Fat burning food

Can foods help burn fat? Some experts insist they can. Here is Hungry Girl's list of diet-friendly foods that are rumored to fight flab!

Grapefruit
I'm not sure if it has magical fat-burning properties, but research suggests that this sweet 'n' sour citrus fruit can aid in weight loss. One Scripps Clinic study found that eating half of a grapefruit or drinking four ounces of grapefruit juice with meals (without making any other changes in eating habits) resulted in an average weight loss of more than three pounds in 12 weeks. Scientists speculate the weight loss happens because grapefruit lowers insulin levels, which curbs your urge to snack. And, of course, the less you snack, the easier it is to lose weight.

Tip: If grapefruit is a little too tart for you, try sprinkling some Splenda on top.

Green Tea
Green tea is one ambitious beverage. Not only does it help prevent cancer and heart disease, but numerous research studies have also found that drinking green tea, or taking green tea supplements, can also rev up your metabolism. Just how big of a difference can this fat-burning brew make? Some researchers claim if you drink five cups of green tea a day, you'll burn 70 to 80 extra calories. That's not bad, and definitely worth a shot!

Spicy Foods
Like it hot? Good news: Eating spicy foods can help you burn more fat. Hot foods make you sweat and raise your heart rate, which temporarily increases your metabolism. So grab some cayenne, your favorite bottle of hot sauce, hot chilies or red pepper flakes, and give your food ‑- and your metabolism ‑- a kick. My personal fave hot sauce is Frank's Red Hot Extra Hot.

Low-Fat/Nonfat Dairy
In addition to building strong bones, calcium also inhibits the production of calcitriol, a hormone that tells cells to generate more fat. Woohoo! Several studies have concluded that incorporating low-fat or nonfat dairy products into your diet can help you lose more weight. My favorite forms of low-fat dairy are Dannon Light 'n' Fit Smoothies, Yoplait Light Yogurt and Dreyer's Grand Light Ice Cream.

Water
Skimp on water, and it'll be harder to lose weight. Dehydration slows down your metabolism, and it can also lead to sugar cravings and fatigue (which might make you less likely to exercise). Yikes! Some experts recommend guzzling eight cups of H2O a day. I have at least 10 to 12 glasses daily.

Cinnamon
Research shows that a quarter teaspoon of cinnamon, eaten with food, helps metabolize sugars more effectively and lower the body's blood sugar levels. This is helpful because high blood sugar levels and excess sugar in the blood can lead to fat storage. Cinnamon also brings out natural sweetness in food and, well, tastes good. So sprinkle away! My favorite way to use the stuff? Mixed with Splenda and some fat-free cottage cheese or on baked apples. Mmm!

Protein Tip!
Protein is essential for building muscle. And the more muscle you have, the more fat you burn ‑- even when you're at rest. Protein also has the highest thermic effect of all the macronutrients (protein, carbs and fat). So, you burn more calories digesting protein than you do digesting carbs or fats. Your best protein-packed bets are turkey, egg whites, fish, tuna and skinless, boneless chicken breasts.

Secure Wireless Lan

How-to: Secure a Wireless LAN

Take your mouse and hover it over the Wifi icon in the bottom right of your computer screen. Go ahead, do it. It will show you the name of your wireless network. If you're like 80% of Wifi users, the wireless network you are connected to is titled something like, "Linksys (Unsecured)" or "Default (Unsecured)".

An unsecured wireless network is an open invitation to hackers to walk right in to your computer and steal your personal information, upload malware onto your computer, and otherwise terrorize you.

Thankfully, securing your Wifi connection is extraordinarily simple to do. In this article we cover 10 simple steps that will take your wireless network from being a welcome beacon to hackers to the wi-fi equivalent of Fort Knox. So let's get started…

Changing Administrator Passwords and Usernames

After you've taken your Wifi router out of the box and started the setup process, you will be asked to sign on to a specific webpage and are required to enter information such as your network address and account information. In theory, this Wifi setup page is protected with a login screen (username and password).

The Problem: Though the username and password are intended to allow only you to get access to your Wifi setup and the personal information you have entered, the fact remains that the logins provided are usually given to everyone with the same model router, and because most people never change them, they remain an easy target for hackers and identity thieves. In fact, there are sites that list the default usernames and passwords for wireless routers, making a hackers job even easier.

The Solution: Change the username and password for your Wifi setup immediately after the first login. And if you are going to spend the time changing your password, make sure it is difficult to guess. Your name, birth date, anniversary date, child's name, spouse's name, or pet's name are going to be among the hacker's first guesses. And because many hackers use a technique called 'dictionary hacking,' (running a program that tries common English words as passwords) you should make sure that your password isn't just a common English word, but rather is a combination of letters and numbers.

Upgrading your Wifi Encryption

If the information sent back and forth over your Wifi network isn't adequately encrypted, a hacker can easily tap into the network and monitor your activity. When you type personal or financial information into a web-site, that hacker can then steal that information and use it to steal your identity.

The old encryption standard Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP) can be hacked within 30 seconds, no matter the complexity of the passphrase you use to protect it. Unfortunately, millions of Wifi users are still using WEP encryption technology to encrypt their information, despite the availability of the vastly superior WPA2 encryption standard.

The Problem: Despite the superior encryption protection that WPA2 provides, most Wifi home users have failed to upgrade their protection because they were unaware of the problem, or simply felt overwhelmed by the technical prospects of upgrading. As a result, many continue to use WEP encryption, which is now so simple to hack that it is widely regarded as little better than no encryption at all.

The Solution: The solution, of course, is to upgrade your Wifi encryption to WPA2. But before you can add WPA2 protection, you will have to complete a few steps in order to update your computer. The first step is to download and install Microsoft's WPA2 hotfix for Windows XP. You will also likely need to update your wireless card driver. These updates, if needed, will be listed in Microsoft's Windows Update page under the subheading "Hardware Optional".

Now that your computer and wireless card are up to date, you will need to log into your router's administration page through your web browser (this is the page you signed into in order to setup theWifi router the first time you opened it up, the specific URL can be found in your router's instruction manual.) Once signed in, change the security settings to "WPA2 Personal" and select the algorithm "TKIP+AES". Finally, enter your password into the "Shared Key" field and save your changes.

Changing the Default System ID

When you got your Linksys or D-Link router home from the store and set it up, it came with a default system ID called the SSID (Service Set Identifier) or ESSID (Extended Service Set Identifier). This ID is also commonly referred to as the name of your Wifi setup.

The Problem: Usually, manufacturers assign identical SSID sets to their devices, and 80% of Wifi home users leave their system on the default setting. So that means that 80% of homes have Wifi systems titled, "Default" or "LinkSys" or whatever your provider sets as the default name.

The problem with these default settings is that they serve as strong signals to hackers who have been known to just cruise neighborhoods looking for Wifi networks with default names to hack into. Though knowing the SSID does not allow anyone to break into your network, it usually indicates that the person hasn't taken any steps to protect their network, thus these networks are the most common targets.

The Solution: Change the default SSID immediately when you configure your LAN. This may not completely offer any protection as to who gains access to your network, but configuring your SSID to something personal, e.g. "The Smith House Wifi Network", will differentiate you from other unprotected networks, and discourage hackers from targeting you. As an added bonus, having a Wifi network with a unique name also means that neither you or your family will make the mistake of connecting through a neighbor's Wifi network, and thus exposing your computers through their unprotected setup.

