Infotech Network

noreply@blogger.com (Infotech) — Mon, 24 Nov 2014 11:01:00 -0800

Get 5MB with Just 5 Naira on MTN Nigeria Now

noreply@blogger.com (Infotech) — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 01:21:00 -0700

Am very sure how to get this MTN 5Mb with just 5naira isn't a new thing again but not all knows the trick behind it and how to go about getting this and enjoying in this special offer from MTN.

Of recent, MTN Nigeria introduces a much more cheaper internet plan for all its customers who are currently on the MTN pulse package plan, this offer is valid if you just migrated to MTN pulse too.

On the MTN pulse plan, you can Get 5Mb with just 5 naira plan , this plan seem to be the cheapest plan, yes I repeat again the cheapest plan for now in the Nigerian telecommunication networks.

Enough of all this preamble let's get to work now and see how this can be made possible.

How To Get 5MB with Just 5 Naira on MTN Nigeria

=> On you mobile phone with MTN sim card, make sure you have 5 naira or more on your phone. Then dail *406*1#

The *406*1# is for 5MB and it costs 5 naira/daily only which means you will be placed on auto renewal, so every day 5naira will be deducted from your account and you will be given 5mb daily. Isn't that cool :)

=> The 5 MB which is a daily plan expires daily by 11:59pm.

=> Incase you want to discontinue this service that is To opt-out of this 5mb for 5 naira MTN Plan, just dial *406*2#.

In case you are not on MTN Pulse plan before and you wish to migrate to MTN pulse so as to enjoy this cheap data plan too just follow this step:

=> Dial *406# , once you migrate you will be able to get 10MB on every 100 naira you recharge every week.

NOTE: This MTN 5MB with just 5 naira plan only work on MTN Pulse plan.

If you love this post remember to share with your friends and comment below.

Effective Ways To Make Your Mobile Phone Battery Last Longer

noreply@blogger.com (Infotech) — Tue, 9 Apr 2013 16:21:00 -0700

The joy of every mobile phone user is to be able to use their phone
for longer hours without it going off. Without it going off soon means
the battery life is good and last longer before it discharges,
therefore, you need to try as much as possible to maintain the quality
and durability of your mobile phone battery so it will last long and
you will not have to carry your charger around at all times.

In my post today I will be sharing ten (10) top effective way on how
to make your battery last long and still keep it excellent quality.

(1) Fully charge a new battery

Make sure you charge your newly bought battery till it is fully
charged before using it. Failure to do this will damage your battery
shelf life quickly.

(2) Charge with Original and Certified Chargers Only

Avoid using sub-standard chargers. Always use the ones certified by
your phone manufacturer.

(3) Adhere to full charge and full discharge rule

The rule is simple – don't charge your phone when the battery can last
a while longer, only charge when the battery is about to get totally
discharge. Also, if you want to charge the battery, allow it to be
fully charge before disconnecting from the power source and make sure
you don't over charge.

(4) Turn off bluetooth, WIFI, GPS
Leaving your bluetooth, wifi or GPS ON without making use of it tends
to drain your battery faster. Always turn it off when not in use.

(5) Turn off your phone's back light

The back light is what makes the phone easier to read in bright light
or outside. However, the light also uses battery power. If you can
make do without it, your battery will last longer. If you have to use
the back light, many phones will let you set the amount of time to
leave the back light on. Shorten that amount of time. Usually, two or
three seconds will be sufficient. Some phones have an ambient light
sensor, which can turn off the back light in bright conditions and
enable it in darker ones.

(6) Reduce Display brightness

Turn the brightness of the display to lowest possible setting.

(7) Avoid using moving or animated pictures/videos as background or themes

Using animated pictures or themes drain the battery faster than you
can ever imagine, so its better to use a still image for your
wallpaper and if possible deactivate any animated screensaver.

(8) Don't turn off phone while charging

You don't have to turn off your phone to charge it. Most battery
chargers deliver more than enough current to power your phone and
charge it at the same time. Doing so will not shorten the charge time,
and leaving a phone on allows the user to be aware of its gauge, so
that you can remove it when the battery is full.

(9) Charge at cool temperature in a Car
When using a car charger, do not charge the battery when the inside
temperature of your car is hot. Wait until the car has cooled before
you plug in the phone.

(10) Give your battery rest
After each month remove your battery from mobile phone and let it rest
for an hour , it will give battery a breath and it will last longer.

If you can strictly Adhere to this rules your mobile phone battery
will surely last longer. Even forever. #

How I increase the default number of homepage post in eleven40 Genesis Child Theme

noreply@blogger.com (Infotech) — Tue, 9 Apr 2013 15:52:00 -0700

Genesis Framework themes happens to be one of the very best wordpress
theme I have personally used and also for my clients on wordpress.

I really appreciate and will recommend Genesis Framework themes
because of the beautiful and state-of-the-art themes for wordpress
blog platform they produce. I can bet they are very good at what they
do which am sure many of my readers that have in one time or the other
used their theme can testify to.

I used eleven40 child theme before settling for the Genesis Prose
child theme, but i had a challenge which am sure most users of Genesis
prose child theme are facing too, which is increasing the default
number of post from five (5) to any greater number of post. But
luckily for me I have been able to find a solution to this issue so I
have decided to share it with you because you might want to increase
the default number from 5 to a higher number too.

Now let's get to the main business of how I made this possible

Note: Be careful with the steps below so you don't corrupt your theme
customisation and render your theme useless.

Changing the number of post in eleven40 genesis theme can be done
easily via the home.php file in the theme folder/directory.

Follow the steps below to achieve this:

#1 Login to your wordpress dashboard and navigate to Appearance->
Editor Page at the left hand side of your blog menu.

#2 Now that you are at the Editor tool page, at the extreme right of
the Page [containing the theme's file], click on the Home.php file.

#3 You will see a collection of some genesis hooks code, among the
codes, you will see a code snippet as follows: 'posts_per_page' => 5,

#4 Change 5 to the number of post you would love to be displayed at
your homepage,

# Save your work, the reload your page and you will see the changes.

If you have any issue or problem in getting this down, leave a message
below or if you have an alternative and simplier method, feel free to
share it with us using the comment box below.

If you love this write up, while not share with your friends and
remember to leave a comment, your meaningful comments keep us going.
Like our fanpage and subscribe to our feeds so as to get every of our
updates.#

Make Image Background Transparent in Paint.net Easily

noreply@blogger.com (Infotech) — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 01:45:00 -0700

Transparent background of any image makes it embeddable in any background color. After transparency the actual objects of the image are clearly visible and the plain background color of the image is removed. On the web, almost all the images you find are with a background color, to embed it at other background you need to clear the image’s background color by applying transparency.

This is not a big task to do but if you are fan of Paint.net and like to edit your images on this freeware then here is a tiny plugin, Alpha Mask, that once installed lets you make image background transparent in few clicks.

