Daily Update News

Candice Glover, being American Idol winner 2013

noreply@blogger.com (notebook-centre.blogspot.com) — Sun, 19 May 2013 06:51:00 +0700

American idol 2013 - Who the hell are not familiar with a particular arena of global talent in singing,around the world come to each other show his best in this prestigious event.And only one person who is the best among all the Candice Glover ,she is the new american idol winners.

New Project Kahn Jeep Wrangler Latest Manifestation 2011

noreply@blogger.com (notebook-centre.blogspot.com) — Tue, 26 Jul 2011 18:18:00 +0700

Here are the new Project Kahn Jeep Wrangler Latest Manifestation 2011.The Jeep Wrangler itself has an update abnorme, but for its newer appearance, the car is that " ; Blow of stolen C ' Attitude; ; and l' aspect of the provision of l' analyzes, accustomed manufactured project of blow of flight favourites tuningfahrzeuge a d' part; a series of prominent.

The Wrangler Jeep of Project blow of flight comes flexible with RS Caster (9 X 20) an occasion suspension, atramentous Nappaleder, Alcantara autogenous and a blow of stolen design sport system of bankruptcy.

The aboriginal centermost cap from Jeep has been taken for the authoritative of the auto and this would be accessible immediately. However, stocks are traveling to be limited. Tires that the tuner recommends to go with this caster are of 275 x 55 x 20 size.

Choose Plants for Container Gardening

noreply@blogger.com (notebook-centre.blogspot.com) — Tue, 26 Jul 2011 17:57:00 +0700

Here are tips to Choose Plants for Container Gardening,that will make your garden look more beautiful and neat that it will remedy your home.Containers gardens offer the possibility, garden within a small range and the flexibility to you, around your plants into innumerable interesting variations arrange.

Containers gardens give to you also more freedom with the choice of your plants, there can one tropical plants inside take in freeze and cool weather plants in heat periods.

The disadvantage with so many options is however that it can be difficult, in order to select your plants. Consider exactly, your garden abilities, space, climatic and decorative requirements, which fetch best plants for its garden container.

Here are tips from eHow about Choose Plants for Container Gardening :

1 Choose plants that fit into your space requirements. For a windowsill container garden, you may be confined to herbs, air plants, small cacti and other small plants. In a living room container garden, by contrast, you may have room for ferns or even small trees and, on a patio, you may be able to accommodate medium ornamental trees such as Japanese maples. Also, consider whether you plan to move your containers around frequently. Large plants in large pots will be much more difficult to rearrange than smaller ones.

2 Pick plants suitable for the microclimate you are growing them in. Water plants, fruiting vegetables and flowers require eight hours of daily sunlight, rooting veggies need six hours and leafy veggies, four. Other plants such as ferns and other understory plants require indirect or filtered sunlight. If you are growing your garden indoors, the window space you have available for your garden will determine what plants you should grow there. Also, consider humidity. If you live in a climate with cold winters, your house will be dry inside during the winter. If your garden is inside, you will have to run a humidifier or build a miniature greenhouse to nourish plants that crave moisture.

3 Choose plants that fit with your diligence and skill as a gardener. If you tend to forget about your plants, restrict yourself to plants that handle neglect well such as cast iron plant and mother-in-law tongue. If you are a more attentive grower, however, you can chose plants that require frequent watering, fertilizer and care as well as plants that don't.

4 Chose plants that complement each other. The University of Illinois Extension, recommends that a container garden have a combination of tall plants or "thrillers," round plants or "fillers" and overhanging plants or "spillers." In addition, chose plants with different leaf shapes and textures. This variety will provide visual interest in your container garden. Also, choose plants with pleasing colors. Use an indoor container garden to accentuate the colors used to decorate the room, and an outdoor one to harmonize with the landscape.

Rachel Uchitel Return The Money Given by the Tiger Woods

noreply@blogger.com (notebook-centre.blogspot.com) — Tue, 19 Jul 2011 06:17:00 +0700

Rachel Uchitel Hot News Celebrity - Not to finish up here on the news about Rachel Uchitel and Tiger Woods,Nowadays a lot of rumors about Rachel Uchitel gives back hush money from affair with Tiger Woods.she received from the golfer after allegedly violating her confidentiality agreement — and is now fighting her lawyer Gloria Allred over making that decision, according to a new report.

Gloria negotiated a $10 million settlement for Rachel ... just several hours in advance of Rachel was heading to hold a tell-all news convention about Tiger Woods. The settlement involved a confidentiality agreement, which prohibited Rachel from discussing Tiger.

If violet Uchitel the confidentiality clause, not only would have to give back the money that received but Woods could be demanded by damages and damages, thus. TMZ.com informs that the lawyer into Woods Jay Lavely contact with Allred a few months ago and said that they went after Uchitel because they thought that it violated the confidentiality agreement.

Lavely accusations was that discotheque VIP ex- presenter who became PI had spoken with TMZ and appeared the year last in " Celebrity Rehab with the Dr. Drew" in order to treat his " addiction to amor" - although never it spoke specifically on the player of golf in the program. Although Uchitel insisted on that never broke the agreement, TMZ reported that they convinced it to Allred that " they would lose if the push came empujar". Like result, Allred reached an agreement with Lavely that Uchitel would return the liquidation most of in cash.

Sources said to TMZ, nevertheless, that Uchitel is now " furioso" in Allred as the lawyer still would receive all the honoraria of his lawyer. TMZ said to Uchitel " originally; bien" went; with the agreement, but the passage of time " it felt that jodido had arrived, and soon contracted a negligence lawyer that has made a demand of Gloria to pay what Rachel gave the back him or to demand. " Uchitel offered " without comentarios" when it was contacted on the subject. In an official notice, Allred said: " Our company/signature does not represent Mrs Uchitel already and we at this moment do not have any commentary on this history. Nevertheless, we are sure that always we have acted correctly and in its better interest. "

How? Very exciting news regarding my relationship Rachel Uchitel with Tiger Woods this, love to pass because more and more hot and attractive.We wait for the news and what else do the sensation created by the two couples

Ryan Dunn killed in a car accident in West Goshen, Philadelphia

noreply@blogger.com (notebook-centre.blogspot.com) — Sun, 17 Jul 2011 20:55:00 +0700

Hot News Celebrity - The news of the death of Ryan Dunn is currently being discussed and the warm-warm across print and electronic media, especially on the internet.For lovers of Jackass, the news about Ryan Dunn killed in a car accident in West Goshen, Philadelphia very surprising and raises deep sorrow for the loved recording Ryan Dunn.

According to news reported by NBC Philadelphia, Ryan Dunn was involved an accident on Route 322 in West Goshen, Philadelphia on Monday, at 3:30 am local time. So far the cause of this accident is not clear but sources say NBC, Ryan confirmed dead.

Other sources had said that if Ryan Dunn was seen drinking with some friends, but so far no confirmation whether this is the cause of the fateful event. Reportedly there are witnesses who saw Ryan Dunn driving at high speed shortly before the accident. In the same car was also found other victims who have not been identified.

In a short time, Twitter was the flood of condolences fan of Ryan Dunn. Music magazine, Kerrang, too condolences over the death of Ryan Dunn. "RIP Jackass star Ryan Dunn," writes @ KerrangMagazine via Twitter.

Ryan Dunn Ryan Dunn was born with the name Goofed on June 11, 1977. His name began to soar since he played in the series Jackass on MTV in 2000 ago. He had starred in several movies including Jackass 3D in 2010. Finally Ryan starred in Jackass 3.5, released on DVD and Blu-Ray June 14 last

Hopefully with the news of Ryan Dunn killed in a car accident ,did not make his fans lost her affections but still loves him even though now gone and hopefully Ryan Dunn acceptable beautiful place in the side of God and all his deeds are acceptable

House sends health care overhaul bill to Obama

noreply@blogger.com (notebook-centre.blogspot.com) — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 17:23:00 +0700

Hot news this time came from the president of the United States.What's wrong with Barack Obama?As reported by news yahooabout House sends health care overhaul bill to Obama
.A transformative health care bill is headed to President Barack Obama for his signature as Congress takes the final steps in Democrats' improbable and history-making push for near-universal medical coverage.

On the cusp of succeeding where numerous past congresses and administrations have failed, jubilant House Democrats voted 219-212 late Sunday to send legislation to Obama that would extend coverage to 32 million uninsured Americans, reduce deficits and ban insurance company practices such as denying coverage to people with pre-existing medical conditions.

"This is what change looks like," Obama said later in televised remarks that stirred memories of his 2008 campaign promise of "change we can believe in."

"We proved that this government — a government of the people and by the people — still works for the people."

