if so how do I install it?

A: Yes. Sun's HotJava Browser is 100% Java and will run on the Tru64 UNIX and VMS implementation of our SDK v 1.1. HotJava does not support SDK v 1.2.2 or later. To install:

Follow the download instructions for either Solaris Installation or Windows Installation. These pointers can be found on the Sun page
http://java.sun.com/products/hotjava/3.0/.

For UNIX:

When the download is complete, you will have a file named "hjb3_0-solsparc-jre.bin". Installation instructions are provided at the bottom of the same page.

This version has not yet been tested on VMS.

5.0 Getting information, staying in touch & finding software support

Q5.1: How can I stay informed of the latest software releases?

A: If you would like to stay informed, the best way is to visit our Web site:

'Java technology Software - OpenVMS and Tru64™ UNIX®'(http://h18012.www1.hp.com/java/alpha/index.html)

Q5.2: How can I get information about your software products?

A: If you have a question about the JDK and SDK and other software, you can send us email at java-info@hp.com. And if you experience any problems with our web site, you can notify our webmaster by sending feedback or via email at java-webmaster@hp.com. We will respond to you as quickly as we can.

Q5.3: Where do I find software support for the SDK releases?

A: If you do not find what you are looking for in our faqs and need to contact us, please follow the instructions on our software support page.

Develop Perfect Memory With the Memory Palace Technique

2012-01-10T07:39:00.000-08:00

The Memory Palace

The Memory Palace technique is based on the fact that we’re extremely good at remembering places we know. A ‘Memory Palace’ is a metaphor for any well-known place that you’re able to easily visualize. It can be the inside of your home, or maybe the route you take every day to work. That familiar place will be your guide to store and recall any kind of information. Let’s see how it works.

5 Steps to Use the Memory Palace Technique

1. Choose Your Palace

First and foremost, you’ll need to pick a place that you’re very familiar with. The effectiveness of the technique relies on your ability to mentally see and walk around in that place with ease. You should be able to ‘be there’ at will using your mind’s eye only.

A good first choice could be your own home, for example. Remember that the more vividly you can visualize that place’s details, the more effective your memorization will be.

Also, try to define a specific route in your palace instead of just visualize a static scene. So, instead of simply picturing your home, imagine a specific walkthrough in your home. This makes the technique much more powerful, as you’ll be able to recall items in a specific order, as we’ll see in the next step.

Here are some additional suggestions that work well as Memory Palaces, along with possible routes:

Familiar streets in your city. Possible routes could be your drive to work, or any other sequence of streets you’re familiar with.
A current or former school. You can imagine the pathway from the classroom to the library (or to the bar on the other side of the street, if that’s the route imprinted on your mind).
Place of work. Imagine the path from your cubicle to the coffee machine or to your boss’s office (it shouldn’t be hard to choose).
Scenery. Imagine walking on your neighborhood or the track you use when jogging in a local park.

2. List Distinctive Features

Now you need to pay attention to specific features in the place you chose. If you picked a walkthrough in your home, for example, the first noticeable feature would probably be the front door.

Now go on and mentally walk around your Memory Palace. After you go through the door, what’s in the first room?

Analyze the room methodically (you may define a standard procedure, such as always looking from left to right, for example). What is the next feature that catches your attention? It may be the central table in the dining room, or a picture on the wall.

Continue making mental notes of those features as you go. Each one of them will be a “memory slot” that you’ll later use to store a single piece of information.

3. Imprint the Palace on Your Mind

For the technique to work, the most important thing is to have the place or route 100% imprinted on your mind. Do whatever is necessary to really commit it to memory. If you’re a visual kind of person, you probably won’t have trouble with this. Otherwise, here are some tips that help:

