Thursday, December 31, 2009

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2010!!!


http://www.gpsmagazine.com/assets/happy_new_year_fireworks.jpg
http://fc08.deviantart.net/fs51/f/2009/333/b/9/HAPPY_NEW_YEAR_2010_by_ArtemMostovoy.jpg

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Timeless Trading Rules

Fantasy sports are my hobby, buying and selling stocks is my job. After finishing up my undergraduate degree at UMass I went to work for a small electronic trading firm located in Atlanta GA. It was here that I first learned the essentials when it comes to trading stocks. Trading players on your fantasy sports teams is amazingly similar. In both cases you only have information from the past that you can combine with an outlook of the future in order to determine the right times to buy and sell. It was this skill that I attained that has led to my success as a fantasy sports player. While in training to be a professional trader, certain time tested rules were constantly hammered into my brain. I was thinking about a few of those rules this morning and decided that it’d be good to share some with you, and offer their relevancy to fantasy sports. These should serve as excellent guidelines to use when pondering future trades.

The Five Rules To Being A Successful Trader…….in Fantasy Sports!










1. Plan Your Trade, and then Execute Your Plan.
Sounds simple enough right? But I’ll venture that many of you out there almost take this for granted. What often happens is that you decide on a player to trade away, earmark either a player or particular stat category to trade for, and then as you make offers and receive counteroffers, the final result is often very far from the original intent. Anybody can push a button to offer or accept a trade; the true player knows what he’s giving and getting in every deal. I made this mistake earlier this season when someone offered me Jason Kidd for David Lee. I thought it too good to pass up and just jumped on the deal. After it went through I realized I now had too many assists (Kidd and CP3) and too few Rebounds. I then had to turn around and deal Kidd away, making the first trade pointless.

2. Be Emotionless – DON’T FALL IN LOVE WITH YOUR PLAYERS
Cause they could give a rat’s a$$ about you! Don’t trade for a player because he’s an icon, or he’s on your hometown team, or he has a hot wife. Don’t hold players because they just had a ridiculous night or stretch of games. How many of you out there wish you dealt Andrew Bogut after that 18 rebound performance or Jennings after he dropped 55 points or Camby before he started complaining about injuries? When a player is hot, that is the best (and toughest) time to deal him away. Fact is, everyone saw that performance and everyone wants him on their team, and they will pay dearly to have him.

3. Make Sure You Get Full Value
There’s two types of trades in fantasy sports, trading for necessity and trading to sell high. Sometimes you can mix them. Trading for necessity means you have to make a deal because you’re getting killed in a stat category and your season is on the line, you are NOT in a very good position to bargain and most people know it. Trading to sell high is the BEST bargaining position to be in, and your goal is to add quality to your squad. Sure, some players are going to continue to outperform after you’ve dealt them away. Guys like Kevin Love and Carmelo Anthony haven’t shown signs of really slowing down. So what! If you got the proper value from trading with them, you’re at least no worse off than before. When I Sell High on a player, my aim is to package the deal as a 2-2, adding in a bench player, and targeting one Buy Low player that has the ability to reach the same level as my sell high, AND another player of good value. Like dealing Carmelo Anthony and John Salmons for Amar’e Stoudemire (when he was a buy low) and Jameer Nelson. By seasons end, Amare should at least = Carmelo, and Jameer should be > Salmons, whereas when you made the trade, Carmelo was so hot and Amar’e so cold that it looked (to the other guy) like you were getting robbed.

4. Do NOT Trade Based on Advice From a Friend
You’re out at a party, or chillin in school and one of your boys who doesn’t play in your league is talking about last nights games and he’s all like ‘WHOA did you see Deron Williams last night?!, He looked AWESOME, he is definitely the best PG in the league!’. Then you jump on your league page and start making offers for Deron without doing any homework. Your friend is an idiot, he doesn’t know your team, doesn’t know what you need, and is about as reliable as Joe Schmoe the Sports Writer.

5. Do NOT Overtrade
We have a goal in mind each season; try to stack our team as much as possible. This requires lots and lots of deal making. But look, after you just turned over half of your roster, maybe from making 2 or 3 deals, you gotta let the team play a bit. If you had bought low on David West last week, and then dealt him away this week, you’re going to be missing this hot streak he’s going on. You need to let these guys bounce around a bit. Give them a chance to rise in value, and other players a chance to drop in value. Yes, trade many times a season. But overdoing it can be ruinous. Just remember the two types of trades we make, and if you aren’t making one of those two types, you’re over trading.

Keep these rules in mind before sending offers, before answering offers, and before pulling the trigger. Discipline is the single most important factor in determining whether or not you are successful.

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Apple Store Love Song

DOWNLOAD THE MP3 HERE:
http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZ...

THIS IS **NOT** GREEN-SCREENED. Here's proof: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=poLI_T...

This is an original Fatty Spins song, and yes I actually went to the Apple Store on 5th Ave in NYC and filmed it on one of their demo laptops. If you're wondering why the other people in the store hardly turned around, then you've obviously never been to New York. And yes, there does appear to be a homeless giant standing behind me. LOL.

The MP3 download is coming soon, as soon as iTunes approves it.

This is NOT a commercial nor an endorsement of anyone's product. This video (not the song) was actually inspired by youtuber NicoliFavs. Go check him out: http://www.youtube.com/user/nicholifavs

Beat and lyrics by: Ray William Johnson of Fatty Spins

PS- You're a moron if you still think this was green-screened.



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FOXNews Confirms Big Apple Event for January?


http://morningpaper.typepad.com/morning_paper/images/2008/02/07/applelogo.png
FOXNews has spoken to a source inside Apple who confirmed a "big" event for January.

While nothing official has been handed down from the notoriously tight-lipped company, my source took the Financial Times report one step further by saying this event will focus on the mobility space, meaning we'll see something related to the iPhone/Touch product line.

Analysts and the rumor mill strongly believe Apple will soon launch the must anticipated tablet at this event. The company has rented a stage at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco and a keynote is expected on January 26th.

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Gunman kills four people in Finnish shopping mall

HELSINKI (Reuters) – Four people were killed when a gunman opened fire

at a Finnish shopping mall on Thursday, police said, in the country's third multiple shooting incident in as many years.

A 43-year-old suspect, Ibrahim Shkupolli, was still at large and considered armed and dangerous, they said in a statement. The victims of the attack, staged in the town of Espoo near Helsinki as shoppers stocked up for the New Year holiday, were three men and a woman, they added.

National newspaper Helsingin Sanomat reported on its website that a fifth victim, which it identified as the suspect's ex-wife, had been found dead in an Espoo apartment.

Finland was rocked by two school shootings in 2007 and 2008, after which it tightened gun control regulations.

A Reuters reporter at the Sello Mall in Espoo saw helicopters overhead and fire trucks around the entrances of the shopping center, which was now closed.