MAC Address Filtering

If you've had an unsecured Wifi setup in your home in the past, you can be fairly certain that at least one of your neighbors is mooching off your Wifi to connect to the internet. While everyone loves a friendly neighbor, providing an easy resource for others to steal internet access is morally and legally questionable, but even scarier is the harm those moochers can do to your computer.

In order to check who has been using your network, you'll need to check the MAC address. Every Wifi gadget is assigned a unique code that identifies it called the "physical address" or "MAC address." Your wi-fi system automatically records the MAC addresses of all devices that connect to them. But busting your internet stealing neighbors isn't all that MAC addresses are good for, they can actually be a great help in securing your WLAN.

The Problem: You are not sure who or what is accessing and endangering your wi-fi network, and once you find out that someone or something is mooching off your network, you want to stop them. But how?

The Solution: Checking the MAC address long for your wi-fi network will give you a quick view of all the devices accessing your network. Anything that isn't yours, you will want to keep out. To do this, you will need to manually key in the MAC addresses of your home equipment. This way, the network will allow connections only from these devices, so your mooching neighbors will be out of luck. Caution: This feature is not as powerful as it may seem. While it will stop your average neighborhood moocher or amateur hacker, professional hackers use advanced software programs to fake MAC addresses.

Stop Publicly Broadcasting your Network

By now you've renamed your Wifi so that hackers won't see the default name as they sweep for unprotected Wifi setups. But wouldn't it be even better if hackers and curious neighbors didn't know you had a Wifi setup at all? Usually, your access point or router is programmed to broadcast the network name (SSID) over the air at regular intervals. While broadcasting is essential for businesses and mobile hotspots to let people find the network, it isn't needed at home, so eliminate it.

The Problem:Why broadcast to the world that you have a wireless connection? You already know it; why do strangers need to know? For most personal uses, you are better off without this feature, because it increases the likelihood of an unwelcome neighbor or hacker trying to log in to your home network. The broadcast works like an invitation to the hackers who're searching for just that opportunity.

The Solution: Most Wifi access points allow the SSID broadcast feature to be disabled by the network administrator. If you are using a Linksys router, instructions to disable your SSID broadcast are here, and for those of you using D-Link, your instructions are here (See Figure 1.6 on page 4). Otherwise, you will need to check the manual for your hardware for specific instructions on how to disable broadcasting for your router.

Auto-Connect to Open Wifi Networks?

Most computers provide a Wifi setting that will configure your computer to automatically connect to any open Wifi network without notifying you. While this setting isn't the default, many individuals select the setting because it makes connecting faster when you are traveling, or connecting at a friend's house. Even more common, is to have selected 'connect automatically' to networks that you regularly connect to. Again, this makes sense, as most people do not want to have to manually type in the name of their wireless network and the password each time they want to sign in at home. Unfortunately, both wi-fi setups can cause major security problems.

The Problem: If you connect to every available Wifi network automatically, you will inevitably end up connecting to dummy Wifi networks designed specifically to catch unsuspecting users and hack their computers.

Similarly, if you automatically connect to your regular Wifi networks (meaning you don't manually type in your network name and password every time) then you may be setting yourself up for a security breach. That is because 80% of Wifi users have not changed the name of their wireless connection. Therefore, it is very easy for a hacker to create a dummy network entitled "Linksys" or "Default", then sit back and watch 80% of computers automatically connect to the network since it has a 'trusted' name.

The Solution: Never select the 'connect to available Wifi networks automatically' setup option under your Network Connections window. If you don't want to have to manually type in the name and password to your Wifi connection each time you sign in (the safest option), at least make sure that you have named your Wifi connection something unique, and that you eliminate all generic titled networks from your 'preferred networks' list. That way, you won't get automatically connected to dummy Wifi networks setup by hackers and given the names, "Default" or "Linksys".

You've got a built-in firewall, so use it

Your IT security needs to use a layered approach. While no single layer of your security is enough to withstand every attack, adding layers to your security will help ensure that spyware and malware are kept out. Two important security layers are the router firewall and your individual PC's firewall.

The Problem: Routers come with built-in firewall capability. However, since there is an option to disable them, they can often be accidentally turned off by someone toggling options.

The Solution: Ensure that your router's firewall is enabled, along with related built in security featured which block anonymous internet requests or pings. This extra step will help hide your network's presence to the internet, and thus help protect your network. After all, it's harder for hackers to infiltrate what they can't find.

Positioning of the Router or Access Point

Wifi signals don't know where your house ends and where your neighbor's begins. This Wifi signal leakage gives hackers and neighbors the opportunity to find your wireless network and attempt to access it.

The Problem: While a small amount of overflow outdoors is not a problem, it is important to keep this leakage to a minimum. This is important because the further your signal reaches into the neighborhood, the easier it is for others to detect and exploit.

The Solution: If you haven't yet installed your wireless home network, make sure to position the router or access point in the center of the home rather than near windows or doors. If you live in an apartment, consider that a Wifi network is restricted in part based upon the materials that it must pass through, the more walls, doors, and metal the signal passes through, the weaker it is. So if your goal is to reduce leakage, you might consider mounting your Wifi in a closet in order to reduce signal strength.

When to Turn Off the Network

Most of us know that it is impractical to constantly turn devices on and off. Having a Wifi connection is in large part a device of convenience, and having to turn it off every time you aren't using it, eliminates much of that convenience. Unfortunately, a Wifi connection is vulnerable when it is on; therefore shutting off your wireless signal when not in use would be a huge boon to its security.

The Problem: There is an inherent tension between convenience and security in deciding whether to turn off a wireless access point between connections.

The Solution: Just as you take extra home security measures when taking a vacation, like asking your neighbors to pick up the mail and leaving a light on, so also should you take extra Wifi security measures when your network will not be in use for expended periods of time. Shutting down the network is a basic but effective security measure that can protect your network when you are not around to protect it, and hackers may take the opportunity to mount their attack.

Putting your Improvements to the Test

Now that you've made all these changes to your Wifi setup, it would be nice to know that you are secure. Unfortunately, the only surefire test for how secure you are is to wait to see if you get hacked. Trial by fire is no way to test your security, however, so thankfully there is a program to help audit your Wifi security.

The Problem: There is no way for the average home Wifi user to know if the changes they made to upgrade their wireless security will really prove successful in keeping them safe.

The Solution: The Netstumbler utility, by Marius Milner will both determine your network's vulnerabilities and unauthorized access points. In addition to these security concerns, the downloadable program will also reveal the sources of network interference and weak signal strength, so that you can improve the strength of your wi-fi signal. Netstumbler is free for download, although the author asks that those who find the tool helpful make a donation to support the creation of future utilities.

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This article should serve as a basic primer on how to secure your wireless network from the wide array of threats that face it, but it is important to keep in mind that no single article can cover completely every security measure which can be used to strengthen your Wifi system. Consequently, we have left off from this list a wide variety of other valid security measures such as; limiting intra-network file sharing, changing the default IP address of your wireless router, assigning a static IP address to each of your PC's, disabling the DMZ and Remote Management features, along with a host of indirectly related but nonetheless necessary measures such as installing a PC firewall, antivirus software, anti-malware software, patch updates, etc.

Despite these intentional omissions, following the 10 steps outlined in this article will take the average user a long way along the path of wireless security and ensure that you and your family are able to enjoy the convenience of your Wifi system without compromising your PC's security.

Basic networking commands

This would be mostly (*)nix based command set - Here we go...