Obama's young presidency received a much needed boost from passage of the legislation, which would touch the lives of nearly every American. The battle for the future of the health insurance system — affecting one-sixth of the economy — galvanized Republicans and conservative activists looking ahead to November's midterm elections.

A companion package making a series of changes sought by House Democrats to the larger bill, which already passed the Senate, was approved 220-211. The fix-it bill will now go to the Senate, where debate is expected to begin as early as Tuesday. Senate Democrats hope to approve it unchanged and send it directly to Obama, though Republicans intend to attempt parliamentary objections that could change the bill and require it to go back to the House.

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How to Get Traffic to Your Local Business's Website

noreply@blogger.com (notebook-centre.blogspot.com) — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 16:55:00 +0700

For your local business Website owners who struggle to bring visitors to your website here are the steps to get traffic to your website.Here is how to Get Traffic to Your Local Business's Website by Gary Ruplinger.

Any small business owner can use to get more online traffic and leads tips :
Your Business Name Is NOT The Title Of Your Website

If you hired a website designer to build your website or worse, did it in house, the title of your website is probably your business name. If you were on trial for poor online marketing practices, this would be exhibit A and I would need nor further evidence to show you need a lot of help with your website.

The only exception here is if you are the pre-eminent, top of mind, business in your area. By that I mean that in your area, you what Coke is to soft drinks, McDonald's is to fast food, or Google is to search engines.

If you're not, however, then you need to describe your business in the title of your website. You can use your business name at the END of the title but not at the beginning.

For example, if you did landscaping and were based in Omaha, Nebraska, you'd want your title to look something like this:

Landscaping Services in Omaha, NE - Design and Maintenance

However, the vast majority of business owners do something like this:

Giorgio's Land Artistry

That's only useful to me if I'm searching for your business by name.

There are many other strategies that go into making your online website a successful one, but this one is so important, it can result in 10 times more traffic to your website almost overnight.
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How to Make Non Toxic Cleaning Supplies

noreply@blogger.com (notebook-centre.blogspot.com) — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 16:16:00 +0700

This is about How to Make Non Toxic Cleaning Supplies by Darcy Logan.To successfully run all please follow all the instructions below and good luckNon-toxic cleansers are not only good for the environment, but they also are good for children. According to Worldwatch Institute, cleaning products accounted for approximately one out of every 10 toxic exposures reported to U.S. poison control centers in 2000---more than 200,000 calls. Of these, two-thirds involved children younger than 6. Chemical cleansers pollute our homes, our landscape and are totally unnecessary. You can clean almost anything with just a few ingredients--most of which you probably already have in your home. Below you will find some general guidelines on non-toxic cleansers as well as a list of some of the more popular cleansers you can use to clean your home. Each item is designed to be used individually, not together.

Instructions
General Guidelines

Step 1

Place cleaners into spray bottles for easier user. Oil-based cleaners should be stored in glass jars.

Step 2

Write the ingredients or purpose of the cleaner you mixed on masking tape and place it on the bottle.

Step 3

Add tea tree essential oil to any of the cleansers listed here if you're combating fungal problems. It is a natural fungicide. Other essential oils that you can add that are both fragrant and known for disinfecting include cinnamon, clove, eucalyptus, grapefruit, lavender, lemon, lemongrass, spruce and thyme.

Step 4

Use naturally acidic products, such as lemon juice and vinegar, to clean hard-water scale, tarnish and other alkaline substances. Follow up with an alkaline cleaner, such as liquid detergent, to neutralize the acid.

Step 5

Test any homemade cleanser on an inconspicuous area before using it on an entire item. While these products are generally safe, it is always better to check before using.
Recipes for All-purpose Cleansers

Step 1

Mix 1/2 cup vinegar, 1/4 cup baking soda and 1/2 gallon of water.

Step 2

Mix 1/2 cup vinegar, 2 tsp. borax and 1/2 gallon of water.

Step 3

Mix 1/2 tsp. washing soda, a small amount of liquid soap and 2 cups hot water.

Step 4

Mix a few drops of natural soap, 30 drops of tea tree essential oil and 2 cups of water.
Recipes for Furniture Polish

Step 1

Mix 1/4 cup vinegar and 3/4 cup olive oil.

Step 2

Mix 1/4 cup lemon juice and 1/2 cup olive oil.

Step 3

Mix 1/2 tsp. olive oil and 1/4 cup vinegar or 1/4 cup lemon juice.

Step 4

Add a four to five drops of lemon oil and 1/2 cup warm water.
Recipes for Toilet Cleaner

Step 1

Mix 3 cups of white vinegar and 10 drops of tea tree essential oil.

Step 2

Mix 1 cup borax with 1/2 cup lemon juice or vinegar. Let sit for several hours or overnight.

Step 3

Mix 1/4 cup lemon juice and 1 cup vinegar.

Step 4

Sprinkle baking soda in the bowl and then add lemon juice or vinegar.
Recipes for Other Cleansers

Step 1

Clean your oven with a paste of 3/4 cup baking soda, 1/4 cup salt and 1/4 cup water. You can also use 1 cup of baking soda and a small amount of soap and water.

Step 2

Mix 1/2 cup baking soda and liquid detergent until it becomes the consistency of frosting and use on stubborn stains. You can also use baking soda and a damp sponge.

Step 3

Clean windows with a mixture of 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon liquid detergent, 3 tbsp. vinegar and 2 cups water. You can also use between 2 tsp. and 1 quart of vinegar with 1 quart of warm water.

By Darcy Logan, eHow Contributing Writer

Complete List of the Oscar 2010 Winners

noreply@blogger.com (notebook-centre.blogspot.com) — Mon, 8 Mar 2010 22:58:00 +0700

The following is a complete list of the names of the winners of the 2010 oscar trophy. The winner was some artist who was a senior and the newcomers in the entertainment world.

- The Academy Awards winners for 2010 is The Hurt Locker upset Avatar! Katheryn Bigelow on becoming the first female director to win an Oscar for Best Director for The Hurt Locker, which then went on to win Best Picture. "There's no other way to describe it, it's the moment of a lifetime." Kathryn Bigelow, winning Best Director for The Hurt Locker.

Jeff Bridges won best actor for his portrayal of a boozy country singer in "Crazy Heart." Sandra Bullock took the best-actress prize as a brassy Southern mother in "The Blind Side."

Sandra Bullock took the best-actress prize as a brassy Southern mother in "The Blind Side."

Here is the Complete List of the Oscar 2010 winners:
- Motion Picture: "The Hurt Locker."
- Actor: Jeff Bridges, "Crazy Heart."
- Actress: Sandra Bullock, "The Blind Side."
- Supporting Actor: Christoph Waltz, "Inglourious Basterds."
- Supporting Actress: Mo'Nique, "Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire."
- Director: Kathryn Bigelow, "The Hurt Locker."
- Foreign Film: "El Secreto de Sus Ojos," Argentina.

- Adapted Screenplay: Geoffrey Fletcher, "Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire."
- Original Screenplay: Mark Boal, "The Hurt Locker."
- Animated Feature Film: "Up."
- Art Direction: "Avatar."
- Cinematography: "Avatar."
- Sound Mixing: "The Hurt Locker."
- Sound Editing: "The Hurt Locker."
- Original Score: "Up," Michael Giacchino.
- Original Song: "The Weary Kind (Theme From Crazy Heart)" from "Crazy Heart," Ryan Bingham and T Bone Burnett.
- Costume: "The Young Victoria."
- Documentary Feature: "The Cove."
- Documentary (short subject): "Music by Prudence."
- Film Editing: "The Hurt Locker."
- Makeup: "Star Trek."
- Animated Short Film: "Logorama."
- Live Action Short Film: "The New Tenants."
- Visual Effects: "Avatar."

Sandra Bullock Oscar Acceptance Speech

noreply@blogger.com (notebook-centre.blogspot.com) — Mon, 8 Mar 2010 22:43:00 +0700

Los Angeles - Sandra Bullock says she will put two contradictory awards. Yes .. Bullock had just got an award as best actress and the right to take home an Oscar for "The Blind Side". But he also received a Razzie as worst actress for her performance in "All About Steve" this week.

This day made her the first actress who won both Razzies and Oscar Awards in the same year.Sandra Bullock won the Oscar Award for the Best Actress.
People have been searching the net for Sandra Bullock Oscar acceptance speech. Its her first Oscar during her career till now. The 2010 Oscar Award for the Best actor won by Jeff Bridges. Sandra Bullock won the award for her movie “The Blind Side”. She has already won two awards for the same role. It was a competition among many actress for the same catogory by winning it she beats actresses like Helen Mirren, Carey Mulligan, Gabourey and Meryl Streep. She said in her acceptance speech that,

“Gabby, I love you so much. You are exquisite. You are beyond words to me. Carey, your grace and your elegance and your beauty and your talent makes me sick. Helen, I feel like we are family through family and I don’t have the words to express just what I think of you. And Meryl, you know what I think of you and you are such a good kisser.”