"When we were going out I heard sounds like shots from the third floor, and then I left," said a mall employee, who declined to give her name.

"I paid for my groceries and I wanted to go to my car when I was told that you cannot go there," shopper Jorma Romo told Reuters outside of the mall. "They were hurrying people out and people were asking (why)."

Ilta-Sanomat newspaper said on its website that at least seven shots were fired, but gave no source for the information.

(Additional reporting by Terhi Kinnunen)

(Reporting by Brett Young: editing by David Stamp)



source:http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20091231/ts_nm/us_finland_shooting


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How To Thrive With A Christian Home Based Business

Would you like to operate a Christian home based business?
There are many who do and do it well. Unfortunately the
opposite is also true.

It's a commendable act to run any business in a christianly
manner. The pressures of making a profit and keeping a
business afloat can tempt even the finest people to do
unethical things.

There are those who profess to be Christians and run their
business under the guise of Christian principles but only
do so to take advantage of others. Because of that many
people are cautious when coming across a Christian business.

Those who target Christian products to promote are in a
Christian business. Hopefully they'll run their businesses
in a manner that matches the products they sell.

For all others who market products and services with an
emphasis on Christian principles they can truly have a
positive impact if they do so in a Christ like manner.

If you think about it that "manner" is really not much
different than how any good business is operated. As a
business owner your primary objective is to treat your
customers away you want to be treated.

In a nutshell that means giving a good product or service
for a fair price. It's not christianly if we provide a poor
service or product in order to increase profits or provide
a decent product with inflated prices.

We also must treat the people correctly who work for us and
with us. We're not running a good business with Christian
principles if we take advantage of either group in any
manner.

The solid Christian values and ethics in business are
reflected on how we help people and give value in the
products or services we provide. And obviously included
with these is our integrity and honesty.

Ironically any business will prosper more in the end by
doing the right things up front. And doing nothing about a
customer complaint will ultimately cost them.

As you may know negative word of mouth advertising is the
most powerful form of advertising and repeat business is
worth its weight in gold. It isn't rocket science to figure
out how a business should treat their customers.

Many Christian home based businesses are small in nature.
Therefore the employee and business partner contact is more
intimate than in most businesses.

Christian business owners must be careful not to push their
own personal religious agenda to those around him. But they
can have even a more positive effect on others just by how
they conduct themselves and their businesses.

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5 Crucial Questions 1 Before You Start A Home Business

People who never thought they would start a home business
will do so in the future. The Internet makes it very easy
to do this, but you should still ask yourself these five
questions before you get started!

1. What are you going to sell? This is always an important
question if you expect to make any money.

You will read a lot about niche marketing as you research
home businesses. This just means you are trying to find a
specific market within a larger market.

Because of the number of websites on the Internet today
niche marketing is essential. You want to market a product
that is in demand yet is not being sold by everyone else.

2. Where are you going to work at? Having a home business
means dealing with distractions.

If you expect to succeed you need to set up a separate area
in your home and call it your home office. Let everybody
know that when you are at work in your office you are not
to be disturbed.

3. When are you going to work? It's very easy to start off
excited with your home business and then quickly fizzle out.

One thing many home business owners have found is setting a
schedule and sticking to it is extremely helpful. This way
you can not talk yourself out of going to work on a day
when you don't feel like doing it.

4. Why are you doing it? This may be the most important
question of all. Knowing why you want to start a home
business will motivate you to achieve that goal.

Everyone has reasons of their own for starting a home
business. The main thing is writing it down on a piece of
paper and putting it where you can see it every day.

5. How are you going to sell your products? Two things you
definitely need is your own website and autoresponder
mailing list.

Don't settle for the website provided by the home business
opportunity you join. Don't settle for the replicated
website that comes with an affiliate marketing business if
you decide to go this route if.

One smart idea is to start a blog and use it as your
primary website. Also join a quality auto responders such
as a Aweber and use it to store your prospect names and
email addresses in.

Add a sign-up form on the sidebar of your blog which will
automatically add it to every page. This is important to
have so don't cut any corners.

These are 5 vital questions you should ask yourself before
you start a home business of your own. Understanding the
answers to these questions will help you become more
successful faster.
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Five Magical Steps For Making A Advantageously Strong affiliate Program!

Five Spellbinding Steps For Creating A Successfully Powerful affiliate marketing programme.

There are a couple of reasons why your affiliate marketing program isn't bringing in the traffic and profits you have always was hoping for. And below, I have made public five fast methods to change that so you can get heavier traffic and profits using the power of "super" affiliates . Most affiliates will popularize your program if you give them the tools to do it.

* Start An affiliate Contest -- And give away prizes for top sellers and those most improved.

it does not cost much to run a competition of this kind, and the return is great.

Tell them about contests you run and tools you offer to make it straightforward.

I was convinced that this isn't the only way to inrease my sales and there's another problem.

So I began to look for a web page that will give me some pointers and advices on the way to increase selling promotional items. The name is "B2B Market-place for promotional products" at affiliate tracking . When you do not have a web page you can publish you phone number so that consumers can conact you by telephone. You'll see if more buyer come to your webpage or not.

Josef Baumann is an Selling Expert and the owner of Bender Technology. And with the product going for $297, and you getting 1/2 that for each sale, a hundred visitors sent from your internet site can put a simple $297 in your pocket.

affiliate marketing programmes, once ready can bring you automatic, minimal cost traffic for years ahead.
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earn from home

Regardless of the state of the economy, many people find
themselves a little strapped for money around the holidays.
Heating costs, food for holiday gatherings, holiday travel costs,
and gifts all factor in to making November through January the
most expensive time of the year. Luckily, as much as this time of
year can cost more, there are more opportunities to make a little
bit of money to offset these inflated expenses.

Below, we'll share with you the top five ways to earn a little
extra cash over the holidays.

Tip 5 - Manual Labor

Fall is called "fall" for a reason. Leaves fall off of trees
and if they just stay on people's lawns it is bad for the grass
underneath. That's why they invented rakes. One thing about
raking - people hate to do it. That's why they invented leaf
blowers. So, if you invest in a leaf blower, you can take care of
people's leaves for them without having to rake people's
leaves? Easy enough, right? Once the snow starts falling; you can
shovel snow for extra dough - or use a little of your
leaf-blowing money to invest in a snow blower. Other things to
consider - cleaning out gutters, hanging holiday lights, and
winterizing windows with that shrink wrap stuff.

Tip 4 - Babysit

Let your friends, family, and coworkers know that you're
available to babysit during holiday shopping excursions ( a
nightmare chore when you have to bring the little ones along),
and during holiday parties. If you're a bona-fide adult with
some experience taking care of kids you can likely charge about
$10 per hour. And once people find out you're willing to babysit
word travels fast. You'll be fielding calls left and right. Just
make sure you keep plenty of crayons, coloring books, and
kid-friendly movies on hand you'll be their favorite babysitter
in no time!