Follow the steps to learn how to make backgrounds transparent in few clicks.

1. Download Alpha Mask Plugin

2. Extract the .dll file from the zip to Effects folder of main paint.net installation directory.
Usually this is: “C -> Program Files -> Paint.NET -> Effects”

3. Open Paint.net and open any image with a background with any plain color.

4. Goto Effects menu and select “Alpha Mask“

5. Check mark “Invert Mask” and click OK.

You’ll notice instantly that the image has lost its original background color.

6. Duplicate the layers to make it more visible and sharper.

Keep repeating layer duplicates until the image is sharp enough and perfectly visible with a transparent background.

4. Goto Effects menu and select Alpha Mask

Source: TipsOtrick

Display Your Name in Windows 7 Taskbar Clock

noreply@blogger.com (Infotech) — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 01:33:00 -0700

Windows operating system allows to configure the various formats of time, Regional Language, Date and Currency. Today I’m going to tell you a little trick through which you can display your name or any other text you like in windows task bar clock. You can set the different names for both AM and PM so that when its AM time it may be “Good Morning” and when it is PM time you can set it to “Good Evening” or what ever else. You can always go back to your default settings by pressing the Rest button in case if you don’t like the new settings.

1. Click on your windows 7 start button then select Control panel and then click on Region and Language.

2. A new dialog box will appear, just click Additional Settings button.

3. Customize Format dialog box will appear, select Time tab form the top of the box.

4. Now type tt h:mm in the long Time Format.

5. Put any thing in AM and PM boxes you like to display in task bar clock.

6. Click OK button twice to see the effect.

How to be a good and profitable Blogger

noreply@blogger.com (Infotech) — Sat, 20 Aug 2011 16:33:00 -0700

Plan FirstYou will need to plan the basics of this blog. You can just start it with one post and build from there. However, going in with a plan can help. For instance, to prepare yourself for blogging on a consistent basis you can study other successful blogs. Then you need to start asking some questions. Can you make money blogging? Can you spend many hours every week writing, promoting, and publishing?

Pick Your TopicYou will need to make this blog interesting. But, in actuality, to be a blogger all you really need is the determination to write what you want. That is the beauty of the blogging world: Your opinion counts. Find some of the more popular blogs with themes you like and then consider if you can do similar things in your own way.

Choose a Blog Hosting ServiceThere many sites that will make it easy to create and maintain your blog. The best, in my experience, is Blogspot. This service is free, provides templates, and allows you the freedom to not only write but make money doing it. You can even easily add Google Adsense to a Blogspot blog.

Publishing FrequentlySome writers begin blogs and post on them once or twice a month. That’s fine; you can be a blogger this way. But if you want to be a serious blogger, and if you want to make money, you will need to post often.

Watch Your Readers Come In the end, you will be the reason the blog succeeds or fails. Sometimes a failed blog is just a learning experience. Yet you can succeed in the blogging world by defining success in your own way. Maybe you are just doing it to find some readers for the book you wrote, or maybe you just really care about the issue you blog about. You will publish— and you will be read by someone.

The Benefits of Being a Blogger?

noreply@blogger.com (Infotech) — Sat, 20 Aug 2011 16:26:00 -0700

The Web is littered with free blogging services, and many Web hosting providers allow you to set up a blog at your own domain name for just a few dollars a month. If you want to establish a presence online for yourself or your business, there are few simpler ways to do it. However, the benefits of blogging go far beyond simply having a website to call your own; a blog can also be an effective promotional tool that can become a career or create job opportunities. It may also expose you to people you wouldn't have met otherwise.

Earning Money
- A blog can generate income by displaying advertisements or through affiliate partnerships with merchants. It may take a long time before a blog begins to receive enough traffic to generate significant income -- you may need to have hundreds of pages of content before you begin to earn more than a few cents a day. However, if you are dedicated, running your blog can eventually become a full-time career. Some of the Internet's most popular blogs include those by The Huffington Post and TechCrunch. According to Alexa.com, both blogs are among the 100 most-visited websites in the U.S. as of the time of publication.
Becoming an Authority
- If you write consistently about a particular subject, you will eventually come to be recognized as an authority on that subject as your blog begins to receive regular visitors and other website owners begin linking to your content. This can have many benefits. For example, a popular product review blog may begin receiving products from manufacturers to test, or a company may ask you to become a consultant or advisor.
Interacting with the Community
- Because blogs typically allow comments from readers, popular blogs often have communities that form around them. As your blog grows in popularity, you may begin getting to know your readers as you see the same names come up in your articles' comment sections. In this way, a blog can be a tool that allows you to meet people who share your interests.
Ease of Setup
- Free tools such as WordPress make it possible to set up a blog without any programming knowledge. Many Web hosting providers can install a blogging tool on your server automatically. You may then log in to your blog by typing your user name and password, and write articles using an interface that looks like the word-processing software you are familiar with.
Business Promotion
- A blog can be an excellent promotional addition to a business website. If you have a business website that is having trouble attracting visitors, consider adding a blog to the website and publishing informational content related to your business's industry. This additional content will help your website achieve rankings in search engines for different keywords. A visitor who finds the content useful may be likely to return in the future and become a customer. In addition, because search engines place higher values on websites with many incoming links, the business portion of the website will rise in the rankings for its primary keywords as webmasters begin linking to the informational content.

How Long to Keep Records & Receipts

noreply@blogger.com (Infotech) — Sat, 20 Aug 2011 16:07:00 -0700

Whether you are filing taxes for your small business or wish to keep track of your financial investments, keeping accurate records and receipts is necessary in order to maintain a record of where your money is going. Unfortunately, failure to maintain accurate records and receipts can lead to trouble come tax season when records of your financial activity are vital to accurately determining your taxable income, tax credits and deductions.

Taxes
- Any and all records that are related to taxes, such as returns and records for tax deductions taken, need to be kept for seven years. This would also include canceled checks and receipts for all purposes such as mortgage interest, charitable purposes, alimony and contributions toward retirement plans. Once you have filed your returns, the IRS has three years from that date to audit your return or discover any mistakes in them. If the IRS believes you have underreported your gross income by 25 percent or more, it has six years to challenge your return. No time limit applies if you have not filed your returns at all or filed fraudulent ones.
Retirement/Savings Plan Statements & Bank Records
- Depending on the type of records they are, you may have to retain them from one year to permanently. Quarterly statements from your 401(k) should be kept until you receive the annual summary. If everything on the annual summary tallies, you can dispose of the quarterly statements. Annual summaries need to be kept for as long as you have the account, or until you retire. Regarding bank records, you will need to hang on to any checks that are related to business expenses, taxes and housing and mortgage payments. Checks that have no long term importance can be discarded.
Brokerage Statements and Bills
- Brokerage statements need to be kept for as long as you have possession of the securities. Keep purchase and sales slips to show a record of capital gains or losses when filing tax returns. As far as bills are concerned, once you get the canceled check from a bill that has been paid, you can shred the corresponding bill. However, if you have made any big purchases, such as jewelry, cars, computers, household appliances, rugs, furniture, collectibles and antiques, those bills should be kept in a separate file. You may require them as proof of their value, or when claiming insurance for their loss or damage.
House/Condominium Records and Receipts
- If you have had your house remodeled or made any permanent improvements, additions and installations, you must keep the records of the costs and purchase price. In addition, any records you have related to expenses incurred by you when buying and selling the property (legal fees, commissions to real estate agents) should be maintained for six years after the sale of your house.