1. ping {hostname}
   Lets you check whether your internet connection is alive or lost
   Example : ping techflock.blogspot.com
   
   
2. traceroute {hostname}(tracert for windows)
   Lets you trace packets and find if your connection is broken beyond your ip address. Also can be used to track the number of hops to get to the hostname
   Example: traceroute techflock.blogspot.com
   
   
3. ifconfig(ipconfig in windows)
   Find out your ip address, your network interfaces, transferred and received data information
   Example : ifconfig
   
   
4. nslookup {hostname}
   Find out the dns name resolves to a IP - a way to test your dns server
   Example: nslookup techflock.blogspot.com
   
   
5. dig {hostname}
   Does the same as above and provides other dns related information
   Example: dig techflock.blogspot.com
   
   
6. netstat -a
   Find out all the open ports on your machine
   Example: netstat -a
   
   
7. netstat -nt
   Display all the tcp based established connections on your machine
   Example: netstat -nt
   
   
8. telnet {hostname} {port}
   Telnet or connect to a machine at the specified port to find out whether that machine/server is working right
   Example: telnet techflock.blogspot.com 80
   

Ofcourse, there are many other options within each of these commands which you can find out through the manual pages by typing man {command}

Update: Some of the commands might be in /sbin or /usr/sbin paths and might not be in default PATH. So go and execute it from there! For Example: /sbin/ifconfig

How u can become a Millionaire

Thomas Stanley in his book The Millionaire Next Door wrote: "Save and become rich."
Napolean Hill said: "Think and grow rich."
Amitabh Bachchan and now Shah Rukh Khan say, "Kaun Banega Crorepati? Kheliye aur crorepati baniye. (Who will become a millionaire. Play and be one)."
With popular game show Kaun Banega Crorepati-III having begun on Monday, all of you must have seen several billboards and several ads telling us easy ways to become rich.
In one of the KBC-III ads, a grandfather tells his grandson about his early life and struggles in Bombay when he had to sleep on the streets, sometimes hungry. But he worked hard with determination and diligence and became a crorepati after many years. The grandson replies, "It's very easy now. All you need to do is answer a question and you can become a crorepati."
Millions of people try their luck to get a call on this coveted show and crores (millions) of rupees are spent on the Rs-6 SMS, besides countless hours and energy spent on dialling your luck.
Now we all know who becomes a crorepati in the end! Is it Airtel, Star TV, Shah Rukh or you? We all know the answer to this one and I hope you get my point.
For most people, there are five legal ways of becoming rich; some of these might be faster than the other. I have arranged the five in the descending order, starting from the fastest and probably the easiest.

• Inherit it
• Marry it
• Save and Invest
• Become an owner (own equity) and not a loaner
• Win a lottery

However, 'Save and Invest' is one strategy -- or should I call it a 'principle' -- that is relevant for most of the people, right from the daily wage earner to corporate executives in the upper echelons of the industry.
Some principles, however old or simple they might sound, are still applicable even in today's time, as they were several hundred years ago. Burton Malkiel, in his book Random Walk to Investing, has written: "Even in fields such as medicine, where true expertise really exists, the greatest gain comes from following a simple advice. Despite all the gains from various wonder drugs, gene therapy and new surgical techniques, most medical progress has come from one old invention and one simple technique. More lives have been saved and prolonged by penicillin and by washing hands than by any other pharmaceutical or medical technique."
By keeping your strategy simple, you are likely to implement it, and achieve results. A byproduct of this is how you take time out to spend with your family, friends, and in more creative pursuits and fulfilling dreams.
The key point is to understand the basic principles and implement strategies based on these principles.
Simple steps to strike gold
Savings are the building blocks of wealth creation and you should ensure that you are able to save at least 20% of your gross income and invest this money every month in a diversified equity mutual fund and large cap stocks.
There is no better time than today to start your investment programme. Waiting for the golden moment will not help in any manner. We all know that tax-planning investments can be done right from the start of the financial year in April, but how many people actually do it?
Transfer all risks such as death, disability, critical illness, accident, health and property to the insurance company. Understand the consequences of risks more than anything else and do not think of insurance as an expense.
Stay away from short cuts
Albert Einstein once said, "Only 2 things are infinite: the Universe and human stupidity, and I am not sure about the former."
Ensure that you have addressed the issues of wealth transfer by having a simple document such as a will. The whole world watched the Ambani brothers' saga in the recent past.
Having addressed all the above, the next step is to simply invest a fixed amount every month and whenever you can in debt and equity.
Finally refrain from these 6 mistakes that most equity and mutual fund investors make:

• Having irrational expectations.
• Selling out in bad markets.
• Investing short-term money in equity and long-term money in debt.
• Being affected by news, interest rates, oil prices and losing confidence too soon.
• Trying to time the market and waiting for the best time to buy or sell.
• Getting greedy and opting for spicy derivatives, commodities, trading without understanding the risks associated.

Even if you come close to doing the above six steps and not committing the six mistakes, I am confident that "Aap Banenge Crorepati."
Finally, just knowing the right thing is not enough. You must do the right thing to get results. Benjamin Franklin said, "The person who does things makes many mistakes, but he never makes the biggest mistake of all: doing nothing!"
We strongly believe that even if your financial decision is not perfect, it may still leave you in a better position than if you had done nothing.
The greatest barrier to your success or becoming a crorepati can only be YOU.
The author is a practising Certified Financial Planner. He can be reached at amar.pandit@moneycontrol.com.

career for your sign

Everyone glances at their horoscopes once in a while. We love to be amazed when they seem to describe us to a "T" and simply ignore them when they don't pertain to us at all. After consulting the stars (along with www.findyourfate.com), here is a list of zodiac signs, along with their characteristic personality traits and suggestions for career options that best fit the signs' astrological profiles.

Aries (March 21-April 19) You are enthusiastic, alert, outspoken, ambitious, strong-willed and creative. A career in television or radio, advertising or architecture would suit your ambitious and creative nature. Because you are a strong, natural leader, the military or law enforcement would also serve you well.

Taurus (April 20-May 20) A Taurus is practical, methodical, determined, patient, honest, dependable and a good team player. Look to the fields of banking, accounting and scientific research for your perfect job.

Gemini (May 21-June 21) You are very optimistic, inquisitive, intelligent and full of energy. You need a vocation that keeps your interest piqued and keeps you going, such as a travel guide, nature explorer or a sales position where travel is required.

Cancer (June 22-July 22) Cancers are imaginative, dramatic, philosophical, nurturing and protective. You're best at dispensing advice, so consider law, psychology, teaching, nursing or social work for your life's vocation.

Leo (July 23-Aug. 22) You are spontaneous, gregarious, independent and born to lead, with a true lust for power. These magnetic qualities make Leos good CEOs, managers, editors and perfect for government positions.

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) Precise, witty, cheerful, perfectionist, detail-oriented, hard-working and neat, with a knack for languages -- all describe you. Technician, statistician, medical researcher, investigator or translator are perfect career options for Virgos.

Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) Libras are very diplomatic, charming, sociable, easy-going and cooperative. Your sense of cooperation and ability to engineer a compromise mean you would do well in the United Nations or as a lawyer, mediator, negotiator or administrator.

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) You are penetratingly intuitive, intelligent, analytical, hard working, motivated and resourceful. Because you like to solve mysteries, consider espionage, police investigation, law, physics, research and writing.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) Sagittarians have a positive attitude, boundless energy, love of travel and a strong spiritual side. A sales position would be ideal, as would public relations, social administration or theology.

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) You are rock-solid, dependable, responsible, highly organized, goal-oriented, logical and clever. You thrive in positions of power or any vocation where math or money is involved. Consider an IT position because you love software and computers. You are also well-suited for being a doctor, accountant or lawyer.

