Next Best Thing

Top Music To Inspire Your Designs

2010-07-27T16:26:00.001+05:30

Like many of you I listen to music while I design. These are some of the top tracks that really get my creative juices flowing. I’d like to know your thoughts on listening to music while you create. Is it a good thing or a bad thing? Does it help inspire you or is it just an annoyance or distraction?

If you like to rock out to music while designing like I do, let me know what music inspires you in the comments. This is just a little taste of my music library and I may post a few more in the future, who knows. Enjoy!

Scorpians – Rock you like a hurricaine

Tangerine Dream – Love On A Real Train

Like A Dog Chasing Cars from “OST Dark Knight”

The Bloody Beetroots – Butter

Viva La Vida – Coldplay

Dont Stop Believing – Journey

All The Wine – The National

Ride The Lightening – Metallica

Yellow Submarine – The Beatles

Walking on a Dream – Empire of the Sun

Last Man Standing – People in Planes

A Perfect Lie – NipTuck

Stronger – Kanye West

Window Licker – Aphex Twin

This Years Love – David Gray

Everybody Must Get Stoned – Bob Dylan

Enter Sandman – Metallica

Reign in Blood – Slayer

Stairway to Heaven – Led Zeppelin

Clubbed to Death – Matrix

The Evolution of Adobe Flash: From 1996 to 2010

2010-07-27T16:17:00.000+05:30

Adobe Flash is arguably the most popular multimedia platform today. Users can watch videos, chat, and play games thanks to the capabilities of the Flash player. Content creators are afforded almost unlimited power due to ActionScript 3′s powerful features.
Flash wasn’t always the rich and advanced platform it is today, however. It started as a vector animation package named FutureSplash Animator in 1996 and 14 years later, it’s going strong, with a desktop, mobile, and server-side presence.

FutureSplash Animator – 1996

The first version of Flash, called FutureSplash Animator, was created by Jon Gay and Charlie Jackson, co-founders of FutureWave software. It was the animation extension of FutureWave’s SmartSketch, a vector drawing application. The first version of FutureSplash Animator was shipped in 1996 and a mere 7 months later, Macromedia bought FutureWave and renamed FutureSplash to simply Flash.

Flash 2 – 1997

Flash 2 wasn’t marked by many new features, but it was the version that a lot of old-school Flash users (including myself) started with. The main addition was the library feature, which allowed users to store, organize, and export their various assets. Flash 2 was already capable of button rollovers, sound effects, and type, so it quickly became the avant-garde tool for illustrators, animators, and nascent web motion graphic artists.

Flash 3 – 1998

Flash 3 came out a year after Flash 2, and brought with it a host of new features. Movieclips were introduced, transparency was added, and the projector format made standalone executables a viable format for Flash animators. Actions made their debut and Flash movies inched ever closer to the incredible interactivity seen today.

Flash 4 – 1999

By the time version 4 came out, Flash was the de facto standard for animation on the web. The fourth version pushed the application into even more advanced territory. The tools were changed, as were their icons. The interface now allowed for users to move between scenes and objects. The new Inspector panels, similar to today’s Info and Transform panels, made control over objects and animation more precise. The Library was redesigned, with folders added, and editing in place now available.
Flash 4 could arguably be called the breakout version of the software, since motion tweening now took center stage, instead of being hidden in cumbersome menus in the past versions. Layer control, such as visibility, locking, and outlining became an integral part of the interface. Flash also started supporting the MP3 sound format, making music players and unwanted soundtracks a routine part of the internet.
Editable text fields were included, as was the Get URL action (with POST and GET variables!). Load Variables and Load Movie were also introduced, creating a fantastic array of possibilities. Flash experiments became very popular as users leveraged the new powerful features to create amazing new applications and demos.

Flash 5 – 2000

Flash 5 ditched the old ’90s look of the application and roared into the new millennium with a host of new features. The Info and Transform palettes finally came into their own, as did a few other newly-floating ex-Inspectors. The shared library made collaboration across several movies trivial. The most important feature of the new release, however, was the introduction of ActionScript. Previously, users built up actions using a dropdown menu. Freedom (and syntax errors) reigned as now users could script anything they wanted. Flash experiments became even more numerous and Flash games took off.

Macromedia Flash MX – 2002

Flash MX was the starting point of a long descent into increasing complexity. Flash became integrated into the MX suite, Creative Suite’s precursor, and it finally made a distinction between designer and developer in the application. UI components were introduced, as was XML. The Free Transform tool was added along with layer folders. The most defining feature of this release was the introduction of video support. Streaming video became commonplace and laid the groundwork for YouTube.

Flash MX 2004 – 2003

More components, ActionScript 2, and Unicode support. Flash MX 2004 marked the emergence of “enterprise” Flash, moving the software further away from its humble origins and towards being the dominant RIA platform.

Flash 8 – 2005

Flash 8 introduced filters and blending modes to simplify special effects for animation. Object drawing was also introduces so Flash would behave more like Illustrator, reducing the learning curve required for its idiosyncratic approach to drawing. End cap control was introduced along with stroke hinting, ensuring the best appearance of straight lines so far in the program’s lineage. The addition of custom easing curves allowed animators to fine-tune the speed of tweens. The Sorensen codec used for video in the past versions was replaced by the On2 VP6 codec and, coincidentally, YouTube went live just three months later.

Flash CS3 – 2007

Newly integrated into the Adobe Creative Suite, Flash CS3 revamped the interface, added better handling of videos, and made skinning components easier. CS3 also introduced motion export which allows users to animate an object and apply the same animation to an entirely different object. The release was marked by comprehensive integration with the rest of the Creative Suite, particularly Photoshop and Flex, and the introduction of ActionScript 3.0.

Flash CS4 – 2008

CS4 added inverse kinematics, another interface overhaul, the Motion Editor, which allowed for granular control over animation properties (similar to a dope sheet in 3D programs), and basic 3D support.

Flash CS5 – 2010

Flash CS5 improved the code editor, the inverse kinematics, added code snippets, and introduced new XML-based file formats, .XFL and .FXG, to simplify source management and reduce the errors associated with the old binary-based file format. CS5 furthered suite integration along by including Flash Catalyst, a new tool designed to make exporting assets from other Creative Suite applications to Flash easy and painless.

The Future

Flash has had an illustrious history, starting as a simple vector package and ending up as a complex, extremely capable, and versatile platform. For some, its transition from pure animation to RIA and games has been overwhelming, but the possibilities Flash allowed countless artists, animators, developers, and designers to explore have more than made up for the complexity along the way. The future of Flash as an animation tool looks uncertain, as SVG, JavaScript, and CSS3 inch ever closer to replacing the need for a special vector animation package. However, it’s one of the best choices today for RIA and game development and looks to remain that way for years to come.

Adobe Flash Pro CS5 Student & Teacher Edition
Adobe Flash CS4 Professional Classroom in a Book

10+ Email Anti Spam Gateway Websites

2010-07-27T16:12:00.001+05:30

Virus/Spam is the very common problem in the internet world. Whenever opening a new mail from a new address we all feel scared if it has spam or not. I hope we all have encountered email spam attack. To protect our emails there are many Anti Spam Gateway Available. In this article I will feature some of those popular and successful products.

SpamTitan

Sophos

SPAMfighter

MS Exchange Anti-Spam Gateway

SpamExperts

Clearswift

MailSite Anti Spam

SonicWALL®

Astaro Security Gateway

Sendmail Sentrion Gateway Appliance Anti-Spam

Review Of Nokia N900

2010-07-27T00:21:00.001+05:30

The packaging from the Nokia N900 is comparable to that in the Nokia N97. The matte black packaging shows the new Nokia smartphone, cloqué like. There aren't any additional photos in addition to the kind name. Upon opening, we discover the Nokia N900 straight away. Furthermore, numerous various common accessories are incorporated, like a headset, a information cable, a charger, a video-out cable and also the manuals.

While using implementation in the Nokia N900 Maemo Five, the menu framework is entirely new, meaning it takes time to get used to. Following startup, there are numerous of home screens to the user to scroll by way of. Widgets, average shortcuts or contacts could be extra to a home display. This framework is observed on a number of mobile or portable phones nowadays and is really convenient. It enables you to create your own user environment, containing every thing which is essential to you, in an easy way.

Mobile running systems play an increasingly more essential role when selecting a new portable phone. In addition to the style as well as the speed, many of its functionalities strongly depend about the phone's running method. Particularly because the introduction of the Apple iPhone, it has become essentially impossible to complete without easy to install job applications when personalizing a mobile or portable telephone. With the arrival of Google Android, which has quickly grow to be a regular inside mobile or portable telephony, and which is now used by numerous smartphone manufacturers, the competition has also increased. Nokia usually uses the Symbian OS for high-end portable phones. Symbian allows installing applications, as well as managing your agenda and email account is easy and straightforward. Apart from Symbian, Nokia also utilizes a more developed Open up Supply working system, the Linux-based Maemo. The Nokia N900 could be the initial telephone to utilize this running system, where it's called Maemo Five. This can be a entirely new encounter to the user.

The Maemo 5 menu of the Nokia N900 consists of 15 icons. Thanks towards the numerous layers, it's graphically extremely neatly organized. Particularly using the clear overview in the wide open plans, the use is very similar to utilizing a desktop PC. Also, all of the settings are nicely grouped together. And again, it requires time to get used to, although playing with it for a while will show you the way pretty quickly. Obviously, it has been extremely well thought-through.<

Upon opening the Internet browser in the main menu, you'll access a good listing of bookmarks. These are accompanied by a screenshot. At the end, the address bar is observed to insert characters using the keyboard. The Internet browser is easily, all pages are displayed correctly. Even flash internet sites are well-rendered on the Nokia N900. Connecting to Wi-Fi happens smoothly, the same as searching for obtainable networks. As well as the Wi-Fi connection, also a fast HSDPA connection is enabled. E-mail is simple to set up, right after choosing a country, a big listing of ISPs seems, that are set up by default. It is then simply a matter of entering the login data. In addition to this installation assistance, the Nokia N900 also supports Exchange. Thanks for the full QWERTY keyboard, you'll be able to sort longer messages without a issue.