She also said that she had to thank many people but due to shortage of time its not possible but she thanked her family and friends.Not only this she also thanked those who showed kindness and those who were mean. In the end of her speech she specially thanked her mother. Her acceptance speech was one of the best acceptance speeches.

To continue with her speech, Sandra stated “I thank all the good and all the mean people to me such as George Clooney who kind drowned me in a pool some times in past’ and that ‘I still have a grudge about the same.” Then she talked further and in a serious tone stated that she would like to thank ‘The Blind Side’ and especially her mother for making her learn there’s no religion, class system and no race or no color etc.

Download Opera 10.50 – Worlds Fastest Browser

noreply@blogger.com (notebook-centre.blogspot.com) — Mon, 8 Mar 2010 22:27:00 +0700

Opera has now released their latest version with the release of Opera 10:50. In this latest version of Opera comes with a display interface more attractive and different from previous versions. Display the version of Windows 7 was followed. With their latest technology, the Opera said while browsing will be faster and lighter

A full-featured Internet browser, Opera includes pop-up blocking, tabbed browsing, integrated searches, and advanced functions like Opera’s groundbreaking E-mail program, RSS Newsfeeds and IRC chat. And because we know that our users have different needs, you can customize the look and content of your Opera Browser with a few clicks of the mouse.

Opera 10 Final – Fast, powerful and Efficient :

* Exclusive Opera Turbo compression boosts slow connection speeds
* Innovative visual tabs displays Web sites in thumbnails
* Intuitive, sleek design
* Easy-to-personalize Speed Dial visual bookmarks
* Everything built-in, no need for extensions
* It’s free!

To Download Click Here

At GDC, iPhone game development breaks out

noreply@blogger.com (notebook-centre.blogspot.com) — Mon, 8 Mar 2010 22:20:00 +0700

by Daniel Terdiman

If you had any doubts that the iPhone must now be considered one of the world's most important gaming platforms, this week's Game Developers Conference in San Francisco will try to put them to rest once and for all.

For years, GDC, as it's known, has hosted two days of "summits" early in the week, before the main keynote address and the bulk of the panels and sessions begin, including the longstanding GDC Mobile, which dealt with just about every issue a developer could want on mobile and handheld devices.

And this year is no exception. Starting Tuesday, the GDC Mobile/Handheld summit will begin, offering 18 discussions on things like "bootstrapping games on Android;" "Creating augmented reality experiences on Nintendo DSi;" "Social networks: The new marketplace for mobile games?" and more. There's even one called "Get your iPhone game to 2,000 other devices."

< Continue reading from article source >

How to Figure the Loan Value on a Vehicle

noreply@blogger.com (notebook-centre.blogspot.com) — Mon, 8 Mar 2010 22:02:00 +0700

This in How to Figure the Loan Value on a Vehicle by Leigh Egan in ehow.com

Whether you are a potential car buyer looking for a good deal on a vehicle or are thinking of selling your car, you first need to figure out the vehicle's loan value in order to negotiate a satisfactory transaction or ask a fair price. A car's value is determined by several important factors such as the vehicle's make, model, exterior and interior condition, mechanical shape and added features such as anti-lock brakes and airbags. Although a used vehicle's worth is not set in stone, there are ways in which you can get the average loan value.

Instructions :

Step 1

Evaluate your car's condition. Look for cosmetic flaws as well as any mechanical problems. Have a trusted mechanic appraise your car's condition if you are unsure.

Step 2

Visit the official site for The Kelley Blue Book (see References). Click on either the "New Car" tab or the "Used Car" tab, depending upon the car you are trying to find the loan value on, and click go.

Step 3

Select the year, make and model of your vehicle in the provided boxes on the next page. Click the "Go" button to proceed to the next page. Choose the "Suggested Retail Value" button on the next page. Enter any extra features your vehicle has such as power locks or dual air bags, then press continue to proceed.

Step 4

Follow the guideline, read each selection thoroughly and choose your vehicle's condition on the next page. Click submit to get the approximate loan value on your car.

Step 5

Peruse consumer websites, magazines and other car-related resources, such as Consumer Reports and Auto Trader. to get a general idea of how much your vehicle loan value is worth. Be certain to look for vehicles that match your car's description, including wear and tear, cosmetics, mileage and any extra features.

Amanda Knox Verdict

noreply@blogger.com (notebook-centre.blogspot.com) — Sat, 5 Dec 2009 06:37:00 +0700

This is hot news about Amanda Knox.As reported by the cbsnews.com website of the Amanda Knox Verdict more news like this below.An Italian jury has reached a verdict in the trial of American Amanda Knox and her Italian ex-boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito, who are standing trial for the murder of Knox' British roommate Meredith Kercher.

The court is expected to announce the verdict at 6 p.m. EST, from the eight members of the jury, including two judges, who were sequestered in a room in the Perugia courthouse.

In November 2007, Kercher, 21, was found fatally stabbed in the neck in her bedroom at the home she rented with Knox in the central Italian university town of Perugia, where Kercher, Knox and Sollecito were all students.

Prosecutors claimed that Knox, Sollecito, and another man, Rudy Guede, who has already been convicted, killed Kercher in a sex game gone wrong. They have claimed DNA evidence puts the suspects at the scene.

Knox and co-defendant Raffaele Sollecito insist they are innocent. Their lawyers have argued that the DNA evidence against them was tainted; the knife prosecutors claim is the murder weapon does not fit Kercher's wounds; and they have derided the supposed sex game motive as nonsense.

Both Knox, who is from Seattle, and Sollecito have been jailed since shortly after the slaying. They were taken to their cells as they awaited the ruling.

Kercher's parents, John and Arline Kercher, arrived in Perugia Friday evening with their surviving children Stephanie and Layle.

They were surrounded by photographers and television cameras as they tried to make their way into the hotel but refused to comment as reporters asked them what they expected from the verdict.

Curt Knox, Amanda Knox's father, did talk to reporters outside the Perugia courthouse. "They've got two 20-old kids and they are going to be determining their life," he said of the jury.

If Knox and Sollecito are convicted, they could receive life in prison, Italy's maximum penalty.

Top 7 Search Engine Marketing Tips

noreply@blogger.com (notebook-centre.blogspot.com) — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 16:35:00 +0700

It is of no use having an expensive professionally designed website if no visitors come to it. To drive up the number of people that go to your site it is important to use a number of search engine marketing tips and techniques so that you stay ahead of the competition.

1. Content - To increase the number of hits on your site it is vital to have content that can be classified as "research". Many people browse the net looking for information, or in other words they are researching. You need to make the most of this and create text that is relevant. Today there are many sites that offer pages which have "how to" information or inspirational and helpful articles. Even if such knowledge is not the main aim of your site by creating pages with this information you will draw people in.

2. More Text, Less Graphics - If you don't have much in the way of text on your site then you are less likely to get good rankings in any search engine as there is little for them to read when they are trawling and indexing. You don't necessarily have to do away with nice images; just ensure that you have a decent amount of text as well.

3. Keywords - It cannot be understated how important it is to choose the correct keywords and phrases to embed into your website. These should be relevant and were possible not too broad or popular as you face stiff competition. Think of which phrases and words are most important for each of your web pages.

4. Directories - It is essential to add your website to as many directories as possible. Today there are many more human powered directories that often appear high in search engine rankings. These have become a popular way of being directed to relevant websites.

5. Website coding - You need to ensure that the coding used to develop your web pages has been thoroughly tested with search engines in mind. Sites that use frames and JavaScript navigation do not often get indexed correctly by the search engines. Your JavaScript can be kept in external files.

6. Links - Through correct internal and external links you can dramatically increase the number of visitors to your web site. Try to add links to other sites that are relevant to yours and vice-versa. Make sure that all of your individual pages have correct link structure.

7. Website USP - This is probably the one element that will secure your websites success. What is the unique angle for your site? You can create the same content essentially, as other sites, but presenting your information in a different and unique way is the secret to successful search engine marketing, that will get your results.

Karla Penny | ezinearticles

Microsoft warns of Patch Tuesday from hell

noreply@blogger.com (notebook-centre.blogspot.com) — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 10:05:00 +0700

Microsoft will deliver no fewer than 13 security bulletins on October's Patch Tuesday.

The bumper security update includes eight critical issues, and five that are classed as important. Windows 7 RTM also makes an appearance in the Patch Tuesday line-up for the first time.

The 13 bulletins address a total of 34 vulnerabilities, most of which are related to remote code execution. There are also fixes to counter denial-of-service attacks, elevation of privileges and spoofing.