Tip 3 - Hawk Your Stuff

You could start randomly selling stuff on Ebay, but remember that
you have to pay to put stuff up there. If you've already got an
account that's great, and you can start your spring cleaning a
little early and get rid of unwanted, but still good quality
stuff. Of course, if you've got lots of good stuff, don't
forget about the option of re-gifting. One man's trash, et
cetera... Another great idea is to sell your old gold through a
respectable online company. You can contact them and they send
you a bag to put your stuff in. You put your old gold, silver,
your old silverware, and your old gold coins in the bag, send it
off, and payday! Pretty easy, if you've got that kind of stuff
sitting around your house.

Tip 2 - Get Crafty

Etsy.com is a website that sells exclusively hand-crafted items.
For a small fee you can sign up and post your wares. If you're a
craft-type of person, this is a good way to sell your handmade
goods and make a name for yourself. If you are in need of a
little more instant-gratification cash, sign up for a craft fair
or holiday bazaar and man a booth with your stuff. If you are
more of a Betty Crocker-type, try making some cookies or candies
to give as gifts or sell to friends and coworkers. Everybody
loves a little sweetness during the holiday season.

Tip 1 - Retail

Many retailers hire on extra help for the holiday shopping
season. You could get hired and trained before Black Friday, and
work those crazy holiday shifts to get some extra money. The best
part of all of it? You will likely get an employee discount, so
don't apply for places you don't want to shop. In addition to
making some money, you can save some money too. Talk about
getting more bang for your buck!

Whatever ways you decide to bring in extra cash this year, make
sure you do it safely, and make sure you save enough time and
energy for your friends and family. Because that's what the
holiday season is really about, after all.
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Wednesday, December 30, 2009

AT&T: The most hated company in iPhone land


NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- Consumer outrage about AT&T's 3G service for iPhones is boiling over, but the dropped calls and spotty service reflect a greater lack of foresight in the wireless industry.

Analysts say AT&T's problems would have happened on any network that carried Apple's (AAPL, Fortune 500) iPhone because of the overwhelming amount of data downloaded by iPhone users. Over the past three years, AT&T's data traffic increased 5,000% because of the iPhone.

"The challenges that AT&T has are being faced by a lot of operators around the world: Very rapidly growing usage coupled with dense populations," said Daniel Hays, wireless expert and partner at consultancy PRTM. "Would it have been different on Verizon? Probably not."

AT&T accurately states that it has the nation's fastest 3G network but it "probably bit off more than it could chew," said Doug Helmreich, program director at consultancy CFI Group. "Now some of their customers are paying the price."

IPhone users in New York and San Francisco in particular have been up in arms about frequent service interruptions. Earlier this month, AT&T's head of mobility, Ralph de la Vega, admitted at an investors' conference that the company's service in those two cities was "below our standards."

It's not just New York and San Francisco iPhone users who are grumbling. An annual Consumer Reports study recently rated AT&T (T, Fortune 500) the worst in customer satisfaction in 19 cities across the country. (Rival Verizon Wireless rated No. 1 in the study.)

In nearly three-quarters of the surveyed areas, AT&T was rated lowest for availability of service, frequency of dropped calls and quality of voice service.

Verizon vs. AT&T

Verizon (VZ, Fortune 500) has had a field day at AT&T's expense.

"There's a map for that" commercials have poked fun at AT&T's smaller 3G footprint. And that has helped Verizon take market share, according to Piper Jaffray.

But studies show that AT&T's network is actually faster than Verizon's, and Verizon's ad campaign may be a bit misleading.

Four recent independent studies from wireless industry analysis firms Global Wireless Solutions and Root Wireless, investment bank Piper Jaffray and tech blog Gizmodo all concluded that AT&T's 3G network was the fastest in the United States.

"We drove millions of miles across the country, and our data support AT&T's claim that it has the fastest 3G data network," said Global Wireless CEO Paul Carter.

The map that Verizon shows in its ads is correct, but AT&T's 3G network still covers nearly 80% of the U.S. population, said Carter. And AT&T's non-3G coverage is also broader than its 3G network.

With that kind of pedigree, analysts say AT&T was likely the best-equipped network to handle the iPhone.

"For Verizon ... we still wonder if the network has the capacity and backhaul to support a device with an adoption curve of the iPhone," said Piper Jaffray analyst Chris Larsen in a client note.

Perception vs. reality

AT&T admits that it has had problems keeping up with the data demands of iPhone users, which has prompted the company to accelerate scheduled improvements in its network.

"There's more work to be done and a sense of urgency to do it, but we feel like we're on the right track with our investments," said Fletcher Cook, spokesman for AT&T.

In the next few years, AT&T said it would double its network speed, and Cook said AT&T has already improved overall network quality by 25%. The company has also deployed more than 20,000 Wi-Fi hotspots across the country, which it says may help alleviate stress on its 3G network.

PRTM's Hays applauded the Wi-Fi solution and AT&T's dedication to improving its network, calling them "critical levers in addressing AT&T's network performance issues." He expects AT&T to go even further, perhaps by integrating tiered data plans that would force iPhone users to pay for the data they download.

Still, perception has hurt AT&T.

AT&T's network is the No. 1 hangup for people who are in the market for an iPhone, according to a CFI Group study. The company's woes have even become the butt of jokes on late-night TV.

"It was reported this week that Google would soon launch its own cell phone as a challenge to the iPhone," said "Saturday Night Live's" Seth Meyers on Dec. 19. "Also a challenge to the iPhone? Making phone calls."

The building frustrations led some angry consumers to take matters into their own hands. "Operation Chokehold," which took place on Dec. 18, was an attempt to overload AT&T's network by running data-intensive apps to try and send a message that consumers "are sick of their substandard network." The ploy failed.

"Unfortunately for AT&T, when it comes to network quality, perception is reality and right now Verizon has a more positive public perception," said Larsen. "If AT&T can continue to show improvement in network throughput, it may blunt some of the impact."



source:http://money.cnn.com/2009/12/29/technology/att/index.htm?cnn=yes

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Top iPhone Apps For Lawyers

I was making this review of the Top iPhone Apps for lawyers by building up the clichéd expressions such as open, "it would be a crime not to purchase these applications are assessed," or "not guilty of serious abuses by not buying these top iPhone applications." Since you probably rational, logical and clear-minded, I am not your intelligence with such cheesy rhetoric of insult, but this article only the hard facts are correct and let us useOwn decisions. Here are the top iPhone apps for lawyers:

Pocket Lawyer
Always wished you could shrink a top lawyer stuff, her encyclopedic knowledge in your pocket and you wangle your way out of a difficult legal situation? If so, then this iPhone application is perfect. The miniature-Know-It-All provides information not only about the most common crimes, but also in all the details on the type of sentence for each crime and sites where theInformation (the document) is out. This application provide a library worth of data in the palm.