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) Intelligent, original, progressive, humanitarian and visionary are all qualities that describe Aquarians. Choose a job in astronomy, natural history, aviation, photography, poetry, character acting or music.

Pisces ( Feb. 19-March 20) Pisces are generous, friendly, sensitive, popular, artistic, versatile, compassionate and spiritual. You will do well in any of the arts: drama, literature, painting, music, but your compassion also makes you well-suited for philanthropy and judicial positions.

new feature in gmail

Google quietly added a small feature to Gmail this week called Mail Fetcher. When that feature launched, Gmail became perfect.

Mail Fetcher allows users to access non-Gmail email accounts from within the Gmail interface. If you have a Yahoo email account, and a work email account, etc., you can simply access that email from within Gmail, using POP settings. Gmail will now work in a very similar way as Outlook does on the PC desktop.

This is something I have criticized Gmail for in the past. I went on and on about this issue here when discussing the new Mac web mail product. It was the one feature that Gmail lacked that, in my opinion, kept it from being the perfect webmail application.

Every other webmail service is now inferior to Gmail. Gmail offers more storage than any other free service. They offer free POP access to Gmail from other email applications like Outlook (Yahoo and Microsoft charge for that). They offer access to other email accounts within Gmail (only Yahoo offers that). Gmail's mobile client is killer (although not yet available for most phones). And only Gmail allows tagging of emails for categorization under multiple topics (I just wish it was a quicker feature).

I am seriously considering switching from using my desktop email client to Gmail. Since I work from multiple computers, using web mail eliminates the syncing problem. If Google implements an offline version of Gmail, in a similar way as Scrybe or via Adobe's Apollo platform, it will become even more compelling.

Kudos to Google for finally implementing this. It's just awesome.

Every woman should..

This was posted on a forum that I visit daily (The Hawkroad), and thought I'd post it here. I've read it before, and it's all so true. Feel free to leave your own in comments. :-)

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ....enough money within her control to move out and rent a place of her own even if she never wants to or needs to...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ....something perfect to wear if the employer or date of her dreams wants to see her in an hour...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ...a youth she's content to leave behind....

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ....a past juicy enough that she's looking forward to retelling it in her old age....

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE .....a set of screwdrivers, a cordless drill, and a black lace bra...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ....one friend who always makes her laugh...and one who lets her cry...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ....a good piece of furniture not previously owned by anyone else in her family...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ....eight matching plates, wine glasses with stems, and a recipe for a meal that will make her guests feel honored...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE .... a feeling of control over her destiny...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW... how to fall in love without losing herself..

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...HOW TO QUIT A JOB, BREAK UP WITH A LOVER, AND CONFRONT A FRIEND WITHOUT RUINING THE FRIENDSHIP...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...when to try harder... and WHEN TO WALK AWAY...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...that she can't change the length of her calves,the width of her hips, or the nature of her parents..

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW....that her childhood may not have been perfect...but its over...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW... what she would and wouldn't do for love or more...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW... how to live alone... even if she doesn't like it...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW..... whom she can trust, whom she can't, and why she shouldn't take it personally...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW... where to go... be it to her best friend's kitchen table...or a charming inn in the woods... when her soul needs soothing...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW... what she can and can't accomplish in a day...a month...and a year...

Whats ur star sign (no flames please)

.:VIRGO:. The Virgin
Dominant in relationships. Sexy. someone loves them right now. Freak in bed. Always wants the last word. Caring. Smart. Intellectual. Attractive. Loud. Loyal. Easy to talk to. Hard to forget Love at first sight. Everything you ever wanted. Easy to please. The one and only. Ultimate sexiness. 7 years of bad luck if you do not forward.
.:SCORPIO:. The sex addict
Can be mean. EXTREMELY sexy. Intelligent. Energetic. Predict future. Most erotic. (Freak in bed.) (GREAT kisser.) Always get what they want. Sexy. Attractive. Easy going. Loves being in long relationships. Talkative. The sexiest ever....Romantic. Caring. 4 years of bad luck if you do not forward.
.:LIBRA:. The lame lover
Very pretty. Very romantic. Nice to everyone They meet. Their Love is one of a kind. Silly, fun and sweet. Have own unique sexiness. Most caring person you will ever meet! Amazing n Bed..!!! Did I say Amazing in Bed? not the kind of person you wanna #### with... u might end up crying... the most irresistible. 9 years of bad luck if you do not forward.
.:ARIES:. The Liar
Outgoing. Lovable. Spontanious. Not one to #### with. Erotic. Funny. Take you on trips to the moon in bed. Excellent kisser EXTREMELY sexy. Loves being in long relationships.=) Addictive. Loud. best in bed. 16 years of bad luck if you do not forward.
.:AQUARIUS:. Does it in the water
Trustworthy. Sexy. Great kisser. One of a kind. Loves being in long-term relationships. Extremely energetic. Unpredictable. Will exceed your expectations. Not a Fighter, But will Knock your lights out. Amazing in bed, THE BEST LOVERS BETTER THAN EVERYONE! 2 years of bad luck if you do not forward.
.:GEMINI:. Does Twosomes
Nice. Love is one of a kind. Great listeners Very Good in bed. Lover not a fighter, but will still knock you the #### out. Trustworthy. Always happy. Loud. Talkative. Outgoing VERY FORGIVING. Loves to make out. Has a beautiful smile. Generous. Strong. ULTRA SEXY. THE MOST IRRESISTABLE. 9 years of bad luck if you do not forward.
.:LEO:. The Lion in bed
Great talker. Sexy and passionate. Laid back. Knows how to have fun. Is really good at. Great kisser. Unpredictable. Outgoing. Down to earth. Addictive. Attractive. Loud. Loves being in long relationships. Talkative. Not one to mess with. Rare to find. Good when found. 7 years of bad luck if you do not forward.
.:CANCER:. The Cutie
MOST AMAZING KISSER. Very high ### appeal. Great in bed!!! Love is one of a kind. Very romantic. Most caring person you will ever meet! Entirely creative. Extremely random and proud of it. Freak in bed. Spontaneous. Great tellin stories. Not a Fighter, But will Knock your lights out if it comes down to it. Someone you should hold on to. 12 years of bad luck if you do not forward.
.:PISCES:. The Piece of ass
Caring and kind. Smart. Center of attention. Too Sexy, DAMN IT. Very high ### appeal. Has the last word. The best to find, hardest to keep. Fun to be around. Freak in the sheets. Extremely weird but in a good way. Super good in bed. Good Sense of Humor!!! Thoughtful. A partner for life. Always gets what he or she wants. Loves to joke. Very popular. Silly, fun and sweet. 5 years of bad luck if you do not forward.
.:SAGITTARIUS:. The Sexy one
Spontaneous. Horny. Freak in Bed. High appeal. Rare to find. Great when found. Loves being in long relationships. The one. So much love to give. Not one to mess with. Very pretty. Very romantic. Nice to everyone They meet. Their Love is one of a kind. Silly, fun and sweet. Have own unique sexiness. Most caring person you will ever meet! Amazing in Bed..!!! Did I say Amazing in Bed? Not the kind of person you wanna with you might end up crying. 4 years of bad luck if you do not
.:CAPRICORN:. The passionate Lover
Love to bust. Nice. Sassy. Intelligent. Sexy. Predict future. Irrestible, awesome kisser. Loves being in long relationships. Great talker. Always gets what he or she wants. BY FAR the BEST in BED. Very sexy. Coolest. Loves to own Gemini's in sports. Extremely fun. Loves to joke. Loves to be your first. So you'll never forget. Smart. 24 years of bad luck if you do not forward.
.:TAURUS:. The Tramp
Aggressive. Freak in bed. Rare to find! Loves being in long relationships.=] Likes to give a good fight for what they want. Extremely outgoing. Sexy as ........ Loves to help people in times of need. Outstanding kisser. Very funny. Awesome personality. Stubborn. Sexual as ......... Most caring person you will ever meet! One of a kind. Not one to #### with. Are the most sexiest people on earth! 15 years of bad luck if you do not forward.

