Interesting Tips About Your PC [Part Two]

Speed up your internet by 20%
Microsoft reserves 20% of your available bandwidth for their own purposes like Windows Updates and interrogating your PC etc.

You can get it back:

Click Start then Run and type “gpedit.msc” without quotes.This opens the group policy editor. Then go to:

Local Computer Policy

then Computer Configuration

then Administrative Templates then Network then QOS Packet Scheduler and then to Limit Reservable Bandwidth.

Double click on Limit Reservable bandwidth. It will say it is not configured, but the truth is under the ‘Explain’ tab i.e.”By default, the Packet Scheduler limits the system to 20 percent of the bandwidth of a connection, but you can use this setting to override the default.”

So the trick is to ENABLE reservable bandwidth, then set it to ZERO. This will allow the system to reserve nothing, rather than the default 20%.It works on Win 2000 as well.

Increase the speed of your internet connection

As more and more people get quick connections to the internet, such as cable or ADSL, it becomes apparent to the user of a simple dial-up modem that the World Wide Web can quickly turn into the World Wide Wait. Here a trick that can help speed up your current modem without shelling out the big bucks.

There is a setting located in your windows registry called the Maximum Transfer Unit (MTU). This determines the size of the packets of data sent between your and your server. In Windows 95, this setting is has a value of 1,500 bytes when the actual size of internet packets is 1,000 bytes. This can sometimes slow things down. To remedy the situation, simply follow these steps:

In the registry editor (Start > Run > regedit.exe), navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System

\CurrentControlSet\Services\Class\NetTrans.
In the NetTrans folder you should find another folder named “000x” in which x represents a fourth digit. Right-click on the “000x” folder and select New and StringValue. Rename the item that appears in the panel on the right side to MaxMTU, then double-click it to bring up the Edit String box and give it a velue of 1002.Remember to keep playing with the MaxMTU value until you feel that your internet connection has greatly sped up. Some people report huge speed gains using this tricks, while others hardly notice a difference. In any case, it’s definetly worth a try.

Multiple login in yahoo Without Using any Software
Multiple login in yahoo Without Using any Software

You can login with multiple id’s on the same yahoo messenger without any download or patch. Follow these steps:

1. Go to Start —-> Run . Type regedit, then enter .

2.Navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER ——–> Software —>yahoo —–>pager—->Test

3.On the right page , right-click and choose new Dword value .

4.Rename it as Plural.

5.Double click and assign a decimal value of 1.

Its done!!

Now close registry and restart yahoo messenger and try Multiple Login

How to find the IP address of the sender in Gmail

1. Log into your Gmail account with your username and password.

2. Open the mail.

3. To display the headers,

* Click on More options corresponding to that thread. You should get a bunch of links.

* Click on Show original

4. You should get headers like this:

Gmail headers : name

Look for Received: from followed by a few hostnames and an IP address between square brackets. In this case, it is note..

When you receive an email, you receive more than just the message. The email comes with headers that carry important information that can tell where the email was sent from and possibly who sent it. For that, you would need to find the IP address of the sender. The tutorial below can help you find the IP address of the sender. Note that this will not work if the sender uses anonymous proxy servers.

65.119.112.245.

That is be the IP address of the sender!

5. Track the IP address of the sender

Finding IP address in Yahoo! Mail

1. Log into your Yahoo! mail with your username and password.

2. Click on Inbox or whichever folder you have stored your mail.

3. Open the mail.

4. If you do not see the headers above the mail message, your headers are not displayed. To display the headers,

* Click on Options on the top-right corner

* In the Mail Options page, click on General Preferences

* Scroll down to Messages where you have the Headers option

* Make sure that Show all headers on incoming messages is selected

* Click on the Save button

* Go back to the mails and open that mail

5. You should see similar headers like this:

Yahoo! headers : name

Look for Received: from followed by the IP address between square brackets [ ]. Here, it is 202.65.138.109.

That is be the IP address of the sender!

6. Track the IP address of the sender note….

When you receive an email, you receive more than just the message. The email comes with headers that carry important information that can tell where the email was sent from and possibly who sent it. For that, you would need to find the IP address of the sender. The tutorial below can help you find the IP address of the sender. Note that this will not work if the sender uses anonymous proxy servers.

WHO IS INVISIBLE IN YAHOO MESSENGER???
The following two tricks lets you see who is invisibe in yahoo messenger.without his or her knowing that you are aware of his or her presence.This is a working trick.

Trick 1::::::::

..1..Open the conversation window of the person..whom you suspect to be online.

..2..click on IMvironments.find doodle from the imvironments.click on it

..3..you will see a screen..”Waiting for your buddy to load doodle”….Wait sometime

..4..After sometime if it is able to load….it means your so called buddy is online n he or she doesnot want to talk to you..

..5..if it doesnot load….you can be sure that he or she is really offline

also u can find it out by using www.xeeber.com

Multiple Log In Google-Talk

1. Right-click on the desktop

2. Select New

3. Select Shortcut

4. Paste this into the text box:

“c:\program files\google\google talk\googletalk.exe” /nomutex (dont miss even a comma)

5. Click Next. Name it whatever: Google Talk Multiple, etc.

6. Click OK until you are done.

RUN Movie In MS Paint
Hi.Run Movie in MS Paint

Hey all Pals, did you know that you can REALY watch movies in MS PAINT ?

Here’s what you gotta do :

1) Open your favorite movie palyer and play the move (I played the .mpg format in Winamp)

2) Hit “PrintScreen”, keep playing the movie in the player, dont stop it.

3) Open MsPaint.

4) Select “Edit>Paste” Or Hit “CTRL+V”

5) Presto! You can watch movies in Paint!

6) But there are no Pause, Next, Previous, Stop etc. buttons

7) Spead this fact to all your friends and show how COOL things you can do with Paint!

Experiment with other formats too, it doesn’t play DivX , Flash movies, etc.

Microsoft hasn’t revealed this i think. MsPaint is GREAT

Making Firefox More Faster
Dear Members!

I Just came accross this trick for Firefox. Mozilla firefox users would love this

Here is the trickfor mozilla firefox only)

1. Type “about:config” into the address bar and hit return. Scroll

down and look for the following entries:

browser.tabs.showSingleWindowModePrefs – true

network.http.max-connections – 48

network.http.max-connections-per-server – 16

network.http.max-persistent-connections-per-proxy – 8

network.http.max-persistent-connections-

per-server – 4

network.http.pipelining – true

network.http.pipelining.maxrequests – 100

network.http.proxy.pipelining – true

network.http.request.timeout – 300Normally the browser will make one request to a web page at a time.

When you enable pipelining it will make several at once, which really

speeds up page loading.Lastly right-click anywhere and select New-> Integer.