Physically walk through the route repeating out loud the distinctive features as you see them.
Write down the selected features on a piece of paper and mentally walk through them, repeating them out loud.
Always look at the features from the same point of view.
Be aware that visualization is a just a skill. If you’re still having trouble doing this,
- When you believe you’re done, go over it one more time. It’s really important to “overlearn” your way in your Memory Palace.
Once you’re confident that the route is stamped on your mind, you’re set. Now you have your Palace, which can be used over and over again to memorize just about anything you want.
4. Associate!
Now that you’re the master of your palace, it’s time to put it to good use.
Like most memory enhancement systems, the Memory Palace technique works with the use of visual associations. The process is simple: you take a known image — called thememory peg — and combine with the element you want to memorize. For us, each memory peg is a distinctive feature of our Memory Palace.
The memory pegging technique is the same one described in the article ‘Improve Your Memory by Speaking Your Mind’s Language‘, so if you haven’t read it yet, I highly advise you to do so.
As described in that article, there’s a ‘right way’ of doing visual associations:
Make it crazy, ridiculous, offensive, unusual, extraordinary, animated, nonsensical — after all, these are the things that get remembered, aren’t they? Make the scene so unique that it could never happen in real life. The only rule is: if it’s boring, it’s wrong.
Although we can use the technique to memorize tons of information, let’s start with something very simple: using our ‘Home’ Memory Palace to memorize a groceries list. Let’s suppose the first item in that list is ‘bacon’:
Mentally transport yourself to your Memory Palace. The first feature you see in your mind is your home’s front door. Now, in a ludicrous way, visually combine ‘bacon’ with the sight of your front door. How about giant fried bacon strips flowing out from underneath the door reaching for your legs, just like zombies in those B-movies? Feel the touch of the “bacon hands” on your legs. Feel the smell of darn evil bacon. Is that remarkable enough?
Now open the door and keep walking, following the exact same route you defined before. Look at the next distinctive feature, and associate it with the second item to be memorized. Suppose the next item is ‘eggs’ and the second feature is ‘picture of mother-in-law’. Well, at this point you already know what to do… The process is always the same, so just keep mentally associating images until there are no items left to memorize.
5. Visit Your Palace
At this point, you are done memorizing the items. If you’re new to the technique, though, you’ll probably need to do a little rehearsal, repeating the journey at least once in your mind.
If you start from the same point and follow the same route, the memorized items will come to your mind instantly as you look at the journey’s selected features. Go from the beginning to the end of your route, paying attention to those features and replaying the scenes in your mind. When you get to the end of your route, turn around and walk in the opposite direction until you get to the starting point.
In the end, it’s all a matter of developing your visualization skills. The more relaxed you are, the easier it will be and the more effective your memorization will be.
Final Thoughts
What I like about the Memory Palace (and other pegging methods) is that it’s not only extremely effective, but also quite fun to learn and use.
With just a little bit of experience, the lists you memorize using the Memory Palace will stay fresh in your mind for many days, weeks or even more.
Also have in mind that you can create as many palaces as you want, and that they can be as simple or as elaborate as you wish to make them. Each of them is a “memory bank”, ready to be used to help you memorize anything, anytime.
Associating physical locations with mental concepts is the most powerful memory combination I know. Most other memory techniques (supposedly more sophisticated than the Memory Palace) are, at least in part, based on the concept of physical locations being used as memory pegs.
Have you already used Memory Palace or a similar technique? What do you think? Any opinions or testimonials to share?

Boost Your Brainstorm Effectiveness with the Why Habit

2012-01-10T07:37:00.000-08:00

Finding Your Motivation

Behind every goal you set or every problem you’re working on there’s a motivation. Even though the reasons we’re doing something are usually clear, next time you’re brainstorming solutions for a challenge you’re facing, take a few seconds and deliberately ask yourself:

“Why do I want this?”

Knowing your motivation is the most fundamental step before taking any action; after all, if you don’t know the reason for doing something, why do it in the first place? While this may seem blatantly obvious, the truth is that we often don’t consciously clarify the reasons for our actions beforehand.

Suppose you have the goal “Get more customers to my business”:

—“Why do I want to get more customers to my business?”
—”To increase sales” you may say.

Don’t try to be particularly clever about your answer: just give the first and most evident reason. While you may regard “to increase sales” as the most obvious of the possible answers, consciously bringing it to light accomplishes a lot: it gives you a fresh new perspective about your challenge.

That simple answer gives you an entire new dimension of brainstorming possibilities: if what you really want to accomplish is increasing sales, you don’t necessarily need to get more customers — What about making bigger sales each time? What about making your customers return more often?

Focusing too narrowly on a goal or problem without understanding your underlying motivations prevents you from coming up with many creative and effective solutions.