FBI Handbook
CSI has prepared an entire generation of would-be forensic scientists, inspired on the streets of America with a polyethylene-suit and a fingerprint duster take armed. The knowledge of the mechanisms behind the FBI investigation is essential if a lawyer is to get it confused with the big boys in the courtroom. One of the easiest ways to tap intoCore processes of the Federal Bureau, the iPhone application. It pays to be ready when it is a smooth operation as the FBI, which is why you have a smooth iPhone application, such as the FBI's Guide to ensure that you are not caught short .

Cliff Maier Reference Apps
If you are looking for a comprehensive, well presented and authoritative set of legal guides, you should look no further than the iPhone Cliff Maier Legal Reference applications. TheApplications are not only varied but accessible offline which means you can always have access to the crucial legal details, even if your connection breaks. Some legal apps from Cliff Maier are Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure, NY CPL, the Constitution, patent rules, the list stretches on into the distance. Save yourself the agony of sitting bleary eyes, which can be a dusty law book and then invite many of these leaders how to be bent.

Judgment Day-Date Calculator for Lawyers
Packed with so many statutes, dates and events in a skull, a lawyer can not remember every day will be awarded in their agenda. The iPhone application is easy to calculate how many court or calendar day there are between the specified dates. Since each jurisdiction has different customs of the holidays, this is to hold a cell phone, especially if you work in more than one jurisdiction. This application works just like the> 'S built-in calendar, iPhone does allow you to save several days on a single screen.

Case Mate
So many customers, so little time (and space) to take care of them all ... As the list grows of the cases, the amount of information you need to also increase to keep organized. This is definitely one of the best iPhone apps for lawyers and is a must for those who are always doing the sifting through endless piles of paper, case studies and lists of things to have. ThisAll-in-one iPhone app you can control, and all important information, save for a particular case on your iPhone.

BARBRI
Reviewing your laws, and bar exams can be a stressful task and a time in your life, when the dusk and caffeine are close friends. BARBRI is one of the top iPhone applications for lawyers and law students, because it outlines course provides lectures and practice questions to ensure that you do not confuse a helpone important case in your exam and beyond. The software allows you to "BARBI challenge" and see how much of a legal eagle you are and if you fly high up in your brain, peer group or searches in the rest.

Black's Law Dictionary, 8th Reprint
If Hollywood is to believe, then every lawyer has an infinite knowledge base, with each definition and legal abbreviation ready at the tip of the tongue. Real life is a little different and will be a true power of knowledge does not come naturally to many lawyers. Black's Law Dictionary for the iPhone is the best way to make sure you never miss an opportunity to reel off the final list of legal jargon. With over 43,000 definitions and 3,000 top legal deals, you will never again lost for words.

Quickoffice Mobile Office Suite
In an increasingly mobile world, are the offices and all its contents no longer confined to, well, in the office. This is a> IPhone application that you edit, create, allows transportation of essential information and send your iPhone to your desktop and beyond. With this application, Word and Excel documents are now easily created and edited directly from your iPhone. Never leave home without your office again with Quickoffice, which, in my opinion is essential for all types of businesses, people possess an iPhone. Simply stated, any list of the best iPhone apps for lawyers or businessmen who would notbe complete without this ext.

Wikipanion
Where would we be without Wikipedia? Well, we probably would have been filled with a few sentences, but we were still laboriously thumbing through a traditional encyclopedia for a jumpstart on the information we need. Wikipanion is a great free iPhone app that reference any lawyer of a concept or event and get a good overview can help. This app provides direct access to Wikipedia and Wiktionary, by some great search and formattingFeatures that add up to a sleek and easy to use interface.

NetNewsWire
Observation of the news agencies in the world is important if you aim at as the top dog in the courtroom. NetNewsWire is an RSS Reader iPhone application, the direct links to all blogs and news sites on the Internet that offer RSS feeds. This program is designed to sync on your home computer and you can save items that you have read, and read articles mark at a later date. If you like to receiveInformation about RSS feeds download to this free app.



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Solution to killer superbug found in Norway


OSLO, Norway – Aker University Hospital is a dingy place to heal. The floors are streaked and scratched. A light layer of dust coats the blood pressure monitors. A faint stench of urine and bleach wafts from a pile of soiled bedsheets dropped in a corner.

Look closer, however, at a microscopic level, and this place is pristine. There is no sign of a dangerous and contagious staph infection that killed tens of thousands of patients in the most sophisticated hospitals of Europe, North America and Asia this year, soaring virtually unchecked.

The reason: Norwegians stopped taking so many drugs.

Twenty-five years ago, Norwegians were also losing their lives to this bacteria. But Norway's public health system fought back with an aggressive program that made it the most infection-free country in the world. A key part of that program was cutting back severely on the use of antibiotics.

Now a spate of new studies from around the world prove that Norway's model can be replicated with extraordinary success, and public health experts are saying these deaths — 19,000 in the U.S. each year alone, more than from AIDS — are unnecessary.

"It's a very sad situation that in some places so many are dying from this, because we have shown here in Norway that Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) can be controlled, and with not too much effort," said Jan Hendrik-Binder, Oslo's MRSA medical adviser. "But you have to take it seriously, you have to give it attention, and you must not give up."

The World Health Organization says antibiotic resistance is one of the leading public healthtuberculosis and malaria, making them harder and in some cases impossible to treat. threats on the planet. A six-month investigation by The Associated Press found overuse and misuse of medicines has led to mutations in once curable diseases like

Now, in Norway's simple solution, there's a glimmer of hope.

---

Dr. John Birger Haug shuffles down Aker's scuffed corridors, patting the pocket of his baggy white scrubs. "My bible," the infectious disease specialist says, pulling out a little red Antibiotic Guide that details this country's impressive MRSA solution.

It's what's missing from this book — an array of antibiotics — that makes it so remarkable.

"There are times I must show these golden rules to our doctors and tell them they cannot prescribe something, but our patients do not suffer more and our nation, as a result, is mostly infection free," he says.

Norway's model is surprisingly straightforward.

• Norwegian doctors prescribe fewer antibiotics than any other country, so people do not have a chance to develop resistance to them.

• Patients with MRSA are isolated and medical staff who test positive stay at home.

• Doctors track each case of MRSA by its individual strain, interviewing patients about where they've been and who they've been with, testing anyone who has been in contact with them.

Haug unlocks the dispensary, a small room lined with boxes of pills, bottles of syrups and tubes of ointment. What's here? Medicines considered obsolete in many developed countries. What's not? Some of the newest, most expensive antibiotics, which aren't even registered for use in Norway, "because if we have them here, doctors will use them," he says.

He points to an antibiotic. "If I treated someone with an infection in Spain with this penicillin I would probably be thrown in jail," he says, "and rightly so because it's useless there."

Norwegians are sanguine about their coughs and colds, toughing it out through low-grade infections.