Some Jokes

A

man was driving well above the speed limit when a police car suddenly

emerged from behind, sirens blaring. Thinking he'd outpace the cop, the

man pushed his accelerator to the floor. His car's speed rose to sixty, then

seventy, eighty, and ninety. Finally, the man thought, what the heck, and

pulled over, ready to receive a speeding ticket.

The police officer got out, leaned over the man and said: .Listen, Mister, I

have had a really lousy day, and I just want to go home. Give me a good

excuse and I.ll let you go..

The man thought for a moment and said: "Three weeks ago my wife ran off

with a police officer. When I saw your car in my mirror, I thought you were

that officer and were trying to give her back to me".

No ticket.

******

An eager young man entered his prospective boss's cabin for an interview,

Said the boss .One thing our company is very particular about is cleanliness.

I hope you wiped your shoes on the doormat while coming in?.

Yes, sir,. the young man replied promptly.

Back came the rejoinder, .One more thing we.re very particular about is

honesty. There is no doormat outside!"

********

A salesman was dismissed because he was rude to a customer. A month

later the sales manager spotted him walking about in a police uniform.

"I see you.ve joined the force, Bhatnagar,. said the sales manager.

"Yes, Sir. This is the job I.ve been looking for all my life. Here the customer

is always wrong."

**********

The police car, its siren blaring, raced in front of a speeding car and forced

it to stop.

A heavily built policeman got out and walked over.

"Your name, please?" asked the policeman, taking out his notebook and pen.

"Certainly, officer," replied the driver. "It.s Horatio Xerxes Laertes Idomeneus

Aeneas Asclepius Iphicles Menoeceus Memnon Philoctetes Tyndareus Hylas."

The policeman thought for a moment, then looked at his notebook, shook

his head and said: "I'll just give you a warning this time . don't break the

speed limit again."

************

A man who had just died, arrived at heaven.s gate. Before allowing him

entry, St. Peter asked him if he.d ever loved a woman.

"No,. the man replied, .Not a single one."

"Did you have a friend you cared for?"

"No."

"Perhaps you loved a pet? Did you not feel a love for nature?"

"No."

"What took you so long to get here?" asked a surprised St. Peter. .You.ve been

dead for ages.

*******

A tea manufacturer wanted a new advertising gimmick, so the senior creative

man at the advertising agency decided to go to Rome to see if he could

persuade the Pope to make a TV commercial.

"We'll give you one hundred thousand pounds for a ten second commercial,"

the ad man told the pontiff. All you have say is: "Give us this day our daily

tea.."

"I.m sorry,. replied the Pope, .but I can.t do that."

"Five hundred thousand," offered the adman.

"I.m afraid not," said the Pope, solemnly.

"All right. One million pounds. And that.s our very last offer."

But still the Pope refused. On his way back, disappointed adman turned to

his secretary and said: "It's odd that the Pope refused to do a commercial for

tea. I wonder how much the bread people are giving him."

Sharing an internet connection using a router

One dark and stormy evening, you decide to share your Internet connection with the rest of your household. So you bring home a wireless router, an innocent-looking little gadget with a pair of black antennas sticking out of the back that give it the look of a squat, electronic bunny. When you connect it to your broadband modem and power it on, blinking lights on the front of the unit begin to contort themselves into an evil grimace. Suddenly overcome with fear, you check your computers to see if your wireless connection is working. You're somewhat relieved to see an icon in the lower-right side of the screen telling you that your wireless connection is working.
With great trepidation, you open a browser to surf the Internet, and that's when terror strikes. Your home page cannot be found. You try Google, Yahoo, and CNET, and to your dismay, they are gone, all gone. The World Wide Web has vanished, and each time you try to access a different site, your router's evil blinking grimace shines on.
These tips can help you use your wireless router to share your Internet connection.
1. Configure your router for PPPoE
In many cases, a wireless router will let you share your Internet connection without much fiddling on your part. However, some Internet service providers use technologies that make Internet sharing more difficult. Many DSL providers use PPPoE, or point-to-point protocol over Ethernet, as a means of permitting their customers to log on to their broadband service. In order to establish your Internet connection, you must first submit a username and password via PPPoE, a process called authentication. Often, this authentication is handled by software that you or your service provider installed on one of your computers when you purchased the service. You can't install the same software on your router, but you can configure your router to supply the right PPPoE information for your service. You should have this information in the documentation you received when you purchased the service, but you can also call your provider to get it. Simply enter the information in the PPPoE section of your router's browser-based configuration tool and reboot your router; now the router will handle your PPPoE authentication and provide broadband Internet access to all of the devices connecting through it.
2. Give your router your DNS information.
If you're still unable to call up Web pages, make sure that you've entered the correct IP addresses for your service provider's domain name servers along with your PPPoE login information. Domain name servers take easy-to-remember URLs, such as www.cnet.com, and map them to their routable IP addresses. Ultimately, it's the IP address that lets you locate the computer with the Web page you're looking for on the Internet. Without a domain name server, or DNS, URLs are useless. Most service providers give you two DNS addresses: a primary address and a secondary one. The secondary server is a backup should the primary DNS server fail. If your router lacks correct addresses for your service's DNS servers, it may be able to connect you to the Internet, but it won't be able to help you use URLs to call up Web pages. Here, too, your service provider should have sent you the IP addresses of your primary and secondary DNS servers when you purchased broadband service. If it didn't or if you misplaced the information, call your service provider and ask for the IP addresses of your DNS servers.

Weight and measures for cooking

What does it mean?
c = cup
t = tsp = teaspoon
T = tbsp = tablespoon
C = Celsius
F = Fahrenheit
g = gr = gram
kg = kilogram

Pound, cups, tablespoon and teaspoon conversions assume the base weight-volume of water
1 pound = 2 cups
1 ounce = 2 tablespoons
1 tablespoon = 3 teaspoons = 0.5 oz = 15 grams
1 teaspoon = 0.17 oz = 5 grams
pinch is less than 1/8 teaspoon
dl = deciliter = 1/10 of a liter = 1/2 cup

Weight-volume of:
Flour: 1 pound = 3 1/2 cups
Sugar: 1 pound = 2 1/4 cups

One stick of butter is 1/4 pound or about 110 grams.
Butter in the US is sold in one pound boxes, each box containing 4 sticks.