The affected software includes every version of Windows, Internet Explorer, Office, Silverlight, SQL Server and more. Just to add to the IT department headaches, all of them will likely require a restart of the patched PC.

Even though it isn't officially launched yet, Windows 7 is affected by five of the bulletins, although only one of those is critical. The final RTM version of Windows 7 has been available for download to MSDN/TechNet subscribers and businesses for a few weeks now, even though consumers won't get their hands on the software until 22 October.

More than 700,000 people in the UK are also running the Windows 7 beta.

Internet Explorer 8 is also affected by one of the critical bugs.

The patch onslaught means it's likely to be a busy time for IT departments, many of which will want to test the updates before rolling them out across the company.

Superstitious readers will have noted the 13 patches will arrive on 13 October. Read the Microsoft Security Bulletin for full details.

Author: Barry Collins
source : pcpro.co.uk

Tsunami Warning Hawaii 2009

noreply@blogger.com (notebook-centre.blogspot.com) — Sat, 3 Oct 2009 10:06:00 +0700

Tsunami warning Hawaii 2009 has been cancelled by the national weather service, but Tsunami warning has been issued for California after a 7.9 magnitude earthquake under the sea’s of Pacific. National Weather Service issued the warning after the earthquake struck the Pacific Ocean of Samoa Island area near Pago Pago, American Samoa; the warning issued is for the Californian and Oregon coast.

The earthquake struck the Pacific region at around 10:50 P.M. PDT; however, there is no information available about any damage or injuries.

To make sure that the local residents keep safe, EMA “California Emergency Management Agency” is now working in collaboration with NOAA Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre, Alaska Tsunami Warning Centre, NOAA West Coast and USGS “National Earthquake Information Centre” to provide up-to-date information to the local and state officials.

Latest updates from Alaska Tsunami Warning Centre show that the forecast points towards the increase in wave activity in the ocean alongside the west coast, amplitudes rising over 20 to 70 CM. Warning Centre also stated that these waves can be dangerous to those locals near to ocean lines of west coast, San Luis Obispo and Crescent City, it has also been stated that waves can gain their maximum rise more or less after 1-1/2 hours of reaching the shore lines.

Warning Centre advice to those living in the lower coastal area and for those who are in Tsunami Warning area that they should be careful about the situation, keep their eyes open and it would be better if they move out from the areas.

According to National Weather Service waves will reach in the area are between 7:30 to 11:00 P.M.

source

10 Steps to Buying Auto Insurance

noreply@blogger.com (notebook-centre.blogspot.com) — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 13:06:00 +0700

The following simple steps will help you determine how much car insurance you need to carry. And it will also help you get the best coverage at the lowest price. If you are confused about any of the terms we use, be sure to review the glossary in "Little-Known but Important Insurance Issues."

Step 1: Starting Out
When it comes to auto insurance, you want to be adequately covered if you get in an accident but you don't want to pay any more than you have to. So how can you navigate your way through this murky subject?

Keep telling yourself there is money to be saved. How much? Hundreds, even thousands, per year. For example, one of our editors typed all of his insurance information into a comparative insurance service. The quotes (for very basic coverage on two old cars) ranged from $1,006 to $1,807 — a difference of $801 a year. If you're currently dumping thousands into your insurance company's coffers because of a couple of tickets, an accident or a questionable credit rating, shopping your policy against others may be well worth the effort.

Look at it this way — you can convert the money you save into the purchase of something you've desired for a long time. Hold that goal in your mind.

Step 2: How Much Coverage Do You Need?
To find the right auto insurance, start by figuring out the amount of coverage you need. This varies from state to state. So take a moment to find out what coverage is required where you live. Make a list of the different types of coverage and then return for the next step. (You will find a list of each state's requirements and an explanation of the various types of insurance in "How Much Auto Insurance Do You Really Need?" Also, check out "Little-Known but Important Insurance Issues" as it has a glossary of basic insurance terminology.)

Now that you know what is required, you can decide what you need in addition. Some people are quite cautious. They base their lives on worst-case scenarios. Insurance companies love these people. That's because insurance companies know what your chances are of being in an accident, and how likely it is for your car to be damaged or stolen. The information the insurance company has collected over previous decades is crunched into "actuarial tables" that give insurance adjustors a quick look at the probability of just about any occurrence.

So how much insurance should you buy beyond your state's minimum?

Experts recommend that if you have a lot of assets you should get enough liability coverage to protect them. For instance, if you purchase $50,000 of bodily injury liability coverage but have $100,000 in assets, attorneys could go after your treasures in the event of an accident in which you're at fault and the other party's medical bills exceed $50,000.

General recommendations for liability limits are $50,000 bodily injury liability for one person injured in an accident, $100,000 for all people injured in an accident and $25,000 property damage liability (that is, 50/100/25) given that half of the cars on the road are worth more than $20,000. Here again, though, let your financial situation be your guide. If you have no assets, don't buy excess coverage.

Another issue to consider is that the limits of any uninsured and/or underinsured motorist coverage that you purchase cannot exceed the limits of your liability coverage. Such coverage, he said, can be valuable, as it will cover lost income if you're out of work for several months after being injured in a major accident.

Your driving habits may also be a consideration. If your past is filled with crumpled fenders, if you have a lead foot or a long commute on a treacherous winding road, then you should get more comprehensive coverage. Keep in mind that you don't have to buy collision and comprehensive coverage. If your vehicle is older, if you have a good driving record and if there is a low likelihood that it would be totaled in an accident, but a high likelihood of it being stolen, you could buy comprehensive but not collision.

Step 3: Review Your Driving Record and Current Insurance Policy
Before you begin shopping for insurance you should check the following: the status of your driving record, your current coverage and the premiums you are paying.

You should know how many tickets you have had recently. But time plays tricks and our memories repress painful incidents. If you can't remember how long that speeding ticket has been on your record, check with your state's DMV. If your record will soon improve, and the points you earned will finally disappear, wait until that happens before you get quotes. Nothing drives up the price of insurance like a bad driving record.

Also, you should contact your auto insurance company or pull out a recent bill. Jot down the amount of coverage you have and what you are paying for it. Take note of the yearly and monthly cost of your insurance since many of your quotes will be given both ways. Now you have a figure in mind to try to beat.

Step 4: Solicit Competitive Quotes
Now that you have made several practical and philosophical decisions, it's time to start shopping. Begin by setting aside about an hour for this task. Bring all your records — your current insurance policy, your driver license number and your vehicle registration. Drink plenty of coffee. Have a phone at your elbow. And, of course, power up your computer.

Begin with the online services. If you go to InsWeb.com or other online insurance quote sites, you can type in your information and get a list of comparative quotes. These forms take about 15 minutes to complete. If this bores you, just remind yourself how much you will be saving and that you can use the money to buy something nice for yourself. If the entire shopping process takes you two hours to complete and you save $800, you're effectively earning $400 an hour.

A few things to keep in mind: 1) When you use quote sites, you may not get instant quotes. Some companies may contact you later by e-mail, and some that are not "direct providers" may put you in touch with a local agent, who will then calculate a quote for you. (A "direct provider," like Geico, sells an insurance policy to you directly; other companies like State Farm sell insurance through local agents. We'll discuss the pros and cons of each later.) 2) It's not easy to get quotes from these sites in all states — if you live in New Jersey, for instance, you'll probably find it faster to pick up the phone, since most insurers in this state currently don't provide online quotes.

You can also try getting quotes from some of the insurance companies listed on the Edmunds.com Web site — Liberty Mutual, Geico or Progressive. These forms will take about 10 minutes each to complete.

Step 5: Record and Compare Quotes
While you're researching companies, make notes in a separate computer file or on a piece of paper divided into categories. This will keep you from duplicating your efforts. When you visit the different online insurance sites, you should take note of several things:

* Annual and monthly rates for the different types of coverage — make sure to keep the coverage limits the same so that you can make "apples-to-apples" comparisons
* An 800 number to call for questions you can't get answered online
* The insurance company's payment policy (When is your payment due? What happens if you're late in making a payment?)
* Discounts offered by the insurance company that pertain to you
* The insurance company's consumer complaint ratio from your state's department of insurance Web site (more on this later)
* The insurance company's A.M. Best and Standard & Poor's ratings (more on this later)

Step 6: Work the Phones
Once you have exhausted your online options, it's time to work the phones. Those companies you haven't been able to get an online quote from should be contacted. At times, doing this process verbally can actually go faster than the online counterpart, providing you have all the information regarding your driver license and vehicle registration close at hand. When you get a quote, be sure to confirm the price. Also, ask them to fax or e-mail the quote to you as a record.

Step 7: Look for Discounts
While talking to the insurance companies' telephone salespeople, make sure you explore all options relating to discounts. Insurance companies give discounts for a good driving record, favorable credit score, safety equipment (for example, antilock brakes), certain occupations or professional affiliations and more. For more guidance in this area, check out "How to Save Money on Auto Insurance."

Step 8: Choosing the Right Insurance Company
You now have most of the information in front of you that you need to make a decision. However, there is something more to consider. You can clearly see which company is least expensive, but when you need them to cover a claim, what kind of job will they do? To put it another way, which is the most reliable insurance company?

Below, we offer a number of issues to guide your thinking and help you reach a decision:

1. Visit your state's department of insurance and check consumer complaint ratios and basic rate comparison surveys.
2. Get in touch with local body shops or dealerships you trust and ask which insurance companies they recommend.
3. Consider contacting an insurance agent for additional information about a particular company.
4. Check out the financial strength ratings for an insurance company by referring to the A.M. Best and Standard & Poor's ratings.
5. Look over J.D. Power and Associates' consumer satisfaction surveys reviewing auto insurance companies.

Step 9: Review the Policy Before You Sign
So, you've done your research, and you've decided on a company. Before you sign, though, read the policy. In addition to verifying that it contains the coverage you want, there are two clauses that you should look for in the contract:

1. Retain your right to sue. "Find out if you are giving up your right to go to court and will be forced into arbitration if there is a disagreement [between you and the insurance company]," one expert advised. "You're much better off if you don't give up this right…. It makes it easier for [insurers] to take advantage of you." If you find a clause to this effect, all isn't necessarily lost. "At least in theory, a contract is a mutual agreement, so you should be able to cross out that line in the policy," he said. If the company won't agree to the policy sans clause, then you should probably take your business elsewhere.

2. Avoid aftermarket parts requirements. If an insurance company has written in the policy that "new factory," "like kind and quality" or "aftermarket parts" may be used for body shop repairs, go to another company, one expert advised. If you own a relatively new car that you plan to keep for a while, you will probably be much happier if you spend a little more time researching companies on the front end rather than try to fight the company when you have a claim.

Step 10: Cancel Your Old Policy
After you lock in the insurance policy you want with the company you select, you have two more things to do. The first is to cancel coverage with your existing insurance company. Second, if your state requires you to carry proof of insurance, make sure you either have it in your wallet or the glove compartment of your car (some experts discourage this, however — if your car is stolen, the thief has everything he needs to prove the vehicle is his).

Now, there's one last thing to do: reward yourself for saving so much money on car insurance.

Checklist

* Determine your state's insurance requirements.
* Consider your own financial situation in relation to the required insurance and consider buying more to protect your assets.
* Review the status of your driving record — do you have any outstanding tickets or points on your driver license?
* Check your current coverage to find out how much in premiums you are paying.
* Get competing quotes from an Internet insurance Web site such as InsWeb.com, YouDecide.com and InsureOne.com.
* Make follow-up phone calls to insurance companies to get additional information about coverage.
* Inquire about discounts you might qualify for such as a multiple policy discount.
* Evaluate the reliability of the insurance company you're considering by visiting your state's insurance Web site.
* If you have chosen a new insurance company, remember to cancel your old policy.

Philip Reed |edmunds

Nintendo Game Boy Advance SP White Console Review

noreply@blogger.com (notebook-centre.blogspot.com) — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 12:24:00 +0700

A completely redesigned version of the popular Game Boy Advance, this system has a new illumination feature and a sleek, flip-screen design -- making it the most distinctively stylish, compact and portable Game Boy system ever.

The rechargeable lithium-ion battery takes just 3 hours to fully recharge, and its good for 10 hours of continuous play with the light on and 18 hours of play with the light turned off. Game Boy Advance SP is backward compatible, allowing you to use virtually all games previously released for the Game Boy® line.

Specification:

Product MPN
MPN : 44100

Key Features
Console Type : Handheld
Platform : Game Boy Advance SP
Color : White
Processor : 16.78 MHz Sharp ARM7TDMI
Display : LCD TFT (Active Matrix)
Gaming Type : LAN Gaming

Processor
Processor type : Sharp ARM7TDMI
Processor Speed : 16.78 MHz

Memory
Installed RAM : 256 KB
Installed Cache Memory : 32 KB
RAM technology : WRAM

Display
Display Type : LCD TFT (Active Matrix)
Screen Size : 2.9 in.
Max. Resolution : 240 x 160

Graphics
Max. Number Of Colors : 32,768 Colors

Audio
Audio Support : Stereo

Technical Features
Communication Type : Serial Cable Proprietary
Expansion Slots : Game Cartridge Slot
Main Controls : 4 Way Cross Keypad A/B/X/Y Buttons
Input / Output Ports : 1 x Game Boy Advance link connector 1 x Game Boy Advance SP multi-access port

Battery
Battery Run Time : 18 Hours
Battery Type : Rechargeable Lithium-ion

Dimensions
Height : 3.2 in.
Depth : 0.97 in.
Width : 5.69 in.
Weight : 0.31 lb.

Miscellaneous
Supplied Accessories : AC Adapter
Release Date : March, 2004
Product ID : 55496922

source

MSI Launches Wind Top AE2010 20-inch All-In-One Desktop

noreply@blogger.com (notebook-centre.blogspot.com) — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 11:37:00 +0700

MSI just announced its next-generation all-in-one desktop PC, the Wind Top AE2010. This step up from the previous AE1900 is a 20-inch model with a 1600 x 900 touchscreen, AMD Athlon X2 Dual Core 3250e processor, and an onboard ATI Radeon 3200 graphics card with DDR3 128MB memory. The AE2010 also has 4GB of DDRII 533MHz SDRAM, a 320GB hard drive, 6 USB ports, and a 4 in 1 card reader. Look for this new model to be available next month for a starting price of $649.99.

CITY OF INDUSTRY, CA – August 26, 2009 – MSI, a world-wide leading manufacturer of computer components and systems, is excited to announce the next-generation all-in-one desktop PC, the Wind Top AE2010. The AE2010 is upgraded with an AMD Athlon X2 Dual Core processor for increased computing power and features an efficient touch-enabled All-in-One PC with a crystal clear 20-inch widescreen. The improved performance and beautiful form factor combined with EPA ENERGY STAR Version 5.0 efficiency rating provides users with a PC powerful enough for everyday computing and aesthetically pleasing enough to have as a design centerpiece.

The new AE2010 also includes a VGA input and output allowing the user to utilize the All-in-One PC as a monitor or transfer video data to another television or computer screen. Additionally, graphics capabilities have been improved via the onboard ATI Radeon 3200 graphics card with DDR3 128MB VRAM. Users will now experience brighter colors, sharper contract and significantly improved picture clarity. Lastly, design functionality has been improved with the addition of a VESA standard wall mount. Whether you choose to set on a countertop or mount on the wall, the AE2010 is poised to change in-home computing.

The MSI Wind Top AE2010 features touch-enabled applications, wireless connectivity, SuperMulti DVD Rewriter and a built-in webcam and microphone for maximum personal computing. Whether you are sharing and editing photos, videoconferencing, browsing the web or completing school or work products, the AE2010 provides the tools to get the job done efficiently and in style. Starting at $649.99, the AE2010 offers a tremendous value proposition for any computing scenario.

The AE2010 also features a 320 GB hard drive, 6 USB ports, 4-1 card reader and a color-matched multimedia keyboard and mouse. The ultra-silent, state-of-the-art cooling system eliminates traditional cooling fan noises and keeps the noise level no more than 26 decibels. As with all MSI All-in-One PCs, the AE2010 is engineered to consume up to 75% less energy than traditional desktop PCs.