"We don't throw antibiotics at every person with a fever. We tell them to hang on, wait and see, and we give them a Tylenol to feel better," says Haug.

Convenience stores in downtown Oslo are stocked with an amazing and colorful array — 42 different brands at one downtown 7-Eleven — of soothing, but non-medicated, lozenges, sprays and tablets. All workers are paid on days they, or their children, stay home sick. And drug makers aren't allowed to advertise, reducing patient demands for prescription drugs.

In fact, most marketing here sends the opposite message: "Penicillin is not a cough medicine," says the tissue packet on the desk of Norway's MRSA control director, Dr. Petter Elstrom.

He recognizes his country is "unique in the world and best in the world" when it comes to MRSA. Less than 1 percent of health care providers are positive carriers of MRSA staph.

But Elstrom worries about the bacteria slipping in through other countries. Last year almost every diagnosed case in Norway came from someone who had been abroad.

"So far we've managed to contain it, but if we lose this, it will be a huge problem," he said. "To be very depressing about it, we might in some years be in a situation where MRSA is so endemic that we have to stop doing advanced surgeries, things like organ transplants, if we can't prevent infections. In the worst case scenario we are back to 1913, before we had antibiotics."

---

Forty years ago, a new spectrum of antibiotics enchanted public health officials, quickly quelling one infection after another. In wealthier countries that could afford them, patients and providers came to depend on antibiotics. Trouble was, the more antibiotics are consumed, the more resistant bacteria develop.

Norway responded swiftly to initial MRSA outbreaks in the 1980s by cutting antibiotic use. Thus while they got ahead of the infection, the rest of the world fell behind.

In Norway, MRSA has accounted for less than 1 percent of staph infections for years. That compares to 80 percent in Japan, the world leader in MRSA; 44 percent in Israel; and 38 percent in Greece.

In the U.S., cases have soared and MRSA cost $6 billion last year. Rates have gone up from 2 percent in 1974 to 63 percent in 2004. And in the United Kingdom, they rose from about 2 percent in the early 1990s to about 45 percent, although an aggressive control program is now starting to work.

About 1 percent of people in developed countries carry MRSA on their skin. Usually harmless, the bacteria can be deadly when they enter a body, often through a scratch. MRSA spreads rapidly in hospitals where sick people are more vulnerable, but there have been outbreaks in prisons, gyms, even on beaches. When dormant, the bacteria are easily detected by a quick nasal swab and destroyed by antibiotics.

Dr. John Jernigan at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said they incorporate some of Norway's solutions in varying degrees, and his agency "requires hospitals to move the needle, to show improvement, and if they don't show improvement they need to do more."

And if they don't?

"Nobody is accountable to our recommendations," he said, "but I assume hospitals and institutions are interested in doing the right thing."

Dr. Barry Farr, a retired epidemiologist who watched a successful MRSA control program launched 30 years ago at the University of Virginia's hospitals, blamed the CDC for clinging to past beliefs that hand washing is the best way to stop the spread of infections like MRSA. He says it's time to add screening and isolation methods to their controls.

The CDC needs to "eat a little crow and say, 'Yeah, it does work,'" he said. "There's example after example. We don't need another study. We need somebody to just do the right thing."

---

But can Norway's program really work elsewhere?

The answer lies in the busy laboratory of an aging little public hospital about 100 miles outside of London. It's here that microbiologist Dr. Lynne Liebowitz got tired of seeing the stunningly low Nordic MRSA rates while facing her own burgeoning cases.

So she turned Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Kings Lynn into a petri dish, asking doctors to almost completely stop using two antibiotics known for provoking MRSA infections.

One month later, the results were in: MRSA rates were tumbling. And they've continued to plummet. Five years ago, the hospital had 47 MRSA bloodstream infections. This year they've had one.

"I was shocked, shocked," says Liebowitz, bouncing onto her toes and grinning as colleagues nearby drip blood onto slides and peer through microscopes in the hospital laboratory.

When word spread of her success, Liebowitz's phone began to ring. So far she has replicated her experiment at four other hospitals, all with the same dramatic results.

"It's really very upsetting that some patients are dying from infections which could be prevented," she says. "It's wrong."

Around the world, various medical providers have also successfully adapted Norway's program with encouraging results. A medical center in Billings, Mont., cut MRSA infections by 89 percent by increasing screening, isolating patients and making all staff — not just doctors — responsible for increasing hygiene.

In Japan, with its cutting-edge technology and modern hospitals, about 17,000 people die from MRSA every year.

Dr. Satoshi Hori, chief infection control doctor at Juntendo University Hospital in Tokyo, says doctors overprescribe antibiotics because they are given financial incentives to push drugs on patients.

Hori now limits antibiotics only to patients who really need them and screens and isolates high-risk patients. So far his hospital has cut the number of MRSA cases by two-thirds.

In 2001, the CDC approached a Veterans Affairs hospital in Pittsburgh about conducting a small test program. It started in one unit, and within four years, the entire hospital was screening everyone who came through the door for MRSA. The result: an 80 percent decrease in MRSA infections. The program has now been expanded to all 153 VA hospitals, resulting in a 50 percent drop in MRSA bloodstream infections, said Dr. Robert Muder, chief of infectious diseases at the VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System.

"It's kind of a no-brainer," he said. "You save people pain, you save people the work of taking care of them, you save money, you save lives and you can export what you learn to other hospital-acquired infections."

Pittsburgh's program has prompted all other major hospital-acquired infections to plummet as well, saving roughly $1 million a year.

"So, how do you pay for it?" Muder asked. "Well, we just don't pay for MRSA infections, that's all."

---

Beth Reimer of Batavia, Ill., became an advocate for MRSA precautions after her 5-week-old daughter Madeline caught a cold that took a fatal turn. One day her beautiful baby had the sniffles. The next?

"She wasn't breathing. She was limp," the mother recalled. "Something was terribly wrong."

MRSA had invaded her little lungs. The antibiotics were useless. Maddie struggled to breathe, swallow, survive, for two weeks.

"For me to sit and watch Madeline pass away from such an aggressive form of something, to watch her fight for her little life — it was too much," Reimer said.

Since Madeline's death, Reimer has become outspoken about the need for better precautions, pushing for methods successfully used in Norway. She's stunned, she said, that anyone disputes the need for change.

"Why are they fighting for this not to take place?" she said.

____

Martha Mendoza is an AP national writer who reported from Norway and England. Margie Mason is an AP medical writer based in Vietnam, who reported while on a fellowship from The Nieman Foundation at Harvard University.



source:http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091231/ap_on_re_us/when_drugs_stop_working_norway_s_answer



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Apple ejects Dalai Lama from Chinese iTunes


Protects Great firewall of China from 'devil'

iPhone apps based on the teachings of the Dalai Lama don't exist on the Chinese incarnation of iTunes, it has emerged, demonstrating that even Apple has to bend to do business in China.