Decimals
0.25 = 1/4
0.33 = 1/3
0.50 = 1/2
0.66 = 2/3
0.75 = 3/4

Metric Conversion Chart

US Canadian Australian
1/4 tsp 1 mL 1 ml
1/2 tsp 2 mL 2 ml
1 tsp 5 mL 5 ml
1 Tbl 15 mL 20 ml
1/4 cup 50 mL 60 ml
1/3 cup 75 mL 80 ml
1/2 cup 125 mL 125 ml
2/3 cup 150 mL 170 ml
3/4 cup 175 mL 190 ml
1 cup 250 mL 250 ml
1 quart 1 liter 1 litre

Weight
1 ounce 30 grams 30 grams
2 " 55 " 60 "
3 " 85 " 90 "
4 " 115 " 125 "
8 " 225 " 225 "
16 " 455 " 500 " (1/2 kilogram)

Temperatures
Fahrenheit Celsius
32 degrees 0 degrees
212 " 100 "
250 " 120 "
275 " 140 "
300 " 150 "
325 " 160 "
350 " 180 "
375 " 190 "
400 " 200 "
425 " 220 "
450 " 230 "
475 " 240 "
500 " 260 "

Top 10 Amazing foods

They are a dietitian's dream foods, the cream of the crop, nutritious and delicious. They are foods that should be in everyone's kitchen because they contain such a wealth of disease-fighting substances.
So put these 10 readily available foods on your grocery list today -- but do keep in mind that it takes more than 10 foods (even 10 terrific foods!) to make a healthy diet. Experts are quick to point out that variety is the spice of life. And ideally, these nutritious nibbles should replace other, less healthful, foods, helping you to cut calories while boosting the nutrition in your diet.
"Super-foods are terrific, but what are more important to wellness are healthy dietary patterns that include a wide variety of nutritious foods that displace less nutritious foods," notes Alice Lichtenstein, DSc, professor of nutrition science and policy at Tufts University.

Top 10 Amazing Foods

1. Berries

Reach for berries for a powerful dose of health-protecting antioxidants. According to a U.S. Department of Agriculture study, blueberries top the list of antioxidant-rich fruits, followed by cranberries, blackberries, raspberries, and strawberries. The color of berries comes from the pigment anthocyanin, an antioxidant that helps neutralize "free radicals" (cell-damaging molecules) that can help lead to chronic diseases, including cancer and heart disease. Berries, particularly cranberries, may also help ward off urinary tract infections.
Enjoy a cup of berries each day, as a snack; atop your cereal or yogurt; in muffins, salads, or smoothies; or as frozen treats.

2. Dairy

Dairy foods are not only the best food source of dietary calcium, but also have plenty of protein, vitamins (including vitamin D), and minerals. The U.S. government's 2005 Dietary Guidelines recommend having three daily servings of low-fat dairy products, as well as doing weight-bearing exercise, to help keep bones strong and prevent osteoporosis. (If you can't tolerate dairy, other calcium-containing foods include legumes; dark green leafy vegetables such as kale, broccoli, and collards; and calcium-fortified soy products, juices, and grains.)
Beyond strong bones, dairy may also help you lose weight. Research is ongoing, but a few studies have shown that three daily servings of dairy -- as part of a calorie-controlled diet -- may help decrease belly fat and enhance weight loss.
Low-fat dairy foods make excellent snacks because they contain both carbohydrates and protein.
"Dairy foods are perfect snacks for diabetics and everyone else because [they help] maintain blood sugar levels," says Bonnie Taub-Dix, MA, RD, a spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association.
Whip up a smoothie with low-fat milk or yogurt, a splash of orange juice, and a handful of berries for an energizing meal substitute or anytime snack.

3. Fatty Fish

The fat found in fish like salmon and tuna is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which can help protect your heart. The power of omega-3s appears to be their ability to lower blood fats and prevent blood clots associated with heart disease.
The American Heart Association recommends eating at least two servings of fish (especially fatty fish) at least twice a week. "Eating a diet rich in fatty fish can help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease," says Lichtenstein.
There's another benefit to eating meals containing salmon or tuna: you'll reduce your potential intake of saturated fat from higher-fat entrees.
Fire up the grill or put your fish under the broiler for a quick, tasty, and heart-healthy meal.

4. Dark, Leafy Greens

Dark, leafy greens -- everything from spinach, kale, and bok choy to dark lettuces -- are loaded with vitamins, minerals, beta-carotene, vitamin C, folate, iron, magnesium, carotenoids, phytochemicals, and antioxidants. A Harvard study found that eating magnesium-rich foods such as spinach can reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
Make your next salad with assorted greens, including super-nutritious spinach or other dark-colored greens.

5. Whole Grains

Grandma urged us to start the day with a bowl of oatmeal, but did she have any idea that the soluble fiber from oats helps to lower blood cholesterol levels?
Whole grains include the nutritional components that are typically stripped away from refined grains. They contain folic acid, selenium, and B vitamins, and are important to heart health, weight control, and reducing the risk of diabetes. Their fiber content helps keeps you feeling full between meals as well and promotes digestive health.
Enjoy at least three servings a day of whole-grain goodness: whole wheat; barley; rye; millet; quinoa; brown rice; wild rice; and whole-grain pasta, breads, and cereals. The daily recommendation for fiber is 21-38 grams, depending on your sex and age, according to the American Dietetic Association.

6. Beans and Legumes

These nutritious nuggets are packed with phytochemicals; fat-free, high-quality protein; folic acid; fiber; iron; magnesium; and small amounts of calcium. Beans are an excellent and inexpensive protein source and a great alternative for low-calorie vegetarian meals.
Eating beans and legumes regularly as part of a healthy eating plan can help reduce the risk of certain cancers; lower blood cholesterol and triglyceride levels; and stabilize blood sugar. Beans also play an important role in weight management by filling you up with lots of bulk and few calories.
Think beans when making salads, soups, stews, or dips.

7. Nuts

Nuts are full of fats. But they're the healthy, mono- and polyunsaturated kind, which can help lower cholesterol levels and help prevent heart disease. In addition, nuts are a good source of protein, fiber, selenium, vitamin E, and vitamin A.
Small portions of nuts can boost energy and beat hunger, helping dieters stay on track. Still, nuts pack plenty of calories -- and it's easy to overeat these tasty treats.
So enjoy nuts, but be mindful of your portion size. Try to limit yourself to an ounce a day. That's about 28 peanuts, 14 walnut halves, or just 7 Brazil nuts.

8. Sweet Potatoes

One of the easiest ways to make a healthful dietary change is to think "sweet" instead of "white" potatoes. These luscious orange tubers are one of the healthiest vegetables, boasting a wealth of antioxidants; phytochemicals including beta-carotene; vitamins C and E; folate; calcium; copper; iron; and potassium. The fiber in sweet potatoes promotes a healthy digestive tract, and the antioxidants play a role in preventing heart disease and cancer.
Its natural sweetness means a roasted sweet potato is delicious without any additional fats or flavor enhancers. Substitute sweet potatoes in recipes calling for white potatoes or apples to boost the nutrients.

9. Tomatoes

These red-hot fruits of summer are bursting with flavor and pack a nutritional wallop with ingredients such as lycopene, an antioxidant that may help may protect against certain cancers. They also deliver an abundance of vitamins A and C, potassium, and phytochemicals.
Enjoy tomatoes raw, cooked, sliced, chopped, or diced as part of any meal or snack. Stuff a tomato half with spinach and top with grated cheese for a fabulous and colorful side dish.

10. Eggs

Their cholesterol content once led to bad press for the mighty egg, but research has redeemed it. It turns out that saturated fat (eggs have little) plays a bigger role than the cholesterol in food in elevating our blood cholesterol.
Eggs are packed with economical, high-quality protein, and are an excellent source of the carotenoids lutein, choline, and xeanthin. In fact, eggs are one of the best sources of dietary choline, an essential nutrient -- especially for pregnant women. Eggs have been shown to supply nutrients that promote eye health and help prevent age-related macular degeneration, the leading cause of blindness in older people.
The American Heart Association has given eggs the thumbs-up for healthy people. As long as you limit your average daily cholesterol intake to 300 mg, you can enjoy an egg a day.
Eggs are adaptable to every meal. Enjoy eggs for a quick meal, or pack a hard-boiled egg for a tasty, high protein snack.