Motivation Comes in Layers

You can extract full benefit from this technique by realizing that your motivations are layered: each motivation is a way to fulfill a higher-level one. To find out upper levels of motivation, all you need is to keep asking ‘why’. In our example, the exercise could unfold like this:

—”Why do I want to get more customers to my business?”
—”To increase sales.”

—”Why do I want to increase sales?”
—”To expand my profits.”

—”Why do I want to increase my profits?”
—”To retire earlier.”

—”Why do I want to retire earlier?”
—”To spend more time with my family.”

Working the motivation ladder in this manner is a great way to find the perspective you’re more comfortable working with. You may be paralyzed about “getting more customers”, but brainstorming ways to “spend more time with family” may be much more appealing to you.

The trick is to find the motivation layer that resonates better with you and then work from there. When you purposefully think in terms of motivations, problems become multidimensional: you can always choose more effective approaches to get unstuck immediately.

More surprisingly, each level of motivation can bring you new insights that may drastically change the direction you approach your goal. In the example above, consider the high-level motivation “to spend more time with my family”: blindly tackling your lower-level motivation of “getting more customers to my business” may force you to spend even more hours at the office — which is the exact opposite of what you really want, isn’t it?

5 Main Benefits of Asking Why

There are many more reasons why considering your motivations can make all the difference in a brainstorming session. Here are just a few:

1. Multiplying your Creative Output

If you were stuck with only one goal to go after, now you have many more to choose from: that means that if you could accomplish it in a hundred different ways, now you can do it in five hundred ways or even more.

2. Bringing a Sense of Purpose

Even if you end up choosing the original challenge you had at hand, you’ll now work on it with a clearer purpose in your mind. This may give you just that extra enthusiasm boost that you need.

3. Spotting Misalignments

Just like in the example of discovering that ‘getting more customers’ really meant ‘spending more time with family’, you may find that a lower-level goal is misaligned or conflicting with a higher-level motivation. In this case, simply drop your lower-level goal and approach your objective from a higher-level one instead.

4. Finding broader solutions

Brainstorming at higher levels of abstraction can give you solutions that encompass multiple areas of your life and address many issues in a single blow.

5. Uncovering Personal Values and Mission

If you keep climbing the ‘why ladder’ as high as you can, you’ll notice that soon enough you’ll inescapably uncover your core personal values — and ultimately your life mission. This is an extremely simple and practical “bottom-up” approach to understanding what really matters to you.

It’s a Habit

We’re so used to just spitting out solutions to problems that, more often than not, we just get into auto-pilot mode — forgetting to connect with our underlying motivations. But asking ‘why’ is nothing more than a habit. In fact, it’s so simple and effective that all you need to do is to just get started.

50 Ways to Get Your Life in Order

2012-01-10T07:36:00.000-08:00

nothing wrong with a little bit of chaos in your life. As Albert Einstein once stated, “Three rules of work: out of clutter find simplicity, from discord find harmony, in the middle of difficulty lies opportunity.”

Unexpected challenges are what make us stronger, so don’t avoid them. Keep in mind the following 50 tips and you’ll be able to streamline your life and get back on track in the New Year.