Given the Chinese government's rejection of the Dalai Lama's authority it's no surprise that his only appearance in the Chinese iTunes store is a passing mention in the Buddhist Glossary. In the UK store there are half a dozen apps presenting his quotes and teachings, but it's hard to imagine an Al Qaeda application lasting long over here given our own government's thoughts on radicalisation.

Comparing the Dalai Lama with Al Qaeda might seem insane, but while we might view the Lama as an intelligent and rather amiable chap with a reasonable argument, the Chinese government has very different ideas.

In covering the lack of Lama applications PC World quotes the Chinese government's opinion of him as a "devil with a human face". Cupertino is obliged to follow local laws if it wants to do business locally (and everyone wants to do business in China) and that means Apples and devils remain segregated.

The approval process for iPhone applications is notoriously secretive, and Apple recently dropped one application for not having enough naked flesh (OK - it was called "Tits and Boobies" and consisted of photographs of birds, which is funny, but cheating, so it's been removed along with its companion "Pussy Lovers").

Refusing applications for political reasons might seem overly compliant, but it's not Apple's fault the Chinese don't like the Dalai Lama.



source:http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/12/30/apple_china/



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Kate Winslet sports top celeb bod


Thesp Kate Winslet has topped of "most desirable body" poll in which UK women voted wholeheartedly for traditional curves and kicked tanorexic stick insects firmly into touch.

According to the Telegraph, the Titanic star polled 16 per cent of the votes from 2,000 mere mortal females, narrowly beating Kelly Brook into second spot on 15 per cent. The US's assets were well represented by Halle Berry, who took third place with 12 per cent.

Bottoming out the list were Victoria Beckham, Jordan and Kate Moss, each attracting a lean 1 per cent.

The YouGov poll was commissioned by Slimming World, which wheeled out its woman of the year, Rebecca Wheatley, to celebrate the result. The former Casualty actress - who shifted a whopping 12 stone to slim down to a healthy size 12, enthused: "It is fantastic to see that finally women seem to be aspiring towards a healthy body shape that is realistic and achievable. Kate Winslet has always spoken out about the importance of accepting your body. After all, healthy women come in all sizes."

She concluded: "It is definitely a step forward that rather than persuading women to set their sights on being super thin, which can lead to misery when they fail to achieve their target, more celebrities are encouraging inner confidence and a positive body image and showing women how they can be happy with their shape."

Interestingly, a quarter of the women polled didn't pick a "perfect celebrity body" at all, and the fact that topless model Keeley Hazell's 100 per cent natural and ample charms merited just 2 per cent of the vote suggest other factors are at play.

Jordan is hardly lacking a bit of meat, either, but her airbags are strictly Bulgarian, and that may have counted against her.

Here's the full list, and if you don't know who some of these people are, you've got no business hanging around Bootnotes:

Kate Winslet - 16 per cent
Kelly Brook - 15
Halle Berry - 12
Cheryl Cole - 10
Beyoncé - 6
Megan Fox - 5
Lily Allen - 4
Keeley Hazell - 2
Kate Moss - 1
Jordan - 1
Victoria Beckham - 1

And here, purely for scientific reasons, are those gals' rankings in AskMen.com's "Top 99 Women for 2009":

Kate Winslet - 99
Kelly Brook - Unplaced
Halle Berry - 13
Cheryl Cole - 20
Beyoncé - 50
Megan Fox - 2
Lily Allen - Unplaced
Keeley Hazell - 4
Kate Moss - Unplaced
Jordan - Unplaced
Victoria Beckham - Unplaced

Eva Mendes took top spot, in case you're wondering.



source:http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/12/30/top_bod/
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Steve Jobs gets top dog Noughties honours


Yet another iDecade accolade

Apple boss Steve Jobs has been crowned the "Person of the Decade" by readers of the Wall Street Journal.

Journal readers voted for the Jobsian one as their favourite person of the Noughties following his triumphant return to the role of CEO at the end of the last decade.

The WSJ pointed out that Jobs had steered the Apple ship around by helping the company's stock rise 700 per cent in value after returning as boss of the Cupertino-based computer maker.

Jobs garnered 30 per cent of the vote to grab the Person of the Decade moniker, for changing "the way people buy and listen to music," with Apple's ubiquitous iPod MP3 player and its online songs and albums store, iTunes.

Holding up the rear in the tech world was Microsoft's Bill Gates, with a total of nine per cent of those polled saying that the software giant's co-founder should take top person of the decade honours.

Of course Gates hung up his Redmond management boots for good in June 2008, since when he has worked full-time with his wife at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation - which is a charity that currently boasts a $35bn endowment.

However, Gates's best chum, Warren Buffett, fared better in the poll, pulling in 17 per cent of the vote. The investor was rewarded by WSJ readers for his solid financial prowess when the economy nosedived last year.

Google also jumped ahead of Microsoft's tricky decade with 12 per cent of readers voting for the world's largest ad broker's founders, Sergey Brin and Larry Page, in the poll. While Google's IPO secured the "Smartest Financial Move of the Decade" and the "Smartest Investment of the Decade" accolades.

Over the past few weeks Jobs has been earning "top dog CEO" points all over the shop from the likes of Harvard Business Review and Forbes. Sadly, that other well-known Steve of the Noughties - y'know, the one who has a penchant for chair-throwing and monkey-dancing - remains notably absent from all the back-slapping.



source:http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/12/30/steve_jobs_person_of_decade_wsj/

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Google Page Rank (PR) Update Happened Yesterday

Tonight we saw a PR update which was what is known as a major update, I have been seeing deep indexing all week which typically precedes a large update, also another sign is that they 'goog' switch of filters prior to the updates for about a week.

Looking at the first round (these normally go in a few waves) it would appear to be a little mean, this means in general I see a pattern where some go up and down but on average it would appear to be more to do with how much juice they put into the system than anything specific with the domains (given they (some) do go up and down).


Anyway this is your Happy New Year Update and I hope very much all of you enjoy the results you have worked hard on achieving over the last year.


Bavajan.S - Online Marketing(SEO/SEM) Specialist owns Inventateq, a India based web consulting firm and SEO Course & PPC Training Institute in Bangalore. He also runs Search Engine Marketing News, a popular search blog on very advanced SEM topicshas been actively blogging on various blogs since over a year. He writes about social media and entrepreneurship mostly. bsc in animation , 3d animation
game programming
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Don't Become A Workaholic When You Work From Home

Work from home and home based business growth has surged
over the last several years.

It is estimated that nearly 50% of small businesses are
work from home or home based businesses.

The reasons people express for wanting to work from home
are many and varied. However most work at home based
business owners credit the ability to set their own hours
as a major factor in their decision to work at home.

Unfortunately many people who run work at home businesses
often fall into a trap. A trap that smacks directly in the
face of their stated desire for time flexibility.

Living and working under one roof is full of advantages.
That does not mean working from home is always stress free.