OWNSKIN – THE BEST ONLINE MOBILE THEME CREATOR

noreply@blogger.com (Infotech) — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 19:35:00 -0700

Have a fantastic (or Hot) image and want to convert it into a great theme for your mobile? The simplest way to do this is – go to Ownskin.com. Other options to make mobile themes, like official nokia theme maker (Carbide.ui Theme Edition) are too complex for most of us and not all mobiles are Nokias.

Ownskin is the largest collection of user-created, freely downloadable mobile themes. Millions of themes are available (or can be created) for most of the mobile models of brands like Nokia, Sony Ericsson, Blackberry, Motorola, LG, Samsung, Panasonic, O2, HTC, i-mate, Lenovo, Dopod, Sagem, PanTech, HP, PocketPC etc.
Ownskin provides an online theme maker tool to create custom mobile themes. It is very easy to use – just like drag-and-drop, click-and-add and you are done. There are hundreds of in-built icons to choose from, for every application of mobile, besides you can use your own images also as icons and wallpapers. There are limitless customization possibilities for your theme. You can also preview the changes and the created theme before making it final. Created themes can also be edited later on if required. Animated themes can also be created by this tool.

To create a theme you will have to sign-up for a free account at Ownskin. Besides theme creator there are some other options also like – Make A Flash (to make cool flash animated themes for mobile) and Make A Wallpaper (To make and edit mobile animated wallpapers). Ownskin is also like a social networking site where you can interact with other members (Themers rather). So join the excitement and make your first theme today at Ownskin.

6 Websites to create Mobile themes online.

noreply@blogger.com (Infotech) — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 19:33:00 -0700

In a previous post, I wrote about Ownskin (The best site to create mobile skins). Like Ownskin, following are some other sites that also offer the functionality of making themes online

1. Zedge – As good as Ownskin (Even better and more popular according to some reviews). Offers “Theme Maker Tool” for almost all mobile models. Other useful services provided are – Screen Saver Maker, Voice and simple ringtone Maker, Wallpaper Maker (Animated or with other effects). There is also a huge collection of user created themes to be freely downloaded at Zedge.

2. Astod – Another excellent site (Not as good as Ownskin and Zedge though). Offers “Nokia Theme Maker” (Only for S40 3rd Ed. and S60 2nd and 3rd Ed. phones) that also makes animated themes. Another interesting service at Astod is “Nokia Theme Changer” – changes Nokia themes automatically according to battery and time of your mobile. Besides, you can also make animated wallpapers with any picture.

3. The Unlocker (Better known for its free mobiles unlocking tools) – Provides an online Nokia theme creator (For S60 3rd Ed. and S40 3rd Ed. phones only). There is also a Ringtone creator.

4. Bwap – It offers a basic Theme creator for Nokia, Sony Ericsson, Siemens and Windows Mobile phones. There is also an “Online Video Convertor”, “YouTube Mobile video Search”, “Free Mobile Wap Radio” and “Mobile TV”.

5. Goggagmobile – It also provides an online “Theme creator” tool (Only for S40, S60 2nd Ed. and Sony Ericsson phones) with limited options and still in beta. There is also a “Wallpaper Maker” option.
Note however that themes for Symbian S60 5th Ed. touch screen phones can only be made at Ownskin and Zedge.

Anyway try all the above and share your experiences here

University of Benin Post Utme 2011 Screening excercise

noreply@blogger.com (Infotech) — Mon, 8 Aug 2011 19:45:00 -0700

The University of Benin (UniBen) Post – UTME Screening Exercise for 2011/2012 academic session will take place on Friday 2nd September 2011 and Saturday 3rd September 2011 in designated centres within Ugbowo Campus of UNIBEN. All candidates are expected to be seated, latest, one hour before the stipulated time for the screening exercise. Only the candidates who chose UniBen as First Choice and scored 200 and above in the UTME are eligible to participate in the Screening Exercise.

Method Of Application

The following are the procedures for the 2011/2012 Post – UTME Screening applications. All applications will be done on the e-campus portalhttp://ecampus.uniben.edu.ng between Monday, August 8, 2011 and Sunday, August 21, 2011.

Stage 1:

Log on to http://ecampus.uniben.edu.ng and click on ‘ONLINE APPLICATIONS’ link on the site to display the Application page.
On the Application page, click ‘REGULAR’ under programme to display Payment Details.
On Payment Details page, click “Click here for PIN” (Please note the PIN and keep it safe, this is what you will be using to gain access to your application details).
Click on ‘Start Application’ after the PIN has been generated and noted by you. The next page that will display is the JAMB Details Page.
Enter your UTME Registration Number in the Jamb Registration Number box and click the ‘Search’ Button to display your UTME information.
Select your second and third choice courses. Click Next to display the Upload Passport Photograph Page. Each candidate will be required to upload on-line, a 1” x 1” COLOUR Passport photograph with RED background in JPEG format only. NOTE that the photograph uploaded will be the only valid ID for all admitted candidates throughout their stay in the University of Benin.
On the Upload Passport Photograph Page, click the ‘Upload Passport’ link to select your passport photograph. Please preview and confirm that your passport being uploaded is your correct picture as uploaded passport cannot be changed after uploading. After selecting the picture, you are required to wait for it to fully upload, then click next to display the Payments Slip Page
Click on Print Slip to print the Payment Confirmation Slip and take it to any of the University designated banks.
Stage 2:

Proceed with the printed Payment Confirmation Slip obtained in 8 above to any of the banks listed below nationwide:
Access Bank PLC
Oceanic Bank PLC
Bank PHB PLC
UBA Bank PLC
Fidelity Bank PLC
Unity Bank PLC
First Bank PLC
WEMA Bank PLC
Intercontinental Bank PLC
Zenith Bank PLC
Diamond Bank PLC
FCMB Bank PLC
Guaranty Trust Bank PLC
Eco Bank PLC
Afribank PLC
Present the Payment Confirmation Slip to the e-Tranzact desk officer and pay PUTME screening fee of one thousand Naira (N1000.00) and obtain an e-Tranzact payment confirmation receipt immediately.

Candidates are to come to the screening centres with the following:

Original and one photocopy of the e-Tranzact Payment Receipt and Screening Schedule Slip for identification and submission of Photocopies.