The Big Picture

For top disease-fighting power, eat all of these amazing edibles together with other healthful foods that didn't make my top 10 list, including green tea, chocolate, alcohol (in limited quantities), olive oil, and soy.
Beyond the choices I listed here, fruits and vegetables in general are powerhouses of fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. By eating five or more servings a day, you help protect your body from heart disease, cancer, and other diseases.
The real key to preventing disease and promoting health is not certain foods, but a lifestyle of regular physical activity and healthy eating, experts say.
Overall, an eating plan low in saturated fat and rich in whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and legumes is your best bet for a healthy heart, according to a Stanford University study reported in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
And "there is very little evidence that individual foods with super-nutrient profiles can reduce the risk of cancer," according to Coleen Doyle, MS, RD, the American Cancer Society's nutrition and physical activity director. "But healthy dietary patterns, including these foods, along with a healthy lifestyle, [are] critical to reducing risk for cancer."
Remember that portion size does matter, even when it comes to healthful foods. If you gain weight eating super-portions of super-nutritious foods, you'll negate the health benefits because of the health risks associated with being overweight, Lichtenstein says.
Also keep in mind that taking a vitamin, mineral, or herbal supplement is no replacement for eating a variety of healthy food. "There is limited evidence that supplements, beyond filling nutritional gaps, make a difference," says Doyle.
Make no mistake about it; eating healthfully -- at least most of the time -- is your best defense against chronic diseases. And the best part? Good nutrition really does taste great.

Love V/s Sex

A teenage girl about 17 had gone to visit some friends one evening and
time passed quickly as each shared their various experiences of the
past year.

She ended up staying longer than planned, and had to walk home alone.
She wasn't afraid because it was a small town and she lived only a few
blocks away.

As she walked along under the tall elm trees, Diane asked God to keep
her safe from harm and danger.

When she reached the alley, which was a short cut to her house, she
decided to take it.

However, halfway down the alley she noticed a man standing at the end
as though he were waiting for her.

She became uneasy and began to pray, asking for God's protection.

Instantly a comforting feeling of quietness and security wrapped round
her, she felt as though someone was walking with her.

When she reached the end of the alley, she walked right past the man
and arrived home safely.

The following day, she read in the newspaper that a young girl had been
raped in the same alley just twenty minutes after she had been there.

Feeling overwhelmed by this tragedy and the fact that it could have
been her, she began to weep.

Thanking the Lord for her safety and to help this young woman, she
decided to go to the police station.

She felt she could recognize the man, so she told them her story.

The police asked her if she would be willing to look at a lineup to see
if she could identify him.

She agreed and immediately pointed out the man she had seen in the
alley the night before.

When the man was told he had been identified, he immediately broke down
and confessed.

The officer thanked Diane for her bravery and asked if there was
anything they could do for her.

She asked if they would ask the man one question.

Diane was curious as to why he had not attacked her.

When the policeman asked him, he answered, "Because she wasn't alone.
She had two tall men walking on either side of her"

Amazingly, whether you believe or not, you're never alone. Did you know
that 98% of teenagers will not stand up for God?

Repost this as Love vs. Sex if you truly believe in God.


PS: God is always there in your heart and loves you no matter
what.....and if you stand up 4 him he will stand up for you.

I bet 93% of the people that read this wont repost it.


I read this and reposted it.
Well I bet you read this note because of the title..didn't you?

She had two tall men walking on either side of her."

Amazingly, whether you believe or not, you're never alone. Did you know
that 98% of teenagers will not stand up for God?

Repost this as Love vs. Sex if you truly believe in God.

Office 2007

By MATTHEW FORDAHL, AP Technology Editor
With each update to its Office suite, Microsoft Corp. has piled on features aimed at boosting users' productivity and goosing sales of the world's most widely used collection of programs for handling documents, spreadsheets, e-mail and presentations.
Office 2007 for Windows-based PCs, launched Tuesday alongside the company's new Windows Vista operating system, is no different, except for one feature that makes it vastly easier to figure out what these programs have to offer.
Most of the suite's applications — Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook and Access — have done away with the old, familiar menus and toolbars. In their place is the Ribbon — a horizontal strip of screen real estate populated with tabs and icons grouped by function.
Want to add clip art to a Word document? Just click on the "Insert" tab and choose the "Clip Art" icon, which, incidentally, is hard to miss. Creating a complex formula in Excel? Click on "Formulas" and pick your poison — all broken down by type.
It's also dynamic: When handling a photo in Word, the Ribbon presents the tools suitable for that task. No more clicking on the "View" menu, choosing "Toolbars" and then figuring out which of the tiny icons might be of use.
The Ribbon ranks among the most significant improvements to Office to date. It's not the first software to break out of the "File," "Edit," and "View" mold, but it's the most convincing alternative I've seen. Other programs will surely follow suit.
The Ribbon isn't customizable and can't be repositioned, though it can be minimized. There's no option to switch back to "classic" view, and it isn't universal — the old menus and toolbars can be found in parts of Outlook, for instance.
It took me a few weeks to get used to it, but after trying out Office 2007 for a couple months, the Ribbon has revealed features of the suite that I didn't know existed.
The Ribbon isn't the only enhancement. In many of the programs, when text is selected, a faint "Mini Toolbar" appears above it. Hover the mouse pointer over the toolbar, and you can change the formatting of the selected text. For those easily annoyed, it can be switched off.
Office 2007 also stores documents in a new format — one more compact and safer than before. Colleagues who haven't upgraded must download a free converter program to open the files. You also can save files in the older formats with Office 2007 — important because the converter isn't available yet for Apple Inc.'s Macintosh computers.
There's also a new way of adding graphics magic to your documents — once everyone upgrades. "SmartArt" allows you to easily insert graphics that can be easily edited and repositioned. If the typed-in text doesn't fit, it automatically shrinks the size of the font so that it does.
As with previous version of the suite, Microsoft is offering a special rate for students and teachers — $149 for Word, Excel, PowerPoint and the note-organizing program OneNote. The Standard edition, which has the first three plus the Outlook e-mail client, is $399 ($239 if you're upgrading from a previous version since Office 2000 or Works 6.0).
The Professional edition is $499 ($329 to upgrade) and includes the database program Access, page-design program Publisher and an accounting program. Other, more expensive suites are available, and programs can be bought individually.
Some highlights of the core programs:
• Word: Even the most boring document can be spiffed up quickly by applying several new themes. And you can get a preview — before committing with a click — simply by hovering over the theme with the mouse; you can quickly compare which one might look best. Word also has a new tool to instantly strip away any metadata, such as snarky comments thought hidden, that might have been attached as notes by people reviewing your work.
• Excel: The popular spreadsheet can now handle a grid of 1,048,576 rows by 16,384 columns of data — a 16-fold increase in one direction, 64-fold in the other. Improved charting functionality supports 3-D, transparency and shadows. And when working with a large table, it keeps the headers in view when you scroll down.
• Outlook: In previous versions of Outlook, searching was possible but painfully slow. Outlook 2007 now supports "Instant Search," letting you find old e-mail in seconds without a third-party program like Google Inc.'s Desktop search program.
Also, in the main inbox screen, Outlook displays a to-do bar that highlights the tasks you should be doing, precluding the need to fish for some function on the Ribbon. It offers many more options for categorizing messages. And it also has built-in support for Really Simple Syndication feeds, so you can catch up on the latest news and blog reports.
• PowerPoint: There's good news for those of us who dread meetings where speakers rely too heavily on PowerPoint: A boatload of new templates helps jazz things up. It's easier to create the presentations, too, thanks to SmartArt and themes. A boring bulleted list, for instance, can be transformed into a diagram — such as timelines — with a click or two.
• Access: Microsoft's database program gets a much-needed infusion of user friendliness. A launch screen presents different tasks that can be handled by the program. And no longer must you wade through floating windows to create a form for collecting data or a report to present your results.
Of course, a big selling point, particularly for businesses, is how the Office programs work together. Microsoft also is updating its servers that act as the glue, enabling easier sharing of documents and information.
But are Word, Excel and PowerPoint necessary for the average consumer or student?
Microsoft has seen increasing competition lately from Web-based word processors and spreadsheets as well as open-source productivity suites. All those work fine for basic word processing and number crunching. And you can't beat the price — free.
Office 2007, however, goes a step further in that it not only helps you produce the content but also present it in ways unequaled by its rivals. At least, not without a lot of work.