While not experiencing all or exactly the same negatives
common to a corporate office. The home based business owner
can occasionally experience stresses and frustrations that
are unique to working at home.

For instance some home based business owners have been
known to become workaholics simply because their office is
so easily accessible. No one should become a slave to their
business. It is imperative to get out of your home office
regularly. We all need to renew, revive and regroup
consistently.

Simply because you are a work at home business
entrepreneur. Working from home does not mean you must be
available around the clock and seven days a week. It just
doesn't matter that your business is located in your home.

It is important to learn that your office or workspace is
just an area in your home. It's not your home itself. Make
the office off limits as needed to assure time away.

Just the same as you would take a work break from any
corporate job. Doing the same at home will pay its own
benefeits. Break frequently during your workday.

Work from home people must learn to close the door to their
office and remove themselves from their designated working
area. Make certain and go into your home and live a
personal life.

Many people find it difficult to ignore a ringing phone.
Turning the telephone ringer off and the answering machine
volume way down is a must.

Just turn off your computer if your business is internet
based. All of us must get away from keyboards and monitors
regularly.

Often networking with other home based and small business
owners will help. Connecting with others suffering the same
frustrations or stress can be helpful. Discussing problems
and receiving advice and help from others can be really
useful. Not any one of us has all the answers.

I use the following three methods to help keep me running
on all eight cylinders and reduce stress.

1. Remember why you wanted to become involved with a home
based business. You know, work schedule flexibility, more
time with the family, less stress.

2. Discuss your work schedule with family members and get
their input about the working arrangements and the amount
of time they want with you and you with them.

3. Make good use of your working time. Keep a to do list.
Note your tasks in order of importance. There are many low
cost and effective tools for this. Finding a good day
planner will help you do this.

In the end remember to take advantage of holidays,
weekends. Time off and away from the office is just as
important for those who work from home as it is for those
who leave home to work. Working from home should not mean
giving up your life. It should mean just changing it.
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Why This Is the Best Time To Trade Forex?

Forex markets are experiencing volatility never seen before since the early 1980s. This is the best time to trade forex as this volatility is what let's traders make profits from the market. In the last decade, retail forex trading has come of age. Now it is possible for an Average Joe to learn forex trading.

Did you read the story of Craig Harris? Craig Harris was a construction worker some eight year back. He wanted to learn forex trading! There was no one to teach him, so he did it on his own. It took him a while but now he makes something like 45-70 pips daily. 1 pip is equal to $10. This means he easily makes between $450 to $700 everyday, no matter how the market is behaving. Recently his webinar was a smashing success. Many people wanted to personally hear his success stories. He is a firm believer in the natural flow of the market, a concept unique to him.

What this story shows is that if a construction worker with no advanced education can do it, anyone can do it. Advent of online forex trading has made everything very easy. You just need  computer and an internet connection to make a try.

However, just like any skill that you learn in life, forex trading also requires good training. Many people try to do it on their own and in the end fail and give up. Forex trading right now is the best home based business opportunity right now. You can trade forex from the comfort of your home. You can even trade forex on the go using your cell phone. Yeah, this makes it more exciting. But do it without good training and surely your fingers will get burnt.

By investing in a good forex training course, you will be saving thousands of dollars later on in lost trades. When you go for a forex training course, look for a course that has a money back guarantee something like 30-60 days. This way, you don't have to worry too much if the course turns out to be not good. In that case, simply go for a refund and try another course.

Once you have gone through some training, start practicing on your demo account. You can open your demo account online in just five minutes. The data that is provided on the demo account is real but the money that you use to trade is fake or virtual. So you can practice as much as possible without losing anything. I think if you are serious, you can master forex trading within 60 days. This is the risk free method of learning forex trading. Give it a try. You might reach 5 figure part time monthly income in a few months. Not bad, huh!
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IT consultant freed after almost three years in Baghdad


'Absolutely delighted'

Kidnapped IT consultant Peter Moore is on his way home to the UK having been held hostage in Iraq since May 2007.

The release of Moore follows long negotiations between the Iraqi government and the kidnappers, which apparently resulted in no "substantive concessions" but did lead to him being released to local authorities this morning. He's now at the British embassy, and is reportedly in good spirits.

The bodies of three of the other four Britons kidnapped at the same time have already been returned to the British authorities and the fourth is thought to have shared their fate.

Moore is described as being "absolutely delighted" at being released, despite having an "very moving" conversation with Foreign Secretary David Miliband.



source:http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/12/30/moore_iraq_hostage/


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Court: iPod hearing loss your fault, not Apple's


'What? What??'

A US court has turned back an appeal of a 2008 ruling that declared that if you blow out your ears by listening to your iPod too loudly, it's your own damn fault.

In a victory for common sense and personal responsibility, the court sided with the iPod manufacturer in the case of Birdsong v. Apple, Inc, originally filed in the Western District of Louisiana by one Joseph Birdsong, who was later joined by Californian Bruce Waggoner.

Both plaintiffs sought to elevate the case to nationwide class-action status. Instead, the US District Court of Northern California, to which the case had been transferred, dismissed their complaint. Birdsong and Waggoner appealed.

In Wednesday's ruling (PDF), Judge David R. Thompson of the Ninth Circuit notes that: "The plaintiffs argue the district court erred... They alleged that the iPod (1) comes with 'stock ear buds...designed to be placed deep into the ear canal rather than over the ears, which increases the danger of hearing damage,' (2) lacks 'noise isolating or cancelling properties,' and (3) lacks any volume meter."

Ignoring the mischaracterization of iPod earbuds as being "designed to be placed deep into the ear canal," Judge Thompson's ruling gets right to the point: "The district court did not err."

Thompson's reasoning is straightforward: "The plaintiffs recognize that iPods play music, have an adjustable volume, and transmit sound through earbuds," he writes, adding that their complaint states that - and the italics are Judge Thompson's: "(1) the iPod is capable of playing 115 decibels of sound; (2) consumers may listen at unsafe levels; and (3) iPod batteries can last 12 to 14 hours and are rechargeable, giving users the opportunity to listen for long periods of time."

Summing up his argument, Thompson writes: "Taken as true, such statements suggest only that users have the option of using an iPod in a risky manner..."

In other words, the law isn't responsible for stopping an idiot from being an idiot.

Thompson goes on to write that "the plaintiffs make no allegations of any history of malfunction, but merely suggest possible changes to the iPod which they believe would make the product safer," such as noise-reducing earbuds, warnings beyond the Apple's existing 60-word Avoid Hearing Damage tips, a digital decibel meter, and "volume-control software" - whatever that might entail.

"The plaintiffs fail to allege, however, how the absence of their suggested changes caused any user an injury," Thompson writes,

In fact, he writes, the plaintiffs didn't even claim to have been injured, nor did they cite any injuries to other. "The plaintiffs simply do not plead facts showing that hearing loss from iPod use is actual or imminent."