Four Figure Table (where applicable)
Writing materials (HB pencil and Eraser).
NOTE that GSM phones and calculators are NOT allowed.

The application website closes by midnight on Sunday, 21st August, 2011 (i.e. all applications must be concluded on-line not later than mid-night of Sunday, 21st August, 2011).Candidates who paid after the deadline will not sit for the examination.

For details of timetable and how to apply online visit the source link below.

Source: UNIBEN website

Ogun State Government is Employing, Online Registration

noreply@blogger.com (Infotech) — Mon, 8 Aug 2011 19:08:00 -0700

Recently the Ogun State government led by His Excellency Senator Ibikunle Amosun is undergoing registration for job seekers in Ogun State. Due to high levels of queues at the designated local government areas around the states. The government has devised a new means by which the registration would go on smoothly and faster which is by the online registration.

It is important to note that the application is entirely free and no payment what-so-ever is to be made. In a press statement by the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Media, Mrs Funmi Wakama, Senator Amosun reiterated the abolition of payment of fees for application forms for government jobs. "Any public official that violates this policy shall be sanctioned," the governor said.

It will be recalled that Senator Amosun promised during his inaugural address to employ 10,000 youths within his first 100 days in office. The recruitment exercise is now on and is to cut across all the Local Government Areas of the state.

To get started, a new valid email address, phone number and a 400width recent passport photograph on a white background is required for a successful registration. All interested candidates are expected to have a personal e-mail address which must not be shared with others for the purpose of this application.
Note: You may visit any of these sites: www.yahoo.com, www.hotmail.com, www.gmail.com or any other site that provides e-mail services to create an email box for yourself.

It is also required that all applicants should have one telephone number to which text messages (SMS) could be sent. All applicants are expected to be able to browse and check their e-mail boxes from time to time.

If you have found a programme that you wish to apply for and you have the required qualifications, click on the button below to begin your application:

Click here to start or continue an application

NOTE: There are TWO (2) Steps and both steps must be completed for you to be considered for the scheme!

Hurry now before it gets too late. Good luck

8 Places We Forget To Clean

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 23 Jul 2011 12:11:00 -0700

There are some places we only clean a few times a year and then there are places that, somehow, often never get cleaned. They just don’t seem to need it…but they do. Now, we’re not suggesting you go all OCD but you might want to add a few of these to your annual, or semi-annual, clean up.

Space Underneath Appliances or Keyboards: most of us just wipe down the counter or the desktop without actually moving this stuff and then you do and you discover that underneath that appliance are a ton of crumbs. While you're at it you might want to take a sponge to the bottom of your appliances too before the dust turns sticky.

Dishwasher: it gets clean when you run it, right? Uh, not so much. Small bits of food may get stuck in crevices and around the door's rubber gasket. A toothbrush can help you dislodge them; running the dishwasher on hot, empty except for a cup of vinegar or tang can help remove greasy grime, sanitize and remove any musty odours.

Walls: we spend a lot of time cleaning our floors but most of us never clean our walls, except maybe the tile in the bathroom. But they get dirty especially if, like us, you have a window or two that faces out to the street. Going at 'em with the occasional feather duster should do the trick for most of the walls in your home but if you use spray products in the bathroom, you might want to wipe down the walls around your mirror where the excess lands.

Ceiling: see above. dust accumulates here as well as walls or floors. a swipe with a feather duster should do the trick if you take care of it regularly. Drop a feather duster into your vacuum's long extension tube so you can reach your ceiling.

Curtains: Go over them with the brush attachment on your vacuum and, once a year, it's a good idea to take them down and have them cleaned.

Washing Machine and Dryer: like your dishwasher, this needs to be cleaned every so often. Wipe it down with a spray cleaner, fill it with hot water to which you've added a cup of lemon juice (for rust), white vinegar (for odors) or bleach (for stains) and run it through a full cycle.

Vacuum Cleaner: a little tlc after you use it will make it work even better. Clean the attachments in warm soapy water, comb out the brushes (we have to cut off the hair that gets entangled in ours), wipe down the exterior and the cord with a soft cloth. And, if you can, take it in for maintenance every once in a while.

Box Spring: we change the sheets but neglect the box spring. vacuum it regularly.

Garbage Can: wash it down with soapy water and, when it's dry, sprinkle a little baking soda in the bottom to absorb odours.

Flush Handle on the Toilet Bowl: wipe this down with a little spray cleaner

Knife Block: we almost never clean this but the other day we noticed that it was a little sticky from being in the kitchen. a little warm soapy water should do it. same with that big jar that catches all your kitchen tools.

Anything Hung Up in Frames: dust these or clean them with a little spray.

Areas Under the Bathroom or Kitchen Sink: along with being a mess of sponges, cleaners and rags, this almost never gets cleaned out. Spend a few minutes cleaning and organizing it.

Exterior Light: a little bird recently made her nest in ours. while we don't want to disturb her, when she leaves we'll give this a good dusting. Yeah, this is probably the maintenance man's work but he definitely misses it.

Download Video From Youtube Without Any Software

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 23 Jul 2011 11:32:00 -0700

Here is the easiest way to download any video from Youtube.

While playing the video on youtube.com, Copy its location from the address bar like www.youtube.com/watch?v=sasad7657dms2

then add the word ‘kick’ between www. and youtube.com/link…….

EXAMPLE: www.kickyoutube.com/watch?v=sasad7657dms2

That’s it, Download without any other software or going to any other site, as their are many but this method is the best one according to me.

Enjoy..

Reasons why we Get Banned from Google Adsense

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 23 Jul 2011 10:46:00 -0700

With so many people ranting and screaming and crying that Google has disabled their adsense account, it’s really an interesting topic worthy to write about. You might be another one who just got the dreaded “invalid click” account closure email from Adsense team, and furious over it. Relax, mate. Not the end of the world, but it is definitely good to know the reason why you are banned. If you still have your account intact, read this, but as our Uncle Ferdy says: “Don’t try this at home.”

Keep in mind that these are HOW TO GET BANNED. In other words, this is a “DO NOT” list if you don’t want your adsense account to be disabled .