Name it “nglayout.initialpaint.delay” and set its value to “0″.

This value is the amount of time the browser waits before it acts on information it recieves.

If you’re using a brodband connection you’ll load pages 2-25 times faster now.

Increase internet speed using notepad

1. Open Notepad.

2. Copy the following code to the Notepad.

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Tcpip\Parameters]

“SackOpts”=dword:00000001

“TcpWindowSize”=dword:0005ae4c

“Tcp1323Opts”=dword:00000003

“DefaultTTL”=dword:00000040

“EnablePMTUBHDetect”=dword:00000000

“EnablePMTUDiscovery”=dword:00000001

“GlobalMaxTcpWindowSize”=dword:0005ae4c

3. Save the file as NetSpeed.reg or what ever name you want but the extension should be .reg.

4. If you run the file means it asks for “Do you want to add the following entry to the registry”

5. Press Yes

6. Reboot your PC.

7. Feel the difference…

Hope you enjoy it with speed.

Instant access to websites

Few websites need USERNAME and PASSWORD to access it completely.

If you are not willing to signup in those sites or you have no time and want instant

access then you have a solution just visit the website www.bugmenot.com type

the website URL for which u want user and psw you will find few username and passwords. Just use them.

Block websites in xp
Steps=>

1. Browse to C:\WINDOWS\system32\drivers\etc

2. Find the file named “HOSTS” .

3. Open it with Notepad.

4. Add 127.0.0.2 www.sitenameyouwantblocked.com , below 127.0.0.1 localhost line and that site will no longer be accessible.

5.To Unblock the Simple add # in front of line

Download video from youtube
Want to download any video from you tube.Just visit the this site,and enter the youtube video link.Thats all.

http://www.kissyoutube.com/

If you dont want to visit the above site.Than U can try this also.

1)Whenever you are watching video on YouTube, goto the address bar at the top of your browser.

Notice the URL is something like this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=stvW56

2)Just in front of the youtube.com domain name, insert the word kiss

Eg. http://www.kissyoutube.com/watch?v=stvW56

3)And Press the ‘Enter’ key and it will bring you to this website. Click on the download link provided to save the video to your computer.

NOTE: Remember to save your video with “.flv” extension. Eg. some_video_filename.flv.

Use the free flv player we recommend to play the video.

If you want to convert it into other format like .avi or mpeg.Than read here.

http://www.techiehome.org/viewtopic.php?t=560

How to make your pc work faster
Here you can find useful tips you can do to make your pc work faster in a few minutes , just follow these tips and you will definitely have a much faster and more reliable PC!

Quote:

1. Wallpapers: They slow your whole system down, so if you’re willing to compromise, have a basic plain one instead!

2. Minimizing: If you want to use several programs at the same time then minimize those you are not using. This helps reduce the overload on RAM.

3. Boot Faster: The ‘starting Windows 9x , xp’ message on startup can delay your booting for a couple of seconds. To get rid of this message go to c:\ and find the file Msdos.sys. Remove the Read-Only option. Next, open it in Notepad or any other text editor. Finally, go to the text ‘Options’ within the file and make the following changes: Add BootDelay=0. To make your booting even faster, set add Logo=0 to remove the Windows logo at startup.

4. Restart only Windows: When restarting your PC, hold down Shift to only restart Windows rather than the whole system which will only take a fraction of the time.

5. Turn Off Animations: Go to Display Settings from the Control Panel and switch to the Effects Tab. Now turn off Show Windows Content While Dragging and Smooth Edges on Screen Fonts. This tip is also helpful with Windows XP because of the various fade/scroll effects.

6. Resolutions: If you are willing to do anything for faster performance from your PC, then try lowering your display resolution. The lower it is, the faster your PC

7. Start Up Programs: Windows can be slowed down when programs run on start up. To eliminate this, check your Start up folder. You can access it from the start menu: Start, Programs, Start Up. Another way to eliminate programs from loading even before Windows actually starts is by doing the following: Click on Start, then Run. Type msconfig. It will take quite a long time for this program to load, but when you finally see it on your screen, explore the different tabs. They all have to do with how quickly your PC boots, so select what you want, and uncheck what you don’t want!

8. Fonts: When Windows starts, it loads every single font in the Fonts folder. Therefore, the more fonts you have, the slower the booting process. To get rid of unwanted fonts, simply go to the Fonts folder under c:\windows and remove whatever you don’t want. Fonts that have a red letter ‘A’ as their icon are system fonts, so don’t delete them.

Increase your ram speed at no cost

Here I will give you a cool tip to increae your system RAM while working for no cost. Smile

So,here we go…….. Cool

1)Start any application, say window window media player.Start playing any song.

2)Now start the Task Manager Processor tab and sort the list in descending order on Memory Usage.

You will notice that Wmp.exe will be somewhere at the top, using multiple MBs of memory.

3)Now go back to media player and simply minimize it.

4)Now go back to the Task Manager and see where Wmp.exe is listed. Most probably you will not find it at the top. You will typically have to scroll to the bottom of the list to find Word.

Now check out the amount of RAM it is using.The memory utilization has reduced by a huge amount.

So,simple-minimize each application that u are currently not working on by clicking on the Minimize button and you can increase the amount of available RAM by a great margin.

Depending upon the number and type of applications you use together, the difference can be as much as 50 percent of extra RAM and all this is free of cost. Razz In any multitasking system, minimizing an application means that it won’t be utilized by the user right now.

This trick will allow you to create files and folders without any name

Just follow the following steps:

1.Select any file or folder.

2.Right click on it,press rename or simply press F2.

3.Press and hold the alt key.While holding the Alt key,type numbers 0160 from the numpad.

Note:Type the numbers 0160 from the numpad,that is,the numbers present on the right side of the keyboard.Dont type the numbers which are present on top of the character keys.

4.Press Enter and the nameless file or folder will be created.

Reason:The file or folder that seems nameless is actually named with a single space.

But what if you want to create another nameless file or folder in the same directory ?

For this you will have to rename the file with 2 spaces.Just follow these steps below:

1.Select file,press F2.

2.Hold alt key and type 0160 from the numpad.

3.Release the alt key.Now without doing anything else,again hold alt key and press 0160.

4.Press enter and you will have second nameless file in the same directory.

5.Repeat step 3 to create as many nameless files or folders in the same directory.

BLOCK WEBSITES WITHOUT ANY SOFTWARE

Steps1] Browse C:\WINDOWS\system32\drivers\etc

2] Find the file named “HOSTS”

3] Open it in notepad

4] Under “127.0.0.1 localhost” Add 127.0.0.2 www.orkut.com , and that site will no longer be accessable.