Judge Thompson's ruling is akin to the commonsense understanding that if you put your hand down a garbage disposal, then turn it on, you can't blame the disposal's manufacturer if your new nickname is "Stumpy" - especially if that manufacturer had warned you not to be such a thorough chowderhead.

Apple is off the hook, and the nanny state takes one in the teeth thanks to the levelheadedness of one Northern California judge.



source:http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/12/30/ipod_hearing_loss_appeal/


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iPhone OS 3.0 Final: Review

On 17 June will publish Apple, the OS 3.0. Developers have access to build this last, and apparently has been leaked on the Web, but the final version of Mac OS 3.0, Build 7A341, works wonderfully. In this video I guide you through the main features of OS 3.0, including MMS, tethering, and copy / paste, and my opinion about this upgrade. Remember, this will be a free upgrade for iPhone and iPhone 3G users, while the iPod touch users need to required to pay $ 9.95, they are already ...



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e1uYVTk-_WE&hl=en

Visit : Review Shop to Home Online Books Store Universe in Nutshell Story


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They said what? Quotes of the Year


The urbane, the insane...

Back by popular demand, here is our Annual Hall of Stupid, leavened with a few moments of genuine wit. It's a Stephen Fry Free Zone. Almost.

“The City Is A Leisuresuit For Surviving The Future”

Ben Hammersley of WiReD magazine Tweets his Deepest Thorts. The Ham is now advising the Foreign and Commonwealth Office: your taxes have never been used more wisely.


“Everybody loves the BBC and it doesn't cost anything, Murdoch should learn a thing or two”

Expert punditry from reader 'peter 3' at The Register. More on Murdoch vs. The Chocolate Factory here and here.



"As an anarchoautonomist I need something really different, but my prediction is that green (and non-securitarian) regulation of informationalism is probably the best we can achieve through our struggles."

Climate activist Alex Foti tries to channel the revolutionary spirit of Tom Paine, Martin Luther King...but doesn't quite manage it. Found on the mailing list.


“I genuinely felt proud and excited when I was finally handed my card. I loved seeing my name, face and the words British citizen on this tiny piece of plastic. That’s who I am, and why shouldn’t anyone know?”

Local newspaper columnist Angela 'Memento' Epstein, founder and sole member of the YesToID is thrilled to be the first in the UK to receive her tag. Perhaps she regularly forgets who she is?


"In digital media, as in fortune-telling, the future is pretty much treated as part of the present. "

Guardian discovery Mercedes Bunz helped fill the gaping chasm caused by the absence of Jemima Kiss. In digital media, as in fortune-telling, the predictions are a load of horsecock from an expensive charlatan. Funny that.


“algorithm-aided human writing will meet human-aided algorithmic curation; quality will rise.”

Jeff Jarvis - a Business Thought Leader & Worldwide Media Leader - predicts a bright future for journalism. He was so proud of this cybernetic wedding, he Tweeted it, then Blogged that he'd Tweeted. (Number of successful internet businesses founded by Jarvis to date? Zero). More Jarvis here, wherein we review his book.

“Functionally an ad-banner trolling site who will publish any rubbish if it'll get clicks, and best ignored”

Senior Wikipedia weirdo David Gerard has had enough... of El Reg. Amongst other things we've been called recently include "an internet scandal-sheet" (BBC), "an online lesbian magazine" (The Independent) and "The Media Mouthpiece" by Phorm founder and CEO Kent Ertugrul - last seen shouting at the bins,

“Look on the bright side. We have the potential to become micro-celebrities in our very own day time infomercial”

One-man strategy boutique Jan Chipchase in a blog post called "You Are a Walking Advertorial". Mr Chipchase works for Nokia.


“These are published images: delivered to the public - public domain - public property...”

Tireless copyright campaigner Crosbie Fitch explains what's his is his, and what's yours is his, too. He was describing the National Portrait Gallery's decision to protect its digital rights, against a landgrab by Wikipedia. See that Porsche over there? It's on a public road. It must be public property...


NEF co-author Saamah Abadallah

“The trade off is that we got a huge (and 95 per cent positive) press hit - and that's all part of the game too.”

The 'new economics foundation' (which hates capital letters) admits it had to make up numbers for its Happy Planet survey, where poor countries are rated the happiest. To be honest, we just wanted to print that picture of the report's author, Citizen Saamah Abadallah, again. Thank you, Facebook.


“Swans

Champagne flutes

Christmas parties

Organic food

Anyone Scottish

Non-Russians with Russian girlfriends

Film stars

Complaining about the smoking ban

Celebrity chefs

Pronouncing the last ‘e’ in furore

Coloured bathtowels

Cappuchinos after 11am

The Caribbean

Art Deco

Suicide

Scented candles

Garlic on your breath

Saying ‘My garden has its own microclimate’

Framed photographs of anyone non-Royal

Morocco

Bottled water

Not knowing the words of hymns

St. Tropez

David Walliams”

Nicky Haslam's list of "things he hates". Where's the IT angle? There isn't one.

“The last thing anyone wants is to be thought of as the sort of person Stephen wouldn't invite to his lovely Norfolk home for the weekend along with Richard Dawkins, Emma Thompson and Alan Davies”

Satire site Daily Mash has the measure of Twitter's most-followed bully, Stephen Fry. Twitter cemented its reputation as the No.1 social network where has-been celebs enforce forelock-tugging respect, and marketing consultants and nontrepreneurs can wash their consciences clean.


“ We know with certainty that we know fuck-all ”

Peer-review in action: climatologist Ed Cook writing to CRU's Diviner of Treemometers, Ed Briffa, in 2003. He was referring to trends over 100 years - but for critics, it sums up the state of the "science". More on Briffa here [bonus mailbag goodness here], and the Climategate scandal here.

“It can accumulate a cash hoard of tens of millions of dollars while charging companies to buy back their own names and then listing everything in exactly the order it would have been had no one bid at all.”

Analyst Eric Clemons has the measure of Google's business strategy. Or as Fake Steve put it, "Google has become what Microsoft used to be — the evil dicks who look around, find some area where people are making money, and say, Hey, fuck it, we’re bored, so let’s do the same thing for free and put those guys out of business."

“Lets say now we're off Weymouth in 2012 and we're doing the Olympic games, and we suddenly find a boat... [carrying] a bunch of topless lovelies, heading around having had too much to drink”

Lord Alan West, the security minister, AKA Lord Bournemouth (West of Spithead), AKA the former head of the Royal Navy, explaining the applications of a net-flinging "futuristic bazooka", developed by the Home Office Scientific Development Branch.


“It’s just that I can never work up the energy to be interested in other people. Male or female. I just can’t stand them. Not. At. All. Also, with sex, there’s the touching thing, and with that the germ thing.”

Fake Steve explains why Bimbo Eruptions never happen to Steve Jobs.



source:http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/12/30/quotes_of_the_year/


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