The Nokia N900 features an integrated digital camera with Carl Zeiss lens and a resolution of 5. megapixels. The camera practical application begins automatically the moment the lens include opens. The practical application starts up really swiftly, to ensure that you can rapidly capture that one moment. In case the lens cover is already wide open but the practical application is deactivated, you can also activate it through the shutter release button or by picking 'camera' in the menu. Right after start-up, two black bars look on each sides alongside the viewfinder. The proper bar contains the icons to the settings.

The bar alongside the viewfinder offers admittance towards the adjustments. There are four icons which represent the recording mode, the flash, the settings and also the captured pictures; therefore enabling effortless adjustment of the shooting mode and flash settings.

Boeing Tour Is Must-See While In The Seattle Area

2010-07-27T00:01:00.000+05:30

The Boeing 787 Dreamliner has captured the imagination of frequent fliers and aviation enthusiasts around the world and the internet is alive with videos showing the first test flights of this new ultra-efficient airliner.

If you're one of those who is fascinated by the development of this aircraft and the history of the Boeing Commercial Airplane Company, a visit to the Seattle metropolitan area simply has to include a visit to the Future of Flight, the company's public tour offered in Mukilteo, just a half-hour drive north of downtown Seattle.

You'll get an up-close view of the first few Boeing 787's and you'll be able to see step-by-step how Boeing constructs the modern airliners that you board when you take off for exotic destinations around the world. Although aviation buffs will be the most enthralled with the tour, this is one of those activities that the whole family will enjoy. It's educational, fascinating and fun all at the same time.

The Boeing Company has gone to great expense to create a tour center worthy of this historic company. Inside these modern facilities - built in 2005 -- you'll find a 100-seat theater and a restaurant in addition to a couple of stores with Boeing related merchandise - everything from model airplanes to leather bomber jackets. The museum area displays several historic aircraft allowing you to get a true feel for their size and features.

But that's just the beginning. A comfortable upscale motorcoach will take you the short distance to the manufacturing area where you'll be able to walk through the largest building in the world by volume, as recognized by the Guiness Book of World Records. The building was built in the mid-60's as Boeing began work on the 747 jumbo jet and has grown over the years to enclose 472 million cubic feet of space over 98.3 acres. Currently the building is used to assemble the 747, 767, 777 and 787 Dreamliner.

The tour lasts 90 minutes, but the time goes fast as a knowledgeable guide takes you step by step through the construction of an airplane. You'll see how the various parts of the aircraft are pre-positioned on an assembly line and added piece by piece. You'll see the production in various stages because several aircraft are under construction at any given time. Along the way there are helpful displays that explain the amazing process that creates flying machines that are safe and reliable with many redundancies built in to ensure that the failure of no single system will bring the airplane down.

The tours are conducted in English and each tour is 90 minutes. Visitors are asked not to take still or video cameras on the tour, and children must be at least four feet tall. Visitors can't carry babies on the tour. You'll need to leave personal items behind in your car or you can rent a locker in the tour center.

Visitors will need to walk about one-third mile and up 21 steep stairs. The tour is available to handicapped individuals -- you just need to give them advance notice. But there are no restroom facilities available during the tour.

The tour center is open seven days a week from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.mand closed only on Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day and New Year's Day. For reservations and information on tickets phone 1 800-464-1476. Tickets are first-come, first-served, and the tour fills up quickly in summer months.

How To Get Car Financing With Bad Credit Quickly

2010-07-26T23:51:00.000+05:30

Is your credit score challenged but you need a car loan quickly? You can make it happen because thousands of people are approved every day for car financing with bad credit. It they can get a loan there's no reason you can't, even if you're credit is challenged.

One terrific way to begin is to go on the Internet and shop for your loan online. There are a huge amount of car loan websites that you can check out without obligation and they are all only a click away.

There are some things you should have ready when you apply for your car financing with bad credit. Here they are:

You're going to need a recent copy of your credit history because the companies that finance car loans require one. If you don't have one handy you can request one at least two or three weeks before you are going to apply for your loan.

You will want to get your credit report in advance because credit reporting companies make mistakes. You should double check your credit report on a regular basis to see if there are any errors. If there are mistakes they can cause your loan to be delayed or denied. Checking for mistakes is even more important if you are going to apply for a bad credit loan.

You should also decide how much you will probably spend on your car before you begin the application process because you will be required to quote a price. In order to avoid any more bad credit situations in the future make sure that the price is well within your budget.

The loan companies may ask for some of the following documentation when you apply for car financing, so have it ready: your proof of employment including your pay slips, your proof of residence including proof of your billing address, and your proof of income.

Have this information handy and you will be able to speed up the approval of your car financing with bad credit application.

After you have been approved you will want to stretch the amount that you've borrowed as much aas you can. It's really easy to get emotionally attached to the car you want to buy. Keep in mind, though, that there are a ton of choices available and that in this economy the person selling the car, be it an individual or a salesperson, really wants to make the sale. Therefore there is no need to get emotional because it can only work against you.

Even if you believe you desparately need you still shouldn't rush into a purchase. This especially holds true if you are looking at a used car. Remember that in the twenty first century you don't have to buy a used car from your local used car dealer. Just as you can get a loan online, you can find and purchase a high quality used car via the Interntet as well.

And once you've found a car that you like be prepared to negotiate. Never buy it for the asking price because it is usually quite a bit higher than what they expect to get for it. They've built some "wriggle room" into that price.

If you are a good negotiator you may be able to save hundreds, if not thousands of dollars off the original asking price. On line auto lenders that offer car financing with bad credit work hard to get you the lowest cost auto loans, no matter what your credit history or current circumstances are. If you follow these tips you should be able to get a car you love, even with bad credit, at a price you can afford.

Know More About World Cell Phone

2010-07-26T22:45:00.000+05:30

A lot of international traveler should carry some essential items, it is important to carry your passport, credit card, a dictionary of the foreign languages and last but not the least important '“ a world cell phone. A mobile phone that'll work in the countries you visit. With modern day technology, your mobile phone can function in most of the countries in Europe, Asia or Africa in the truly international roaming mode. To be such a significant item in a distant country, it is necessary to know a few facts about these cell phones. There's two main technologies in the world, they are GSM and CDMA.

The GSM denotes Global System of Mobile communication. This technical expertise is used in Europe, Latin America, Europe, Middle East and Latin America. Another standard is CDMA or Code Division Multiple Access. These have less coverage than GSM. CDMA is in use in U.S.A, Canada, Mexico, China, South Korea, Latin America and a few other countries. For those who have a CDMA phone, your choice to work internationally might be relatively restricted. In the GSM system, there are 2 operating frequency bands. One is 900 MHZ and 1800 MHZ. The other is 850 MHZ and 1900 MHZ. Almost all phones today just use Two or tree bands. A phone with all 4 Bands is still rarely used.

Throughout a global tour, you need to stick to certain steps to make the phone a world cell phone. In order to ensure greatest flexibility, you should have a phone that ranges between 900MHZ and 1800MHZ. If you are travelling in U.S.A, you should have a phone operating on 850MHZ and 1900 MHZ band. You'll have to insert a Europe SIM card if you are in Europe. Right after inserting the SIM chip and switching on power, your cell phone will connect to the closest GSM network. Your international cell phone number is labeled on the SIM card. While you are in a nation other than Europe which supports the GSM system, you follow the same procedure and insert an international SIM card for your world mobile phone to become active. The facilities of the world cellphone with internal SIM card are: Text messaging- Available in countries where the service provider has international voice roaming service '“ typically 200 countries. Endless data usage can be acquired with iPhone or smart phone. An unlocked cell phone is compatible with any SIM card, whereas a locked phone is compatible with a SIM card from a particular service provider. A locked phone can be unlocked by your domestic carrier on request. If this is not possible, you can buy an unlocked world cell phone at a low cost.

Small Business Coaching: A Two-Step Marketing Strategy For Clients & Sales

2010-07-26T22:25:00.001+05:30

Many small business owners I've worked with have a bit of a one-track mind when it comes to sales and how to sell a service. Even if you're just now starting home-based business, this is an important strategy for you internalize as well. As a small business coach, one of the things I often have to hammer home with entrepreneurs is that people aren't always ready to buy simply because you're ready to sell. So when you walk into a room where your ideal prospects are, it doesn't necessarily mean you'll get a sale that day. That's the truth and its a reality you have to embrace. So let's talk about the two-step marketing strategy to dramatically increase clients and sales.

Let me first say the #1 thing to remember here is that not everyone is your potential client. So you must first be intimately familiar with who your target market is. If the description of your target market sounds more like "everyone" then you may have some work to do. Once you've nailed the profile of your target market, you can do the 2-step:

Step One: Have prospects make the choice

Wouldn't it be cool if hundreds of people came to your website each month requesting that you give them what you've got? Is that really possible? Sure, it is. Happens in my business every single month. So step one is you ask them if they're interested by offering a taste of who you are and a taste of your expertise for free.

Not everyone who raises their hand to get that free taste is a potential customer, of course. There are people out there who just live on free stuff. But don't let that stop you. You'll find that many who want your freebie indeed convert to clients and customers later on. By contrast, if you never offer an opportunity for visitors to self-select as a potential client, you are losing countless prospects and sales every single month.

So what's your action? Create that free sample of your expertise and offer it on every single page of your website. If you do offline marketing, put that offer on your business card. What's the freebie offer you ask? A free CD, free downloadable audio, free special report, free e-Book. All focused on your area of expertise and the problems you solve for people.

Caution: This free or low-cost offer is not all about you and your qualifications. It's not even something you think is interesting and cool. In fact, it's not about you at all. Whatever you create must be focused on the #1 problem your clients typically want you to solve for them. The thing they're up at night worried about. That's what you focus on when you create that unique free taste of you.