1. Ignore Adsense Program Policies & TOS
2. Click on your own ads, specially those you are “genuinely interested” in. Ask people to click on your ads: your friends, your family members, your relatives, your visitors, or even your dogs or your cats. Use proxies to avoid detection.
3. Participate in some form of click-ring. Click-rings are groups of people who gather with consensus to click each others’ ads. Most commonly used methods are Yahoo Groups, instant messenger, mail list, web forum, or specially written software.
4. Buy, write, or use click-bot software. Click-bot software will go around your site and click on your ads. Most of the times, these click-bots are using proxies to avoid detection.
5. Pay the Indian-clickers. These are the people whose main jobs are clicking on PPC advertisements and paid by the malicious publishers. Most of them are from developing countries like India or China.
6. “Invest” with websites that promises to deliver “adsense clicks” for your site. Whatever methods they are using, most likely it falls under one of the aboves.
7. Extra words to make your visitors to notice your ads. Write “Click here” or “Please support us” or “Visit our sponsors”. Anything other than Google-approved “sponsored links” or “advertisements”.
8. Put in as many ads as possible in every page. Put more than three units of the normal ads block, more than

one unit of ads links, or more than one referral buttons for each adsense, adwords, and firefox; all in one page.
9. Use spyware to get traffics to your site. Spyware, adware, malware, or whatever it is called can force computer users to open your website everytime they start the computer. Or even better, use some kind of specially written software, toolbar, etc to display or click on your ads.
10. Use pop-ups on your website. Everytime your user open a page, pop-up another one, ideally with the smiley or the IQ Test advertisements.
11. Get as much un-targetted traffic as possible, for instance using the auto-surfing programmes to rotate the members around your site and other sites.
12. Put the adsense code in non-content pages: registration forms, term and condition, login page.
13. Have a competitor contextual ad on same page with adsense ads, for example Yahoo Publisher Network. Please note though that non-contextual ads, e.g. affiliate links or keyword-based ads are acceptable by google and won’t get you banned.
14. Get more than one adsense account. Maybe one for your dog-site, one for your cat-site, one for the v1agra pills, one for mp3 download, etc.
15. Put your adsense code in email the email, usenet, RSS, etc.
16. Tell everyone what is your CTR, your page impressions, etc. Telling people about your total earning, unfortunately, is allowed.
17. Put Google logo where you shouldn’t, and don’t put the logo where you should. In other word, ignore Google trademark.
18. Modify Adsense code as you see fit. Modify the layout, color, URL, will be well. Just anything other than copy-and-paste the code from Google.
19. And, this is important: if and when Google Adsense Team sends you email, ignore it.
20. Put adsense codes in the banned contents

* Excessive profanity
* Violence, racial intolerance, or advocate against any individual, group, or organization
* Hacking/cracking content
* Illicit drugs and drug paraphernalia
* Pornography, adult, or mature content
* Gambling or casino-related content
* Excessive advertising
* Any other content that promotes illegal activity or infringes on the legal rights of others
* Pop-ups, pop-unders or exit windows that interfere with site navigation, obscure Google ads, change user preferences, or are for downloads. Other types of pop-ups, pop-unders, or exit windows may be allowed, provided that they do not exceed a combined total of 5 per user session
* Excessive, repetitive, or irrelevant keywords in the content or code of web pages
* Deceptive or manipulative content or construction to improve your site’s search engine ranking, e.g., your site’s PageRank
* Incentives (monetary or point-based) to users or third-party beneficiaries for online activity including, but not limited to, clicking on ads or links, performing searches, surfing websites, reading emails, or completing surveys
* Sales or promotion of certain weapons, such as firearms, ammunition, balisongs, butterfly knives, and brass knuckles
* Sales or promotion of beer or hard alcohol
* Sales or promotion of tobacco or tobacco-related products
* Sales or promotion of prescription drugs
* Sales or promotion of products that are replicas or imitations of designer goods

This is the dreaded email:

Subject: Google AdSense Account Disabled

Hello (member name),

It has come to our attention that invalid clicks have been generated on the Google ads on your site(s). We have therefore disabled your Google AdSense account. Please understand that this step was taken in an effort to protect the interest of the AdWords advertisers.

A publisher’s site may not have invalid clicks on any ad(s), including but not limited to clicks generated by:

- a publisher on his own web pages
- a publisher encouraging others to click on his ads
- automated clicking programs or any other deceptive software
- a publisher altering any portion of the ad code or changing the layout, behavior, targeting, or delivery of ads for any reason

Practices such as these are in violation of the Google AdSense Terms and Conditions and program polices, which can be viewed at:

https://www.google.com/adsense/localized-terms?hl=en_US
https://www.google.com/adsense/policies?hl=en_US

Publishers disabled for invalid click activity are not allowed further participation in AdSense and do not receive any further payment. The earnings on your account will be properly returned to the affected advertisers.

Sincerely,

The Google AdSense Team

OR

Subject: Google AdSense Account Disabled

Hello (member name),

Your AdSense account was found to be related to an account previously disabled for invalid click activity and we have therefore disabled your account.

Publishers disabled for invalid click activity are not allowed further participation in AdSense and do not receive any further payment. The earnings on your account will be properly returned to the affected advertisers. As outlined in our programme Terms and Conditions, Google reserves the right to terminate any publisher’s participation at any time.

Sincerely,
The Google AdSense Team

When you write to Google to, this is their standard reply

Hello,

Thank you for your email regarding the action taken on your account.

We understand that you wish to receive specific information regarding the invalid clicks we observed on your account. However, due to the proprietary nature of our algorithm, we cannot disclose any details about how our monitoring technology works or what specifics we found on your account.

As you know, Google treats instances of invalid click activity very seriously. By disabling your account according to our policy on this matter, we feel that we have taken the necessary measures to protect our advertisers and to ensure that invalid clicks will not continue to occur on your site.

Publishers disabled for invalid click activity are not allowed further participation in Google AdSense. We appreciate your understanding.

Sincerely,

The Google AdSense Team

What is constitutes invalid clicks? This is what google says:

Invalid clicks are clicks generated through prohibited methods. These prohibited methods include but are not limited to: repeated manual clicks, or the use of robots, automated clicking tools, or other deceptive software.

Please note that clicking on your own ads for any reason is prohibited, to avoid potential inflation of advertiser costs. All clicks must be generated as the result of a user clicking on the ads. We therefore require that Web pages do not include incentives of any kind for users to click on ads. This includes encouraging users to click on the ads or to visit the advertisers’ sites as well as labeling the ads with text other than “sponsored links” or “advertisements.”

How Google Detects Invalid Clicks

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 23 Jul 2011 10:39:00 -0700

This are some of the ways google detects invalid activities on your account. Really taking from experience, don't try to play smart because google will surely get you and ban or disable your account

1. IP Address

It is the easist and must be recognized by everyone. If those clicks on your ads are originated from the same IP Address as the one used for accessing your AdSense account, your account is flagged.

2. Click Through Rate (CTR)

Normally, Click thru Rate should not excees 10%. Otherwise, Google will flag your account. For your information, normal CTR should ranges from 0.5% - 10%.

3. Physical Location

Google has good tracing software and technology.They can trace traffics origin down to the small town. So, using different computers with different IP address does not secure anything. So, don’t try to click your ads in various internet cafes. That will kill you.

4. Cookies

Most home users do not use static IP Address for Internet connection. In most cases just disconnect and reconnect will give you a new IP Address. But don’t forget, Google has set cookies on your computer. They can trace these cookies and see whether they originate from the same computer.

5. Click Pattern 1

It is also suspicious when people click on their clicks and then run away immediately (hit-and-run). But normally, people will surf for a while inside your pages and then click on the ads they want.