5] Done!

example :

127.0.0.1 localhost 

127.0.0.2 www.orkut.com-

www.orkut.com is now unaccessable

For every site after that you want to add, just add “1″ to the last number in the internal ip (127.0.0.2) and then the addy like before.

ie:

127.0.0.3 www.yahoo.com

127.0.0.4 www.msn.com

127.0.0.5 www.google.com

This also works with banner sites, just find the host name of the server with the banners and do the same thing with that addy.

Hope this small tutorial could keep you going in simple way of blocking websites..

How to Hide the drives(c:,d:,e:,a:…etc) in My PC

This is a great trick you can play on your friends. To disable the display of local or networked drives when you click My Computer.1. Go to start->run.2. Type regedit. Now go to: 

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer

Now in the right pane create a new DWORD item and name it NoDrives(it is case sensitive). Now modify

it’s value and set it to 3FFFFFF (Hexadecimal). Now restart your computer. So, now when you click on My Computer, no drives will be shown(all gone…). To enable display of drives in My Computer, simply delete this DWORD item that you created. Again restart your computer. You can now see all the drives again. Magic……..lol….

Crack into admin a/c from limited account

Go to cmd prompt

type AT (time) /interactive “cmd.exe”

enter time in 24hr format

means if you want to enter 5.00pm then enter 17:00

then a new window of cmd will open at specified time

In new window type net(space)user

press enter

after this u will see some names on ur screen

notedown the name of admin acc

then type

net user (name of admin acc u want to crack into) *

e.g if the name of admin acc is john then type

net user john *

then it will ask u for new password

enter password of ur choice

and u got the admin password

Change your processor name

Trick – SHOW YOUR PC PENTIUM 5 OR MORE

GO TO START>RUN>TYPE

REGEDIT>HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE>HARDWARE>

DISCRIPTION>SYSTEM>CENTRALPROCESSOR>0

ON RIGHT HAND SIDE, RIGHT CLICK ON “PROCESSOR NAME STRING” AND CLICK ON MODIFY

AND WRITE WHAT EVER YOU WANT

How to fix corrupted windows files in XP

This tutorial has been made so people that are having problems with corrupted files, can learn how to fix them easy.

Requirement:

1. Windows XP CD

Now, follow this steps:

1. Place the xp cd in your cd/dvd drive

2. Go to start

3. run

4. type “sfc /scannow” (without “)

Now sit back and relax, it should all load and fix all your corrupted file on win XP.

XP tricks !!!

Hidden Programs In Windows Xp

1) Private Character Editor

This program is for designing icons and Characters(Alphapet)

Click :start

Then :run

type :EUDCEDIT

2) iExpress This Program is for converting your files to EXECUTABLE files

Click : start

Then : run

type : iexpress

3)Disk Cleanup

This program used for cleaning harddisk to offer space

Click : start

Then : run

type : cleanmgr

4)Dr Watson

This program Is for repairing problems in Windows

Click : start

Then : run

type : drwtsn32

5)Windows Media Player 5.1

Opens the old media player

Click : start

Then : run

type : mplay32

Program …………. CODE

_____________________

Character Map = charmap

————————————

DirectX diagnosis = dxdiag

————————————

Object Packager = packager

————————————

System Monitor = perfmon

————————————

Program Manager = progman

————————————

Remote Access phone book = rasphone

————————————

Registry Editor = regedt32

————————————

File signature verification tool = sigverif

————————————

Volume Control = sndvol32

————————————

System Configuration Editor = sysedit

Interesting Tips About Your PC [Part One]

Create Send To option for your favorite Folder!!!

Many times it is really very annoying to do cut & paste or copy & paste for your regular folders.For this we need a easy solution as we can directly send our data(movies, songs,or your relevant one ) in our favorite folder as we do by the right click and sending anything directly to Desktop, mail Recipient, My Documents or Pen Drive.

Now the solution for your problem is given below…..

Step 1:Copy the Address of your desired folder from address bar for example if it is C:\FAV copy it(its location on ur hard drive)

Step 2:Goto C:\ drive,goto Tools–>Folder Option–>View–>Hidden Files and Folders–>Hide protected

operating system files(Recommended)–>Unhide Hide protected operating system files(Recommended)

#It will give a warning,don’t worry!!!

Step 3:Goto C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\SendTo

#In place of Administrator its your User name

Step 4:Right Click –> New–> Shortcut.Paste The name of your desired folder in “Type the location of the Item” Text Field for Example C:\Fav –>Next–>Finish

Step 5:Goto C:\ drive,goto Tools–>Folder Option–>View–>Hidden Files and Folders–>Hide protected

operating system files(Recommended)–>Hide Hide protected operating system files(Recommended)

#Step 5 is optional

You may browse ur desired folder also…..

Disable error reporting in XP

If error reporting in XP is bugging you then turn it off.

When a system error occurs in XP, a little dialog box appears asking if you want to report the error to Microsoft.To disable error reporting, follow these directions:1. Right-click My Computer and choose Properties.2. Click the Advanced tab on your System Properties dialog box.3. Click the Error Reporting button on the Advanced tab.4. Place a checkmark next to “Disable error reporting.”5. Leave the other radio button unchecked next to the text labeled, “But notify me when critical errors occur.”6. Click OK.Hope you loved this useful post!!!!

Use Google to get Serial No of any Software

I know it is old but more of them don’t know this.

Most of the people downloading trial and using it, only after the expiration of trial they try for crack, Serial No, Keygen, Patch….But many don’t known where to get Serial No, Some websites may be infect your system with Trojan horse, Viruses, Adware, Spyware….

So for beginners this is a simply way to find hack with less effort and it saves time to, But make sure you have anti virus activated before trying to get some Serials, Patches to avoid data loss.

Just follow the steps as instructed below

1. Go to http://www.google.com
2. type this syntax in search bar ” 94FBR”
3. Replace Product name with desired software and leave a space then type 94FBR
4. Press enter, that's it

Now you receive Many pages which contains Serial no, Crack, Patches….

Just make a try, this simple trick works for many people

To delete a file which cannot be deleted

1. Open a Command Prompt window and leave it open.
2. Close all open programs.
3. Click Start, Run and enter TASKMGR.EXE.
4. Go to the Processes tab and End Process on Explorer.exe.
5. Leave Task Manager open.(After this There will be no desktop icons and nothing is accessible but don’t worry this is due to shutting down of explorer)
6. Go back to the Command Prompt window and change to the directory to where undeletable file) is located in.
7. At the command prompt type DEL where is the file you wish to delete.
8. Go back to Task Manager, click File, New Task and enter EXPLORER.EXE to restart the GUI shell.
9. Close Task Manager.
   