Recycle old papers that are filling drawers in your house. If you’re anything like me, you have drawers overflowing with old receipts, junk mail, records, and notes to myself. Get rid of all of this. Invest in a paper shredder to reduce clutter and maintain privacy.
Mentally prepare yourself for change by visualizing your ideal self. Who do you admire the most? How do you envision yourself in the future? Who do you want to be? Visualize yourself to be that person.
Realize that unexpected events can be a good thing. As the Dalai Lama once said, “Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a wonderful stroke of luck.”
Ask people you admire how they got where they are today. I’ve always admired my grandfather. Learning more about how he started up his business, dealt with difficulty throughout his life, and maintained grace throughout it all has helped me in my personal endeavors.
Cut back on alcohol, cigarettes and other vices. These can be crutches that cloud judgment. The money saved by not purchasing or cutting back on this type of material can then be put into something rewarding such as a vacation.
Remove elements of negativity from your life, be they people or a job you don’t want to do. If you have friends who are bringing you down, there’s no need to keep hanging out with them out of obligation. Cut your ties and cut your losses.
Start each day with a clear to-do list along with your cup of morning coffee.Knowing what you need to do in the day ahead helps keep you on track.
Clean your house from top to bottom and throw away anything outdated. Not only receipts, as mentioned above, but any old junk that should be donated to charity or sold in a garage sale.
Institute a clear filing system for your personal records. Investing in a simple filing cabinet and folders with labels is something you don’t need a personal secretary for and makes your life much easier when you are looking for a specific item.
Do your grocery shopping for the week on the day it’s most convenient. Make a list, budget, and get only what you need to save time and money.
Take a career test that will help you identify your strengths. If you are unhappy with your career but don’t even know where to begin in the process of moving on, this can be a good way to identify strengths and new possibilities.
Meet with a professional counselor if there are issues you need to discuss.Many people are struggling with dead weight from the past or emotional baggage that is holding them back. Deal with them and move on with professional assistance.
Go through cabinets and throw out expired medications or food items. The last time I did this, I found everything from 3-year-old curry powder to 5-year-old aspirin. Throw them out.
Make a clear diet plan with an emphasis on whole grains, fruits and vegetables.A healthy diet plan has a tremendous effect on your overall energy levels.
Add vitamin pills to your daily diet. Vitamin supplements can help reduce the possibility of cancer and osteoporosis, among other disorders.
Work out a clear exercise plan with an activity that you enjoy such as dancing or biking. My girlfriend loves yoga, and I am a soccer enthusiast. As long as it’s active, it counts.
Set appointments you’ve been putting off. It’s easy to put off going to the doctor or dentist until we are sick, but preventive care is extremely important in overall health levels.
Take up a mental exercise. Crossword puzzles, Sudoku, or other word games along these lines are more than just a good way to pass time. They have been shown in studies to help improve overall mental capabilities.
Publish your own book. This is easier than ever before with Internet publishing. You can get your ideas out there and start making money from them. I’ve published my own eBook, The 77 Traits of Highly Successful People, check it out.
Make a reading list and join a book club. Most people state that they want to read more, but without an actual plan you may not make the time to do this. Joining a book club not only serves as a social activity but also keeps you up to date with your own reading list.
Spend time with yourself each day. Susan Taylor states that “spending quiet time alone gives your mind an opportunity to renew itself and create order.”
Practice breathing exercises or meditation. Stress can have an overarching effect on our overall productivity levels. When stressed, I personally forget to breathe at times. Take the time to take deep breaths and improve oxygen flow to the brain.
Speak and act with honesty. Are you able to stand by what you do and say? If not, it may be time to reexamine your own words and learn to articulate your thoughts in an open, honest way. This helps eliminate mistakes down the road.
Learn from past mistakes. Everyone makes mistakes. Usually, we make a lot of them during our lifetime. As long as they aren’t repeated too many times, and are looked at as a learning experience, they can in fact be a good thing in the long run.
Volunteer to help others in your community. Helping others is a rewarding way to get your own life together.
Take up a new language or hobby.
Read inspirational biographies. For new ideas, find out how others got their lives in order.
Talk to a stranger. Unplanned conversations can be surprisingly inspiring.
Reconnect with friends and relatives who live far away. Call those people you miss but keep putting off calling. With the Internet and Skype at your disposal, even an online chat can help you reconnect.
Change your toothbrush. It can be a hotbed of bacteria.
Take more naps. Sleep is often sadly underrated in its ability to boost energy, mood, and keep reaction times sharp.
Drink at least 6 cups of water per day. Staying hydrated helps keep energy levels up.
Organize your photo collection. Get both digital files and physical printouts in albums. If you’re anything like my family, your photographs could be sadly sitting tucked away in shoeboxes in the closet, taking up space.
Take an interest in art in your community. Visiting galleries can help introduce you to the artists in your community and help stimulate thinking.
Join a hobbyist club. My friend decided to learn more about building model airplanes and was so deeply into it that he recently obtained his commercial pilot’s license. You never know where a simple hobby can lead you in life.
Keep a calendar with commitments. Having a visual reminder in front of you can be extremely helpful. We are all different types of learners.
Don’t put off difficult conversations. Deal with problems directly and immediately. This will result in a much lower level of anxiety for all involved.
Make a list of priorities and do what makes you happy. If you have lost touch with your own priorities lately, it can be beneficial to take the time to sit and think about what actually makes you happy. Work toward achieving this as much as possible.
Spend more time outdoors. Nature has an ability to help soothe a troubled mind and clear your thoughts. Taking a walk in the woods or climbing a mountain, at any level of difficulty, gives a sense of pride and accomplishment.
Attend lectures. These could be science lectures or other types, but it’s helpful to keep up-to-date on what’s going on in the world and plan accordingly. Keeping the mind active helps you in all aspects of your daily life.
Take the time to stretch muscles. Get a massage to improve muscle tone and circulation, then use this new energy and apply it to your work routine.
Make laughter a priority. Hang out with some of your most entertaining friends for a good laugh, or simply sit back with some favorite old comedies. Laughter counts as exercise and has been shown to expand your life span.
Clear some time each day to do nothing. As a child, I remember that we had “free time” scheduled into our school activities every day. This could be used for reading, drawing, or simply staring into space if that’s what we felt like doing. What a novel idea, and one that keeps the brain at ease.
Schedule a much-needed vacation.
Learn new tips for entertaining. You don’t have to be Martha Stewart to throw a great dinner party, and learning how to be a host or hostess with minimal effort can give a big boost to your confidence levels.
Throw out old clothing that doesn’t fit. Too many of us are squeezing into outdated clothes that are doing us no favors. Look and feel your best with clothes that are tailored to fit.
Live in the present, not the past. The past is over. Move on and enjoy every moment as it occurs. Take stock of what needs to be accomplished and move forward with this information.
Learn from past mistakes and move forward with your life. Get your life in order by looking forward, not back.
Get your car checked up. You go to the doctor to have your body checked up. Don’t wait until it is too late to perform maintenance on your car. I once got stuck on a road trip to Ipoh (Malaysia) as a result of this oversight, and it wasn’t pleasant.
Budget for possible home repairs. Set aside some money in the proverbial cookie jar to keep home maintenance within the realm of possibility in this coming year.