6. Click Pattern 2

why this computer / IP address / person is so trigger-click-happy on this particular website but never click on the ads on other sites?

7. Click Pattern 3

And why is it that people accessing these sites direct (type-in URL or from bookmark) tend to be very active ad-clickers compared with those referred from search engine or other sites?

8.Other Google Services

Apart from Google Adsense, Google also provide a series of services to us. Don’t just think that it is safe if you do not log in your adsense account and click on your ads. What other Google services do they provide to us? Here are some: Gmail (most poeple are using it), Google Earth, Google Calendar, Google Search, Google Toolbar, Google Talk, Google Sitemap, Google Desktop, Blogger, or even Youtube (coz Google has just recently acquired it).

10. Search Engine Ranking
Your website is not indexed on any search engine, not linked by any prominent website, but get consistently high traffic? How come people can access your website and click your ads? That will make Google to smell a rat.

11. Webpage design
How about the “Please click a link below” or “donate us by clicking the ads”? These kinds of encouragement is not in line with Google’s TOS. Google can use their winning search engine, or even human eyes to check your sites from time to time.

12. Advertisers conversion rate

Ad click is one thing. But does it bring value to the advertisers? If none of the clicks on your site translate to conversion to the advertiser, you are in trouble. First the Smart-Pricing hits, then your AdSense account disabled.

Do You Keep Secrets From Your Spouse?

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 23 Jul 2011 10:26:00 -0700

Can you say you’ve put yourself completely and fully into your marriage? Meaning you’re entirely committed, you totally trust, you’ve given all you have to give and hold nothing back? Could you claim there aren’t even any secrets that you keep from your spouse? Like a separate bank account they know nothing about? Or a secret shopping obsession that has you buying things and hiding them? Or having a friend you secretly talk to or meet up with?

There might even be certain things you won’t explore in the bedroom because you suspect it may come back to haunt you. There are some people who are afraid of being fully invested in their marriage, not just with their actions, but also with their thoughts, money and emotions. They’re thinking what if it doesn’t work out and considering what they stand to lose.

A few even have a plan b. Having that plan b won’t make a failed marriage hurt any less. But are some of us preparing for our marriages to fail? How can we be so in love and want to spend forever with someone and planning an escape route all at the same time? We may think that these feelings and actions are harmless, but what do they say about trust and the ability to give all of ourselves to our spouse? I’ve been told often that my husband doesn’t need to know everything and to have my own just in case. I’ve always been puzzled by this advice. I’m not suggesting that we share every little detail of our past for example, but in order to build that trust and enjoy the best of our relationships; we must be willing to go all in. Allowing ourselves to be vulnerable and trusting completely with our finances as well as our hearts.

Are you all in? Do you have a plan b, a just in case the spouse turns out to be someone else? Which is possible, people can and do change, but should we plan on it? Or should we jump fully in taking chances, having no regrets for the sake of love?

5 Mistakes We Make When Dating A New Man

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 23 Jul 2011 10:21:00 -0700

When women first begin dating a new man they tend to make mistakes that will eventually cause the relationship to end. These mistakes can easily be avoided if women will take the time and make the effort to avoid them. Staying in a relationship with someone that you are not honest with, who you will cancel all of your plans for, who you expect to change at some future point in time, who you think is just saying one thing when he really means another, who has bad behavior that you keep excusing – is not a good idea.
Here are 5 mistakes that women make when dating a man:

1. Not telling him your likes and dislikes - People only know what we tell them. If you are a vegetarian and you tell him you love to barbeque steaks every night this will eventually become a problem. Tell him about yourself so that he can get to know the real you. If you continue to do things you don’t like or enjoy you will soon resent him for not reading your mind.

2. Changing your life completely for him – Do not change or cancel plans that you have already made with other people. It is nice to show a man that you are interested and want to spend lots of time with him, but if you drop everything and everyone to only be with him he will get nervous and back away from you.

Do you keep secrets from your spouse?

3. Believing that he will change over time -Grown folks do not change too much as they get older. If your man is habitually late he will probably continue to do it. If he is a smoker he will probably smoke for as long as you know him. If he has too many things that you would like for him to change, perhaps you just need to change to another man.

4. Not believing what he says – People tell us who they are. We are notorious for thinking that men are saying one thing and mean another. That’s us. Women do that but men usually do not. If your man tells you he doesn’t like the beach don’t keep talking about taking a trip to Hawaii. By believing what he says you show him that you are intelligent and trusting.

5. Making excuses for his behavior – There is no excuse for bad behavior. If he drinks too much and belittles you, do not make excuses for him. If he is unkind to you and says it is because he had a bad day at work do not make excuses for him. If you make plans to go out with another couple and he cancels at the last minute because he had something more important to do, don’t make excuses for him. You get it now. Don’t make excuses for his bad behavior. That is who he is and you need to find someone else.

Technology And What It Means For The Next Generation

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 23 Jul 2011 09:55:00 -0700

I’ve always been intrigued with what it means to be in a certain generation, since there are so many fun names for them: those born after World War II (ie. late 1940′s – 60′s) are called the Baby Boomers, while the last decade or so is called Generation Y and Generation Z, meaning the young children today.

We also have Generation X in the mix, which occurred shortly before Y and Z came in with the strong, tech savvy-bent college students, teenagers, and children. It’s an interesting mix of people, a slew of different generations interacting every day, all with varying exposure to pop culture messages in their lives. Since all generations have diverse outlooks on life, I thought I’d explore what it means to be a member of 2011 and what technology has done for the people of today.
If 15 to 20 years ago, you asked people what, for example, an iPod or a Wii is, it wouldn’t even be on anyone’s radar. It wasn’t until the early to mid-2000′s that anyone had even heard of text messaging or even dreamed of keeping all of their music in one compact technological instrument. The children of today are lucky because they’ve grown up with all of these luxuries and have learned enough about technology in classrooms, or just by being around other kids, that they aren’t shy of the “shiny and new.”
The generations that have most been immersed in a world of technology are Generation Y and Z, both of which have the majority of presence in schools around the country at secondary, undergrad, and graduate level. The new generations of “learners” have basically been taught by computers and other technological devices that both improve the learning of individuals and change the way that children process information.
Gone are the days where dioramas and coloring are the main source of children’s young education, since now fancy SmartBoards and interactive computer games are replacing the simple pleasures of making paper airplanes during nap time (or maybe that was only me).
Children are better at multi-tasking today, but less apt to be able to pay attention to short television commercials in the middle of their favorite shows (although now there’s TiVo or DVR, which makes it possible to fast-forward commercials in shows after pre-recording them). Despite the fact that multi-tasking has advantages and disadvantages, technology has had a huge impact on how children and even adults in 2010 view the world.
Adults are trying to adjust to technology that never had before, while children are learning from a very young age that iPods, Wii video games, and cell phones are common devices in this changing world. According to one article, microchips might even be something that everyone has embedded into them, as the younger generation (Generation Y, Z, and even the later Generation Alpha) will be more likely to approve of their usage. It’s kind of frightening how much of the world is technological now, but with the up-and-coming devices making it easier to be connected to the world, it’s a give-and-take to live on Earth today.
The general idea of this article is that children today have more technological advantages than the older generations. These new generations have become an influence on previous ones in terms of teaching them what they know, although it’s the Generation Y and Z children/young adults that have had the luxuries of computers/iPods most or all of their lives that has changed communication forever. I’m sitting in an office full of Mac computers right now where everyone is blogging, which is something that hadn’t even been invented 15 years ago. The world is changing and the generations that are up-and-coming have all the tools to do things that older adults never would have dreamed of. The future is being written now, so think of how far we’ve come with this new technology and how that might change life as we know it.