Automatically rip a music cd when you insert it

• Open Windows Media Player
• Go to the menu at the top and choose Tools
• From the drop down menu choose Options
• Go to the copy music Tab
• Put a tick in the box next to Copy CD when inserted

• Press Change and you can browse for where you want to store your music that is ripped from cd’s.
• You can also choose the quality of the audio file that your rip from the cd. A higher quality takes up more space.
• Next time you insert a music cd Windows Media Player it will open and start ripping the music.

Notes:

• Ripping your music to your computer allows you to put it onto an ipod or mp3 player.
• If you decide to just listen to a music cd in your computer you will need to disable this auto ripping.

MegaUpload ToolBar Hacks

There is a grate tip to download from megaupload no need for download & Install That Toolbar.

ok 1st you want to Firefox browser to do that trick...

1. open firefox……
2. Goto Address bat and type “about:config”
3. then search for “general.useragent.extra.firefox
4. then double click on that ..
5. change the default text with “Firefox/2.0 MEGAUPLOAD 1.0″
6. You have Done It….!
7. Now Download Without Any Toolbar

Add your own photo in My Computer properties

To do this:

1. Open Notepad.
2. Type the following:[General]Manufacturer=”Abdul Kader”Model=HP d530 SFF(DC578AV [Support Information]Line1= Your Ph NoLine2= Your Address…..
3. Save as “oeminfo.ini” in the System32 folder.(Without Quote)
4. Create a bmp file(Your Photo) and save it the System32 folder as “oemlogo.bmp”(Without Quote).
5. Now Check your My Computer Properties.

INTERESTING WEBSITES !!!

1.Encyclopedia

• www.encyclopedia.com
• www.encarta.msn.com
• www.britannica.com
• www.ntreasearch.com
• www.go.grolier.com
• www.kids.infoplease.com
• www.letsfindout.com
• www.stars.com
• www.boatshowusa.com
• www.encyclozine.com
• www.libraryspot.com
• www.shotokai.cl
• www.emulateme.com
• www.wikipedia.com

2.Literature

• www.vrindaindia.com
• www.amedeo.com
• www.litrature.org
• www.iranonline.com
• www.afganonline.com
• www.ethiopiaonline.com

3.History

• www.historychannel.com
• www.thehistorynet.com
• www.history.com
• www.historyhouse.com
• www.historyinternational.com
• www.historyplace.com
• www.historyoftheworld.com
• www.hyperhistory.com
• www.womeninworldhistory.com

4.Dictionaries

• Acronym Finder [http://www.acronymfinder.com]
• American Heritage Dictionary [http://www.bartleby.com]
• British National Corpus [http://www.natcorp.ox.ac.uk]
• Encarta World English Dictionary [http://encarta.msn.com/encnet/features/dictionary/]
• Idiom Connection [http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Aegean/6720/]
• Lexicool [http://www.lexicool.com]
• Oxford English Dictionary [http://www.library.fullerton.edu/asp/ezcheck.aspx?url=http://metalib.calstate.edu:8331/V/?func=find-db-1-title&mode=titles&scan_start=Oxford+English+Dictionary&search_type=contains]
• Roget’s Thesaurus [http://www.bartleby.com]
• Rhyming Dictionary [http://www.rhymezone.com]
• Synonym Dictionary [http://vancouver-webpages.com/synonyms.html]

5.General Research

• PubMed [www.pubmed.org]
• ResearchGate [http://www.researchgate.net/]
• ScienceDirect [http://www.sciencedirect.com/]
• Academic Info Reference Desk [http://www.academicinfo.net/ref.html]
• Best Info on the Net Reference [http://library.sau.edu/bestinfo/Online/onlindex.htm]
• DeskRef [http://www.rcls.org/deskref/]
• Digital Librarian [http://www.digital-librarian.com/reference.html]
• Infomine [http://infomine.ucr.edu/reference/]
• KnowPlay [http://www.kplay.cc/reference.html]
• LibDex [http://www.libdex.com/weblogs.html]
• Librarian’s Index to the Internet [http://sunsite.berkeley.edu/InternetIndex/]
• LibrarySpot [http://www.libraryspot.com/]
• Martindale’s Reference Desk [http://www.martindalecenter.com/]
• Merlot [http://www.merlot.org/merlot/index.html]
• RefDesk.com [http://www.refdesk.com/index.html]
• Reference Collection at Bartleby.com [http://www.bartleby.com/reference/]
• ReferenceDesk.org [http://www.referencedesk.org/]
• Research It [http://www.itools.com/]
• Search-It-All [http://www.search-it-all.com/]
• Virtual Reference Collection [http://libraries.claremont.edu/research/quickref/]
• Virtual Reference Desk [http://www.virtualref.com/]
• Xrefer [http://corp.credoreference.com/]
• World eBook Library [http://netlibrary.net/WorldHome.html]

6.Statistics

• Statistical Abstract of the United States [http://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/]
• Bureau of Economic Analysis [http://www.bea.gov/]
• U.S. Economy at a Glance [http://stats.bls.gov/eag/]
• U.S. Bureau of Criminal Justice Statistics [http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/welcome.html]
• Statistical Abstract of the United States [http://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/]
• U.S. Census Bureau [http://www.census.gov/main/www/a2z]
• FedStats [http://www.fedstats.gov/]
• NetFactual (Internet Statistics) [http://www.netfactual.com/]
• Statistics – Government Documents [http://guides.library.fullerton.edu/govstats/]

7.Photography

• www.photographyreview.com
• www.agfaphoto.com
• www.indiaphotography.com
• www.masters-of-photography.com
• www.photodisc.com
• www.indialight.com
• www.photoindia.com
• www.photocentreindia.com
• www.onlinephotography.com
• www.photographymuseum.com
• www.photoresource.com
• www.sightphoto.com
• www.kodak.com
• www.digital-photography.org
• www.photolinks.net
• www.thephotosite.com
• www.arteffects.com
• www.Xrez.com

8.Mobile related websites

• www.mobango.com
• www.mobilecontentplanet.com
• www.mobilejunkies.net
• www.candyman.com
• www.crazy4mobilez.com
• http://www.nidokidos.org/
• http://www.mobuniverse.com/
• http://www.mobilesmania.com
• www.symbian-mobile.org
• www.symbianfile.com
• www.mobile9.com
• www.mobineedz.info
• www.getjar.com 
• www.zedge.net