Step Two: Make offers only to those who self-select

When you give away your free stuff, don't assume that someone will naturally take the next step to purchase your product or service. You must tell them what you have available that will help them further. People want to know. If they're interested in your introductory offer, many will want to know how to get more. Be sure to explain that in your freebie.

Now here's the key thing... your follow-up strategy isn't just one email or one call. Studies have shown that most purchases happen only after having seen the offer 7 times or more. Don't be shy. Remind people of how you can help them. Marketing is simply letting people know how you can help and the solutions you offer to their most pressing problems. And you can do that in a very authentic way.

In your follow-up, you share what you have to offer, the results it can help you prospect achieve and how they can get it. You'd be amazed how many business owners forget that last part - show them how to get it. This means you show them where they can buy. You must be confident enough to let people know where they can purchase your products and services if they're interested.

So what's your action here? Review your marketing process - see how many times you actually follow up with an individual who expressed interest in what you do. Check whether you are truly being clear about the problems you solve for them too (vs just talking about your product or service). Also check that you not are stopping short of showing them exactly how to buy.

Change your marketing strategy to include this 2-step and you'll be amazed at how many more interested prospects you can effortlessly attract - who later become clients and customers.

Small Business For Dummies
The Small Business Start-Up Kit: A Step-by-Step Legal Guide

What CSS3 Can Do For You: CSS3 Generators and Other Helpful Tools

2010-07-26T08:33:00.000+05:30

In my last few posts, I have gone over just some of the many things CSS3 can do—this post will explore some useful tools to help you in your journey of learning and manipulating CSS3.

Generators

Generators can be helpful if you need to get a lot done in a hurry. Deadlines come quicker than you think, and generators can really help you out when you are in a pinch. They can also help you with code if you aren’t quite familiar with it yet.

CSS3 Generator

As the name implies, this is a fully automated generator to help you writing your CSS3 code. The CSS3 Generator will show you the code for all CSS3 compatible browsers (when applicable) and for the following functions:

border radius
box shadow
text shadow
RGBA
@font-face
multiple columns
box resize, box sizing and outline

Gradient Generator

Creating the perfect gradient can take a lot of time and effort. I created the sample button below using the Gradient Generator V2.0

As you can see it also created the code for both webkit browsers and FireFox, which are currently the only types of browsers that support gradient CSS3 code.

CSS3 Sandbox

Going a little bit further into gradients, you can use the CSS3 Sandbox tool to create different effects such as linear and radial gradients. You need to be in a gradient supported browser to see the preview box, but the code will generate in a non-supported browser.

Cross Browser Rule Generator

CSS3 please! allows you to, “edit the underlined values in this css file, but don’t worry about making sure the corresponding values match, that’s all done auto magically for you. Whenever you want, you can copy the whole or part of this page and paste it into your own stylesheet.”

Resources

Knowing the names for colors is an important piece of knowledge. Codenique CSS3 Color Names is a great resource to keep on hand for many common colors you should know.

Another great tool to have on hand is the CSS3 Selectors Test. Once this test is running, “it will automatically run a large number of small tests which will determine if your browser is compatible with a large number of CSS selectors. If it is not compatible with a particular selector it is marked as such. You can click on each CSS selector to see the results, including a small example and explanation for each of tests.”

Compatibility

With all the features that CSS3 and HTML5 bring to the table, it can get confusing fast what features are compatible on what browsers. Html5readiness offers you some great help. It has broken down the different features these codes can bring, and what browsers are able to support the code.

Modernizr

This is a Javascript library that, “adds classes to the element which allow you to target specific browser functionality in your stylesheet. You don’t actually need to write any Javascript to use it.”

Modernizr can help you with border-radius along with other CSS3 codes such as RGBa. How it works is that it sends a test of the browser you are viewing in against upcoming features such as border-radius and RBGa. This allows you to have a backup plan for any browsers that don’t support the features you are implementing.

CSS3 watch

The web design community, for the most part likes to share. Someone comes up with a great new way to do something, and many different websites start using it on theirs. CSS3Watch does just that—it keeps an eye out for all CSS3 updates and great designs using CSS3.

The Font Dragger

The Font Dragger is a great tool to utilize when you have written some code and need to test it out. The only catch is you need to be working in FireFox 3.6 to have it work properly. Although this is still a work in progress, this app provides the following:

Custom fonts with @font-face
Gradients
Rounded corners using border-radius
Drop shadows with text-shadow & box-shadow
Attribute and pseudo selectors
Multiple border colours
Box model adjust using box-sizing

Between all of the many features CSS3 now offers and the tools available, it is a very exciting time for web programmers. Implementing tools along with new techniques will set you up for success. Browser compatibility may be something of concern for now—but it shouldn’t stop you from practicing these new skills to help you when the compatibility becomes universal.

CSS3: Visual QuickStart Guide (5th Edition)
Beginning HTML5 and CSS3: Next Generation Web Standards
HTML5 Straight to the Point: Using HTML5 with CSS3 and JavaScript
Learn CSS with w3Schools

How to Build Trust Among Your Blog Readers

2010-07-26T08:29:00.000+05:30

Since everyone and their brother has a blog, you never know who to trust, who to take seriously. Although there are some basic tips as you’ll read about below, one can carefully cultivate a sense of trust with your readers by following a few broad guidelines.These are meant to be pieces of advice to build trust among your readers, not guarantees for success. If you have your own tip for building reader trust, please share it as a comment on this post.

Signs you can trust a blog

There is a history of quality content. This can easily be viewed through archives. A couple weeks of content is a bad sign, a couple years is good. Give people a break if they took a month off at one point, but consider how long they’ve been blogging on the subject.
There isn’t a ton of promotional text and advertising. An over-monetize blog is a sign of desperation or greediness.
You have found something valuable in the content. You’ll know this feeling when you want to bookmark the site.

Solutions: How to build trust among your readers

Speak to them, not at them. Don’t pass judgment or speak as if you’re above them.
Don’t be sneaky. This can look like styling advertisements to look like content or hiding affiliate links in content. Affiliate income can be a huge part of a blog’s success. However, we (and others) announce when we’re using an affiliate link in articles.
Offer a quality service or product. Although the internet lacks a community surrounding it like your neighborhood grocery store, people will talk about your poor service or flawed product. Offer true value to your readers and they will trust your opinion.
Keep everything above-board. When you make a decision that affects how readers view your blog, tell them why you made the decision. Even giving them a false sense of ownership will turn into tangible trust.
Don’t abuse mailing lists. A subscription list is one of the most valuable tools for creating a real, long-term following of readers. If they sign up for one list, don’t copy them to another. If they sign up for weekly updates, don’t send them daily. You get the idea.
Every relationship matters. On the web, it can be easy to discount someone as a spammer. Maybe they don’t come off as a legitimate.
Follow through. When creating series posts such as “Weekly Web Design Inspiration, Part 1″ make sure there is a part 2, 3, 4, etc.
Don’t steal content. Any web browser without rocks for brains knows when you have stolen other people’s content using an automatic re-posting script. This is pathetic and underhanded. You will be punished for this in a later life.
Stay focused. Write about what you know well and don’t pretend to be an expert in everything. People will respect your opinion if they see you have the restraint to focus your blog.
Respond to comments. This makes people feel like there is a real person behind the blog. Plus, it is a great way to add rich content as conversations will ensue.
Accept Pingbacks. It’s only fair.
Make it easy for people to contact you. Websites without contact information are big red flags.
Describe yourself, your intentions with the blog and how you came to be knowledgeable about the subject in a detailed “About” page.

Cloud Computing - 10 Web Operating Systems

2010-07-26T08:24:00.001+05:30

A Web Operating System is a Web platform which allows the user to use a virtual Desktop through a web browser rather than using any particular local operating system. This amazing technology allows a user to access their own virtual desktop from anywhere around the world, without even using a network like with a remote PC. In addition, you are essentially using the Internet to work as a desktop, rather than an actually desktop computer. Wikipedia specifically states that: “Cloud Computing is Internet-based computing, whereby shared resources, software, and information are provided to computers and other devices on demand, like the electricity grid.” Today I have provided some great examples of Cloud Computing, Web Operating Systems for you all to try. Enjoy!

Eye OS

Eyes OS is a disruptive desktop entirely usable from a web browser. It includes an office suite and some collaboration applications, as well as a full framework to develop new web apps as if they were desktop apps. It’s Free and Open Source –so you can host your own system, keeping all your data under your control.

amoebaOS

amoebaOS is an advanced Online Operating System. Log in to your free account and join a cloud computing revolution that begins with great apps like Shutterborg, Exstream and Surf.

myGoya

myGOYA is a free online operating system. Your own personal desktop can be accessed from any Internet PC in the world and includes e-mail, chat, filesharing, calendar and an instant messenger. Manage your contacts from anywhere in the world.

CorneliOS

The CorneliOS Web OS is an easy-to-use, multi-user and cross-browser “Web Desktop Environment”, “Web Operating System” or “Web Office” and comes with a set of cool applications.

Lucid Desktop

Lucid comes with lots of applications. You can browse photos, listen to music, and edit documents. It also comes with an RSS feed reader, some games, a calculator, and a bash-like terminal application. You can install additional third-party applications, which allows you do do even more!

Glide OS

Glide OS 4.0 is a comprehensive Ad-Free cloud computing solution. Glide provides a free suite of rights-based productivity and collaboration applications with 30GBs of storage. Setup and administer up to six family member accounts including child accounts from your Glide settings panel. The Glide OS provides automatic file and application compatibility across devices and operating systems. With Glide OS you also get the Glide Sync App which helps you to synchronize your home and work files.