Cool Meanings

Cool Meanings

Cigarette:

A pinch of tobacco rolled in paper with fire at one end & a fool at

the other.

Love affairs:

Something like cricket where one-day internationals are more popular

than a five-day test.

Marriage:

It's an agreement in which a man loses his bachelor degree and a woman

gains her master

Divorce:

Future tense of marriage

Lecture:

An art of transferring information from the notes of the lecturer to

the notes of the students without passing through the minds of either.

Conference:

The confusion of one man multiplied by the number present.

Compromise:

The art of dividing a cake in such a way that everybody believes he

got the biggest piece.

Tears:

The hydraulic force by which masculine will power is defeated by

feminine waterpower.. .

Dictionary:

A place where divorce comes before marriage.

Conference Room:

A place where everybody talks, nobody listens & everybody disagrees

later on.

Ecstasy:

A feeling when you feel you are going to feel a feeling you have never

felt before.

Classic:

A book which people praise, but do not read.

Smile:

A curve that can set a lot of things straight.

Office:

A place where you can relax after your strenuous home life.

Yawn:

The only time some married men ever get to open their mouth.

Etc:

A sign to make others believe that you know more than you actually do.

Committee:

Individuals who can do nothing individually and sit to decide that

nothing can be done together.

Experience:

The name men give to their mistakes.

Atom Bomb:

An invention to end all inventions.

Philosopher:

A fool who torments himself during life, to be spoken of when dead.

Diplomat:

A person who tells you to go to hell in such a way that you actually

look forward to the trip.

Opportunist:

A person who starts taking bath if he accidentally falls into a river.

Optimist:

A person who while falling from Eiffel Tower says in midway See I am

not injured yet.

Pessimist:

A person who says that O is the last letter in ZERO, Instead of the

first letter in word OPPORTUNITY

Miser:

A person who lives poor so that he can die rich.

Father:

A banker provided by nature.

Criminal:

A guy no different from the rest... except that he got caught.

Boss:

Someone who is early when you are late and late when you are early.

Politician:

One who shakes your hand before elections and your Confidence after.

Doctor:

A person who kills your ills by pills, and kills you with his bills.

Beauty of maths

The Beauty of MAtheMazic


1 x 8 + 1 = 9
12 x 8 + 2 = 98
123 x 8 + 3 = 987
1234 x 8 + 4 = 9876
12345 x 8 + 5 = 98765
123456 x 8 + 6 = 987654
1234567 x 8 + 7 = 9876543
12345678 x 8 + 8 = 98765432
123456789 x 8 + 9 = 987654321

1 x 9 + 2 = 11
12 x 9 + 3 = 111
123 x 9 + 4 = 1111
1234 x 9 + 5 = 11111
12345 x 9 + 6 = 111111
123456 x 9 + 7 = 1111111
1234567 x 9 + 8 = 11111111
12345678 x 9 + 9 = 111111111
123456789 x 9 +10= 1111111111

9 x 9 + 7 = 88
98 x 9 + 6 = 888
987 x 9 + 5 = 8888
9876 x 9 + 4 = 88888
98765 x 9 + 3 = 888888
987654 x 9 + 2 = 8888888
9876543 x 9 + 1 = 88888888
98765432 x 9 + 0 = 888888888

Brilliant, isn't it?
And finally, take a look at this symmetry:

1 x 1 = 1
11 x 11 = 121
111 x 111 = 12321
1111 x 1111 = 1234321
11111 x 11111 = 123454321
111111 x 111111 = 12345654321
1111111 x 1111111 = 1234567654321
11111111 x 11111111 = 123456787654321
111111111 x 111111111=123456789 87654321

Microsoft Snip IT

Send Selected Text on a Webpage as E-Mail with Microsoft Snip IT

No, this is not the GMailThis! or YahooThis! bookmarklet but something close in the form of an add-on that can be accessed via the right-click menu.

You select a portion of text on a webpage in Internet Explorer with the mouse and the send it as an email using your favorite email client be it Yahoo, GMail, Hotmail or even Microsoft Outlook.

Once you select or highlight text on a webpage, right-click and the selected text forms the Body of your email message while the document title becomes the subject.

Microsoft Snip IT Download SnipIT [184 kb]

The add-on requires IE 6.0 or later. The current beta version of Yahoo! Mail is not supported yet.

Google fourth-quarter profit nearly triples

Google's fourth-quarter revenue rose 67 percent and profit nearly tripled on continued strength in its cash cow paid search business.

Handily beating analysts estimates, net earnings for the quarter ended December 31 were US$1.03 billion, or US$3.29 a share, including one-time items such as stock-based compensation, compared with US$372 million, or US$1.22 a share, during the same quarter in 2005. Excluding those items, earnings were US$997 million, or US$3.18 a share.

Total revenue for the quarter rose 67 percent to US$3.2 billion, compared to US$1.92 billion a year ago. Excluding traffic acquisition costs, or commission paid to content partners, revenue was US$2.23 billion.

Analysts polled by Thomson Financial were expecting Google to post earnings per share of US$2.92 excluding items, and revenue of US$2.19 billion, excluding traffic acquisition costs.

Paid search represents nearly all of Google's revenue. The company is expanding its advertising platform beyond the Web into radio and print.

"We paid over US$3 billion in 2006 to our partners and this is a figure that we expect is going to increase as we ramp up our video, radio and print programs," founder Sergey Brin said in a conference call with analysts.

Asked about whether the company plans to help companies advertise on television, Chief Executive Eric Schmidt said: "We have already said that we are experimenting with traditional television advertising...There are many reasons to believe that the targeting technology we have invented can apply well, that advertisers will pay much higher rates for ads that are targeted."

As for YouTube, Google suspects content creators will take advantage of the direct link to fans that the video-sharing site provides, said Schmidt. "We can connect the copyright owner with the user," he said. "We're pushing for a model where the people who produce the content get some revenue back." In addition, Google is working on audio and video fingerprinting technologies to protect copyright holders, he said.

When it comes to search, paid clicks on ads on Google's network and its publisher partners' Web sites grew more than 60 percent in the aggregate, according to Chief Financial Officer George Reyes.

While things look rosy for Google, its largest search rival posted more modest fourth quarter results. Last week, Yahoo's earnings were down more than 60 percent from a year ago.

Web traffic to Google grew 24 percent in the fourth quarter from the same period a year earlier and Google accounts for more than half of all Web searches, according to Nielsen/NetRatings. The company is expected to capture two-thirds of the search advertising revenue this year, according to eMarketer.

Google shares, which closed at US$501.50, dropped as much as 2 percent in after-hours trading after the company failed to make so-called "whisper numbers" on the street that were slightly higher than the estimates that they beat. The stock has risen nearly 18 percent over the past year, about the same amount that Yahoo's has fallen.