9.Games

• http://www.download-free-games.com/
• http://www.games2download.com/
• http://www.download-game.com/
• http://www.gametop.com/
• http://www.funpcgame.com/
• http://www.terragame.com/
• http://www.free-windows-games.com/
• http://www.worldoffreegames.com/
• http://www.bluedojo.com/
• www.abc.go.com
• www.psygnosis.com
• www.hasbrointeractive.com
• www.mindspace.com
• www.nazaragames.com
• www.microsoft.com/games
• www.shockblitz.com
• www.simthemepark.com
• www.gamesdomain.com
• www.indiagames.com
• www.gamesville.com
• www.lycoszone.com
• www.leftfoot.com
• www.usacoop.com
• www.funbrain.com
• www.blakkat.com
• www.moonme.com
• www.nintendo.com
• www.gungames.com
• www.gamepen.com
• www.huronline.com
• www.gamesdomain.com
• www.komando.com
• www.mortalcombat.com
• www.aylic.com
• www.leftfoot.com
• www.gamebot.com
• www.happypuppy.com
• www.station.sony.com
• www.paget.com
• www.avana.net
• www.riddler.com
• www.phrazzle.co.uk
• www.gamesdepot.com
• www.amo.qc.ca
• www.free-gaming.com
• www.arcadegamesonline.com
• www.plusmedia.com
• www.bytesize.com
• www.piginc.org
• www.nuclearnet.com
• www.diablopro.com

10.Other Interesting Websites

• www.piczo.com
• http://www.makeadifferencemovie.com/
• http://www.sitestimator.com
• http://www.findagrave.com/
• Weird site [http://www.subliminalmessages.com/]
• http://www.grayzone.com/index.html
• www.T5F.NET
• Computer Stupidities..!!! [http://rinkworks.com/stupid/cs_web.shtml]
• Language Transelation [http://world.altavista.com/]
• Oops list(time pass) [http://www.micom.net/oops/]
• Chatcreator.com
• Mon.itor.us
• BigString.com
• Convert videos online with any software [http://converttube.com/]
• free  photo website for you [www.photosite.com]
• Free 50gb online space [ADrive.com]
• All your favorite food recipes [www.allrecipes.com]
• Information about all the movies [www.imdb.com]
• feed the poor ones [www.hungersite.com]
• convert any file to any files [http://www.media-convert.com]

13 Things Your Car Dealer Won't Tell You

Find out how to get the most value out of your purchase by side-stepping these common car dealer practices.

1. That car we advertised at the unbelievable price? It's a stripped-down model with a manual transmission, no air-conditioning, and crank windows. But we got you in, didn't we?

2. The best time to buy is at the end of the month, and it's best to negotiate the trade-in separately. Negotiate up from the invoice price (what we paid for the car, easy to find on the Web), not down from the sticker price.

3. Everybody believes his trade-in is worth more. You've got bald tires, chicken bones under the seats, and dust blowing from the vents, but you're going to tell me your car is in “excellent” condition? Now who's the pushy salesperson? 

4. To get a great price with minimal haggling, call and ask for the Internet manager or fleet manager.

5. Once I'm sitting behind the desk, you'll feel like I'm in control and may be willing to pay a little more. (We learn this during training.)

6. Ever wonder about those ads that promise a minimum $3,000 trade-in value for your clunker? Those dealerships also pad the sales price to make up for the difference.

7. Never pay the VIN-etch fee. It's a $250 optional add-on that's almost pure profit for us.

8. Every spring we have guys who show up and say they're interested in one of our trucks and want to give it a spin. They think we don't see the mulch on the floor when they bring it back.

9. Notice how many times we go back and forth to our manager? The loud music, the gongs, and the blaring flat-screen TVs? All are distractions designed to help you lose track of what we're doing with the deal.

10. Plenty of cars get stolen at gunpoint or knifepoint on test-drives.

11. We're making less money on the car than you think. Our profit margin is typically 2 to 4 percent.

12. We all get our cars from the same place at roughly the same price. So if one dealer is offering to sell it for $2,000 less, there's probably a catch.

13. If your auto credit score is under 600, expect to get an interest rate over 16 percent and to put 20 percent down. If your score is under 550, we may put a tracking device in your car that will shut it off if you don't make a payment.

Sources: Car dealers in Florida, Ohio, North Carolina, and New York; Sarah Lee Marks, a Las Vegas–based personal car buyer who sold cars for almost a decade; and Jeff Ostroff, president and CEO of carbuyingtips.com.

Plus:21 More Things Your Car Dealer Won't Tell You

1. Go in armed and educated. Study the pricing of the car you like and have your financing lined up. If you walk in with nothing, you're not a customer, you're a victim.

2. Here's a favorite trick: Once you give us the keys to appraise your trade-in, you won't get them back until you're ready to leave and you ask for them. While I'm getting them for you, another salesman will try to close a deal.

3. An older woman who walks in without an appointment, alone, is typically someone we can make a lot of money on. She's usually uncomfortable with the process and just wants to get it over with.

4. Attractive people sell more cars. I've seen some incredible deals go down because the only thing the customer was paying attention to was the salesman paying attention to her.

5. When you bring in your friend or your father to negotiate for you, we call him "the quarterback." Just know that he's often as clueless about the process as you are.

6. If you want to test drive a bunch of models or need a lot of information, don't pull in on a weekend without an appointment. Come by on a Tuesday or Wednesday.

7. Despite the stories you've heard about sleazy car dealers, plenty of us are honest folks frustrated by the guys who give the rest of us a bad name.

8. Once you've agreed on a price, you think you're done – but we're just getting started. Worn out and ready to go home, you sign document after document. Then you wake up the next day, look down, and you signed a contract that had a $1,995 extended warranty that isn't worth the paper it's written on. And you're stuck.

9. Forget the overall cost of the car. Let's talk about what you want to pay each month. Then I can build in profit generators such as extended warranties and credit insurance, and you won't even notice.

10. Think you'll get a good deal by coming in at closing time when I'm anxious to get home? Think again.

11. I'll promise you just about anything to get you to sign on the dotted line. But if I don't put it in writing, I may not remember the next day.

12. You shouldn't leave the dealership not knowing how to turn on the windshield wipers. Make us show you everything before you drive away.

13. Banks almost never require you to buy a particular warranty or a particular add-on to get the loan. If the finance officer tells you otherwise, ask to speak to someone at the bank.

14. Kelley Blue Book, Edmunds and NADA (National Automobile Dealers Association) all offer guides for car values. We're the experts who do this every day and can evaluate what a 2008 Honda Accord EX is really worth in our market.

15. You accuse us of being the biggest liars in the world, but we like to say "buyers are liars." You tell us you're looking for a car for a friend, that you've got to run to get to daycare, that you've got perfect credit. Right.

16. If I ask "Are you here to buy?" in the first 10 minutes, that's not a good sign.

17. Don't expect retail for your trade in and wholesale for our car. We have to recondition your trade, advertise it, warranty it and pay interest on the amount we have in the car, then sell it for less than we want after it sits on the lot for months.

18. You think I'm pushy? I've had attractive young women raise their eyebrows at me and say, "I'll do anything to get a better deal. Anything."