ICube

Currently it is primarily possible to manage, view and edit your files within the Online Operating System. Moreover you can use a comprehensive groupware suite to manage your e-mails, contacts and tasks. It is also possible to develop your own application and to share your experiences with other OOS users. The set of available applications is continuously extended, which means that it might be best if you take a look at the currently available functionality at www.oos.cc yourself.

Startforce

With Startforce, you can run Windows apps such as MS Office, Adobe Acrobat and Quickbooks. You can also stitch in web apps such as Salesforce.com, Google or your company’s intranet web apps.

Zimdesk

ZimdeskOS is your computer on the web – the entire functionality of a PC – online. There is nothing to install. A web browser and internet connection are all you need to access your desktop, files and favourite applications. You can access your data anytime from anywhere, from any PC.

Kohive

Kohive is an online desktop where you can easily collaborate with others. It’s perfect for freelancers, small businesses, students and groups with similar interests.

Cloud Computing Explained: Implementation Handbook for Enterprises
Cloud Application Architectures: Building Applications and Infrastructure in the Cloud (Theory in Practice (O'Reilly))
Cloud Computing For Dummies

Repair Missing Registry Keys - Tips

2010-07-25T16:44:00.000+05:30

The Windows registry in your computer is a support system for the operating system and many applications. It exists at a level even more fundamental than that of the operating system, storing important settings for low-level operating system components, as well as those of the kernel, device drivers, and third party applications.

If you were to look at your computer in very general terms as being composed of different layers arranged in a hierarchy of dependence, one viable (and admittedly grossly over-simplified) model of your computer would be the following. Items are list from most basic to most complex level of organization:

1. Physical Hardware

2. Electrical Power System

3. Windows Registry

4. Hardware Drivers

5. Operating System

6. Individual Applications/Software Programs

This arrangement can be seen a hierarchy because each item is dependent the level below it for its proper operation. As you can see, your operating system, hardware drivers and software applications all require that the Windows registry to operate properly.

How it is Structured:

The registry actually consists of two main components: keys and values. The keys are vessels while the values are the vessels' contents. Another analogy: the keys are like folders and the values are like files stored in those folders. Keys are named using a naming convention very similar to that of Windows folders you would see in the Windows Explorer application, with sub-keys under each key. This is how the registry is arranged hierarchically.

Common Problems with the Registry:

Over time, some or many of the individual registry keys can become damaged. Common causes include manual editing, malware (viruses, Trojans, adware, etc.), and frequent, normal computer use over time.

Certain Windows utilities allow people to manually edit the registry. However, errors can occur easily during the editing process and can cause serious problems with computer operation.

If you frequently download and install applications from the Internet, any one of them could contain malware which can hurt the system registry by changing settings.

Finally, mere frequent use of your computer over time can result in registry errors. Reason: every time you save or delete a file or make changes to user settings, you are causing information to be written to, read and deleted from your registry. Even computers make mistakes, and over time there can develop big holes in your registry which lead to errors.

Symptoms of Registry Errors:

Symptoms of registry errors can include any number of computer performance issues, including the inability to open certain applications, erratic behavior, and very slow startup and shutdown times.

The Need to Repair Missing Registry Keys:

Of course, for anyone with some level of computer literacy and competence, it is tempting to want to correct registry errors oneself. As mentioned above, the editing of registry keys for the purposes of repair is entirely possible. However, manual editing can actually cause more problems than it solves. Moreover, to even begin editing a registry, you first would need to know where the errors are and how to spot them. This can take even an expert some time to learn.

The best way to repair missing registry keys is to use a registry cleaner-type software. These programs are run quickly and easily and are designed for the sole purposes of finding and fixing computer registries. This is by far the safest way to repair missing keys.

Microsoft Windows Registry Guide (Pro One Offs)

Mastering Windows XP Registry

Windows XP Hacks, Second Edition

Windows 7 Secrets

New England Patriots Tickets And Seating Chart

2010-07-25T16:39:00.000+05:30

They've been the world champions not once or twice but three times. You don't have to go back to November 16, 1959 when the first professional football team was created in New England to have a glimpse into the history of this team that has withstood the test of time and circumstance to come out on top as winners time and time again. The New England Patriots became the eight franchise in the American Football League and in less than a week had already selected their first draft choice, Gerhardt Schwedes.

Since that time, the New England Patriots have appeared in the Super Bowl six separate times. February 1, 2004 and the Patriots take home the Super Bowl XXXVII championship with a win against the Carolina Panthers 32-29. February 6, 2005 in Jacksonville, Florida, the Patriots stepped to the gridiron and defeated the Eagles 24-21. On February 8, 2008, the New England Patriots participated in Super Bowl XLII. It was a close game against the New York Giants at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale but not a competition the Patriots would win. The Patriots also appeared in Super Bowl XX, XXXI and XXXVI.

The recent news of former Patriots running back Mosi Tatupu's passing at has deeply saddened players, coaches, staff and fans. The news comes at the same time that many of the draft prospects will be working out for the NFL Scouting Combine. And no team is complete without beautiful cheerleaders along the sidelines and with more than 300 interested women at the tryouts recently, fans are sure to some pretty faces and talented cheering routines when the new season starts this year. Also of interest in recent Patriots news is the naming of the 2010 franchise player Vince Wilfork as negotiations proceed in the hopes of a long term agreement.

Gillette Stadium welcomes patrons from around the world to come and experience the one of a kind enjoyment that is associated with being inside the venue. The general seating capacity is 68,756. This doesn't include clubhouse seating, which is 6,600 and suite seating, which is 2,756. Perhaps the first thing that will catch your eye is the landmark 12-story high lighthouse that is situated on top of the Bank of America entrance to Gillette Stadium. The seating layout is comprised of three levels with the 100 level consisting of 38 rows of seating that is comfortable and close to the action. On the 200 level, there are 27 additional general rows that offer general seating prices with clubhouse benefits.

There are also 23 clubhouse rows that are sure to please some of the most discriminating patrons who want the luxury of the suite level but not the expense. Then there's the 300 level which has 26 rows which are designed to support virtually any budget, making every game to see the New England Patriots play affordable. The stadium is fitted with seats that are between 19 inches and 21 inches wide, providing comfort for extended sitting or for ease of jumping up and down to cheer when your favorite player scores a touchdown.

There are seven novelty stands on the main concourse, 4 additional stands in the clubhouses and 4 more stands on the upper concourse. The Patriots Pro Shop has thousands of items stocked in a space that's 7,200 square feet with something for everyone who visits and wants to take home a souvenir or collector's item. On the suite level, there are 86 luxury suites that hold from 16 to 32 people each. Two large super suites have a capacity for 70 people, making it possible to create a grand experience for family and friends all in one location at the stadium.

25 Random Things About Health

2010-07-24T05:49:00.000+05:30

In the spirit of those annoying, addictive, you-know-you’re- reading-them-even-though-you- wish-you-weren’t Facebook notes popping up everywhere, Health.com presents its list of 25 random things you might not know about the human body, nutrition and exercise, sex, sickness, and health. Go ahead: Pass it on to your friends.

1. Rinsing your nose with salt water can help keep you healthy and ward off allergy symptoms.

2. Dogs can smell cancer and low blood sugar.

3. People who enter their home through a door near the kitchen tend to eat 15% more than those who use the front door.

4. You’re more likely to have a heart attack on a Monday…or up to three days after you’ve been diagnosed with the flu or a respiratory tract infection.

5. You can’t get a tan from your computer screen. No matter what this website tells you.

6. Obese people spend $485 more on clothing, $828 on extra plane seats, and $36 more on gas each year than their thinner counterparts.

7. Smokers are four times as likely to report feeling unrested after a night’s sleep than nonsmokers, and are 70% more likely to develop hearing loss.

8. Eating fruits and vegetables may help the human body make its own aspirin.

9. A 60-minute nap can improve alertness for up to 10 hours. The most widely accepted record for going without a nap—or any sleep whatsoever—is 264 hours (11 days).

10. Your kitchen sink is dirtier than your bathroom: There are typically more than 500,000 bacteria per square inch in its drain; the faucet, basin, and sponge are crawling with germs as well.

11. Four out of five doctors don’t get enough exercise.

12. Strawberries and baking soda can whiten teeth, garlic can help treat athlete’s foot, and honey can soothe a hangover.

13. Using a food diary can double a person’s weight-loss efforts.

14. Regular exercise can lower a woman’s cancer risk—but only if she’s getting enough sleep.

15. Watching yourself run in a mirror can make a treadmill workout go by faster and feel easier.

16. Third-hand smoke—the particles that cling to smokers’ hair and clothing and linger in a room long after they’ve left—is a cancer risk to young children (and pets).

17. Walking against the wind, in the water, or while wearing a backpack burns about 50 more calories per hour than walking with no resistance. People who wear pedometers also tend to burn more calories and lose more weight.

18. Trained sexologists can infer a woman’s orgasm history by observing the way she walks. In other research news, men find women who wear red sexier than those who wear “cool” colors such as blue and green.

19. Foreign Accent Syndrome, Exploding Head Syndrome, and Alice in Wonderland Syndrome are all real (but very rare) medical conditions.

20. Vitamins don’t seem to help guard against cancer or heart disease.

21. Some men experience pain, headaches, or sneezing as a result of ejaculation.

22. Germ-killing wipes can spread bacteria from one spot to another if you reuse them.

23. Almonds, avocados, and arugula lettuce can boost your sex drive and improve fertility.

24. The newest and most expensive drugs on the market may not be the best or the safest.

25. Facebook may be good for your health: Studies show that staying in touch with family and friends can ward off memory loss and help you live longer.

The Usability of Passwords

2010-07-24T05:43:00.000+05:30

Security companies and IT people constantly tells us that we should use complex and difficult passwords. This is bad advice, because you can actually make usable, easy to remember and highly secure passwords. In fact, usable passwords are often far better than complex ones.
So let's dive into the world of passwords, and look at what makes a password secure in practical terms.