Do you have a tip to help us get our lives in order? Please share in the comment section below!

Otherwise Intelligent Quotes

2012-01-10T07:34:00.003-08:00

41. The person who reads too much and uses his brain too little will fall into lazy habits of thinking.

—Albert Einstein

42. Believe those who are seeking the truth. Doubt those who find it.

—André Gide

43. It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it.

—Aristotle

44. I’d rather live with a good question than a bad answer.

—Aryeh Frimer

45. We learn something every day, and lots of times it’s that what we learned the day before was wrong.

—Bill Vaughan

46. I have made this letter longer than usual because I lack the time to make it shorter.

—Blaise Pascal

47. Don’t ever wrestle with a pig. You’ll both get dirty, but the pig will enjoy it.

—Cale Yarborough

48. An inventor is simply a fellow who doesn’t take his education too seriously.

—Charles F. Kettering

49. Asking a working writer what he thinks about critics is like asking a lamppost how it feels about dogs.

—Christopher Hampton

50. Better to write for yourself and have no public, than to write for the public and have no self.

—Cyril Connolly

51. Never be afraid to laugh at yourself, after all, you could be missing out on the joke of the century.

—Dame Edna Everage

52. I am patient with stupidity but not with those who are proud of it.

—Edith Sitwell

53. Normal is getting dressed in clothes that you buy for work and driving through traffic in a car that you are still paying for – in order to get to the job you need to pay for the clothes and the car, and the house you leave vacant all day so you can afford to live in it.

—Ellen Goodman

54. The cure for boredom is curiosity. There is no cure for curiosity.

—Ellen Parr

55. Advice is what we ask for when we already know the answer but wish we didn’t.

—Erica Jong

56. Some people like my advice so much that they frame it upon the wall instead of using it.

—Gordon R. Dickson

57. The trouble with the rat race is that even if you win, you’re still a rat.

—Lily Tomlin

58. Never ascribe to malice, that which can be explained by incompetence.

—Napoleon (Hanlon’s Razor)

59. Imagination was given to man to compensate him for what he is not, and a sense of humor was provided to console him for what he is.

—Oscar Wilde

60. When a person can no longer laugh at himself, it is time for others to laugh at him.

—Thomas Szasz

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