19. Seven words I hate: "I have to check with my wife (or husband)."

20. Please do the math. You can't get a $40,000 Tahoe for $250 a month for 72 months! Even at zero percent, $40,000 divided by 72 months is $555 before tax, title, and license fees. If you want a bargain, try to wait until the end of model year, usually in September or October, when we need to move cars off the lot.

21. Sure, I'd be happy to tint your windows, apply rustproofing, or paint a pinstripe on your truck. But I'll probably charge you two or three times the cost of doing it elsewhere.

From: Reader's Digest

How to remove Software Counterfeiting problem or Windows Genuine Validation problem

Tags: software counterfeiting, WGA, windows genuine validation

Hi guys…..Most of the people who are using windows XP OS will be facing the windows genuine validation problem or the Software counterfeiting problem.So now Iam going to explain you how to remove these things so that you will not get any such pop ups……
To get rid of the WGA notification that intends to remind you that your Windows is not validated, you can buy a validly licensed copy of genuine Microsoft Windows.
Update: Bypass WGA Validation and Disable WGA Notifications Warning Message
First Method
Launch Windows Task Manager.
End wgatray.exe process in Task Manager.
Restart Windows XP in Safe Mode.
Delete WgaTray.exe from c:\Windows\System32.
Delete WgaTray.exe from c:\Windows\System32\dllcache.
Launch RegEdit.
Browse to the following location:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon\Notify
Delete the folder ‘WgaLogon’ and all its contents
Reboot Windows XP.
Note: With this method, you may be prompted to install WGA Notifications again which can still be unselected.
Second Method
Note: Again, you may be prompted again to install WGA Notification, so it must be bypassed.
Third Method
By disabling and renaming the files “WgaLogon.dll” and “WgaTray.exe” in C:\WINDOWS\system32 folder by using the program Unlocker seems to get rid of all the nags/popups.
Fourth Method
Clear the contents or create a new empty data.dat for WGA, and make data.dat Read-Only and Hidden as detailed here.
The following step basically is the same with the above data.dat method, only different is that you no need to create any file in the WGA data folder:
Launch Windows Explorer and go to C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Windows Genuine Advantage\data
Go to Tools -> Folder Option -> View.
Select (click) Show Hidden Files and Folders option.
Unselect (uncheck) Hide Protected Operating System Files option.
Click OK.
Delete everything in the data folder Or other wise use all methods it will work out.
OR
click on this link
http://magicaljellybean.com/keyfinder/old.shtml
go here .. and download keyfinder v 1.51.zip
download that and open
and go to option change windows key
then enter this key
V2C47-MK7JD-3R89F-D2KXW-VPK3J
now
your windows key is now genuine and u’ll not get any such pop ups…..
If still your problem is not solved then search google for the windows genuine advantage validation removal tool and download it and install……That will surely remove the problem…..

Memory Loss on Your Mind?

The good news is that your occasional memory loss is probably nothing to worry about

By Janene Mascarella

It's an all-too-common scenario: You've lost your keys (again!), don't remember where you left your glasses, or, for the life of you, can't recall the name of that darn movie. And your first reaction is "Sheesh — I must be getting old. I'm losing my memory!"

Well, the reassuring news is that these so-called senior moments have nothing to do with your brain getting old, says Pierce J. Howard, Ph.D., director of research at the Center for Applied Cognitive Sciences in Charlotte, North Carolina, and the author of The Owner's Manual for the Brain. Chances are your (very normal) memory snafus are associated not with age but with experience.

Memory Rivalry

Try this brainteaser: Off the top of your head, name ten things that are the color red. Not as easy as it sounds, is it? When you were 5 years old, you could probably have completed this task easily, but by the time you reach your "seasoned" years, your brain is filled with some 6,000 objects that are red. And because we have so many things in brain storage bins that fit the description — what scientists refer to as rivals — we struggle when we try to remember the name of a red object.

"Your mind will cycle through hundreds of candidates before you come up with the right ones," explains Howard. "And it might take longer than you expect. That's not a memory lapse. It's simply trying to recall a memory that's in storage." Ever notice your computer slowing down when the hard drive gets too full? It's akin to what happens with the human mind — as it gets fuller, it takes more time to sift through everything. "Aging is a misnomer here," says Howard. "It's not getting old that causes the sluggishness of memory — it's simply a crowded memory bank. By now, you've got so many associations that it's just a competition in your mind for the correct memory to surface."

According to Howard, there are three key ingredients for forming a memory and making it stick:

1. Intending to remember. This means making a conscious decision and saying it out loud, if necessary: "Okay, I just put my keys in the bowl on the hall table. Can't forget that."
2. Associating the memory with something visual. Visualize the ignition to your car as a bowl instead of a keyhole. When you're looking for your keys, you'll visualize the key going into the bowl — "Ah, the keys are in the bowl!"
3. Practicing it. For short-term memories, you need to repeat the associations you form a couple of times before they'll stick. For something you want to remember over the long term (say, the name of your cousin's new husband), you need to practice every day by rehearsing what you'd like to recall or running through those visual associations. (Think "Mary's new husband is Bob, and he likes to swim" as you visualize a man "bobbing" up and down in the water.) Try repeating these associations during idle time, perhaps when you're sitting in traffic or taking a walk.

Know Thy Memory Enemies

We're born with about 23 billion neurons (nerve cells in the brain), and while individual rates of brain cell loss vary widely, it is said that we lose some 100,000 neurons a day. That number could spike higher depending on your lifestyle and health. For example, heavy drinking and prolonged stress are significant neuron assailants.

One cause of neural deterioration that we have no control over is insufficient acetylcholine. This is a crucial neurotransmitter, low levels of which cause cell membranes to become brittle and disintegrate. The dietary source for acetylcholine is a fat known as lecithin, which is found in beef; safflower, corn, and soybean oils; eggs; wheat germ; and nuts — if you're not getting much of these foods into your diet, you might consider taking a lecithin supplement.

In addition, certain substances can damage neurons, as can lifestyle choices and health problems, including the following:

• Too much caffeine. A dehydrating agent, caffeine can, over time, make your neural membranes brittle. It's a double whammy, too: It can affect your ability to recall because it encourages the production of excess cortisol, the stress chemical that prepares you for "fight or flight." Too much cortisol can shrink the size of your hippocampus, which is where memories are stored in the brain. Howard says it's best not to exceed one dose of caffeine every seven hours. (A dose is one milligram per pound of body weight.) In such moderate amounts, however, some studies have shown that caffeine can, in fact, offer health benefits — just be sure not to overdo it!
• Heavy alcohol consumption. Because alcohol is also a diuretic, it can cause dehydration, producing symptoms such as confusion and memory problems. So for every ounce of alcohol you consume, drink a glass of water, says Howard. Alcohol may also directly lead to neuronal degeneration.
• A sedentary lifestyle and untreated high blood pressure. Both can make you susceptible to memory lapses. A rule of thumb worth following: Anything that's good for the heart is good for the mind. That's because mental activity is dependent on blood flow (among other factors), which also supplies essential oxygen to the brain.
• Prolonged stress and illness. Both of these can wreak havoc on mental as well as physical functioning.
• Resting on your laurels. This is no time to be complacent or lazy. It's important to keep stimulating your mind to learn new things and take on new challenges. Follow the slogan Use it or lose it!