How to hack a password

The work involved in hacking passwords is very simple. There are 5 proven ways to do so:

Asking: Amazingly the most common way to gain access to someone's password is simply to ask for it (often in relation with something else). People often tell their passwords to colleagues, friends and family. Having a complex password policy isn't going to change this.
Guessing: This is the second most common method to access a person's account. It turns out that most people choose a password that is easy to remember, and the easiest ones are those that are related to you as a person. Passwords like: your last name, your wife's name, the name of your cat, the date of birth, your favorite flower etc. are all pretty common. This problem can only be solved by choosing a password with no relation to you as a person.
Brute force attack: Very simple to do. A hacker simply attempts to sign-in using different passwords one at the time. If you password is "sun", he will attempt to sign-in using "aaa, aab, aac, aad ... sul, sum, sun (MATCH)". The only thing that stops a brute force attack is higher complexity and longer passwords (which is why IT people want you to use just that).
Common word attacks: A simple form of brute-force attacks, where the hacker attempt to sign-in using a list of common words. Instead of trying different combination of letters, the hacker tries different words e.g. "sum, summer, summit, sump, sun (MATCH)".
Dictionary attacks: Same concept as common word attacks - the only difference is that the hacker now uses the full dictionary of words (there are about 500,000 words in the English language).

When is a password secure?

You cannot protect against "asking" and "guessing", but you can protect yourself from the other forms of attacks. A hacker will usually create an automated script or a program that does the work for him. He isn't going to sit around manually trying 500,000 different words to see if one of them is your password.
The measure of security must then be "how many password requests can the automated program make - e.g. per second". The actual number varies, but most web applications would not be capable of handling more than 100 sign-in requests per second.
This means it takes the following time to hack a simple password like "sun":

Brute-force: 3 minutes
Common Word: 3 minutes
Dictionary: 1 hour 20 minutes

Note: "sun" has 17,576 possible character combinations. 3 letters using the lowercase alphabet = 26³

This is of course a highly insecure password, but how much time is enough for a password to be secure?

a password that can be hacked in 1 minute is far too riksy
10 minutes - still far too risky
1 hour - still not good enough
1 day - now we are getting somewhere. The probability that a person will have a program running just to hack your account for an entire day is very little. Still, it is plausible.
1 month - this is something that only a dedicated attacker would do.
1 year - now we are moving from practical risk to theoretical risk. If you are NASA or CIA then it is unacceptable. For the rest of us, well - you do not have that kind of enemies, nor is your company data that interesting.
10 years - Now we are talking purely theoretical.
A lifetime: 100 years - this is really the limit for most people. Who cares about their password being hacked after they have died? Still it is nice to know that you use a password that is "secure for life"

But let's take a full swing at this. Let's look at�"100 year - secure for life". It has good ring to it and it makes us feel safe. There is still the chance that the hacker gets lucky. That he accidently finds the right password after only 15 years instead of 100. It happens.
Let's step that up too and�go for the full high-end security level. I want a password that takes 1,000 years to crack- let's call this "secure forever". That ought to be good enough, right?

Making usable and secure passwords

Now that we have covered the basics, let's look at some real examples, and see just how usable we can make a password, while still being "secure forever".

Note: The examples below are based on 100 password request per second. The result is the approach that is the most effective way to hack that specific password - either being by the use of brute-force, common words or dictionary attacks.

First let's look at the common 6 character password - using different methods:

In this example complexity clearly wins. Using a password with mixed case characters, numbers and symbols is far more secure than anything else. Using a simple word as your password is clearly useless.
Does that mean that the IT-departments and security companies is right? Nope, it just means that a 6 character password isn't going to work. None can remember a password like "J4fS<2", which evidently mean that it will be written on a post-it note.
To make usable passwords we need to look at them differently. First of all what you need is to use words you can remember, something simple and something you can type fast.

Like these:

Using more than one simple word as your password increases you security substantially (from 3 minutes to 2 months). But, by simply using 3 words instead of two, you suddenly got an extremely secure password.
It takes:

1,163,859 years using a brute-force method
2,537 years using a common word attack
39,637,240 years using a dictionary attack

It is 10 times more secure to use "this is fun" as your password, than "J4fS<2".
If you want to be insanely secure; simply choose uncommon words as your password - like:

A usable and secure password is then not a complex one. It is one that you can remember - a simple password using 3+ words.
It is not just about passwords
One thing is to choose a secure and usable password. Another thing is to prevent the hacker from hacking password in the first place.� This is a very simple thing to do.
All you need to do is to prevent automatic hacking scripts from working effectively. What you need to do is this:

Add a time-delay between sign-in attempts. Instead of allowing people to sign-in again and again and again. Add a 5 second delay between each attempt.

It is short enough to not be noticeable (it takes longer than 5 seconds to realize that you have tried a wrong password, and to type in a new one). And, it forces the hacker to only be able make sign-in requests 1 every 5 seconds (instead of 100 times per second).
Add a penalty period if a person has typed a wrong password more than - say - 10 times - of something like 1 hour. Again, this seriously disrupts the hacking script from working effectively.

A hacker can hack the password "alpine fun" in only 2 months if he is able to attack your server 100 times per second. But, with the penalty period and the 5 second delay, the same password can suddenly sustain an attack for 1,889 years.

Remember this the next time you are making web applications or discussing password policies. Passwords can be made both highly secure and user-friendly.

Perfect Password: Selection, Protection, Authentication
Roboform Password Manager & Form Filler

15 Stylish and Creative Mice

2010-07-24T05:31:00.000+05:30

Computer mouse – it’s something with what we encounter every day. And it’s very important that we get pleasure from its use. In this collection we’ve tried to gather the most stylish and interesting in our opinion mice and even a bit of creative concepts. We hope this collection will facilitate your search for the "perfect mouse".

Apple Magic Mouse [ you can buy it here ]
Apple has always been famous for original and beautiful mice. Magic Mouse is undoubtedly the best Apple-mouse for the past few years. In this elegant, but sturdy device implemented innovative multi-touch technology of Apple and applied all the ability of engineers to create solid blocks.

Razer Mamba Mouse [ you can buy it here ]
The main feature of Razer Mamba is wireless gaming technology and a hybrid system with instantaneous switching between wired and wireless modes. With a response time of 1 ms, Razer Mamba is the fastest among the wired and wireless mice. Wireless freedom, the reaction without delay and comfortable ergonomics made Razer Mamba undisputed leader in the gaming mice.

Mus2 by Art. Lebedev Studio
This mouse concept isn’t only controls the cursor on the screen, but looks like one, too. Design studio Art. Lebedev Studio has developed it as wireless optical two-button mouse and assure that despite its unusual shape Mus2 fits well into the hand and doesn’t cause any discomfort.

Microsoft Arc Mouse [ you can buy it here ]
One of the variants of notebook mice is the Microsoft Arc Mouse. Wireless and compact Arc Mouse in addition to everything else has a revolutionary design. Innovation lies in folding construction. When folded, the mouse is very compact, but after bring it on a war footing it takes the form of an arch, which is very positive impact on ergonomics. Innovative product for the young, successful and active buyers.

VAIO Bluetooth Wireless Mouse [ you can buy it here ]
Very stylish mouse from Sony is ideal for notebooks series Sony VAIO. As producer declares its comfortable shape and precision laser combine for ideal navigation. Choice of those who appreciate style.

Razer Boomslang Collector’s Edition [ you can buy it here ]
Another creative mouse from Razer. Each mouse Razer Boomslang CE have an unique number and its own collector card. In the built-in memory saves all user settings – move the mouse on another computer and they will automatically be restored. Corps of Boomslang CE is made of titanium alloy, bright green LEDs light up the scroll wheel and bottom of the manipulator. Symmetrical form allow to work with the mouse by right hand as well as left one.

Evoluent VerticalMouse [ you can buy it here ]
The purpose of a computer mouse Evoluent VerticalMouse 3 is to support your hand in a relaxed handshake position and eliminate arm twisting. You can operate as you used to with ordinary mouse, it just turned sideways – the buttons are operated by the same fingers.

Zero Mouse by Oliver Rosito
Extremely elegant mouse called Zero Mouse was created by designer from Germany Oliver Rosito. As noticed developer this mouse combines art design and lightweight materials.

Eclipse Touchmouse [ you can buy it here ]
Extremely stylish notebook mouse from Eclipse have elegant and sophisticated brushed-aluminum finish. In addition to innovative design this mouse has the unique touchscroll module that grants you the ease of use associated with a traditional horizontally scrolling tilt wheel and combines it with the precision of a notebook track pad.

Hippus HandShoe Mouse [ you can buy it here ]
More and more attention in the production of mice is given to ergonomics. And Hippus HandShoe Mouse is another one evidence of this. A mouse designed in such a way that maximizes your hand komfort while working at the computer. However this unordinary mouse looks quite stylish.

Saitek Obsidian [ you can buy it here ]
Several years ago company Saitek has released a wireless mouse Saitek Obsidian. Its main feature – ordinary scrolling replaced with touch sensitive scroll area. Significantly, the mouse isn’t merely an unusual and stylish accessory, the rest of its characteristics is also fairly high. Despite the year of appearance Saitek Obsidian still has one of the most stylish designs.

Tru:Motion Wireless Mouse [ you can buy it here ]
Company Smartfish Technologies has implemented its next project called Tru:Motion Wireless Mouse. As is clear from the name it’s a computer mouse, but not ordinary, it’s orthopedic mouse. The peculiarity of design is that the upper part of the mouse is mobile, unlike normal mice, using which the arm is in a slightly twisted position. Thus, while using this mouse hand of man will be in a really comfortable position that will help to avoid unnecessary effort and tension in the joints during manipulation.

City Mouse and Village Mouse by d-vision
This strange objects is hard to call "mouse" but it is mouse. Called "City Mouse and Village Mouse" and shaped like an irregular rock, this design claims to map the intuitive movements of the user as input. It uses our knowledge of how to move objects in the real world to move cursor on screen.