Is It Really In The Eyes? Body Language Decoded.

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 23 Jul 2011 09:44:00 -0700

Body language is a really important facet of communication, since it’s an expressive form of interaction that a simple text message can’t get across. Since technology has made face-to-face become smaller scale interaction compared to texting or IMing, people don’t see what others facial or body expressions as often. Although video chatting is a good way to remedy this in long distance situations, true in-your-face interaction is what gets across the most emotion and makes people comfortable around each other. It can be hard to decipher what the person’s really thinking unless you see their entire facial or body movements, therefore, knowing body language is an art and a valuable life skill.

What influences body language and how can you learn how to read people effectively?

What triggered this thought in me was a news article about how the iPhone recently developed a Body Language App, which can give you tips on- the-go as to what to look for in people’s interactions. That’s crazy. It’s like a tip book for people, yet the fact that it’s on the iPhone is ironic to me – the real way you get experience with body language is by OBSERVING and BEING AMONG PEOPLE. Confidence could come from an iPhone App, yet the real test to learning how to read people is by interacting with people face-to-face, not staring at a mini-computer. Technology has become a crutch, as I’ve said in another blog entry, and I do hope people realize that the only way to truly become comfortable reading people is to talk to people.

Some tips about body language – what to look for (although everyone’s different, there are some universal signs that are important to recognize):

1. How close the other person is to you is a good indication of how comfortable they are around you. The closer they’re leaning, the more they like you. The farther away they’re from you when you’re interacting, the less warmth and comfort there is in the interaction.

2. Head position is extremely important – the more playful it is, the more it could mean interest. Is their head cocked or leaning in towards you? Cocked head means they’re confused or trying to figure out what you’re saying, also depending on eye and mouth movement, for example. If they’re looking down, it could mean shyness or lost in thought, depending on the context of the conversation.

3. Eye contact is a strong indicator of whether or not the person is interested in continuing the conversation. If they’re intently staring into your eyes, it could be a sign of romantic interest, especially if they look away and blush. Physical signs of attraction usually start in the eyes, as your pupils dilate when you’re looking at someone you like (although there are people whose pupils are always dilated, which a condition called mydriasis). Basically, awkward eye contact can be interpreted in many ways, but generally, people’s true feelings are present in eye contact.

4. Are they mirroring your movements? If so, that’s a good sign. When the person you’re with mirrors your body movements, it generally means that they want to be on the same page with you. Being on the same page means having a rapport and a comfortable environment.
These are just some general indications to look out for when you’re talking to someone, especially if they’re new in your life. If you generally feel comfortable around them and can move as you please, that’s a good sign that the relationship (whether friendship or romantic) will work out. Being overly nervous around a person can sometimes give off a bad vibe, so just be yourself in order to convey good body language.

An important thing to remember is to not focus on body language too much or you’ll miss the moment. Thinking too much can make your body language indicate something completely different than you intended. Just go with the flow and be the strong, independent person that you are: let the conversation flow naturally and the comfortable body language will follow.

How To Tell If A Guy Is Single

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 23 Jul 2011 09:38:00 -0700

Okay, just because a guy LOOKS single doesn’t mean he is. But when you think about it, there really are more than a few telltale signs that the man of your interest doesn’t have a steady girl in his life.

Below, The Frisky gives us 8 ways to tell if he’s (probably) single.
The absence of a wedding ring isn’t a tell-tale sign that cutie you’re crushing on is single. So here’s eight definite ways to tell if he’s single, you know, because we don’t want you to be embarrassed or heartbroken.

And if you have any signs to add, let us know in the comments.

1. His Ikea cart is loaded with dishes and pots.

2. He’s in the frozen food aisle buying Hungry Man dinners. The rest of his cart is filled with beer and cereal.

3. He’s standing in front of the washing machine at the laundromat, confused look on his face, clearly wondering why there’s only a card slot, not a coin slot.

4. He still works out

5. His obviously straight guy buddies visit a lot.

6. He only has photos of his dog and nieces and nephews on his desk.

7. He’s shopping for a mattress alone.

8. The thread count of his sheets are low. Very low.

Feel free to add more of the ways and signs to our comment box

5 Reasons Why Eye Contact Is Important

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 23 Jul 2011 09:23:00 -0700

Have you ever realized how much one moment of locking eyes can mean? Try looking a stranger in the eye or even someone you know pretty well. Eyes are one of the best attributes of human expression because they can be direct and elusive, as well as show a million different emotions in just one look. Even one glance can tell you a lot about a person’s character, especially if a smile or smirk is thrown in. One thing that shy people have as a disadvantage is that they have trouble holding eye contact. It’s well known that in Western countries like the United States, giving those in power eye contact is revered. However, in Eastern countries, eye contact to those in power is viewed as rude and a sign of disrespect. It’s important to recognize these differences, since eye contact can mean many different things depending on the setting and the people locking eyes.
Why is it good to practice strong eye contact in your every day life?

1. Respect – As I said above, in Western countries like the United States, eye contact in order to show and earn respect. From talking to your boss at work to thanking your grandmother for a birthday gift, eye contact shows that you see the person as equal or someone you view as important. Of course there are other ways to show respect, such as staying eye-level with the person and positioning yourself as leaning into them when you’re talking, but eye contact shows that you’re on the same page in the most straight-forward way. As they say, “eyes are the window to the soul.” Sincerity can be felt through eye contact, therefore, genuine respect will be received if you pay strong attention through your eyes.

2. Interest – If you like someone in any way, shape, or form, why not look them in the eye when you’re talking to them? Looking down or away from them can come off as aloof, especially if the person is telling you about something important or trying to get your attention. In order to put the most effort into showing interest, look the person in the eye and smile. This can be taken different ways depending on what you and the other person are intending - interest could mean familial, friendship, a respectful authoritarian interest, love interest, or even just a strong bond that you and the other person have. Eye contact can say so much, yet leave so much to assumptions and analyzing body language.