If you're worried that you're forgetting too much, here's the bottom line: Don't sweat memory stumbles. Try not to get frustrated — be amused instead, suggests Howard. And it's a good idea to be humble and to enlist a "memory partner" (such as your spouse or a little notebook) to help you remember names, dates, and so on. Finally, try to keep a positive perspective: A full mind equals a full life, but remember — it's not even close to capacity yet. 

Men Seem More Susceptible to Memory Problems Than Women

WEDNESDAY, Sept. 8 (HealthDay News) -- Elderly men are more likely to suffer memory problems than women, new research shows.
The study included 2,050 people, aged 70 to 89, in Olmsted County, Minn., who were interviewed about their memory and medical history, and who underwent testing of their memory and thinking skills.
Overall, nearly 14 percent of the participants had mild cognitive impairment (MCI), but the rate was 1.5 times higher in men (19 percent) than in women (14 percent). People with MCI have memory or thinking problems that are more serious than what's associated with normal aging. Although not everyone who has MCI develops Alzheimer's disease, people with the impairment do often go on to develop it, according to the Alzheimer's Association.
The study, published in the Sept. 7 issue of the journal Neurology, also found that about 10 percent of the participants had dementia, and 76 percent had normal memory and thinking skills.
"This is the first study conducted among community-dwelling persons to find a higher prevalence of MCI in men," study author Dr. Ronald Petersen, of the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., said in an American Academy of Neurology news release.
"If these results are confirmed in other studies, it may suggest that factors related to gender play a role in the disease. For example, men may experience cognitive decline earlier in life but more gradually, whereas women may transition from normal memory directly to dementia at a later age but more quickly," he added.
The study, funded by the U.S. National Institute on Aging and a Mayo Clinic Alzheimer's disease research program, also found that MCI was more common among people who had a lower level of education or who were never married.

From:

Does Caffeine Help You Live Longer?

Your morning cup of coffee may do more than just wake you up — it could boost your longevity, as long as you're drinking the right amount.

By Chris Iliades, MD

Medically reviewed by Lindsey Marcellin, MD, MPH

Most people drink coffee for one reason: It contains caffeine. The average 8-ounce cup of coffee has about 85 to 100 milligrams of caffeine, and within about 15 to 30 minutes of drinking a caffeinated cup of joe, your central nervous system becomes stimulated and will stay stimulated for up to six hours. Caffeine could be the most popular drug in the world. But are there also health benefits?

Recent studies suggest that drinking coffee may decrease your risk of heart disease and protect you from Parkinson's disease, type 2 diabetes, and Alzheimer's disease — all increasing your longevity. But these studies still need to be backed up by more research, and it's important to remember that drinking too much coffee can cause side effects, including unpleasant caffeine withdrawal symptoms if you quit cold turkey.

Here are the pros and cons.

Possible Pros of Coffee Drinking

Your cup of coffee or tea comes with some important health benefits that may increase longevity by helping prevent certain diseases:

• Heart disease. The American Heart Association now says that drinking one or two cups of coffee per day is safe for your heart. Some studies actually show that moderate coffee drinking may lower the risk of coronary heart disease, possibly due to antioxidants in coffee or caffeine.
• Type 2 diabetes. There is growing evidence that the health benefits of coffee may include protection from type 2 diabetes. Again, the exact mechanism is not known and may include coffee substances other than caffeine, since some studies show benefits from both caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee. One large study found the health benefits of coffee extended only to black coffee.
• Parkinson's disease. Several studies in large numbers of men have suggested that men who drink more coffee or other caffeinated beverages are less likely to develop Parkinson's disease. The protective effect of caffeine does not seem to extend to women if they are taking hormone replacement therapy. Studies in animal models suggest that caffeine may prevent the loss of nerve cells that produce the brain chemical dopamine. Low levels of dopamine are believed to be the cause of Parkinson's disease. Researchers agree that more studies need to be done, but these findings could lead to the discovery of new ways to prevent or treat this common age-related disease.
• Alzheimer's disease. Several studies in mice show that caffeine decreases the level of a type of protein that builds up in the brains of people with Alzheimer's disease. Caffeine may also decrease swelling in the brain. Although these studies were done in mice, they do suggest a possible role for caffeine in Alzheimer's prevention and treatment.
• Cancer. According to the World Cancer Research Fund, there is evidence that regular consumption of coffee does not increase the risk of cancer. In fact, for some types of cancer, such as colon cancer and liver cancer, regular coffee drinking may lower the risk.

The Cons of Coffee Drinking

Even with coffee’s potential longevity-boosting benefits, it’s still important to understand the negative side. Moderate coffee drinking can make your heart rate go up, increase your need to urinate, and cause restlessness. Most experts say that three cups of coffee per day is a moderate amount, but some people are more sensitive than others.

Here are some situations to be aware of:

• Heart and blood pressure effects. People who drink too much coffee or are more sensitive to caffeine may experience a temporary increase in their blood pressure, a racing heart beat, or extra heartbeats.
• Pregnancy risks. Some studies have shown an association between high doses of caffeine and miscarriage. Caffeine crosses the placenta and enters the fetus, where metabolism is slow, so you should talk to your doctor about how much caffeine is safe if you are pregnant or plan to get pregnant.
• Breast tenderness. Caffeine has been shown to increase breast tenderness in women with premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and may result in breast tenderness in women with fibrocystic breast disease.
• Excessive caffeine reactions. Too much caffeine can cause tremors, sweating, rapid breathing, heartburn, insomnia, headaches, nervousness, dizziness, difficulty concentrating, and loss of fine muscle control.
• Caffeine withdrawal symptoms. If you drink too much coffee, you can build up a tolerance to the effects of caffeine and end up drinking more and more to get the same amount of stimulation — in other words, you become dependent on it. Sudden withdrawal of caffeine can cause headache, drowsiness, and irritability. The best way to kick the habit is to decrease your caffeine gradually, rather than going cold turkey.