Orbita Freestyle Mouse [ you can buy it here ]
Orbita Mouse – is a rotating 3D-mouse, designed for three-dimensional navigation, made by Cyber Sport. The product is not intended for mass use, Orbita Mouse is really very specific. But those who use the programs associated with the three-dimensional modeling, design and other "three-dimensional" applications Orbita Mouse will come in a very, very handy.

WOW-PEN Traveler [ you can buy it here ]
Another vertical and ergonomical solution – mouse WOW-PEN Traveler.

100 Websites You Should Know and Use

2010-07-24T04:34:00.000+05:30

The Web is constantly turning out new and extraordinary services many of us are unfamiliar with. During TED University at this spring's TED2007 in Monterey, Julius Wiedemann, editor in charge at Taschen GmbH, offered an ultra-fast-moving ride through sites in many different areas, from art, design and illustration, to daily news, blogs and curiosity. Now, by popular demand, here's his list of

CURIOSITY & KNOWLEDGE
reuters.com
research.philips.com
readme.cc.png
podtropolis.com
papertoys.com
new7wonders.com
lipsum.com
thomasedison.org
beelinetv.com
useit.com
submarinechannel.com/titlesequences
visual-literacy.org
cartype.com
captology.stanford.edu
bannerblog.com_au
ge.com
curiosityshoppeonline.com
creativecommons.org
lawsofsimplicity.com
gnu.org
digg.com

GRAPHICS, MUSIC & ARTS
yugop.com
vincent-vella.com
uva.co.uk
tutorialblog.org/free-vector-downloads
tate.org.uk
squidfingers.com/patterns
sohodolls.co.uk
radioblogclub.com
photogravure.com
netdiver.net/illustration
mine-control.com
matthewmahon.com
marcelod2.com.br
magwerk.com
kraftwerk.blocmedia.net
headbangers.tv *
grupow.com/circulo
creaturesinmyhead.com
bernhardwolff.com
arturofuentes.com
alennox.net

E-COMMERCE EXPERIENCE
colette.fr
imaginemusicstore.com
canyon.com
coft1.com
heftyrecords.com
ourtype.be
freddyandma.com
nikeid.nike.com
feelthepower.biz
shopcomposition.com
oneill.com
agentprovocateur.com

SEARCHING & FINDING
trendwatching.com
thefwa.com
springwise.com
scirus.com
scholar.google.com
podcasts.yahoo.com
msdewey.com
maps.live.com
chacha.com
books.google.com

ONLINE RESOURCES
infopresse.com/prixboomerang
rjnet.com.br/2velocimetro_php
vixy.net
kuler.adobe.com
wikitravel.org
thinkingwithtype.com
dominiopublico.gov.br
madehow.com
icp.org
howstuffworks.com
dafont.com
dictionary.reference.com
gutenberg.org
nationmaster.com
en.proverbia.net
del.icio.us
touchgraph.com

TOP INTERACTIVE EXPERIENCE CREATORS
2advanced.com
akqa.com
almapbbdo.com.br
artless.gr.jp
bigspaceship.com
d-o-e-s.com
domanistudios.com
eurorscg4d.com
farfar.se
firstbornmultimedia.com
group94.com
heiwa-alpha.co.jp
hi-res.net
lowetesch.com
mecano.ca
northkingdom.com
rga.com
soleilnoir.com
wefail.com

The 19 most complex and dangerous roads in the world

2010-07-24T00:50:00.000+05:30

Sure, it feels fantastic to traverse the vast stretches of the best roads in the world via adrenaline pumping speeds. How about a complicated road, one that twists and turns, or has downright congested traffic, or unforgiving terrain? They might give you a headache, but it sure feels good when you’ve conquered them. Here is the list of the world’s most complicated and dangerous roads. Some of these complicated mountain passes can be dangerous if not negotiated with utmost caution, while others are complicated sets of roads and bridges, erected to ensure a streamlined flow of traffic at busy junctions. Without further ado, we present our top 19 list…

1) Col de Turini, France

photo credits : 1,2
Situated more than 1 mile above sea level, Col de Turini is a mountain pass situated in south of France in the Alps. It’s also part of a 20 miles rally stage of the Monte Carlo Rally of WRC, which combines 34 challenging hairpins and long stretches where cars top 111 mph. It is one of the most exciting roads on Earth. The pass was featured in the very first episode of Top Gear series 10, when the presenters went in search of the greatest driving road in the world. At its highest point, Col de Turini is 1607m high. In the north, the Col de Turini starts with a dazzling series of hairpins. Finally, we end up riding in a gorge, with a wild river on the left, and a steep rock-wall on the right.

2) Stelvio Pass, Italy

Photo credits 1,2
Located in the Eastern Alps in Italy, the Stelvio Pass Road connects the Valtellina with Merano and the upper Adige valley. This mountain road pass is situated at an altitude of around 1.7 miles above sea level. The road is particularly challenging to drive due to the presence of 48 hairpin bends, with the road becoming exceedingly narrow at some points, and some very steep inclines. With a height of 2757 meters, it is the highest paved mountain pass in the Eastern Alps and the second highest in the Alps, after the 2770 m high Col de l’Iseran. While it might not be as dangerous as the other routes, it is certainly breathtaking. The toughest and most spectacular drives are from the Prato side. The mountain pass is one of the best continuous hairpin routes in the world.

3) Leh–Manali Highway, India

Photo credit 1
The Leh-Manali Highway is situated in India and spans over a length of 297 miles among the Himalaya mountain range. It passes through some of the worlds highest mountain passes in the world, with a mean altitude in between 2 to 3 miles above sea level. The road is one of the most complicated and challenging roads in the world, with snow, landslides and terrain making the journey exceedingly difficult for anything other than a capable four wheel drive vehicle. The road was built and is maintained by the Indian Army.

4) The Puxi Viaduct, Shanghai

Photo credit 1
This is one of Shanghai’s busiest and largest interchange that caters to thousands of vehicles every hour. It has five levels of bridges that help connect two of the cities busiest highways, directing vehicles without much fuss.

5) The Judge Harry Pregerson Interchange, LA

Photo credit: 1
The Judge Harry Pregerson Interchange is situated in Los Angeles, CA and is one of the most complicated interchanges in the country. It permits entry and exit in all directions between the I-105 and the I-110. It’s a stack interchange with layers of bridges making a complicated network of roads allowing smooth flow of traffic though both the interstate highways. This interchange was opened in 1993. It is a 4 level interchange with a restricted access lane that can be used by high-occupancy vehicles.

6) The Road of death, Bolivia

Photo credits: 1, 2
The North Yungas Road (also known as the El Camino de la Muerte, ‘Road of Death’ in Spanish) is a 43 mile road connecting La Paz and Coroico, 35 miles northeast of La Paz in Bolivia. Famous for its extreme danger, it was christened as the “world’s most dangerous road” in 1995 by the Inter-American Development Bank. The single-lane width, extreme drop offs, and lack of guardrails, only add to the danger lurking behind. Further, the fog and rain can make visibility poor and the road surface muddy, loosening rocks from the hillsides above. It is estimated that 200 to 300 travelers are killed per year on this treacherous road. Although, the old North Yungas Road is much less used by traffic nowadays, an increasing number of adventure bikers travel it for the thrills.

7) Russia’s Lena Highway, the Highway from Hell

Photo credits: 1,2
The last 600 miles of the Russian Federal Highway from Moscow city to the Siberian city of Yakutsk is called the “Lena Highway”. This bizarre road runs parallel to the River Lena on the final leg to Yakutsk. As if the road of mud was not a big problem, Yakutsk is considered one of the the coldest cities on earth, with January temperatures averaging -45 °F. But surprisingly, it is only in the summertime that the road becomes impassable. Whenever it rains in summer, the road virtually becomes a slush pit making it impossible for the vehicles to pass through it. This being the only road to Yakutsk makes the traffic heavy and even more complicated to negotiate.

8. Gravelly Hill Interchange, Birmingham, UK

Photo credit: 1
Gravelly Hill Interchange, nicknamed ‘the Spaghetti Junction’, is the 6th junction of the M6 motorway, where it joins the A38 Aston Expressway in Birmingham, UK. The name “Spaghetti Junction” was coined by Roy Smith, a journalist from the Birmingham Evening Mail in the 1970s. The areal view of the junction sure tells us why it is called the Spaghetti Junction. Spanning an impressive 30 acres, the junction serves 18 routes and includes 4 km of slip roads. Across 6 different levels, there are 559 concrete columns, reaching up to 24.4 m in height. The engineers had to elevate 13.5 miles of the motorway to accommodate 2 railway lines, 3 canals, and 2 rivers. It’s the most complicated junction in United Kingdom.

9) Russian-Georgian “Military” Mountain Roads

Photo credit 1
When they are not covered in sheets of snow, then it’s the thick, grueling mud. These remote highways would probably swallow your car in the snow or mud. Though neither affect the locals who drive their Lada cars down it regularly. Situated in the Caucasus mountains, these roads are to be tackled only by the Russian military which probably explain why they lack any official designation. The harsh surface, along with the problems posed by snow, makes this road almost inaccessible during winter. The seldom used road connects Russia and Georgia and assumes of strategic importance for both countries.

10) Guoliang Tunnel Road, China

Photo credits: 1,2
The magnificent tunnel road in the Taihang mountains was built by 13 local villagers headed by their chief, Shen Mingxin, and took around five years to finish. Many villagers lost their lives in accidents during construction of the tunnel but the others continued relentlessly. The tunnel was opened to traffic on May 1st, 1977. The 1200 meter long tunnel is about 5 meters high and 4 meters wide. It is located in the Henan Province of China. The Guoliang tunnel is another addition to most dangerous and complicated roads to travel. Dubbed as “the road that does not tolerate any mistakes”, most accidents in the tunnel are primarily caused by the neglect of the traveler. Nonetheless, it is an extremely scenic route and is a key destination on the Chinese tourism map.

11) Taroko Gorge Road in Taiwan (Chungheng)

Photo credit: 1
The Taroko Gorge Road in Taiwan is another mountain route made by carving out rocks, like the Guoliang Tunnel road. The road passes through the Taroko national park alongside the Taroko Gorge. The road is an appeal to the tourist, as well as a mode of transportation of marble found abundantly in the Gorge.

12) Pasubio (Vicenza), Northern Italy

Photo credit: 1
This is a hiking trail made out of an ancient road trail. The road serves mostly for motorcycles and certain types of car. The road is dangerously narrow and slippery, spanning many cliff faces and tunnels with stunning scenery, making this a popular destination for adventurous travelers.

13) The Halsema Highway in the Philippines

photo credits 1
The Halsema Highway runs through the Central Cordillera Valley in Philippines. It is also called the Baguio-Bontoc Road. The road is approximately 150 miles long and is mostly unpaved. The road runs through steep cliff faces which barely have any guard rails or other safety devices installed. The narrow roads and steep cliff faces make the road almost impassable during the rainy season. It’s known for the rock slides and mud slides and buses driving dangerously fast on its narrow passage. There are plenty of accidents and many overturned buses on a yearly basis. There are sheer drop offs of more than 1000 feet without a safety guard rail. This route is for sure one of the most dangerous roads in the world.

14) Trollstigen in Norway

Photo credts: 1,2
The Fjord in Norway has many roads that attract tourists. The most notable among them is the Trollstigen which is a series of stunning roads with a breathtaking view of a few waterfalls. The word Trollstigen means the Troll Ladder. The road, though not lacking in safety standards, takes a lot of concentration and driving skill to conquer. The vertigo-inducing steep inclines, intense set of hairpins and narrow roads leave no margin for error. However, once you are at the top, the view is just breathtaking. The narrow road leaves us with extremely few possibilities for vehicles to pass each other. The frequent rockfalls in the region have resulted in some upgrades to the road in 2005. At the top, there is a viewing balcony which overlooks the road and the Stigfossen waterfall, a 320 m long waterfall which falls down the mountain side.

15) Los Caracoles Pass in Andes

Photo credit: 1
This road passes though the Andreas Mountains on the way between Chile and Argentina. Los Caracoles is a series of hard switchbacks on an extremely steep incline. The road has many steep inclines and hairpins without any safety guard rails. The road is covered with snow for the most part of the year. The snow together with nature of the road requires extreme patience and skill to negotiate. However, this road is maintained pretty regularly and does not have a morbid accident record. Cargo trucks and even double-Decker tourist buses travel through the road on a daily basis, and it’s quite an experience.

16) Iroha-zaka winding road, Japan

Iroha-zaka winding road is the main route that connects central Nikko and Oku-Nikko. The First Iroha-zaka is used to come down, and the Second Iroha-zaka to go up. Each corner has an ancient Japanese alphabet, and you will see it in alphabetical order starting from I-ro-ha and hence the name. The road was used by ascetics in the past. The number of curves on the road was 48, matching the 48 letters of the ancient Japanese alphabet. Therefore, the tourist guides started to call the slope Iroha-zaka. After the construction of the second Iroha-zaka there were 50 curves, but 2 were decreased to remain corresponding with the 48 letters. How’s that for complicated?

17) Van Zyl’s Pass, Namibia

Photo credits: 1
Van Zyl’s Pass, or the DR3703, located in Namibia, is a classic extreme road. It is not exactly a road, just a route made over the mountain by the travelers over time. The outrageously steep pass provides a pure adrenaline rush, but the route that leads up to it is a 10-15km of tough driving where one has to dodge their way through rocks, boulders, badlands and ravines. At the end, the road descends to the ancient glacial valley called Marienfluss valley, which is one of the planet’s most beautiful sights that await only the brave-hearted.

18) El Espinazo Del diablo, Mexico

Photo credits: 1, 2
El Espinazo Del diablo or ‘The devil’s backbone’ is the mountain pass in Durango, Mexico. It’s about 5 hours long, and it was the only road from Durango to Mazatlan Sinaloa for a long time. We have heard many cautionary tales about crossing the devil’s backbone, El Espinoza Del Diablo, But the road is exceptionally well maintained and there are many cautionary signs marking most of the hazards. Of course these are in Spanish, so keep an electronic translator or a dictionary, handy. Pull out spots are frequent, so you can easily stop anytime you want. There are some tight curves, too. So tight that a truck needs all of the road to make it around. These hinder potential two way traffic in these regions. However, stunning rock formations rising around you and the lush, green vistas stretching on for impossible distances make every inch of the drive breathtaking.

19) Lysebotn Road, Norway

Photo credit: 1
This is probably the most fun road you can travel on four wheels, and then maybe on your two legs checking out the various hiking trails leading from the area. In fact, this might be considered the most breathtaking place in Europe. It all starts with the narrow road up the steep walls of the Lysefjord, Norway. It has 27 switchbacks and a 1.1 km long tunnel at the bottom, with 3 switchbacks inside. The last 30 km of Lysebotn road is a true roller-coaster! It’s narrow but has a perfect surface, winding left and right all the time. If you happen to ride a motorcycle in Norway, then this is the road you simply cannot afford to miss!

Think Outside The Box When Dressing For Nba Game

2010-07-23T19:46:00.000+05:30

When you head to a NBA game, it's important to play the part. Many fans will choose to wear their team's jersey, or a T shirt that features the team name.
But there are many creative things you can wear to a basketball game that are a bit more creative. Here are some ideas.

Wear the team colors.

If you don't have a team jersey or a team T shirt, simply wear the team colors. If your team's colors are black and purple, you might choose to wear black sweatpants and a purple T shirt, or you might choose to wear a purple sweatshirt.

If you are strapped for cash, in fact, wearing the team colors (instead of officially licensed gear) can be an affordable, but still supportive, option.
Wear jewelry.

Wearing a team jersey isn't everyone's style. Even if you're a huge fan of the team, it might not be your style to wear a team jersey, or T shirt, or hat. In that case, go a little creative and think somewhat outside the box. You might choose to wear a necklace that includes the team colors or that has the team name on it. You might have a pair of earrings that have dangling from them the name of the NBA team.

Or you might choose to go more generic and choose to wear a necklace that features basketballs on it or little hoops.

Go silly.

If you want to ensure that you get face time on the cameras that are trolling the stands looking for interesting people to show during the commercial breaks and time outs, go silly.
In this case, you might choose to wear a silly headdress, or get completely decked out in NBA gear. You might choose to dress so you look just like one of the star players.
There are many ways to dress for a NBA basketball game; you don't have to leave excitement just for the players on the court.

Workwear: Casual Friday, Suit, Dress Code, Informal Attire, Carhartt, Business Casual, Antistatic Garments, Nba Dress Code, Casual, Workwear
The NBA dress code: setting high standards.(publisher's page): An article from: Black Enterprise

One Sharp Black Lambo

2010-07-23T04:09:00.001+05:30

From the darkest depths of the design mind of the one called Slavche Tanevski comes THIS! The Lamborghini *Ankonian. It’s black. It’s sharp. It’s just fabulous. It’s named after a bull famous for its black hair, which follows the Feruccio Lamborghini (creator of the auto brand) tradition of naming cars after bulls. This bad boy is a proposal for the first Lamborghini hybrid scheduled for 2016. Flashy!
And I don’t mean flashy in any kind of bad way. This car is of a cab-backwards style, which is new for the modern Lamborghini. It’s got a narrow body and complex aesthetics mixed with a combination of soft and angular surfaces.

It’s not quite “green,” but it’s does have that sort of environmental friendliness in mind with it’s downsisedness. And hows it look so hot roddy and light? That fabulous tail on the back, the classic headlight graphics, and those very thin OLEDs embedded between the surfaces. Eccentricities on top of mystery. Two big exhausts as eyes and diffuser as a mouth.

+ Does this car look familiar to anyone?

*NOTE from Chris Burns: originally I’d had this car marked “Madura”, when in fact it is called the Ankonian. It is totally my mistake, as the designer, Tanevski, has created two similar yet totally amazing in their own ways cars both branded with Lamborghini. The REAL Madura you will be able to see soon or RIGHT NOW depending on when you read this. Just click on Slavche Tanevski’s name to view all of his magical creations! For now though, feel free to take another look at the text, as it’s been given a re-vamp.

Designer: Slavche Tanevski

Lamborghini: Forty Years

From Sketch to Vector

2010-07-22T22:50:00.000+05:30

Here's a way to turn your doodle or sketch into a clean vector.

1. First, choose your doodle or sketch. (If you draw it in pencil, you should go over it with a fine liner ink pen - preferably black so it will be clearer when you scan and live trace it.) Scan it into any graphics program and Place it in Illustrator by going to File > Place.

Here's mine:

2. Now we want to Live Trace it, so select your drawing and go to Object > Live Trace > Tracing Options. In the dialogue box choose Simple Trace from the Presets drop down menu and check the Ignore White box. Then click Trace and Expand it by selecting Expand from the top toolbar.

3. As you can see, some of your lines will be quite messy so we'll have to tidy them up. Use the Direct Selection Tool (or white arrow tool). My general rule for keeping the lines clean is to have as few points as possible. So try and spend some time editing your points. Here's my before and after:

4. Now create a New Layer (should be Layer 2) and drag it underneath Layer 1. Select your image and copy it into Layer 2. Then lock Layer 1 and hide it (click on the eye icon). See image:

5. Now select your image from Layer 2 and go to Object > Live Paint > Make. Select the Live Paint Bucket from your Tools panel on the left and choose a color. Click in the unfilled areas to fill with color. Ignore the outline for now. When you're happy with what you've got (again, you can add more detail later) select your image and Expand it again. Then Ungroup it (you might have to do this more than once). Now, select your outline - this can be done with the Magic Wand tool from the Tools panel and delete it. You should end up with something similar to this:

6. Unlock Layer 1 and make it visible (click on the eye icon again). Select your entire outline and change the color. Now, if you zoom in a bit, you can see some white bits showing through.

7. We need to get rid of this by making the outline slightly larger. To do this, select the outline and make it a compound shape (Object > Compound Path > Make). Then go to Object > Path > Offset Path and enter these setting values (Offset: 0.2 pt, Joins: Round, Miter limit: 4). This makes a copy of the outline underneath the original. Now you can delete the smaller original.

8. And there you are, from sketch to a nice clean vector.

Top 10 investing scams

2010-07-21T01:00:00.000+05:30

The stock market has picked up steam lately, but for many investors the resurgence isn't enough. Instead, they look for quicker ways to bolster their portfolios. The problem is, some promised high-return opportunities are downright frauds.

Ponzi scammers top the list of scam artists taking return-hungry investors to the cleaners, according to the latest look at the investment industry by the North American Securities Administrators Association. A close second -- investment fraudsters targeting seniors.

These schemes offer products and pitches that may sound tempting to many seniors who've seen their retirement accounts and income dwindle in recent years," says Ralph A. Lambiase, NASAA president and director of the Connecticut Division of Securities. "It pays to remember that if an investment opportunity sounds too good to be true, it usually is."

The quest for a safe investment vehicle is the common theme in all the scams. Here are this year's top 10, ranked roughly in order of prevalence or seriousness:

1. Ponzi schemes. This is an old scam named for Charles Ponzi, a swindler from the early 1900s who conned $10 million from investors by promising 40 percent returns. His scam has been copied by countless crooks. The formula is simple: Promise high returns to investors and use their money to pay previous investors.
According to the NASAA, Ponzi scammers often blame government intervention for the failure of their system. In Mississippi last year, two Ponzi scammers pled guilty to a scheme that bilked 41 investors from four states out of $10.2 million. They told investors they were taking part in a money-trading program. The program never existed.

2. Senior investment fraud. Record-low investment rates, rising health care costs and an increased life expectancy have set seniors up as targets for con artists peddling investment fraud -- like Ponzi scams, unregistered securities, promissory notes, charitable gift annuities and viatical settlements. Last year, Pennsylvania securities regulators shut down a Ponzi scheme that bilked $2 million from seniors' pensions and IRAs.

3. Promissory notes. These are short-term debt instruments often sold by independent insurance agents and issued by little-known or nonexistent companies. They typically promise high returns, upward of 15 percent monthly, with little or no risk.

4. Unscrupulous stockbrokers. As share prices tumble, some brokers cut corners or resort to outright fraud, say state securities regulators. And investors who have grown more cautious and scrutinized their brokerage statements have discovered their financial adviser has been bilking them via unexplained fees, unauthorized trades or other irregularities.

5. Affinity fraud. Taking advantage of the tendency of people to trust others with whom they share similarities, scammers use their victim's religious or ethnic identity to gain their trust and then steal their life savings. The techniques range from "gifting" programs at churches to foreign exchange scams.

6. Unlicensed individuals, such as independent insurance agents, selling securities. From Washington state to Florida, scam artists use high commissions to entice independent insurance agents into selling investments they may know little about. The person running the scam instructs the unlicensed sales force to promise high returns with little or no risk.
This is the third year this entry has been on the top-10 list.
Investors approached by an independent agent should first call the state's securities regulator and ask if the salesperson is licensed. Then ask whether the investment being offered is registered as well. If the answers are yes, the investors should be more comfortable about the product. But investors should review the product with the same healthy skepticism that they would any investment opportunity.

7. "Prime bank" schemes. Con artists promise investors triple-digit returns through access to the investment portfolios of the world's elite banks. Purveyors of these schemes often target conspiracy theorists, promising access to the "secret" investments used by the Rothschilds or Saudi royalty. In an effort to warn investors, the Federal Reserve pointed out that these don't exist. But unfortunately, that government denouncement just feeds into the conspiracy mindset linked to this scam.

8. Internet fraud. According to NASAA, Internet fraud has become a booming business. In November, federal, state, local and foreign law-enforcement officials targeted Internet fraudsters during Operation Cyber Sweep. They identified more than 125,000 victims with estimated losses of more than $100 million and made 125 arrests.
"The Internet has made it simple for a con artist to reach millions of potential victims at minimal cost," says Lambiase. "Many of the online scams regulators see today are merely new versions of schemes that have been fleecing off-line investors for years."
Lambiase warns consumers to avoid the infamous Nigerian 419 scam, saying Internet users should ignore e-mails from individuals in need of help who want to deposit money in overseas bank accounts.
"Don't be dot-conned," he says. "If you get an e-mail pitching a deal that can't be beat, hit delete."

9. Mutual fund business practices. Recent mutual fund scandals have made the national news and attracted the attention of investors and launched several investigations.
"These investigations demonstrate a fundamental unfairness and a betrayal of trust that hurts Main Street investors while creating special opportunities for certain privileged mutual fund shareholders and insiders," says Lambiase. "We will continue to actively pursue inquiries into mutual fund improprieties," he says.

10. Variable annuities. As sales of variable annuities have risen, so have complaints from investors -- most notably, the omission of disclosure about costly surrender charges and steep sales commissions. According to the NASAA, variable annuities are often pitched to seniors through investment seminars -- but regulators say these products are unsuitable for many retirees. Lambiase says variable annuities make sense only for consumers who can afford to have their investment locked up for 10 years or longer.

"Our fight against fraud never stops because each year con artists discover new ways to fleece the public," says Lambiase. "Sadly, many of the age-old scams still work to cheat victims of their hard-earned savings as well."

The Intelligent Investor: The Definitive Book on Value Investing. A Book of Practical Counsel (Revised Edition)

Investing For Dummies, Fifth edition

SENSIBLE STOCK INVESTING: How to Pick, Value, and Manage Stocks

What Is A Note Buyer

2010-07-21T00:03:00.000+05:30

What is a note buyer? A note buyer is a person that specializes in locating and purchasing contracts that already exists between two parties where one pays the other a monthly note until the balance of the contract is paid in full. These contracts could be in the form of a land contract, structured settlements, annuities, lottery winnings, mortgages on houses, or the accounts receivable from a commercial entity. Selling a note to a note buyer is not a difficult process but does require a certain amount of due diligence on the sellers part to ensure proper value is received for the note.

Access to lump sum cash is what makes the process so appealing to potential note sellers. Receiving cash that would otherwise take years to receive in monthly installments. People that hold notes and wish to sell them, do so for various reasons. Some people sell their notes if they are approaching retirement and want to free up cash for extended travel or other retirement dreams. Some people liquidate poor performing notes to use the money to invest in other notes or income streams while others may need quick cash due to financial stress or emergency reasons. Whatever the case may be, selling a cash note is a rapid avenue for receiving cash quickly.

There are a number of options available to a note seller. A person holding a note can sell the entire note or they can sell a portion of the payments left on the note. For example if someone were holding a fifty thousand dollar note, they could sell twenty five thousand dollars of the note to a note buyer and retain the other twenty five thousands dollars for themselves. The monthly note can also be divided in half where fifty percent goes to the note holder and fifty percent goes to the note buyer each month. There are different options available and a professional note buyer will explain all of the different options available to fit unique needs.

A professional and ethical note buyer will guide you through the note buying process and will be happy to explain every phase of the transaction, provide you with referrals of his past clients and will not be pushy. A note buyer also has many different things he must consider before agreeing to the purchase of a note. He must consider his risk first and foremost and to do this is must take into account the balance of the note, time left until the note is paid in full, interest rate, and the credit worthiness and financial stability of the may. The note buyer is assuming risk so it is in his best interest to consider these factors and more before agreeing to purchase the note. The less risk he underwrites, the better price he can pay out for the note.

It does not matter what type of note that is held, there is usually a market to sell any contract that requires a balance to be paid in installments over a given period of time. Finding a professional note buyer is the first step in the note selling process and does require a bit of research to locate a reputable note buyer and receiving a fair price for a note. But this research will payoff in the end when the note seller receives lump sum cash to follow his dreams or pursue other investment ideas.

Fast Cash: How I Made a Fortune Buying Notes
Private Mortgage Investing: How to Earn 12% or More on Your Savings, Investments, IRA Accounts and Personal Equity--A Complete Resource Guide with 100s ....Secrets From the Experts Who Do It Every Day
The Notebuyer's Master Guide: Thrid Edition

1 billion apps flew off the Android Market shelves

2010-07-20T23:57:00.000+05:30

While the Android Market still can’t compete with the App Store when it comes to the total number of available applications, it sure is its most serious (and most rapidly improving) competitor. And here comes yet another proof of that: the billionth application recently flew off the Android Market shelves.

What does Wiki have to say about that? Currently, there some 225 000 apps over at the App Store and those have been downloaded more than 5 billion times. Wow!
How about the Android Market? Well, neither the total number of apps nor the downloads are as stunning but they are still quite impressive. The Android Market accommodates nearly 93 000 applications and the best part is more than 61 percent of them are free. Bravo! Go, Android Market!
Update, 16 July 2010: According to Google, the number of currently available applications for Android-powered devices is not 93 000 but only 70 000. Anyway, that still is a huge leap: some 40 000 apps have been added to the Android Market in just around 4 months.

Best Android Apps
Building Android Apps with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript

Track Mouse Activity On Your Computer

2010-07-11T13:51:00.000+05:30

Anatoly Zenkov provides this nifty tool (Mac and PC) to track your mouse pointer. Really simple. Just start it, let it run, minimize the window, and carry on as usual. In the end, you get this image that looks something like a Pollock. Circles show areas where the pointer didn't move while the tracks show movement.

The above is my own activity during the past couple of hours. I was just randomly browsing while watching the Laker game, so it's kind of all over the place. Run while using a single application for a while, and you might see something like Zenkov's tracks on Photoshop.

What do your tracks look like?