3. Appreciation - You can convey appreciation quite easily with the eyes - just give a meaningful look into their eyes while you’re thanking them and the other person is able to recognize how you feel. Showing emotions like appreciation is quite important in terms of friends and family members if they do something nice or helpful for you, so eye contact is vital in these situations. It’s a socially constructed way to keep up a positive image with people in your life, yet also an extremely good way to show your thanks with sincerity.

4. Understanding – A locking of eyes can be all you need to have some understand something you mean. If you’re trying to get a point across or just want some reassurance, eye contact can be an important asset in communicating your thoughts. Eye contact is one of the most intimate forms of communication because sight has the ability to pick up so much that people convey. It’s possible to guess what someone’s thinking based on their eyes and how they look at you. Eye contact, or lack thereof, is invaluable for learning to trust someone and having that same respect given in return.

5. Eye contact can be the difference between seeming aloof and a new friendship. If you’re giving someone eye contact, this could be the start of friendly, warm communication with a new person. By keeping yourself open to locking eyes with a stranger, you’re inviting them to look at you and perhaps start a conversation. You’re leaving yourself open to people if you’re willing to make eye contact and keep up a friendly face. While there’s a clear difference between good eye contact and glaring, it’s important that you know when it’s appropriate to use either. Warm, friendly eyes could be the deciding factor in whether you make a possible friend or scare someone away! While there are exceptions to leaving yourself open with your eyes (ie. when you’re somewhere new and you feel rather sketched out), it’s important to not let opportunities where eye contact could help you to pass you by. Surprising things could happen if you just open your eyes!
In general, eye contact is something people don’t think enough about. It’s important to teach children from a young age to look people in the eye when they’re talking to them or they could develop a habit of seeming aloof or disinterested in communicating with other people. Locking eyes and knowing when to look away is a good people skill to possess. Use your eyes to project a positive image and one look could be the catalyst for change in your life. Open your eyes, sister – you never know who might be watching!

16 Job Interview Tips To Put You Ahead Of The Pack

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 23 Jul 2011 02:38:00 -0700

Job interviews are nerve-racking and an interview that goes badly can turn even the most confident person into a sobbing mess. Hopefully, these 16 tips will help put your mind at ease, and make your next job interview bearable, perhaps maybe even an enjoyable experience!
1. Be Confident.
It may seem obvious but confidence is definitely key. Even if your insides are like jello and you feel like you may throw up at any second, appear confident. Try not to look down at your lap, use too many ‘ums’ and ‘ahs’, or answer questions with only one word, such as ‘yes’ or ‘no’.

2. Do your research.
You need the employer to think that you really want this job, and by bothering to do some background research on the company, it shows that you do. The employer is bound to ask you something along the lines of ‘So what do you know about us?’, and having a depth of knowledge will really make you stand out from the other candidates.
3. Dress appropriately.
Even if you have the most outstanding resume, and are the best person for the job, if you don’t look the part, you won’t have a chance to prove this to the employer. People make their judgments about you in the first few seconds of meeting you, and if you show too much leg or cleavage, chances are that your impressive resume won’t even get read. Also, even if the job is in a casual environment, it is always better to overdress, than underdress, so although it might to appropriate to wear sweats or jeans once you get the job, it is not for the interview.
4. Be on time.
If the interview is at 10am, make sure you get there ten minutes before. If necessary, take a trial trip the day before so you are certain of how long it will take you to get there. It is a really bad look, to be late for an interview, but if something happens, and it is unavoidable, at least call the workplace and let them know.
5. Turn off your cellphone.
And definitely do not answer it if you have left it on and it rings. Even if you’re out in the waiting room. The employer should not hear you talking to your best friend, boyfriend, mother etc, about last night’s antics and how drunk you got. Ever!
6. Don’t chew gum.
This is purely a manners thing. It is really distracting trying to talk to someone who is chewing gum, and is unprofessional in the workplace anyway.
7. Ask questions.
Come prepared with a few questions that you would like to know from the employer, which shows that you are serious about the position and your career. Some examples are; ‘What advancement opportunities exist in the company, and in what time frame?’, and ‘What would you like done differently by the next person to hold the position?’.
8. Bring a notepad.
Most people do not, and it is a very easy and subtle way to make you stand out, and it also shows that you’re serious about the job. But, make sure that you actually write notes in it.
9. Be passionate.
Make it seem as though you are passionate about the industry, even if you’re not. Let the employer know about journals or magazines you subscribe to, and books or blogs you read. It makes it seem as though you are keeping up with advancements in the industry, and thus, are keen to further your knowledge in the area.
10. Don’t bad mouth your former employer.
Even if they were the world’s worst boss, bad mouthing them to someone who you hope to be your next boss is a major no-no. It makes you come off as difficult to get along with and may be enough to make the interviewer discount you straight away.
11. Don’t fidget.
Try to keep your nervous habits in check. Don’t play with your hair, rub your face, click your pen, or tap your foot, as they all make you look like you’re nervous and lying.
12. Don’t make jokes.
Save that until you have the job and the employer knows you and your personality.
13. Make goals.
If you are asked about where you see yourself in 5-10 years, and you have nothing to say, you look unambitious and will make the employer think you will be a lazy employee. Even if you don’t see yourself in the same company, or even the same field, make something up to show that you will be a long term asset to the company.
14. Don’t flirt.
Obviously. But don’t.
15. Put all social media on a private setting.
An employer seeing a bunch of pictures of you getting trashed on facebook, or reading status updates you’ve written about hating your job or workmates can undo a good interview. If you can’t put your profile on private, then at least delete or block access to your photos and wall.
16. Send a thank you note.
It is easy to send a quick email after the interview, but a note will set you apart from the other candidates and is a nice gesture. It doesn’t need to be long, but make it sincere.

How to take screenshots of your BlackBerry screen

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 22 Jul 2011 16:00:00 -0700

This tutorial will guide you through the steps required to take screenshots of your BlackBerry screens.

Start out by downloading Caputre It from http://www.thetechmogul.com/CaptureIt/CaptureIt.jad. It’s an over the air installation, so I’ve created a “shorter” URL to type out in your BlackBerry browser: http://is.gd/8fsD.
Install it as you would any other BlackBerry app.
Once installed, it will appear in your list of BlackBerry Applications. Don’t click it quite yet – otherwise you’ll be taking a screenshot of your Application list. The first thing to do is assign it a Convenience Key.
Instead, select Options from your Application list.
Select Screen/Keyboard from the list of Options
Scroll down a bit until you get to the Convenience Key section. I prefer to use the Voice Dialing Convenience Key to take screenshots, because I never use the Voice Dialing feature. You can of course select a different Convenience Key. Click on the key you want to change
Select Capture It from the list of applications
You should now have Capture It as the application assigned to your selected Convenience Key
Exit out of the Options, and when prompted, make sure to select Save.
Now each time you click your assigned Convenience Key, Capture It will take a screenshot of whatever is displayed on your BlackBerry screen.