Today's latest information - Businesses, Technology news, Gadgets , References, Education

LATEST UPDATE, VISIT WHATDOYOUHAVETODAY.COM

2012-04-17T14:29:00.000-07:00

Thank you for visiting this website. The latest update about "What do you have today", please visit http://whatdoyouhavetoday.com or http://whatyouhavetoday.com. You may contact info@whatdoyouhavetoday.com.

List of free Online Training and seminar

2012-03-28T14:33:00.001-07:00

For those who wish to improve their knowledge and skills on specific topics of interest and do not have enough "budget" to attend face-to-face training, there is another way which might be very helpful and will not cost you much except a "minimum fee".

Nowadays, we could find many free online-based training providers that do not charge the trainees to register and attend the classes except the fee for the internet connection to be paid to the Internet Service Provider.
Eight of the online training providers are HP Learning Center, e-Learning Center, Microsoft Office Training, GCF Learnfree.org, Online Education Database (OEDb), ESRI, Masterclass management and BBC Learning :

1. HP Learning Center - http://h30440.www3.hp.com/learningcenter/

The current classes offering are classified into several categories :
- At Home
- At Work
- Business
- Business Basics
- Digital Entertainment
- Digital Photography
- Home Office
- IT Professionals
- Life Style
- Microsoft Office and Adode
- PC security and maintenance; and
- Technology.

Detailed list of each class can be found at http://whatdoyouhavetoday.com/?p=33

2. e-Learning Center - http://www.e-learningcenter.com/free.htm

The free courses include certification training, programming and leadership.

Free A+ Certification Training Course
Networking (CompTIA A+ Essentials 220-701 - Course 10),

Free JavaScript Training Course
Start Using JavaScript (JavaScript - Course 1)

Free Business Management Training Course
Management in Perspective (Fundamentals of Business Management - Course 1)

Free Visual C# Training Course
Introducing Web Forms (Visual C# Web Applications - Course 1)

Free PHP and MySQL Training Course
Programming with PHP (PHP and MySQL - Course 3)

Free Customer Service Training Course
Communicating - (Customer Service - Course 2)

Free HTML and XHTML Training Course
Basics of HTML and XHTML (Web Publishing and Design with HTML & XHTML - Course 2)

Free Windows Server 2008 Training Course
Server Deployment (Windows Server 2008 Server Admin - Course 1)

Free Excel 2010 Training Course
Performing Basic Workbook Tasks (Excel 2010 - Course 2)

Free Leadership Training Course
Creating and Communicating Vision (Leadership (Business Skills Videos)

3. Microsoft Office Training - http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/training-FX101782702.aspx

The tutorials cover Microsoft office products and also webinars.
4. GCF Learnfree.Org - http://www.gcflearnfree.org/

There are 90 topics with over 1000 lessons in the GCF Learnfree.org which include:
- Apple
- Career
- Google
- Internet Basics
- Microsoft Office software
- Job Development
- Computers
- Digital Lifestyle
- Email Basics
- OpenOffice
- Money
- Math Basics
- Mobile Apps
- Social Media
- Reading; and
- Everyday life.

5. Online Education Database (OEDb) : 200 Free Online Classes to Learn Anything - http://oedb.org/library/beginning-online-learning/200-free-online-classes-to-learn-anything

The courses cover the following topics:
- Natural science (e.g. physics, geology, natural phenomena)
- Math
- Engineering & Computer Science
- Language, Arts & Design
- Health
- Agriculture & Veterinary Medicine
- Law & Politices
- Social Science
- History
- Theology
- Business and Finance
- Family & Education.

Full list of the courses are listed at http://oedb.org/library/beginning-online-learning/200-free-online-classes-to-learn-anything

6. Esri Live Training Seminars - http://training.esri.com/Gateway/index.cfm?fa=seminars.gateway

7. Masterclass Management.com - http://www.masterclassmanagement.com/Table-of-Contents-1x.html

The Masterclass Management.com provides management and leadership training.

8. British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) Learning - http://www.bbc.co.uk/learning/

BBC Learning provides the most extensive learning materials in the following subjects:

TURNING OLD COMPUTER PARTS TO JEWELRY,SCULPTURES,COOL GADGETS,NEW TOILET,STAR WAR REFERENCES AND SUPER COMPUTER

2012-03-26T00:28:00.000-07:00

Turning old, dead or recycled computer parts and components into creative items and meaningful used are not new. We could find those parts and components have been re-used to produce stunning sculptures, creating beautiful and unique jewelry, "new toilet", development of cool gadgets,star war references or turning the old computers into LAN servers, Media Center and super computer.

1) Beautiful and unique jewelry

2) Depicting the future: World Map Made of Recycled Computer components

3) Walk-in Sculptures

4) Cool gadgets (A Burning Laser)

5) New Toilet

6) Star wars references

7) Super Computer

Sources from:

http://www.techrepublic.com/photos/circuit-board-jewelry-is-creative-use-for-dead-computer-hardware/455695

http://freshome.com/2011/11/14/depicting-the-future-world-map-made-of-recycled-computer-components/

http://www.gizmag.com/dead-computer-parts-installation-sculpture/18948/picture/136103/

http://dvr.about.com/od/mediacenterpcs/f/pctomcpc.htm

http://www.ohgizmo.com/2010/10/05/turn-your-old-computer-parts-into-a-burning-laser/

http://www.treehugger.com/gadgets/toilet-made-from-computer-parts-gives-new-meaning-to-flushing-your-cache.html

http://www.officialwindowsmagazine.com/guides/turn-your-pc-into-a-supercomputer-part-one/

MICRO CREDIT BUSINESS PLAN WRITING SOFTWARE (FREE)

2012-03-22T21:59:00.001-07:00

If you want to write a Business Plan for a Micro-credit program, there is a software freely available on the net. The name of the software is Planwriter.

Planwriter is micro credit business plan writing software. The software uses real micro credit business plan examples. You can reproduce it for the benefit of the community. For-profit reproduction requires permission.

The program is designed to run in almost any MS Windows PC (sorry no Mac version). Planwriter was produced by Carlos Gasca and Ken Fast.

Download the software at http://www.socialedge.org/admin/dimages/eventsresources/091305/Planwriter.zip

Free Online Classes 24x7 (HP Learning Center)

2012-03-21T22:14:00.001-07:00

This is one of the most useful website that I have encountered. lt will sharpen your knowledge and skills in IT. The good news, it is FREE. The only requirements : Internet connection, free registration and your TIME to complete each lesson. The current classes offering include:

At Home
At Work
Business
Business Basics
Digital Entertainment
Digital Photography
Home Office
IT Professionals
Life Style
Microsoft Office and Adode
PC security and maintenance
Technology

To give you an overview, the current classes according to the above classifications:

At home:

Beginner's guide to saving, printing and sharing your digital photos (v2)
Beyond basics: fundamental photography techniques (SEO)
Camera composition: change your perspective (SEO)
Color your business: develop a marketing color scheme (Cap w/VO SEO)
Create and print your own high-quality marketing materials (SEO)
Creating an interactive marketing brochure (quick lesson) (SEO)
Creating a distinctive identity: business cards, stationery and more (v3 SEO)
Creative gifts to make from photos (v2 SEO)
Facebook and Twitter: getting started (quick lesson) (v2)
Five common photo problems and how to solve them (quick lesson v2)
Getting started with LightScribe (SEO) (quick lesson)
Get organized: managing time, space and paper (v2 hp)
Go wireless: using Bluetooth to connect and print (quick lesson SEO)
Intermediate website design (SEO)
Is your digital media collection outgrowing your PC? (v2 SEO)
Keep your kids safe on the internet: creating an internet use action plan (quick lesson)
Keep your kids safe on the internet: know your risks (quick lesson)
Laptop PCs: basic troubleshooting and repair (SEO) (quick lesson)
Laptop PCs: troubleshooting wireless problems (SEO) (quick lesson)
Mastering email: keep your inbox clutter-free (Cap w/VO)
Microsoft® Access 2007: introduction (SEO RM)
Microsoft® ASP.NET 3.5: beginner's guide (v3 SEO RM)
Microsoft® Outlook 2007: tips and tricks (SEO RM)
Microsoft® Windows® 7: tune up your PC (v2 SEO RM)
Microsoft® Windows® XP: tune up your PC (v2 SEO)
Migrating from Microsoft® Windows® XP to Windows® 7 (SEO)
Networking 101 (v2 SEO)
Online social networking (SEO) (quick lesson)
Organize, archive and retrieve your digital photos (quick lesson)
Photo restoration basics: preserve your family photos (v2 SEO)
Practical Wi-Fi security (quick lesson)
Printing photos in any size (quick lesson) (SEO)
Print marketing materials in-house on a wide-format printer (SEO)
Print without your PC (SEO)
Protect your PC from spam, spyware and viruses (SEO)
Safe online gaming (quick lesson)
Scanning basics (v4 SEO)
Simple backup strategies with HP Backup and Recovery Manager (SEO RM) (quick lesson with podcast)
Small business survival tips (quick lesson)
Spam breakdown (quick lesson)
Spyware basics (quick lesson)
Take a tour of Microsoft® Windows® 7 Professional (quick lesson)
Technology and your elementary school student (quick lesson)
Technology and your high school student (quick lesson)
Technology and your middle school student (quick lesson)
Ten tips for printing better marketing materials in-house (quick lesson) (SEO) v2
What makes a good small business video? (quick lesson) (SEO)
Wireless networking with Microsoft® Windows® 7 (quick lesson) (SEO)
Wireless printing basics (SEO) (quick lesson)

At Work

Color your business: develop a marketing color scheme (Cap w/VO SEO)
Create marketing materials that align with your goals (quick lesson) (SEO)
Customizing business envelopes and automating postage (quick lesson) (RM) (SEO)
Disaster preparedness through virtualization (SEO quick lesson)
Editing great small business videos (SEO RM)
Facebook and Twitter: getting started (quick lesson) (v2)
Getting connected with mobile broadband (Notebook)
How-To Guide: Improve ROI by investing in a mobile workforce (quick lesson) (SEO)
HP Backup and Recovery Manager: restore files (Cap w/VO)
HP Backup and Recovery Manager: schedule backups (Cap w/VO)
HP ProtectTools Security Manager: enable Smart Card security (Cap w/VO) -- GE
HP ProtectTools Security Manager: using BIOS Configuration (Cap w/VO) -- GE
HP ProtectTools Security Manager: using single sign-on (Cap w/VO) -- GE
Intermediate website design (SEO)
Introduction to storage networks (v3 SEO)
Is your digital media collection outgrowing your PC? (v2 SEO)
IT infrastructure and its challenges: outsource or hire? (SEO quick lesson)
Keep your kids safe on the internet: creating an internet use action plan (quick lesson)
Keep your kids safe on the internet: know your risks (quick lesson)
Laptop PCs: basic troubleshooting and repair (SEO) (quick lesson)
Laptop PCs: troubleshooting wireless problems (SEO) (quick lesson)
Linux 201: administering Linux for users (v4 SEO RM)
Linux 301: introduction to Linux system administration (v3 SEO)
Linux 401: intermediate system administration skills (v2 SEO RM)
Marketing writing tips: five mistakes to avoid (quick lesson) (SEO)
Mastering email: keep your inbox clutter-free (Cap w/VO)
Microsoft® Access 2007: introduction (SEO RM)
Microsoft® ASP.NET 3.5: beginner's guide (v3 SEO RM)
Microsoft® OneNote: creating and using notebooks (Cap w/VO)
Microsoft® OneNote: getting started (Cap w/VO)
Microsoft® Outlook 2007: tips and tricks (SEO RM)
Microsoft® Windows® 7: tune up your PC (v2 SEO RM)
Microsoft® Windows® XP: tune up your PC (v2 SEO)
Migrating from Microsoft® Windows® XP to Windows® 7 (SEO)
Networking 101 (v2 SEO)
Network attached storage (v3 SEO)
Planning closed loop client lifecycles (SEO)
Practical Wi-Fi security (quick lesson)
Print marketing materials in-house on a wide-format printer (SEO)
Protect your data: back up to disk, tape, the network and beyond (v3 SEO)
Protect your PC from spam, spyware and viruses (SEO)
Safe online gaming (quick lesson)
Save money, be energy efficient (v2 SEO)
Save on travel expenses with online collaboration (quick lesson)
Servers 101 (v3 RM)
Shooting great small business videos (SEO RM)
Simple backup strategies with HP Backup and Recovery Manager (SEO RM) (quick lesson with podcast)
Six steps to computer security (quick lesson)
Small business survival tips (quick lesson)
Spam breakdown (quick lesson)
Spyware basics (quick lesson)
Streamline your business with unified communications and collaboration (SEO)
Streamline your organization through shared services (quick lesson)
Take a tour of Microsoft® Windows® 7 Professional (quick lesson)
Ten tips for printing better marketing materials in-house (quick lesson) (SEO) v2
Transition your old IT assets (quick lesson)
Understanding Microsoft® Windows Server 2008 (SEO)
Use color-coding to prioritize your email (Cap w/VO)
Use Google Desktop to find and retrieve what you need (Cap w/VO)
Virtualize your infrastructure: deployment (v2 SEO)
Virtualize your infrastructure: planning (v2 SEO)
What makes a good small business video? (quick lesson) (SEO)
Wireless networking with Bluetooth (SEO) (quick lesson)

Business

Create and print your own high-quality marketing materials (SEO)
Creating an interactive marketing brochure (quick lesson) (SEO)
Creating a distinctive identity: business cards, stationery and more (v3 SEO)
Editing great small business videos (SEO RM)
Is your digital media collection outgrowing your PC? (v2 SEO)
Print marketing materials in-house on a wide-format printer (SEO)
Save on travel expenses with online collaboration (quick lesson)
Shooting great small business videos (SEO RM)
Small business survival tips (quick lesson)
Streamline your business with unified communications and collaboration (SEO)
Use color-coding to prioritize your email (Cap w/VO)
Use Google Desktop to find and retrieve what you need (Cap w/VO)

Business Basics

Color your business: develop a marketing color scheme (Cap w/VO SEO)
Create marketing materials that align with your goals (quick lesson) (SEO)
Customizing business envelopes and automating postage (quick lesson) (RM) (SEO)
Editing great small business videos (SEO RM)
Facebook and Twitter: getting started (quick lesson) (v2)
Intermediate website design (SEO)
Is your digital media collection outgrowing your PC? (v2 SEO)
Marketing writing tips: five mistakes to avoid (quick lesson) (SEO)
Mastering email: keep your inbox clutter-free (Cap w/VO)
Microsoft® OneNote: creating and using notebooks (Cap w/VO)
Microsoft® OneNote: getting started (Cap w/VO)
Networking 101 (v2 SEO)
Print marketing materials in-house on a wide-format printer (SEO)
Save money, be energy efficient (v2 SEO)
Save on travel expenses with online collaboration (quick lesson)
Shooting great small business videos (SEO RM)
Small business survival tips (quick lesson)
Ten tips for printing better marketing materials in-house (quick lesson) (SEO) v2
Use color-coding to prioritize your email (Cap w/VO)
Use Google Desktop to find and retrieve what you need (Cap w/VO)
What makes a good small business video? (quick lesson) (SEO)

Digital Entertainment

Organize, archive and retrieve your digital photos (quick lesson)
What makes a good small business video? (quick lesson) (SEO)

Digital Photography

Beginner's guide to saving, printing and sharing your digital photos (v2)
Beyond basics: fundamental photography techniques (SEO)
Camera composition: change your perspective (SEO)
Five common photo problems and how to solve them (quick lesson v2)
Organize, archive and retrieve your digital photos (quick lesson)
Photo restoration basics: preserve your family photos (v2 SEO)
Printing photos in any size (quick lesson) (SEO)
Scanning basics (v4 SEO)

Home Office

Color your business: develop a marketing color scheme (Cap w/VO SEO)
Create and print your own high-quality marketing materials (SEO)
Creating an interactive marketing brochure (quick lesson) (SEO)
Creating a distinctive identity: business cards, stationery and more (v3 SEO)
Creative gifts to make from photos (v2 SEO)
Facebook and Twitter: getting started (quick lesson) (v2)
Getting started with LightScribe (SEO) (quick lesson)
Get organized: managing time, space and paper (v2 hp)
Go wireless: using Bluetooth to connect and print (quick lesson SEO)
Intermediate website design (SEO)
Is your digital media collection outgrowing your PC? (v2 SEO)
Laptop PCs: basic troubleshooting and repair (SEO) (quick lesson)
Laptop PCs: troubleshooting wireless problems (SEO) (quick lesson)
Mastering email: keep your inbox clutter-free (Cap w/VO)
Microsoft® Windows® 7: tune up your PC (v2 SEO RM)
Migrating from Microsoft® Windows® XP to Windows® 7 (SEO)
Networking 101 (v2 SEO)
Online social networking (SEO) (quick lesson)
Organize, archive and retrieve your digital photos (quick lesson)
Practical Wi-Fi security (quick lesson)
Print marketing materials in-house on a wide-format printer (SEO)
Print without your PC (SEO)
Simple backup strategies with HP Backup and Recovery Manager (SEO RM) (quick lesson with podcast)
Small business survival tips (quick lesson)
Technology and your elementary school student (quick lesson)
Technology and your high school student (quick lesson)
Technology and your middle school student (quick lesson)
Ten tips for printing better marketing materials in-house (quick lesson) (SEO) v2
What makes a good small business video? (quick lesson) (SEO)
Wireless networking with Microsoft® Windows® 7 (quick lesson) (SEO)
Wireless printing basics (SEO) (quick lesson)

IT Professionals

Disaster preparedness through virtualization (SEO quick lesson)
Getting connected with mobile broadband (Notebook)
How-To Guide: Improve ROI by investing in a mobile workforce (quick lesson) (SEO)
HP Backup and Recovery Manager: restore files (Cap w/VO)
HP Backup and Recovery Manager: schedule backups (Cap w/VO)
HP ProtectTools Security Manager: enable Smart Card security (Cap w/VO) -- GE
HP ProtectTools Security Manager: using BIOS Configuration (Cap w/VO) -- GE
HP ProtectTools Security Manager: using single sign-on (Cap w/VO) -- GE
Introduction to storage networks (v3 SEO)
IT infrastructure and its challenges: outsource or hire? (SEO quick lesson)
Linux 201: administering Linux for users (v4 SEO RM)
Linux 301: introduction to Linux system administration (v3 SEO)
Linux 401: intermediate system administration skills (v2 SEO RM)
Microsoft® ASP.NET 3.5: beginner's guide (v3 SEO RM)
Network attached storage (v3 SEO)
Planning closed loop client lifecycles (SEO)
Practical Wi-Fi security (quick lesson)
Protect your data: back up to disk, tape, the network and beyond (v3 SEO)
Servers 101 (v3 RM)
Simple backup strategies with HP Backup and Recovery Manager (SEO RM) (quick lesson with podcast)
Six steps to computer security (quick lesson)
Streamline your business with unified communications and collaboration (SEO)
Streamline your organization through shared services (quick lesson)
Transition your old IT assets (quick lesson)
Understanding Microsoft® Windows Server 2008 (SEO)
Virtualize your infrastructure: deployment (v2 SEO)
Virtualize your infrastructure: planning (v2 SEO)
Wireless networking with Bluetooth (SEO) (quick lesson)

Life Style

Facebook and Twitter: getting started (quick lesson) (v2)
Get organized: managing time, space and paper (v2 hp)

Microsoft Office and Adode

Microsoft® Access 2007: introduction (SEO RM)
Microsoft® ASP.NET 3.5: beginner's guide (v3 SEO RM)
Microsoft® Outlook 2007: tips and tricks (SEO RM)
Take a tour of Microsoft® Windows® 7 Professional (quick lesson)

PC security and maintenance

Keep your kids safe on the internet: creating an internet use action plan (quick lesson)
Keep your kids safe on the internet: know your risks (quick lesson)
Laptop PCs: basic troubleshooting and repair (SEO) (quick lesson)
Laptop PCs: troubleshooting wireless problems (SEO) (quick lesson)
Microsoft® Windows® 7: tune up your PC (v2 SEO RM)
Microsoft® Windows® XP: tune up your PC (v2 SEO)
Migrating from Microsoft® Windows® XP to Windows® 7 (SEO)
Protect your PC from spam, spyware and viruses (SEO)
Safe online gaming (quick lesson)
Simple backup strategies with HP Backup and Recovery Manager (SEO RM) (quick lesson with podcast)
Spam breakdown (quick lesson)
Spyware basics (quick lesson)
Wireless networking with Microsoft® Windows® 7 (quick lesson) (SEO)

Technology

Beginner's guide to saving, printing and sharing your digital photos (v2)
Beyond basics: fundamental photography techniques (SEO)
Camera composition: change your perspective (SEO)
Color your business: develop a marketing color scheme (Cap w/VO SEO)
Create marketing materials that align with your goals (quick lesson) (SEO)
Creative gifts to make from photos (v2 SEO)
Customizing business envelopes and automating postage (quick lesson) (RM) (SEO)
Disaster preparedness through virtualization (SEO quick lesson)
Five common photo problems and how to solve them (quick lesson v2)
Getting connected with mobile broadband (Notebook)
Getting started with LightScribe (SEO) (quick lesson)
Go wireless: using Bluetooth to connect and print (quick lesson SEO)
How-To Guide: Improve ROI by investing in a mobile workforce (quick lesson) (SEO)
HP Backup and Recovery Manager: restore files (Cap w/VO)
HP Backup and Recovery Manager: schedule backups (Cap w/VO)
HP ProtectTools Security Manager: enable Smart Card security (Cap w/VO) -- GE
HP ProtectTools Security Manager: using BIOS Configuration (Cap w/VO) -- GE
HP ProtectTools Security Manager: using single sign-on (Cap w/VO) -- GE
HP ProtectTools: security at your fingertips (quick lesson with podcast)
Intermediate website design (SEO)
Introduction to storage networks (v3 SEO)
IT infrastructure and its challenges: outsource or hire? (SEO quick lesson)
Keep your kids safe on the internet: creating an internet use action plan (quick lesson)
Keep your kids safe on the internet: know your risks (quick lesson)
Laptop PCs: basic troubleshooting and repair (SEO) (quick lesson)
Laptop PCs: troubleshooting wireless problems (SEO) (quick lesson)
Linux 201: administering Linux for users (v4 SEO RM)
Linux 301: introduction to Linux system administration (v3 SEO)
Linux 401: intermediate system administration skills (v2 SEO RM)
Marketing writing tips: five mistakes to avoid (quick lesson) (SEO)
Mastering email: keep your inbox clutter-free (Cap w/VO)
Microsoft® Access 2007: introduction (SEO RM)
Microsoft® ASP.NET 3.5: beginner's guide (v3 SEO RM)
Microsoft® OneNote: creating and using notebooks (Cap w/VO)
Microsoft® OneNote: getting started (Cap w/VO)
Microsoft® Outlook 2007: tips and tricks (SEO RM)
Microsoft® Windows Vista: tune up your PC (SEO)
Microsoft® Windows® 7: tune up your PC (v2 SEO RM)
Microsoft® Windows® XP: tune up your PC (v2 SEO)
Migrating from Microsoft® Windows® XP to Windows® 7 (SEO)
Networking 101 (v2 SEO)
Network attached storage (v3 SEO)
Online social networking (SEO) (quick lesson)
Photo restoration basics: preserve your family photos (v2 SEO)
Planning closed loop client lifecycles (SEO)
Practical Wi-Fi security (quick lesson)
Printing photos in any size (quick lesson) (SEO)
Print without your PC (SEO)
Protect your data: back up to disk, tape, the network and beyond (v3 SEO)
Protect your PC from spam, spyware and viruses (SEO)
Safe online gaming (quick lesson)
Save money, be energy efficient (v2 SEO)
Scanning basics (v4 SEO)
Servers 101 (v3 RM)
Simple backup strategies with HP Backup and Recovery Manager (SEO RM) (quick lesson with podcast)
Six steps to computer security (quick lesson)
Spam breakdown (quick lesson)
Spyware basics (quick lesson)
Streamline your organization through shared services (quick lesson)
Take a tour of Microsoft® Windows® 7 Professional (quick lesson)
Technology and your elementary school student (quick lesson)
Technology and your high school student (quick lesson)
Technology and your middle school student (quick lesson)
Ten tips for printing better marketing materials in-house (quick lesson) (SEO) v2
Transition your old IT assets (quick lesson)
Understanding Microsoft® Windows Server 2008 (SEO)
Virtualize your infrastructure: deployment (v2 SEO)
Virtualize your infrastructure: planning (v2 SEO)
Web connected printer (quick lesson)
Wireless networking with Bluetooth (SEO) (quick lesson)
Wireless networking with Microsoft® Windows® 7 (quick lesson) (SEO)

To register, go to HP Learning Center

4 Steps to Control Your Diabetes. For Life.

2012-03-21T21:37:00.001-07:00

Diabetes is a serious and chronic disease. It affects almost every part of your body.

Key facts (Source: World Health Organization)

346 million people worldwide have diabetes.

In 2004, an estimated 3.4 million people died from consequences of high blood sugar.

More than 80% of diabetes deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries.

WHO projects that diabetes deaths will double between 2005 and 2030.

Healthy diet, regular physical activity, maintaining a normal body weight and avoiding tobacco use can prevent or delay the onset of type 2 diabetes.

4 STEPS TO CONTROL DIABETES (Source: NDEP)

Step 1: Learn about diabetes.

Diabetes means that your blood glucose (blood sugar) is too high. There are two main types of diabetes.

Type 1 diabetes - the body does not make insulin. Insulin helps the body use glucose from food for energy. People with type 1 need to take insulin every day.

Type 2 diabetes - the body does not make or use insulin well. People with type 2 often need to take pills or insulin. Type 2 is the most common form of diabetes.

Diabetes is serious.

You may have heard people say they have “a touch of diabetes” or that their “sugar is a little high.” These words suggest that diabetes is not a serious disease. That is not correct. Diabetes is serious, but you can learn to manage it!

It’s not easy, but it’s worth it!

All people with diabetes need to make healthy food choices, stay at a healthy weight, and move more every day.

Taking good care of yourself and your diabetes can help you feel better. It may help you avoid health problems caused by diabetes such as:

heart attack and stroke
eye problems that can lead to trouble seeing or going blind
nerve damage that can cause your hands and feet to hurt, tingle, or feel numb. Some people may even lose a foot or a leg.
kidney problems that can cause your kidneys to stop working
gum disease and loss of teeth

When your blood glucose is close to normal you are likely to:

have more energy.
be less tired and thirsty and urinate less often.
heal better and have fewer skin, or bladder infections.
have fewer problems with your eyesight, feet, and gums.

Ask your health care team what type of diabetes you have.
Learn why diabetes is serious.
Learn how caring for your diabetes helps you feel better today and in the future.

Step 2: Know your diabetes ABCs.

Talk to your health care team about how to manage your A1C, Blood pressure, and Cholesterol. This can help lower your chances of having a heart attack, stroke, or other diabetes problems. Here's what the ABCs of diabetes stand for:

A for the A1C test (A-one-C).

It shows what your blood glucose has been over the last three months. The A1C goal for many people is below 7. High blood glucose can harm your heart and blood vessels, kidneys, feet, and eyes.

B for Blood pressure.

The goal for most people with diabetes is below 130/80.

High blood pressure makes your heart work too hard. It can cause heart attack, stroke, and kidney disease.

C for Cholesterol (ko-LES-ter-ol).

The LDL goal for people with diabetes is below 100.
The HDL goal for men with diabetes is above 40.
The HDL goal for women with diabetes is about 50.

LDL or “bad” cholesterol can build up and clog your blood vessels. It can cause a heart attack or a stroke. HDL or “good” cholesterol helps remove cholesterol from your blood vessels.

Step 3: Manage your diabetes.

Many people avoid the long-term problems of diabetes by taking good care of themselves. Work with your health care team to reach your ABC target. Use this self-care plan.

Follow your diabetes meal plan. If you do not have one, ask your health care team to help you develop a meal plan.
- Eat healthy foods such as fruits and vegetables, fish, lean meats, chicken or turkey without the skin, dry peas or beans, whole grains, and low-fat or skim milk and cheese.
- Keep fish and lean meat and poultry portions to about 3 ounces (or the size of a deck of cards). Bake, broil, or grill it.
- Eat foods that have less fat and salt.
- Eat foods with more fiber such as whole grain cereals, breads, crackers, rice, or pasta.
Get 30 to 60 minutes of physical activity on most days of the week. Brisk walking is a great way to move more.
Stay at a healthy weight by using your meal plan and moving more.
Ask for help if you feel down. A mental health counselor, support group, member of the clergy, friend, or family member who will listen to your concerns may help you feel better.
Learn to cope with stress. Stress can raise your blood glucose. While it is hard to remove stress from your life, you can learn to handle it. NDEP's Diabetes HealthSense provides online access to resources that support people with diabetes in making changes to live well. For more information visit www.YourDiabetesInfo.org/HealthSense.
Stop smoking. Ask for help to quit. Call 1-800-QUITNOW (1-800-784-8669)
Take medicines even when you feel good. Ask your doctor if you need aspirin to prevent a heart attack or stroke. Tell your doctor if you cannot afford your medicines or if you have any side effects.
Check your feet every day for cuts, blisters, red spots, and swelling. Call your health care team right away about any sores that do not go away.
Brush your teeth and floss every day to avoid problems with your mouth, teeth, or gums
Check your blood glucose. You may want to test it one or more times a day. Use the card at the back of this booklet to keep a record of your blood glucose numbers. Be sure to show it to your health care team.
Check your blood pressure if your doctor advises.
Report any changes in your eyesight to your health care team.

Step 4: Get routine care.

See your health care team at least twice a year to find and treat any problems early.

At each visit be sure you have a:

blood pressure check
foot check
weight check
review of your self-care plan shown in Step 3

Two times each year have an:

A1C test - it may be checked more often if it is over 7

Once each year be sure you have a:

cholesterol test
triglyceride (try-GLISS-er-ide) test - a type of blood fat
complete foot exam
dental exam to check teeth and gums - tell your dentist you have diabetes
dilated eye exam to check for eye problems
flu shot
urine and a blood test to check for kidney problems

At least once get a:

pneumonia (nu-mo-nya) shot

You can find My Diabetes Care Record and Self Checks of Blood Glucose at:
http://www.ndep.nih.gov/media/my-diabetes-care-record.pdf
http://www.ndep.nih.gov/media/self-checks-of-blood-glucose.pdf

For full details, latest update, info and recommendations, please go to
National Diabetes Education Program (NDEP)
World Health Organization (WHO)

How to Compare Computers

2012-03-21T21:09:00.000-07:00

Computers make all of our lives easier, and they are a standard in most American homes. Comparing computers is still a bit harder than comparing cars because consumers think of computers as an appliance rather than a complex piece of technology. Looking at all the computer has to offer piece by piece will allow you to make a good choice

Instructions

- 1
  Look at the hardware on each computer. Processors, RAM and motherboards can greatly affect the speed and power of the computer. Use standard industry benchmarks to compare the speed. Look at the other hardware to determine the strong points of the computer, such as the video and sound cards. Also, look at the drives to see how much storage and flexibility the computer offers.
- 2
  Evaluate the peripherals and packages. When computers are for sale, they often include monitors, printers and other computer peripherals to sweeten the deal. Look at everything you get with a computer. Don't just consider the overall financial value but the value to you, because you might not need or want the extras.
- 3
  Consider the manufacturer. Different manufacturers use different levels of quality parts. Some manufacturers use top-of-the-line parts while others use cheap parts to get the most profit. Tech support is also an important part of a computer manufacturer. Read customer reviews to get an idea of what support level each provider offers.
- 4
  Think about the cost. Although it is often true that you get what you pay for, occasionally you pay more than necessary. Some computers have an artificially inflated price. Look at all of the options, parts and support and see if the price is right.

How solar power can help the billion people without electricity

2012-03-19T09:25:00.000-07:00

Solar panels in poor villages and neighbourhoods could be the best way to the billion people without access to electricity.

Sharan Pinto installs a solar panel on the rooftop of a house in Nada, a village near the southwest Indian port of Mangalore, India. Photograph: Rafiq Maqbool/AP

One of the major opportunities lies in providing energy access for the more than 1.2 billion people who don't have electricity, most of whom, in business-as-usual scenarios, still won't have it in 2030. These are the poorest people on the planet. Ironically, the world's poorest can best afford the most sophisticated lighting — off-grid combinations of solar panels, power electronics, and LED lights. And this creates an opportunity for which the economics are compelling, the moral urgency profound, the development benefits enormous, and the potential leverage game changing.

The cost of coal and copper — the ingredients of conventional grid power — are soaring. Meanwhile, the cost of solar panels and LEDs, the ingredients of distributed renewable power, are racing down even faster.

If we want the poor to benefit from electricity we cannot wait for the grid, and we cannot rely on fossil fuels. The International Energy Agency, historically a grid-centric, establishment voice, admits that half of those without electricity today will never be wired. The government of India estimates that two-thirds of its non-electrified households need distributed power.

Fortunately, the historic barriers to getting distributed renewable power to scale in poor villages and neighborhoods are rapidly being dismantled by progress in technology, finance, and business models. Getting 1.2 billion people local solar power they can afford is within grasp — if we only think about the problem in a different way. In fact, the world can finish this job by 2020.

The poor already pay for light. They pay for kerosene and candles. And they pay a lot. The poorest fifth of the world pays one-fifth of the world's lighting bill — but receives only 0.1 percent of the lighting benefits. Over a decade, the average poor family spends $1,800 on energy expenditures. Replacing kerosene with a vastly superior 40 Wp (Watts peak) home solar system would cost only $300 and provide them not only light, but access to cell-phone charging, fans, computers, and even televisions.

Kerosene costs 25 to 30 percent of a family's income — globally that amounts to $36 billion a year. The poor do not use kerosene because it is cheap — they are kept poor in significant part because they must rely on expensive, dirty kerosene.

And the poor pay in other ways. A room lit by kerosene typically can have concentrations of pollution 10 times safe levels. About 1.5 million people, mostly women, die of this pollution every year, in addition to those who die from burns in fires.

So why do the poor use kerosene? Because they can buy a single day's worth in a bottle, if that is all they can afford. For the poor, affordability has three dimensions: total cost, up-front price, and payment flexibility. Solar power comes in a panel that will give ten, or even 20, years of light and power — but the poor cannot afford a ten-year investment up front. And many cannot handle conventional finance plans, which require fixed payments regardless of their income that month.

Nor, for the record, do the electrified middle class pay for electricity up front. When I moved into my house in San Francisco, I did not get a bill for my share of the power plants and transmission grid that give me power each month. I pay as I go, based on how many kwh's I use that month.

So lighting the lives of 1.2 billion people with off-grid renewable electricity requires three ingredients:

• Capital to pay for solar or other renewable electrical generation for 400 million households that depend on kerosene;

• Business models for those households to pay for the electricity they use, at the price it really costs, which is a lot less than kerosene;

• Financing, public policy, and partnerships to create the supply chains and distribution networks capable of getting distributed electrical systems to every household that needs them. (These needs might require $6 billion in credits and loan guarantees.)

The money is on the table. It's just on the wrong plates. Purchase and finance of solar power for 1.2 billion people would cost about $10 billion a year over a decade. The 11 countries with the largest number of households without electricity spent $80 billion each year subsidizing fossil fuel — only 17 percent of which benefits the poor. In 2010, the World Bank spent $8 billion on coal-fired power plants, few of which provided meaningful energy access to the poor. The UN's Clean Development Mechanism is proposing to give $4 billion a year to anything-but-clean coal-plants. So there is already far more capital in the system than is needed.

Even five years ago the business models did not exist to enable the poor to afford solar. Solar was much more expensive. The only alternative to buying a solar system with cash was a bank or micro-credit loan for which most of the poor could not qualify.

But the combination of dirt-cheap solar, the cell-phone revolution, and mobile phone banking has changed everything. There are almost 600 million cell-phone customers without electricity — using their phones very little, still spending $10 billion to charge them in town. There are hundreds of thousands of rural, off-grid cell towers powered by diesel — at a price of about $0.70/kilowatt hour. All over the world cell-phone towers are being converted from diesel to hybrid renewable power sources. So cell phone companies have a powerful motivation to get renewable power into rural areas, to get electricity to their customers, and to charge for electricity through their mobile phone payment systems.

At least three commercial models have been launched in the last several months.

India's Simpa Networks — in partnership with SELCO in India and DT-Power in Ghana, India and Kenya — are testing models in which solar distributors can allow customers to pay for electricity through mobile banking "pay as you go" plans.

Zimbabwe's Econet Power has launched an even more intriguing model, in which it provides its cell-phone customers with solar power as a customer benefit, charging them only $1 week to use a home solar system provided by Econet, with the bills tied to the customer's cell phone account.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has proclaimed 2012 the Year of Universal Energy Access. His initiative is keyed not to the UN climate talks, but to the Rio +20 Earth Summit talks scheduled for June.

Imagine that at Rio, instead of embracing business-as-usual solutions to energy access, the world decided to empower the poor with the electricity they can truly afford — distributed solar?

What would the benefits be? In carbon terms alone, kerosene for lighting emits almost as much greenhouse-gas pollution as the entire British economy. 1.5 million lives a year would be saved from respiratory ailments. The available income for the world's poorest fifth would be increased by 25 to 30 percent — a pretty big development bang-for-the-buck. Numerous studies have shown that providing basic energy access increases household income by 50 percent or more by providing more time and opportunities for home-based income generation.

Full article at : http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2012/jan/05/solar-power-billion-without-electricity

Compare Digital cameras

2012-03-10T00:53:00.001-08:00

Compare the prices among the major brands at http://www.bizrate.com/digital-cameras/index__sort--0.html

The new IPad

2012-03-09T23:55:00.002-08:00

A video that demonstrates the capabilities of the new IPad, the latest offering from Apple.

See the Video at http://movies.apple.com/media/us/ipad/2012/80ba527a-1a34-4f70-aae8-14f87ab76eea/apple-ipad-index-us-20120306_1120x610.mp4

Reasons to consider, appearance and common pros and cons between iPhone4 and iPhone4s as well as the competitors between iPhone and other brands are detailed out at http://www.compare-cellphones.org/Apple-iPhone-4S-vs-Apple-iPhone-4

"A Day Made of Glass 2"

2012-02-06T04:05:00.000-08:00

"Gorilla Glass" could one day become a household phrase, but Corning has even larger ideas.

"A Day Made of Glass 2" is a montage of "how highly engineered glass, with companion technologies, will help shape our world," according to Corning. It is mind-blowing to imagine everyday objects suddenly having rich, interactive displays and multiple functionalities.

Article by Christopher MacManus

http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-57371422-1/cornings-mind-blowing-concept-of-a-glass-future/?tag=mncol;cnetRiver

10 ways to control high blood pressure without medication

2012-01-30T05:26:00.000-08:00

You don't always need prescription medications to lower your blood pressure. By making these 10 lifestyle changes, you can lower your blood pressure and reduce your risk of heart disease.

By Mayo Clinic staff

If you've been diagnosed with high blood pressure (a systolic pressure — the top number — of 140 or above or a diastolic pressure — the bottom number — of 90 or above), you might be worried about taking medication to bring your numbers down.

Lifestyle plays an important role in treating your high blood pressure. If you successfully control your blood pressure with a healthy lifestyle, you may avoid, delay or reduce the need for medication.

Here are 10 lifestyle changes you can make to lower your blood pressure and keep it down.

1. Lose extra pounds and watch your waistline

Blood pressure often increases as weight increases. Losing just 10 pounds can help reduce your blood pressure. In general, the more weight you lose, the lower your blood pressure. Losing weight also makes any blood pressure medications you're taking more effective. You and your doctor can determine your target weight and the best way to achieve it.

Besides shedding pounds, you should also keep an eye on your waistline. Carrying too much weight around your waist can put you at greater risk of high blood pressure. In general:

Men are at risk if their waist measurement is greater than 40 inches (102 centimeters, or cm).
Women are at risk if their waist measurement is greater than 35 inches (88 cm).
Asian men are at risk if their waist measurement is greater than 36 inches (90 cm).
Asian women are at risk if their waist measurement is greater than 32 inches (80 cm).

2. Exercise regularly

Regular physical activity — at least 30 to 60 minutes most days of the week — can lower your blood pressure by 4 to 9 millimeters of mercury (mm Hg). And it doesn't take long to see a difference. If you haven't been active, increasing your exercise level can lower your blood pressure within just a few weeks.

If you have prehypertension (systolic pressure between 120 and 139 or diastolic pressure between 80 and 89), exercise can help you avoid developing full-blown hypertension. If you already have hypertension, regular physical activity can bring your blood pressure down to safer levels.

Talk to your doctor about developing an exercise program. Your doctor can help determine whether you need any exercise restrictions. Even moderate activity for 10 minutes at a time, such as walking and light strength training, can help.

But avoid being a "weekend warrior." Trying to squeeze all your exercise in on the weekends to make up for weekday inactivity isn't a good strategy. Those sudden bursts of activity could actually be risky.

3. Eat a healthy diet

Eating a diet that is rich in whole grains, fruits, vegetables and low-fat dairy products and skimps on saturated fat and cholesterol can lower your blood pressure by up to 14 mm Hg. This eating plan is known as the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet.

It isn't easy to change your eating habits, but with these tips, you can adopt a healthy diet:

Keep a food diary. Writing down what you eat, even for just a week, can shed surprising light on your true eating habits. Monitor what you eat, how much, when and why.
Consider boosting potassium. Potassium can lessen the effects of sodium on blood pressure. The best source of potassium is food, such as fruits and vegetables, rather than supplements. Talk to your doctor about the potassium level that's best for you.
Be a smart shopper. Make a shopping list before heading to the supermarket to avoid picking up junk food. Read food labels when you shop, and stick to your healthy-eating plan when you're dining out, too.
Cut yourself some slack. Although the DASH diet is a lifelong eating guide, it doesn't mean you have to cut out all of the foods you love. It's OK to treat yourself occasionally to foods you wouldn't find on a DASH diet menu, like a candy bar or mashed potatoes with gravy.

4. Reduce sodium in your diet

Even a small reduction in the sodium in your diet can reduce blood pressure by 2 to 8 mm Hg. The recommendations for reducing sodium are:

Limit sodium to 2,300 milligrams (mg) a day or less.
A lower sodium level — 1,500 mg a day or less — is appropriate for people 51 years of age or older, and individuals of any age who are African-American or who have high blood pressure, diabetes or chronic kidney disease.

To decrease sodium in your diet, consider these tips:

Track how much salt is in your diet. Keep a food diary to estimate how much sodium is in what you eat and drink each day.
Read food labels. If possible, choose low-sodium alternatives of the foods and beverages you normally buy.
Eat fewer processed foods. Potato chips, frozen dinners, bacon and processed lunch meats are high in sodium.
Don't add salt. Just 1 level teaspoon of salt has 2,300 mg of sodium. Use herbs or spices, rather than salt, to add more flavor to your foods.
Ease into it. If you don't feel like you can drastically reduce the sodium in your diet suddenly, cut back gradually. Your palate will adjust over time.

5. Limit the amount of alcohol you drink

Alcohol can be both good and bad for your health. In small amounts, it can potentially lower your blood pressure by 2 to 4 mm Hg. But that protective effect is lost if you drink too much alcohol — generally more than one drink a day for women and more than two a day for men. Also, if you don't normally drink alcohol, you shouldn't start drinking as a way to lower your blood pressure. There's more potential harm than benefit to drinking alcohol.

If you drink more than moderate amounts of it, alcohol can actually raise blood pressure by several points. It can also reduce the effectiveness of high blood pressure medications.

Track your drinking patterns. Along with your food diary, keep an alcohol diary to track your true drinking patterns. One drink equals 12 ounces (355 milliliters, or mL) of beer, 5 ounces of wine (148 mL) or 1.5 ounces of 80-proof liquor (45 mL). If you're drinking more than the suggested amounts, cut back.
Consider tapering off. If you're a heavy drinker, suddenly eliminating all alcohol can actually trigger severe high blood pressure for several days. So when you stop drinking, do it with the supervision of your doctor or taper off slowly, over one to two weeks.
Don't binge. Binge drinking — having four or more drinks in a row — can cause large and sudden increases in blood pressure, in addition to other health problems.

6. Avoid tobacco products and secondhand smoke

On top of all the other dangers of smoking, the nicotine in tobacco products can raise your blood pressure by 10 mm Hg or more for up to an hour after you smoke. Smoking throughout the day means your blood pressure may remain constantly high.

You should also avoid secondhand smoke. Inhaling smoke from others also puts you at risk of health problems, including high blood pressure and heart disease.

7. Cut back on caffeine

The role caffeine plays in blood pressure is still debatable. Drinking caffeinated beverages can temporarily cause a spike in your blood pressure, but it's unclear whether the effect is temporary or long lasting.

To see if caffeine raises your blood pressure, check your pressure within 30 minutes of drinking a cup of coffee or another caffeinated beverage you regularly drink. If your blood pressure increases by five to 10 points, you may be sensitive to the blood pressure raising effects of caffeine.

Regardless of your sensitivity to caffeine's effects, doctors recommend you drink no more than 200 milligrams a day — about the amount in two cups of coffee.

8. Reduce your stress

Stress or anxiety can temporarily increase blood pressure. Take some time to think about what causes you to feel stressed, such as work, family, finances or illness. Once you know what's causing your stress, consider how you can eliminate or reduce stress.

If you can't eliminate all of your stressors, you can at least cope with them in a healthier way. Take breaks for deep-breathing exercises. Get a massage or take up yoga or meditation. If self-help doesn't work, seek out a professional for counseling.

9. Monitor your blood pressure at home and make regular doctor's appointments

If you have high blood pressure, you may need to monitor your blood pressure at home. Learning to self-monitor your blood pressure with an upper arm monitor can help motivate you. Talk to your doctor about home monitoring before getting started.

Regular visits to your doctor are also likely to become a part of your normal routine. These visits will help keep tabs on your blood pressure.

Have a primary care doctor. People who don't have a primary care doctor find it harder to control their blood pressure. If you can, visit the same health care facility or professional for all of your health care needs.
Visit your doctor regularly. If your blood pressure isn't well controlled, or if you have other medical problems, you might need to visit your doctor every month to review your treatment and make adjustments. If your blood pressure is under control, you might need to visit your doctor only every six to 12 months, depending on other conditions you might have.

10. Get support from family and friends

Supportive family and friends can help improve your health. They may encourage you to take care of yourself, drive you to the doctor's office or embark on an exercise program with you to keep your blood pressure low. Talk to your family and friends about the dangers of high blood pressure.

If you find you need support beyond your family and friends, consider joining a support group. This may put you in touch with people who can give you an emotional or morale boost and who can offer practical tips to cope with your condition.

More at http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/high-blood-pressure/HI00027

Purpose of a letter e.g. letter of application

2011-12-12T01:36:00.000-08:00

The purpose of a letter is TO REQUEST FOR AN INTERVIEW, but it is also a further opportunity to demonstrate your written communication skills to a prospective employer.

This is a SALES LETTER. The product you are selling is YOURSELF and your SKILLS. Like closing a sale, your letter should call for ACTION.

Source from 'Resumes for Results. A complete guide to preparing resumes and written applications, Di Inchley, The Business Library, 1992, ISBN 1 86350 100 2.

Capture Your Idea in 5 easy steps

2011-12-12T01:11:00.000-08:00

How to capture an idea?

Taken from the book with the title "Writing Fast - How to write anything with lightning speed" by jeff bollow, here are the steps:

Capture Your Idea in 5 Easy Steps:
1. See what you've got
2. Look beyond the obvious
3. Brainstorm a new list of ideas.
4. Take it to its conclusion.
5. Write it down in one single sentence.

1. See what you've got.
You may already have your idea. If you do, don't complicate it. Skip to #5. But if it's not clear, crisp,original,compelling and interesting to you (honestly), then:

2. Look beyond the obvious.
Ask yourself what you're really trying to say. Is this thought leading somewhere else? Somewhere you're hesitant to go? Think about it. Then:

3. Brainstorm a new list of ideas.
Don't judge or think or steer. Create an enormous list of every possible approach to your idea. Take as much time as you need! Look yourself go. Scan the list, and look for the one that jumps out at you. Then:

4. Take it to its conclusion.
Don't settle for the first nuggets your brain gives you. Ask yourself what about this idea is compelling. Follow that train. Let the idea spark ideas, and lead you to the exact idea you want to express. You'll know it in your bones when you hit it. And then:

5. Write it down in one single sentence.
As clear and sharp as possible. Not a giant extended sentence that goes forever. One short, brief sentence that represents the essence of the idea you're trying to express.

Source : Jeff Bollow, 1st Ed, 2004, ISBN 0 9 752139 0 3

Hypersonic bomb: One-hour delivery?

2011-11-19T07:33:00.000-08:00

That is the title of the article which you can find at cnet.com. It mentioned that the U.S. Army has successfully tested a hypersonic aircraft that can travel five times the speed of sound and reach anywhere on Earth in less than an hour.

Described by the Pentagon as a 'glide vehicle, designed to fly within the earth's atmosphere at hypersonic speed and long range.

The weapon is part of Conventional Prompt Global Strike (CPGS), a program that would give the U.S. the power to strike anywhere in the world with conventional weapons.

More details at http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-57327407-1/hypersonic-bomb-one-hour-delivery/?tag=mncol;mostShared

Demand and supply?

2011-11-19T07:17:00.000-08:00

What is Demand? and What is Supply?

The following is the description from investopedia.com on demand and supply.

Supply and demand is perhaps one of the most fundamental concepts of economics and it is the backbone of a market economy.

Demand refers to how much (quantity) of a product or service is desired by buyers. The quantity demanded is the amount of a product people are willing to buy at a certain price; the relationship between price and quantity demanded is known as the demand relationship. Supply represents how much the market can offer. The quantity supplied refers to the amount of a certain good producers are willing to supply when receiving a certain price. The correlation between price and how much of a good or service is supplied to the market is known as the supply relationship. Price, therefore, is a reflection of supply and demand.

Law of Demand:

Law of Supply:

Equilibrium:

Disequilibrium: Excess supply

Disequilibrium: Excess Demand

Eurozone debt web: Who owes what to whom?

2011-11-18T07:04:00.000-08:00

Europe is struggling to find a way out of the eurozone crisis amid mounting debts, stalling growth and widespread market jitters. After Greece, Ireland, and Portugal were forced to seek bail-outs, Italy - approaching an unaffordable cost of borrowing - has been the latest focus of concern.

But, with global financial systems so interconnected, this is not just a eurozone problem and the repercussions extend beyond its borders.

While lending between nations presents little problem during boom years, when a country can no longer handle its debts, those overseas banks and financial institutions that lent it money are exposed to losses. This could not only unsettle the home country of those banks, but could, in turn, spread the troubles across the world.

So, in the tangled web of inter-country lending, who owes what to whom? Click on a country in the circle to find out what they owe to banks in other countries, as well to find out their total foreign debt, including that owed by governments, monetary authorities, banks and companies.

The circle below shows the gross external, or foreign, debt of some of the main players in the eurozone as well as other big world economies. The arrows show how much money is owed by each country to banks in other nations. The arrows point from the debtor to the creditor and are proportional to the money owed as of the end of June 2011. The colours attributed to countries are a rough guide to how much trouble each economy is in.

More details from the source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-15748696

Stanford's latest iPhone and iPad apps course now free to the world on iTunes U

2011-11-16T17:21:00.000-08:00

BY SARAH JANE KELLER

Students may covet seats in Stanford's popular iPhone and iPad application development course, but you don't need to be in the classroom to take the course.

Anyone with app dreams can follow along online.

Paul Hegarty teaches students how to program applications for iPads and iPhones in a free online course that's the most popular download on Stanford's iTunes U site, with more than 10 million views.

Stanford has just released the iOS 5 incarnation of iPhone Application Development on iTunes U, where the public can download course lectures and slides for free. Some of the most talked-about features of Apple's latest operating system include iCloud, streamlined notifications and wireless syncing.

When Stanford's first iPhone apps course appeared online in 2009, it made iTunes history by rocketing to a million downloads in just seven weeks.

Alberto Martín is an engineer and independent iOS developer in Salamanca, Spain. He has been a diligent student of the online app development class since it first appeared.

He has created applications, now for sale in Apple's App Store, that organize your photos and make navigating while driving less distracting. Or, for fitness fans, an app that counts your pushups.

His apps provide him with extra income. "I hope some day I can live off this, because I love doing it," he said.

"Although it's not impossible, I think it's hard to make a lot of money in the App Store," Martín said. "But I think it's a beautiful process because it gives you the opportunity to develop your own ideas, sell them and fight for them."

Martín has been eagerly awaiting the release of the new course and says that he will follow the classes for as long as they keep coming.

"You learn a lot by watching the lectures on iTunes U," he said. "If you want to have success you need to keep on learning new things."

L.A. Cicero

Students check the results of their coding on their iPhones in the Developing Apps for iOS taught by Paul Hegarty

Online learners hear the same lectures as classroom students, but do not get Stanford credit or access to instructors.

Instructor Paul Hegarty attributes the course popularity to the appeal of Apple products and the instant gratification of creating apps for mobile devices. "There's something about developing for the iOS platform that's really exciting and fun because it runs on devices that everybody has in their purses or pockets, " he said.

"There aren't a lot of courses you can take that when you get to the end, to your final project, you can take it out of your pocket and show your friends."

Hegarty said that his students develop a wide array of applications for the iPhone and iPad, including many that improve or automate their daily lives. Those include apps that manage laboratory experiments, keep track of food choices at campus eateries, or access the works of Shakespeare. Games and social networking applications are also popular.

John Cast, an electrical engineering student who is taking the class in a Stanford classroom, said that he learned about the course by watching earlier versions on iTunes U. Cast is working on applications that archive historical memorabilia and improve FM radio tuning.

"One of the coolest things about teaching this class is just seeing the creativity that gets applied," Hegarty said. "It's really quite amazing."

Developers unfamiliar with Apple's operating systems must learn a new programming language, Objective-C, if they hope to master the apps course. Stanford students take a year of computer science classes and learn the technique of object-oriented programming before tackling the iOS development class.

Two Stanford prerequisite courses, Programming Methodology and Programming Abstractions, are available on iTunes U.

Nikil Viswanathan, a computer science student, said that the class is "really, really, good" in large part because Hegarty doesn't just teach students a new language, he teaches the "philosophy of how we program in Objective-C" and "puts it into the context of entire computer science program."

Most introductory computer science classes are abstract, but Objective-C is used to build applications for mobile devices, so students learn the programming basics and apply them right away. "I don't think that what I'm doing is just teaching them programming," Hegarty said. "It's an opportunity to teach them some computing fundamentals in a real world environment."

Hegarty said he enjoys that so many people benefit from the work he puts into preparing the course. "You really feel like as an instructor that the work gets leveraged," he said. "It's really rewarding."

Sarah Jane Keller is a science-writing intern at the Stanford News Service

Media Contact

Dan Stober, Stanford News Service: (650) 721-6965, dstober@stanford.edu

How Thieves steal your credit card data

2011-11-16T16:56:00.000-08:00

Suspect 1: The Waitress At Your Local Cafe

Mode Of Operation:

When it's time to pay the waitress whisks away your credit card and swipes it through the restaurant's register. Then, she pulls out a small device, about the size of an ice cube, from her apron and swipes it through that.

While you're scraping the last of the chocolate cake from your plate, your credit card information has been stored in the device, known as a skimmer. The waitress returns your card and performs the same magic trick on dozens of credit cards in a week.

Known Whereabouts:

The data-stealing waitress has been known to moonlight as a bartender, sales assistant or at any place where she can take your credit card out of sight

Suspect 2: The Toy Store Trio

Mode Of Operation:

Sally, Simon and Greg walk into a toy store. Sally and Simon roam the aisles, while Greg waits in line to check out. When Greg is at the register, Simon comes running up to the shop assistant, screaming that his wife has fainted.

As Sally and Simon distract the shop assistant, Greg switches the credit card reader at the register with a modified one of his own.

For the next week, the shop assistant unwittingly collects credit card data on the modified reader until the trio returns, takes back the modified reader and restores the original terminal.

Known Whereabouts:

The trio will hit other retailers and restaurants, but sometimes the threesome will instead be a duo or a solo criminal.

Suspect 3: The Petrol Prowler

Mode Of Operation:

The Petrol Prowler parks her car in front of a petrol station off the highway. It's late. There's no one around except a sleepy shop assistant at the register inside. The Petrol Prowler attaches a skimmer over the credit card reader at the pump. It's a special skimmer: It emits a Bluetooth signal to a laptop close by, says Noonan.

The Petrol Prowler pays, heads off to the motel next door and sets up her laptop to receive the data from the compromised pump over the next several days.

Known Whereabouts:

The Petrol Prowler installs skimmers over ATMs, parking meters, vending machines and any other places with unmanned credit card readers.

Suspect 4: Harry the Hacker and Phishing Phil

Mode Of Operation:

Harry the Hacker installs malware - a type of software that damages or infiltrates a computer or network - onto a legitimate website with low security. The malware instantly downloads onto your computer when you visit the site and allows Harry to access your information. In another scenario, Harry puts malware on public computers and gathers the information you share with that computer.

Phishing Phil uses malware to go after your laptop. He sends emails with attachments that promise dancing kittens or some other bait. When the user opens the attachment, malware instantly downloads onto the computer and leaves confidential information vulnerable. Phil also sends emails from a familiar sender with a link to a contaminated website that installs malware onto your computer. Some malware, called spyware, allows Phil to capture every keystroke including passwords to your financial accounts.

What Happens To Your Information?

Mode Of Operation:

So what happens to these pieces of data when they're in no-good hands? They get sold.

The waitress, trio or Petrol Prowler may be able to sell each swipe for $20 to $40 a pop. Harry the Hacker and Phishing Phil could get $5 to $10 a card and often sell the information online at the eBay of credit card activity. The person who buys the information verifies it and then sells it to a person who creates fraudulent credit cards with your account information attached to it. The card maker then sells it to other criminals who buy goods such as stereos or baby formula and sells them to regular consumers.

Identity Theft: How To Avoid It

1. Set up mobile alerts for your phone if your financial institution provides the feature. That way, you can be aware of unusual activity as quickly as possible.

2. Regularly monitor your accounts online, so you can identify fraudulent transactions faster.

3. Avoid public computers. Don't log onto your email if your bank corresponds with you there. One idea is to set up an email account just for your finances and then only check it from safe locations.

4. Avoid doing business with unfamiliar online vendors. Stick to established merchants and websites.

5. If your information has been compromised, notify your financial institutions immediately and also inform the police what has happened.

For More Information On How To Avoid Identity Theft Visit:

Riskiest Places To Use Your Credit Card

Top Mobile Banking Dangers And How To Avoid Them

The New Ways Thieves Are Stealing Your Identity

How Safe Is Online Shopping?

Identity Theft: How To Avoid It

Source : http://au.pfinance.yahoo.com/photos/photo/-/11720048/how-thieves-steal-your-credit-card-data/11720148/

iPhone 4S

2011-10-06T18:17:00.000-07:00

Apple has just released the latest iPhone in the market. With its 'Siri' functionality, you can use your voice to send messages, set reminders, search for information and more. It comes with Dual-core A5 chip that can deliver up to 2x faster performance and 7x faster graphics. The 8-megapixel camera enables us to do video recording (HD 1080p) of up to 30 frames per second with audio.

An inspirational speech by Steve Jobs

2011-10-06T18:11:00.000-07:00

The speech was delivered during Stanford University graduating ceremony in 2005. A few of those wisdom:

"You've got to find what you love," "That is as true for your work as it is for your lovers."

"Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven't found it yet, keep looking."

"For the past 33 years, I have looked in the mirror every morning and asked myself: 'If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?' And whenever the answer has been 'No' for too many days in a row, I know I need to change something."

For full speech, click the video.

The computer genius, Apple co-founder, Steve Jobs dies (1955-2011)

2011-10-05T18:17:00.000-07:00

Steve Jobs, the Apple co-founder has died after a long battle with pancreatic cancer. The company is famous for its iPad, iPhone, iPod, iTunes and iMac.

Jobs founded Apple Computer in his parents' garage in 1976 with his childhood friend Steve Wozniak. After leaving the company in 1985 after a power struggle with the board, Jobs acquired animation studio Pixar and turned it into a blockbuster-making powerhouse. His return to Apple as CEO saw a renaissance for the struggling company, starting with the popular iMac computer.

Apple shook up the mobile phone industry with the launch of the iPhone. Steve Jobs also oversaw the introduction of the iPad tablet computer in 2010. He is survived by his wife Laurene and four children. Among his patents:

Source: The New York Times (Patents) , The New York Times (more stories)

A Hope of New Life (Bringing hope to poor people)

2011-10-04T20:40:00.000-07:00

Watch how Grameen Bank works to bring hope to poor women in rural Bangladesh.

Below shows how the Exchange Rate from USD to Bangladesh Taka and vice versa looks like.

A simple and brilliant idea for utilizing Solar Power for a light source

2011-10-04T16:29:00.000-07:00

Have a look at what they do for a living. How it brighten up their houses.

Men with real superpowers

2011-10-04T08:05:00.000-07:00

Liew Thow Lin is another Malaysian with superhuman powers. In his case, he can stick metal objects to his body in a magnet-like way, and even pulled a car using the same technique.

Except whatever it is, and whatever Lin claims, it isn't magnetism. Experts have found no magnetic field in Lin's body. They did find that his skin had a very high level of friction, meaning that objects may stick to it because of a suction effect. More photos and stories, click here