System Specifications

MSI Wind Top AE2010-02SUS
CPU :AMD Athlon X2 Dual Core 3250e Processor
Operating System :Genuine Windows Vista® Home Premium (with Free Window® 7 Upgrade
coupon)
Chipset :AMD RS780G and SB710
Graphics :ATI Radeon HD 3200 Graphics Core (Side Port DDR3 128MB memory)
Memory :4GB DDRII 533MHz SDRAM on board
Display :20-inch Touch Widescreen (16:9) 1600 x 900 High Definition
HDD :320GB SATA Hard Drive/5400RPM
ODD :Tray-load DVD Super Multi rewriter drive, support dual-layer
burning
Card Reader :4 in 1 (SD/MMC/MS/XD)
I/O :1 x DC-in jack, 6 x USB 2.0, 1 x E-SATA, 1 x LAN jack (RJ45), 1 x
Mic.-in, 1 x Headphone-out, VGA-in and VGA-out
Wireless :802.11 b/g/n
LAN :10/100/1000 Gigabit LAN
Webcam :1.3MP Webcam with Microphone
Sound :3W x 2 SRS Premium Sound Technology
Dimension :15.46” x 20.07” x 2.15”
Keyboard / Mouse :Color-matched multimedia keyboard and mouse
Support :VESA Wall Mount, VGA-in (monitor mode) / VGA out (dual display)
Software :Microsoft® Office 2007 (trial version), MSI Wind Touch, MSI Easy Viewer, MSI Burn Recovery, MSI Controller, MSI Q-Face, MSI Easy Face, WinRAR (trial version), SoftStylus™, Adobe® Reader, BurnNow, Cyberlink® PowerProducer, Cyberlink® PowerDVD8, Cyberlink® PowerDirector, Cyberlink® Power2Go, Cyberlink® DVD Suite, Cyberlink® PhotoNow, Gimp2, Dia, Ganttproject, FreeMind, GeoGebra, Java 6, Microsoft® DirectX, Microsoft® .NET Framework 3.5, Microsoft® MSN
Power Supply :External 90W Power Adapter with Active PFC

Via: MSI |hothardware

The 7 best features in Mac OS X Snow Leopard

noreply@blogger.com (notebook-centre.blogspot.com) — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 10:20:00 +0700

When a new OS upgrade costs $29, you can be forgiven for thinking of it as a service pack. Such may appear to be the case with Mac OS X 10.6, aka Snow Leopard, which Apple has positioned as an under-the-hood upgrade whose new capabilities won't be so obvious to users, and thus not worth the usual $129.

I agree with that price assessment (if only Microsoft had made the same judgment about Windows 7), but I don't agree that what Snow Leopard offers resides merelyunder the hood. Instead, it provides many enhancements and some new features that Mac users of all persuasions will really like. (Note: The $29 upgrade price is for Leopard users; if you have an older Mac OS X version, it'll cost you $169 to upgrade.)

Much of Snow Leopard's focus has been internal. For example, Apple has revamped the kernel, included apps, and much of the OS itself to be 64-bit (to allow virtual addressable memory of 16 exabytes and physical addressable memory of more than 32GB). But until apps are rewritten for 64-bit and the new Mac models support that kind of memory, there's little immediate benefit -- ditto for multicore enablement in the Grand Central Dispatch engine. But the revamped QuickTime X and Java engines should result in faster processing of streaming media and Java applets (such as on Web sites).

Putting aside these important but long-term changes, here are Snow Leopard's most immediately beneficial new features and enhancements.

1. ActiveSync and Exchange 2007 support
Following in the footsteps of the iPhone, Snow Leopard makes these Microsoft technologies native to the OS. That means Apple's e-mail, calendar, and contacts apps work just peachy with Exchange 2007 server, giving users the same capabilities as Microsoft Entourage but with the better-designed, less-memory-intensive apps -- Mail, iCal, and Address Book -- included in OS X.

2. Exposé integration in the Dock
The Mac OS X Dock makes it easy to access applications, open documents, and common folders, a concept Windows 7 is stealing in its retooled taskbar. Open documents are even more easily accessed in Snow Leopard, thanks to the integration of Exposé. Now when you click and hold an app icon in the Dock, you get preview windows for each of its open documents, allowing you to switch easily among them or to close them, all without having to clutter your screen with document windows. I never cared much for Exposé in its traditional role (providing hot corners and shortcuts to open application windows), but I love the Dock-integrated Exposé functionality that Snow Leopard adds.

3. Automatic location detection
When you travel, it's easy to get mixed up as to when your appointments are, since your computer is still in your "home" time zone, and you have to mentally calculate the current time when looking at the calendar or clock. Sure, you can change the time zone in the Date & Time system preference, but it's easy to forget. So Snow Leopard changes the time zone for you automatically (if you set that as the default behavior), using Wi-Fi mapping to figure out where you are -- you will need to be connected to a Wi-Fi access point or router. iCal can also be set to adjust the times to the current time zone automatically, so your calendar always reflects the current times.

4. The new Preview is more like Adobe Reader
I have nothing against Adobe Reader, but I love that Preview now can open multiple PDF documents, display their contents as contact sheets, and show thumbnails of pages in a sidebar for easy navigation. In other words, it works a lot like Adobe Reader. That's one fewer app to launch -- and since Preview loads much faster than Reader, I can get to my PDFs' contents much faster now.

5. Movie and screencast recording
Snow Leopard takes the formerly $35 QuickTime Pro and makes it a standard, free app in Mac OS X. That means you can record movies and -- great for many marketing, education, and Web professionals -- screencasts from your Mac with no additional software.

6. Systemwide automatic text replacement
Automatic text substitution as you type is nothing new; Microsoft Word has had it for more than a decade. But Snow Leopard lets you specify such substitutions via the Keyboard system preference, so you have a common set of substitutions available to all applications. Right now, only TextEdit, Mail, and various Apple apps use this common auto-text service, but if other software developers adopt it, you may finally get all your text-oriented apps to autocorrect the same way.

7. No more gesture segregation
I have a late-2006 model MacBook Pro at home, and it's frustrating that its gesture-capable trackpad supports only the first generation of touch gestures (one- and two-finger moves), not the second-generation three- and four-finger options. Snow Leopard fixes that, so gesture-capable trackpads now support all gestures, no matter what Mac model you have. (Of course, your Mac has to have a gesture-capable trackpad, so models before 2006 aren't helped out by this update.)

Galen Gruman | InfoWorld

How to Know If My Child Is Ready to Start Kindergarten

noreply@blogger.com (notebook-centre.blogspot.com) — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 07:25:00 +0700

It is that time of year that parents and children are starting to think about school. Children will be returning to school shortly, but for some children – our youngest students – it will be a brand new experience – KINDERGARTEN!

Is your child ready to start kindergarten? Here are some considerations to help you decide.

Instructions

Step 1

THINK ABOUT YOUR CHILD’S SOCIAL NEEDS: Does your child play nicely with other children? When you set up play dates, can your child play without hitting or biting? Does your child follow adult oral directions or your rules? Can your child sit for short periods of time (10-15 minutes)? When school starts, your child will be in a classroom with many other children. They will need to have these basic skills in place to successfully function within a classroom setting. Settling into a new setting is important.

Step 2

THINK ABOUT YOUR CHILD’S PERSONAL NEEDS: There are basic self-care skills that each child should be fairly independent at. Can your child blow their nose? Tie their shoes? Put on and zip their coat? Put away toys? Use the bathroom and wash their hands?

Step 3

THINK ABOUT YOUR CHILD’S INTELLECTUAL OR ACADEMIC NEEDS: Children entering kindergarten should be able to perform some basic tasks and have some pre-literacy skills. There are many checklists available online, but as a former kindergarten teacher I would be thrilled if my beginning kindergarteners had the following skills:
a. Listens to and enjoys stories
b. Can recognize and names 10-15 letters, and knows their sounds
c. Speaks in complete sentences
d. Can print their first name
e. Counts to 20 (1,2,3…)
f. Can count 5 objects correctly
g. Knows their colors and shapes
h. Can sort by color, shape and size
i. Understands basic concepts like more, less, same
j. Understands positional words like above, below

Step 4

IF YOU ARE CONCERNED ABOUT YOUR CHILD’S READINESS: If you are worried about your child and whether they are ready for kindergarten, the first step you should take is to talk with your child’s preschool teacher. They have been with your child in a school setting, and can shed a great deal of light into your child’s strengths and weaknesses.

Step 5

If your child is not in preschool, make an appointment with the local elementary school principal. Tell them your concerns. They are absolutely there to help you sort through the situation, and assist you in next steps. It may be a kindergarten screening that is needed; it may be talking with a kindergarten teacher; it may be just spending time with the principal and talking through the problem.

Tips & Warnings

As you can see, kindergarten readiness is a complex issue. You cannot simply look at what your child can do academically – you must look at the whole child – social needs, personal needs as well as their intellectual or academic needs. Gather information, talk to education professionals, and then make the decision about school readiness. You, after all, are your child's first and most important teacher!

plannerpatty | ehow

Obama Injects Himself Into Health Talks, Despite Risks

noreply@blogger.com (notebook-centre.blogspot.com) — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 11:01:00 +0700

WASHINGTON — In pursuing his proposed overhaul of the health care system, President Obama has consistently presented himself as aloof from the legislative fray, merely offering broad principles. Prominent among them is the creation of a strong, government-run insurance plan to compete with private insurers and press for lower costs.

Behind the scenes, however, Mr. Obama and his advisers have been quite active, sometimes negotiating deals with a degree of cold-eyed political realism potentially at odds with the president’s rhetoric.

Last month, for example, hospital officials were poised to appear at the White House to announce a deal limiting their industry’s share of the costs of the overhaul proposal when a wave of jitters swept through the group. Senator Max Baucus, the Finance Committee chairman and a party to the deal, had abruptly pulled out of the event. Was he backing away from his end of the deal?

Not to worry, Jim Messina, deputy White House chief of staff, told the lobbyists, according to White House officials and lobbyists briefed on the call. The White House was standing behind the deal, Mr. Messina said, capping the industry’s costs at a maximum of $155 billion over 10 years in trade for its political support.

Some Democrats and industry lobbyists now argue that, in negotiating deals through Mr. Baucus’s panel with powerful health care interests, the White House was tacitly signaling as early as last spring that it might end up accepting something more modest than the government insurer the president has said he prefers.

The Finance Committee, for example, appears to be coalescing around the idea of nonprofit insurance cooperatives instead of a government-run plan. It is a proposal the health care industry prefers, but many liberal Democrats oppose, in both cases because cooperatives are likely to have less leverage over health care prices.

Rahm Emanuel, the White House chief of staff, disputed that the administration had elevated the work of the Senate finance panel above the four other committees that have all approved strong government insurers.

“They are an important committee,” Mr. Emanuel said. “They have a bipartisan process. The president would like that to work, just as he is proud that the other committees have done their work. They don’t get an exalted status over everybody else.”

But he also acknowledged the political realities that have made the Finance Committee’s still-unfinished cooperative plan a center of attention. “We have heard from both chambers that the House sees a public plan as essential for the final product, and the Senate believes it cannot pass it as constructed and a co-op is what they can do,” he said. “We are cognizant of that fact.”

Asked whether the president would accept the weaker co-op, Mr. Emanuel declined to comment. “I am not going to fast-forward the process,” he said.

Industry lobbyists and moderate Democrats in both chambers, though, argue that the White House’s actions behind the scenes show a recognition that the finance panel’s anticipated compromise is the most likely template for any final legislation.

“The House has largely been a sideshow,” said Representative Jim Cooper of Tennessee, a member of the so-called Blue Dog caucus of conservative Democrats. “The Senate Finance Committee is where it really matters. That’s the bottleneck.”

Members and staff of the four other committees say the White House has largely stayed on the sidelines. “They have been — what is a good way to put it? — available for consultation,” Mr. Cooper said.

Mr. Obama and his top aides have immersed themselves in the Senate Finance Committee process. The president talks to Mr. Baucus several times a week, people briefed on their conversations say. Mr. Obama has also held a few calls with the panel’s ranking Republican, Senator Charles E. Grassley of Iowa.

In addition, Mr. Obama invited both senators to a private lunch at the White House early in the summer and met with six panel members for another White House session last week. White House advisers have held long evening and weekend meetings with Finance Committee staff members.

Nancy-Ann DeParle, charged with leading the White House health effort, has a standing biweekly meeting with Mr. Baucus, while Peter R. Orszag, the White House budget director, has spent so much time in the senator’s office that he helps himself to the Coke Zeros tucked away in Mr. Baucus’s personal refrigerator.

Lobbyists for the drug and hospital industries say that, as early as June, White House officials directed them to work out cost-saving deals with Mr. Baucus’s committee. Drug industry lobbyists said they negotiated a deal to contribute $80 billion over 10 years toward the cost of an overhaul with Mr. Baucus, under White House supervision, before taking it to the president for final approval. House lawmakers have said they were caught by surprise when it was announced.

Hospital industry lobbyists, speaking on the condition of anonymity for fear of alienating the White House, say they negotiated their $155 billion in concessions with Mr. Baucus and the administration in tandem. House staff members were present, including for at least one White House meeting, but their role was peripheral, the lobbyists said.

Several hospital lobbyists involved in the White House deals said it was understood as a condition of their support that the final legislation would not include a government-run health plan paying Medicare rates — generally 80 percent of private sector rates — or controlled by the secretary of health and human services.

“We have an agreement with the White House that I’m very confident will be seen all the way through conference,” a lobbyist, Chip Kahn, director of the Federation of American Hospitals, told a Capitol Hill newsletter.

Mr. Emanuel and liberal Democrats argued that the White House had worked more closely with the Senate Finance Committee because it was stepping in to break up legislative logjams. In the same way, they said, Mr. Obama and Mr. Emanuel had personally interceded to resolve a last-minute revolt by conservative House Democrats that threatened to derail a bill in the energy and commerce panel in July.

Representative Henry A. Waxman, the California Democrat who is chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee, said Mr. Obama had assured House members that he did not intend to let the Senate Finance Committee determine the final bill.

“This is going to be a genuine conference with give and take,” Mr. Waxman said. He added: “The president has said he wants a public option to keep everybody honest. He hasn’t said he wants a co-op as a public option.”

Still, industry lobbyists say they are not worried. “We trust the White House,” Mr. Kahn said. “We are confident that the Senate Finance Committee will produce a bill we fully can endorse.”

DAVID D. KIRKPATRICK | nytimes

Cisco and Warner Music extend Web partnership

noreply@blogger.com (notebook-centre.blogspot.com) — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 10:53:00 +0700

Warner Music Group announced Wednesday that it has expanded its partnership with Cisco Systems, using the tech giant's software platform to power more Web sites for its artists.

Warner Music is the first and only company that has said it is using Cisco's Eos social media software platform. Cisco announced the platform and hosted service in January.

The service, called Eos, allows media and entertainment companies to create, manage, and grow online communities. Through Eos, Cisco has compiled technology tools and slapped on an easy-to-use interface to make building and customizing Web sites easy. But most importantly, it's bundled into the software technology that will allow media companies to build interactive Web sites so that fans can connect with musicians, TV shows, movies, or whatever brands they want to promote.

Initially, Warner Music Group used the platform to develop Web sites for two artists, Laura Izibor and reggae singer Sean Paul. On Wednesday, it announced it has expanded that relationship to include sites for other artists, such as Paramore, R&B singer Trey Songz, rock band Halestorm, and a redesigned site for Sean Paul. By the end of the year, Warner Music Group has committed to creating 12 additional artist Web sites using Eos, including sites for "American Idol" alum Jason Castro, R&B singer Estelle, and hip-hop artist Lupe Fiasco.

With Eos, Cisco has essentially created a template for building and designing Web sites. Michael Nash, executive vice president of digital strategy and business development for Warner Music, said that Eos allows the company to develop a Web site five times faster than it could on another platform. And a strong online presence is something that Warner Music executives hope will lead to new revenue streams for its artists' content.

Edgar Bronfman, chief executive at Warner Music, noted the importance of using the Web to reach out to fans and music consumers.

"We clearly see the entertainment industry in a phase of tremendous transition," Bronfman said during a press conference Wednesday.

Cisco CEO John Chambers said that he believes Cisco's Eos platform could "change the music industry forever."

"When you look back five years from now, you'll see that what Warner Music is doing will change the industry, and others will follow in its footsteps," he said.

But Eos is more than just a platform for creating new Web sites. The software also allows media companies, such as Warner Media, to collect and analyze data about their users. For example, data can be used to identify "influencers," or people within the fan community who generate comments or traffic on the site. Data about these types of individuals could be culled to develop new features. Or data could be collected about certain users' behaviors to create more tailored content or marketing opportunities.

"We are still in the early stage of figuring out how to use this data," Dan Scheinman, the Cisco executive behind Eos, said in a phone interview after the press conference. "And much of what can be done with the data will be based on Warner's privacy policies."

Nash emphasized that the company is committed to protecting individual fans' privacy, but he noted the usefulness of this data for improving the site and finding new ways to monetize content.

Bronfman said that using other social-networking sites along with new, rich fan sites could help breathe new life into the industry, which has been hit hard by declining CD sales and piracy. And he sees the platform creating a vehicle for new business models. For example, he noted that the rock band Paramore has been offering a special box set on its Web site that has outsold the band's regular album 13 to 1. He said that other revenue streams could be added as well, such as backstage tickets or presale tickets that allow fans to come to rehearsals. Ultimately, he said it will be up to each band to decide how they use their site.

For Cisco, the move into providing a managed service for creating and maintaining Web sites is a huge leap from its traditional business of building routers and switches to shuttle packets around the Internet. Some critics of the company believe that Cisco, which is also diversifying into other areas such as consumer electronics, is spreading itself too thin. And a new corporate structure of creating development councils to create and usher in new businesses has been met with criticism from some journalists and bloggers who question whether all this collaboration is really effective.

But Scheinman said that the new corporate structure has allowed his division of 60 individuals to develop and grow much like a start-up.

"Sure some people are saying, 'Where's the revenue?'" he said. "But I think there is an understanding from John (Chambers) and others in the council that this has the potential to be big. And I think the new structure has created a place where people can work together and collaborate. Our core business is building networks, and this corporate structure allows us to tie everything together into something that realizes a much bigger vision."

Chambers himself said during the press conference that the music industry is valued at $1.3 trillion. Exactly how much of that money can end up in Cisco's coffers is unknown, but he believes the Eos platform could help grow the market, ultimately creating more opportunity for Cisco. And the more content that is shuttling across the Internet as people download and listen to music or check fan pages, the better things are for Cisco because all that traffic ultimately creates a need for more of Cisco's core products.

Marguerite Reardon | news.cne

Crazy Britney Spears Being Lured as Ratings Bait Again?

noreply@blogger.com (notebook-centre.blogspot.com) — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 10:26:00 +0700

It’s that time of the year again — last week nominations were released for MTV’s star-studded and notoriously controversial Video Music Awards. But who should score a whooping seven nods, including the top category for Video of the Year? Britney Spears, y’all.

The songstress will be up against 2009’s hottest acts, Beyonce and Lady Gaga for the coveted prize, prompting numerous industry insiders to question if she really deserved such a slew of nominations for her one and only music video this year, Womanizer, in which she suggestively caresses her seemingly naked body, photocopies her bottom after stomping around a corporate office in a black wig and gets raunchy in the back of a car in her secret-service inspired get-up.

"We were surprised she got so many nominations because she has been 'lip synching' and while she is talented, the terrain has changed so this may be sympathy nominations because she is getting well," said a key industry insider. "Every network is hurting for eyeballs. Britney always draws an audience."

But let’s not forget that it was because of the troubled Tinseltowner’s sedated-like opening performance in 2007 that the VMAs surged into a whole new ratings stratosphere.

"When I first saw it I started to panic," an MTV advertising executive told Tarts at the time. "But I soon realized that this was great, it was obviously going to get a lot of attention around the world."

Last year, Brit was ratings-gold for the VMAs (viewership was up 41 percent from two years prior) thanks to her over hyped ‘comeback’ - although this time she didn’t have to sing and dance, she just had to gratuitously accept three moonmen for her musical abilities. Interestingly, those three VMAs were the first Spears had ever won although she had previously received 16 nominations. Her 1999 debut album "Baby One More Time" remains the highest-selling album by a female pop artist of all time but even then she only scored three nominations.

So does Brit really now deserve seven nods or is MTV trying to not-so-subtly steer Spears back to the stage, for better or for worse?

Her former music producer and good friend, the Grammy winning Dallas Austin, even admitted she was quite "a singer."

"Britney is very normal, very average. She's fun, she likes to play games, it's sad because Hollywood makes you into a person that you don't want to be," Austin told us. "She can sing, but it's different than being a singer and a person who can sing. The average person can sing pretty much, you can sing along to it in the car and you'll probably be in the same pitch. But then there's people who can't sing, and they're tone deaf and they can't hear the pitch that the song is in. That's a different story. Britney Spears, Janet Jackson, Aaliyah - there are a lot of people with really great tones that aren't going to sing like Celine Dion or Whitney Houston."

Spears rep did not respond for comment and it remains unclear as to whether Spears will present or perform at the uber-hyped awards show, which will take place in New York City on September 13.

While things are obviously looking pretty positive for the pop princess on a professional front, it seems she could be going through some personal problems yet again. Britney has been back to a bit of her bizarre behavior over the last week — wigging out, wearing too tight dresses and hanging out with fellow "reformed" rehabber Lindsay Lohan. Let’s hope it is all in the name of post-tour recuperation!

Hollywood Foreign Press Luncheon Cursed With Another Car Accident

Chris Pine, Emmy Rossum, Jordana Brewster, Rose McGowan and (coincidentally, Marilyn Manson’s other ex ) Evan Rachel Wood were walking the red carpet outside the Beverly Hills Hotel before heading into the Hollywood Foreign Press Annual Installation Luncheon on Tuesday, however all eyes were actually on something slightly more sinister.

Just as one of the guests, believed to be an HBO publicist, stopped in the valet line and was stepping out of the car her vehicle was hit from behind (generating quite the smack!) and she tumbled to the ground. Drama ensued as several people panicked and rushed over to help but thankfully the female attendee came out seemingly unscathed.

But could the annual luncheon, in which $1,249,000 was donated to 29 film schools and nonprofit organizations to foster emerging filmmakers and education, have a car curse? Last year John C. Reilly failed to show as he was involved in a fender bender en route to the star-studded event.

However the belle of the ball was the super slender Emmy Rossum, who was obviously so concerned with being quizzed about the recent rumors she is splitting from her secret husband Justin Siegal that she had two reps walk her down and warn everyone not to approach the controversial topic. However we did spot Rossum making a hasty exit from the auditorium pretty early.

"It’s freezing, one degree in here," she told us with a laugh. "But all these people don’t feel it because they are wasted!"

One person who was trying to avoid being lumped into that category was Warren Beatty.

"I always behave badly at these things and I’m trying to control myself so I wrote some things down," he said. "To keep myself from saying the things I’m tempted to say …"

Pop Tarts Scene & Herd

Cindy Crawford, Rande Gerber, Sting and Trudie Styler sipping new Neuro drinks while together on vacation in St. Tropez, France last Thursday.

Samaire Armstrong at the Gavert Atelier Salon in Beverly Hills on Thursday, dying her blonde locks chocolate brown.

Bridget Marquardt picking up a "Guardian Angel" necklace from Energy Muse Jewelry at Melanie Segal's Teen Choice Awards gift lounge at Hollywood's Magic Castle on Friday.

Ashlee Greene (who has just been caught up in yet another nude photo scandal) picking up goodies at the Pastry by Angela and Vanessa Simmons booth at the 102.7 KIIS-FM gifting louge at the W Hotel in Westwood on Friday morning.

Jesse McCartney relaxing on the roof deck with a Agave Lemonade SoBe Lifewater and inquiring about renting the venue at the final SoBe Lifewater Summer Fridays event which was the Stephan Weiss Studios in NY. Cassie also got a pedicure before jumping onstage during the MJ tribute.

Lindsay Lohan at the Music Lounge at the Hard Rock Hotel Chicago during Lollapalooz on Friday, dancing backstage to The Virgins with her little sister Ali and on again girlfriend Sam Ronson’s sister Annabelle Dexter-Jones.

Leighton Meester and beau Sebastian Stan enjoying a daytime "brunch-fest" at Day & Night　Restaurant Beach Club in Southampton on Saturday where they sipped from several bottles of Bertaud Belieu Rose Champagne with a group friends in a private poolside cabana. The couple later hit up Philippe Chow’s Lily Pond restaurant for the after party of Gotham/Hampton magazine’s screening of Kutcher’s film Spread.

Jon Voight, Brett Ratner, Simon Cowell, Randy Jackson, James Van Der Beek, Scott Baio and the newly separated Shannon Elisabeth and Derek Hough partying up a storm and listening to the live sounds of Three 6 Mafia at Hugh Hefner's Annual "Midsummer Night's Dream" at the iconic mansion on Saturday night.

Designer Betsey Johnson dining with her family on Saturday night at Matto in East Hampton.

Down the road at Nick & Toni's, Mary J. Blige enjoyed dinner and bottles of French red wine with record executive L.A. Reid and his wife.

Former Cheetah Girl Adrienne Bailon relaxing in a private cabana The Pools at The Water Club at Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa in Atlantic City on Saturday with her girlfriends before enjoying some alone time at Immersion Spa. The songstress then used her Borgata Nightlife Rewards for a shopping spree at Fixation and Just Cavalli at The Water Club on her way to FORNELLETTO Cucina & Wine Bar before partying at mur.mur nightclub where DJ Chachi performed a special set for the guest of honor including her new single "Only You." A reality show following Adrienne’s new single life in New York City will air this fall on MTV.

John Mayer and Rob Dyrdek drinking Belvedere and Corzo the VIP table at Hollywood hotspot MyHouse on Saturday before escorting their ladies to the car at the end of the night.

Britney Spears picking up Office Depot backpacks for her sons at the Bop It Celebrity Retreat produced by Backstage Creations, backstage at the Teen Choice Awards on Sunday. Meanwhile Robert Pattinson, Hayden Panettiere, Ed Westwick and Abigail Breslin were spotted noshing on Sprinkles cupcakes.

Rob Lowe talking about a "huge twist" in the new season of "Brother's and Sisters" as he showed off his golf skills at the Bernie Brillstein Golf Classic benefiting Barlow Respiratory Hospital (Brillstein was Lowe's longtime manager) in Tarzana, Calif. on Monday.

Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie sitting together all evening sipping cocktails and making lovey eyes at West Hollywood's Mondrian Hotel on Monday for the "Inglorious Basterds" premiere after party.

Meanwhile Joshua Jackson kept a low profile next to his leading lady Diane Kruger as he let her steal the spotlight.

Eva Longoria-Parker dashing into the Beverly Hills Hotel after running significantly late for the Hollywood Foreign Press luncheon on Tuesday.

By Hollie McKay