The Scoop on Caffeine and Longevity

Don’t like coffee? Caffeine is also present in tea, chocolate, and some soft drinks. Tea has between 40 and 80 milligrams of caffeine per cup. There is evidence that drinking green tea, which has more antioxidants than other types of tea, may lower your risk for diabetes, liver disease, heart disease, bowel disease, and cancer.

If you are thinking of upping your coffee intake for longevity’s sake, remember: The health benefits seem to only outweigh the health risks if you drink coffee in moderation — about three cups per day. Also keep in mind that if you are lighting up a cigarette with your coffee or adding saturated fats and calories with cream and sugar, you may be undermining coffee’s health benefits.

From:

11 Healthy Ways to Load Up on Lean Protein

Protein can lower the blood sugar impact of meals and keep hunger at bay. Learn how to enjoy the nutritional benefits of the best protein sources.

1. Head to the sushi station for a protein-packed prepared meal.

Many larger supermarkets have their very own sushi chefs on-site, boxing up fresh fish and rice combination plates. If ever you need a quick, prepackaged meal, this is the place to stop: Sushi delivers protein and some fiber and is generally low in calories -- one piece of a California roll has just 30 calories and less than a gram of fat. Just steer clear of the soy sauce, which is very high in sodium, or ask for the low-sodium kind.

2. Don't forget the eggs.

 

Eggs have been much maligned over the years, but the fact is, they are an excellent and inexpensive source of protein and the most nutritionally complete of all protein sources. One large, hard-boiled egg contains 7 grams of protein and has just 2 grams of saturated fat. To avoid the saturated fat altogether, use the egg whites and throw out the yolks. Or you can dress that egg up (and get in a serving of veggies) by making an omelet and folding in iron- and fiber-rich spinach. In studies, people who ate eggs and toast for breakfast stayed full longer and ate significantly fewer calories the rest of the day than people who ate a bagel and cream cheese. Eggs do contain a fair amount of cholesterol, but dozens of studies have shown that it's saturated fat, not dietary cholesterol, that raises people's cholesterol the most.

 3. Go for ground sirloin, the leanest ground beef.

A 3-ounce serving has 196 calories and 10 grams of fat. The next leanest is ground round (for 218 calories, 13 grams of fat), then ground chuck and ground beef (both about 231 calories, 15 grams of fat).

4. Buy at most two servings of red meat per person per week.

Red meat contains saturated fat, and one study found that women with type 2 ­diabetes who ate more red meat were more likely to develop heart disease than women with diabetes who ate less. Other research showed that the more red meat women ate over almost nine years, the more likely they were to develop type 2 diabetes.

5. Skip the bacon and hot dogs.

While red meat seems to increase the risk of developing diabetes, processed meats such as bacon and hot dogs seem to increase it even more.

6. Pick up pork chops or a lean pork Loin.

Pork loin is very lean meat and isn't too expensive. Throw a couple of chops on the grill (dress them up first with a low-calorie garlic–lime juice marinade, or with chili and garlic powders) for a quick dinner -- each is just 129 calories, with a healthy 16 grams of protein.

7. Buy a package of chicken tenderloins to keep in your freezer for quick meals.

Each tenderloin weighs about 11⁄2 to 2 ounces, which makes portion control easy for you -- two tenderloins are roughly equal to one 3-ounce serving, which is about the size of a deck of cards. Tenderloins will marinate quickly and can be used in kebabs or tossed into stir-fry dishes.

8. Choose turkey or chicken breast at the deli counter.

Lean slices of meat on whole-wheat bread topped with mustard and baby spinach leaves make a healthy, low-cholesterol lunch -- that is, if you select lunch meats that are low in saturated fat. Skip the salamis and bolognas. Good second choices are lean ham and roast beef -- just stick to two slices or 11⁄2 ounces of meat in your sandwich.

9. Go to the freezer section for frozen edamame.

These young green soybeans, in or out of their shell, are wonderful as snacks; just steam them and add a little salt. You can also add them to soups and salads. Soy has more protein, by volume, than beef, and virtually none of the saturated fat.

10. Get your fill of fish from cans or pouches.

Salmon is nature's heart medicine, but you don't have to cook up a fillet to get more of it into your diet. Canned salmon is a smart choice not only for convenience but for health; that's because most canned salmon in the United States is wild-caught fish versus farmed fish (and therefore may contain fewer contaminants). An added bonus to eating salmon: Researchers recently found that people who had the highest levels of omega-3 fatty acids in their blood were 53 percent less likely to report feeling mildly or moderately depressed.

11. Buy seafood to stash in the freezer.

Vacuum-packed sole, cod, or salmon fillets, which are flash-frozen, are the next best thing to fresh fish. Keep some in the freezer and you'll always have ingredients for a healthy dinner on hand. You can thaw the fish in the fridge overnight or defrost it under cool running water. Cleaned frozen shrimp is another great buy. Pair it with frozen mixed veggies and you have a stir-fry dinner ready to go.

From: 759 Secrets for Beating Diabetes

A Home for the Future !!!

Virginia Tech’s Lumenhaus: a solar-powered home

 Virginia Tech’s solar home won the 2010 Solar Decathlon Europe.

With the world quickly using up its fossil fuels and driving itself further toward irreversible climate change, it’s easy to fall into despair about the future of domestic life. Cheap energy, land, water and building materials have made the last century of American homebuilding a story of ever-expanding luxury. Arguably, all of these will become scarce and expensive over the next 50 years. Will our children’s homes be anything as comfortable and expansive as our own?

The answer is yes—though it depends on how you frame the question. Our children probably won’t be able to afford to run conventional air conditioners all day long. Nor will they likely have access to unlimited water supplies, particularly in the parched Southwest. But that doesn’t mean they have to live without the same quality of life that their parents and grandparents have grown accustomed to. The key is to use smart planning and technological advances to not merely adapt the home, but rethink its most basic design and function. To demonstrate what such a house might look like, our team of professors and students at Virginia Tech designed and built Lumenhaus. With functional spaces and a modest size that allows for efficient energy use, Lumenhaus won the 2010 Solar Decathlon Europe, a competition that brought together 17 college teams from around the world in Madrid.

Virginia Tech’s solar home having heat pumps use the earth's stable temperature as a heat source in the winter and a heat sink in the summer. Four times more efficient than a conventional system, the home saves up to 80% of energy use.

The competition challenged each team to design a solar-powered home. But Lumenhaus, which draws inspiration from Mies van der Rohe’s Farnsworth House, is about more than just solar power: its movable walls break down the barrier between inside and outside, making a small interior feel larger; it plugs into a smart-grid network that allows the excess energy it produces to feed back to the community; it features pre-fabricated expansion rooms, so it can grow and shrink with a family’s needs; and it draws on passive cooling and geothermal heating to maintain comfort at minimal cost—to both the owners and the environment.

From: