HOME AT LAST

I just arrived form my six days trip from the provinces and I am so excited to come back home because I will be able to blog unlimited. In the provinces, I have to pay the hourly rent of a computer and internet connection. I am just happy to see and touch my desktop computer. My trip to the provinces is a monthly activity of mine where I go to different places and cities to conduct credit investigation. That's my job as a credit investigator. I have been doing this since 2001 and I seem to enjoy it because I get to travel and see different places and everything is paid by the company. When I am in the provinces, I control my time and my schedule unlike when I am doing the office work. Talking about office work, there will be a new addition to our department and that is Roland. He also is a blogger like me. we started blogger together last year along with his brother Noli, who is also a blogger.

Well that's it for now. I have to update my other blogs. Have a nice day to everyone.

DEVELOPING A HEALTH YOUNG LOOKING SKIN MADE EASY

There's nothing vain about wanting to have healthy and younger looking skin. In addition to boosting yourself confidence, healthy skin is an indicator of a healthy body. So, if your goal is to achieve better skin, then here are the tips necessary to turn back the hands of time and give you the healthiest skin that you have seen in years.

Tip 1 - Use Sun Protection

Sun can be very damaging to your skin. In fact it's the number one cause of premature aging. So, make sure you always protect against it. A good rule to follow is if you're going to be in the sun for more than 20 minutes, you should protect your skin with sunscreen. This will help to protect your skin from sun damage while also keeping it moisturized.

Ideally, you should be wearing protection of at least SPF 15. If you wear foundation makeup, try to switch to a brand that uses a SPF included in its formula. Remember, you shouldn't have to sacrifice the long-term health of your skin for beauty.

Tip 2 - Eat Right

Most skin care is an internal process. So, instead of committing too much time mulling over which cream to put on your face, you should be more concerned about what is going on inside your body.

If you nourish your body correctly and drink lots of water, your skin is going to look great. If you eat poorly and dehydrate yourself with sodas and coffees, then it's going to show on your face.

There are a variety of foods that will keep you looking young and healthy. These foods include multi-grain breads to eliminate free radicals, oats for youthful skin, lots of vitamins (ABCDE) to boost cell rejuvenation, and meats and fish for their essential amino acids.

Tip 3 - Drink Water and Exercise

The combination of consuming water and sweating it out is a great way to flush toxins out of your skin. As you work out, your skin releases water as sweat to rid itself of other bacteria that's harmful to your skin. Then, to hydrate the skin to keep it young and healthy, you'll have to consume more water to restart the process.

Drinking water also helps keep your skin hydrated and remain well-nourished. Because dryness and malnourishment can cause wrinkles, drinking water is key to maintaining a youthful glow.

5 TIPS TO STRETCH YOUR TRAVEL BUDGET

The economic stimulus package set to reach 130 million households this spring may cause a surge in travelers looking for fun ways to spend their money. If you're one of them, make the most of your money by considering destinations offering the most bang for your buck. Following are travel tips for those seeking an escape on a tight budget:

1. Think seasonal. An effective strategy for stretching your travel dollar is to keep an eye on high-season versus low-season rates. For example, with warmer weather in the spring and summer, we tend to forget about the popular wintertime vacation spots like Mexico. Traveling to the beach between April and June provides an ideal time to take advantage of the off-season rates.

2. Think quiet. Another travel tip for the budget-minded is to consider destinations that are hot spots in the wintertime yet slow down to an easy going speed as the weather warms up, such as Lake Tahoe and Jackson Hole. These well-known ski areas offer an abundance of outdoor activities once the snow melts. You'll find hiking, biking, fishing and more without contending with the ski season crowd.

3. Think local. The hefty price per gallon of gas may create a barrier when considering a road trip, but short road trips can offer an affordable travel alternative. Consider checking out an area within a few hours drive that is known for a particular attraction, or head off the beaten path and try some camping, or head to a spa for a weekend of relaxation.

4. Think global. Wait a minute. Did we just move from thinking locally to thinking globally? Yes, international travel is not top-of-mind for a lot of U.S. citizens for a host of reasons, one being the struggling U.S. dollar. It hurts to think of exchanging a dollar bill in Europe only to receive half the value back in Euros. One way to avoid the exchange rate is to consider a European cruise since most travel costs are purchased in U.S. dollars up-front, thus minimizing the exchange rate loss.

5. Think out-of-the-box. Instead of spending hours in front of your computer drooling over exotic photos of that fancy Hawaiian resort only to want to vomit at the site of the hotel rates, consider alternative lodging options. For instance, check out rentals - whether it be a house, condo or an apartment. Spending less on lodging may mean you could stay longer...hmmm...Also, check airfare costs for varying routes that will get you to your desired destination. Instead of flying direct, you may find that booking two separate flights to reach your travel destination will save a lot of money.

I'm done thinking! I don't travel often. I want what I want. I don't want to skimp, but I have a budget to keep in mind. What to do? Find what you want and book it - you may just have to stay for a shorter amount of time to stay within your budget. Travelling is fun especially with your entire family. Have fun under the sun.

INCREASING YOUR METABOLISM WITH THE HELP OF GREEN TEA

Green tea has emerged as a healthy route to improve the metabolism and also has provided a way to bring about reduction of weight. The constituents of green tea have the ability to maintain a healthy metabolic rate providing the necessary amount of vigor and vitality day after day.

Consuming green tea has helped many a person improve their metabolic rate and maintain a healthy living style. But, certain tips need to be borne in mind while purchasing "green tea" as every brand that is available in the market may not be completely natural in terms of its ingredients.

For this reason, it is best to go with a brand that is renowned and time-tested. Also, it is best to check the constituents before purchasing it. You can even have a look at where the tea is coming from to give an idea about whether the ingredients are totally natural. The ingredients have to be looked at because there are many brands available that claim to be green tea but are actually not.

"Organic green tea" is one such ingredient to look out for. If a brand is organic it will be mentioned so on the packing as many people prefer this ingredient while buying green tea.
One vital point to bear in mind before you rush off to including green tea within your daily schedule is that one ingredient of any green tea is caffeine. If you are one who is very conscious about the amount of caffeine intake daily, then green tea is not your cup of tea. But, one good thing is that the amount of caffeine is significantly lesser in comparison to the amounts found in coffee or in the energy drinks that have now swarmed the markets. There are of late some products that claim to be free of caffeine. So, if you are caffeine conscious, you can try one of these.

Green tea has demonstrated the ability to improve the metabolic rate and improve the oxidation of fats. These two important properties have helped many an individual keep their weight in check and for many to help in losing excess weight. So, green tea is an excellent way to not only improve the metabolic rate but also to perk up the way you look.

Advanced trials have now made it known that along with these properties of green tea, it is also an antioxidant. Antioxidants are a great way to keep your heart healthy and to avoid life threatening conditions like cancer or stroke.

So, green tea is a great way to go to improve metabolism, keep your weight in check and to give your body a regular dose of antioxidants to keep you healthy for a long time to come. Make it a habit to drink a cup or two of green tea starting today. After all, it pays to go the Green way.

LUNG CANCER EXPLAINED

Lung cancer is a disease of uncontrolled cell growth in tissues of the lung. This growth may lead to metastasis, invasion of adjacent tissue and infiltration beyond the lungs. The vast majority of primary lung cancers are carcinomas of the lung, derived from epithelial cells. Lung cancer, the most common cause of cancer-related death in men and the second most common in women, is responsible for 1.3 million deaths worldwide annually. The most common symptoms are shortness of breath, coughing (including coughing up blood), and weight loss.

The main types of lung cancer are small cell lung carcinoma and non-small cell lung carcinoma. This distinction is important because the treatment varies; non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) is sometimes treated with surgery, while small cell lung carcinoma (SCLC) usually responds better to chemotherapy and radiation. The most common cause of lung cancer is long term exposure to tobacco smoke. The occurrence of lung cancer in non-smokers, who account for fewer than 10% of cases, appears to be due to a combination of genetic factors, radon gas, asbestos, and air pollution, including second-hand smoke.

Lung cancer may be seen on chest x-ray and computed tomography (CT scan). The diagnosis is confirmed with a biopsy. This is usually performed via bronchoscopy or CT-guided biopsy. Treatment and prognosis depend upon the histological type of cancer, the stage (degree of spread), and the patient's performance status. Possible treatments include surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy. With treatment, the five-year survival rate is 14%.

The vast majority of lung cancers are carcinomas—malignancies that arise from epithelial cells. There are two main types of lung carcinoma, categorized by the size and appearance of the malignant cells seen by a histopathologist under a microscope: non-small cell (80.4%) and small-cell (16.8%) lung carcinoma. This classification, based on histological criteria, has important implications for clinical management and prognosis of the disease.

The non-small cell lung carcinomas are grouped together because their prognosis and management are similar. There are three main sub-types: squamous cell lung carcinoma, adenocarcinoma and large cell lung carcinoma.

Accounting for 31.1% of lung cancers, squamous cell lung carcinoma usually starts near a central bronchus. Cavitation and necrosis within the center of the cancer is a common finding. Well-differentiated squamous cell lung cancers often grow more slowly than other cancer types.

Adenocarcinoma accounts for 29.4% of lung cancers. It usually originates in peripheral lung tissue. Most cases of adenocarcinoma are associated with smoking. However, among people who have never smoked ("never-smokers"), adenocarcinoma is the most common form of lung cancer. A subtype of adenocarcinoma, the bronchioloalveolar carcinoma, is more common in female never-smokers, and may have different responses to treatment

Accounting for 10.7% of lung cancers, large cell lung carcinoma is a fast-growing form that develops near the surface of the lung. It is often poorly differentiated and tends to metastasize early.

Small cell lung carcinoma (SCLC, also called "oat cell carcinoma") is less common. It tends to arise in the larger airways (primary and secondary bronchi) and grows rapidly, becoming quite large. The "oat" cell contains dense neurosecretory granules (vesicles containing neuroendocrine hormones) which give this an endocrine/paraneoplastic syndrome association. While initially more sensitive to chemotherapy, it ultimately carries a worse prognosis and is often metastatic at presentation. Small cell lung cancers are divided into Limited stage and Extensive stage disease. This type of lung cancer is strongly associated with smoking.

The lung is a common place for metastasis from tumors in other parts of the body. These cancers are identified by the site of origin, thus a breast cancer metastasis to the lung is still known as breast cancer. They often have a characteristic round appearance on chest x-ray. Primary lung cancers themselves most commonly metastasize to the adrenal glands, liver, brain, and bone.

Symptoms that suggest lung cancer include:

* dyspnea (shortness of breath)
* hemoptysis (coughing up blood)
* chronic coughing or change in regular coughing pattern
* wheezing
* chest pain or pain in the abdomen
* cachexia (weight loss), fatigue and loss of appetite
* dysphonia (hoarse voice)
* clubbing of the fingernails (uncommon)
* dysphagia (difficulty swallowing).

If the cancer grows in the airway, it may obstruct airflow, causing breathing difficulties. This can lead to accumulation of secretions behind the blockage, predisposing the patient to pneumonia. Many lung cancers have a rich blood supply. The surface of the cancer may be fragile, leading to bleeding from the cancer into the airway. This blood may subsequently be coughed up.

Depending on the type of tumor, so-called paraneoplastic phenomena may initially attract attention to the disease. In lung cancer, these phenomena may include Lambert-Eaton myasthenic syndrome (muscle weakness due to auto-antibodies), hypercalcemia or syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone (SIADH). Tumors in the top (apex) of the lung, known as Pancoast tumors, may invade the local part of the sympathetic nervous system, leading to changed sweating patterns and eye muscle problems (a combination known as Horner's syndrome), as well as muscle weakness in the hands due to invasion of the brachial plexus.

Many of the symptoms of lung cancer (bone pain, fever, weight loss) are nonspecific; in the elderly, these may be attributed to comorbid illness. In many patients, the cancer has already spread beyond the original site by the time they have symptoms and seek medical attention. Common sites of metastasis include the bone, such as the spine (causing back pain and occasionally spinal cord compression), the liver and the brain. About 10% of people with lung cancer do not have symptoms at diagnosis; these cancers are incidentally found on routine chest x-rays.

The main causes of lung cancer (and cancer in general) include carcinogens (such as those in tobacco smoke), ionizing radiation, and viral infection.This exposure causes cumulative changes to the DNA in the tissue lining the bronchi of the lungs (the bronchial epithelium).As more tissue becomes damaged, eventually a cancer develops.

Smoking, particularly of cigarettes, is by far the main contributor to lung cancer. In the United States, smoking is estimated to account for 87% of lung cancer cases (90% in men and 85% in women). Among male smokers, the lifetime risk of developing lung cancer is 17.2%. Among female smokers, the risk is 11.6%. This risk is significantly lower in non-smokers: 1.3% in men and 1.4% in women. Cigarette smoke contains over 60 known carcinogens including radioisotopes from the radon decay sequence, nitrosamine, and benzopyrene. Additionally, nicotine appears to depress the immune response to malignant growths in exposed tissue. The length of time a person smokes as well as the amount smoked increases the person's chance of developing lung cancer. If a person stops smoking, this chance steadily decreases as damage to the lungs is repaired and contaminant particles are gradually removed. Across the developed world, almost 90% of lung cancer deaths are caused by smoking. In addition, there is evidence that lung cancer in never-smokers has a better prognosis than in smokers, and that patients who smoke at the time of diagnosis have shorter survival than those who have quit.

Passive smoking—the inhalation of smoke from another's smoking—is a cause of lung cancer in non-smokers. Studies from the U.S., Europe, the UK, and Australia have consistently shown a significant increase in relative risk among those exposed to passive smoke. Recent investigation of sidestream smoke suggests it is more dangerous than direct smoke inhalation.

Radon is a colorless and odorless gas generated by the breakdown of radioactive radium, which in turn is the decay product of uranium, found in the earth's crust. The radiation decay products ionize genetic material, causing mutations that sometimes turn cancerous. Radon exposure is the second major cause of lung cancer after smoking. Radon gas levels vary by locality and the composition of the underlying soil and rocks. For example, in areas such as Cornwall in the UK (which has granite as substrata), radon gas is a major problem, and buildings have to be force-ventilated with fans to lower radon gas concentrations. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that one in 15 homes in the U.S. has radon levels above the recommended guideline of 4 picocuries per liter (pCi/L) (148 Bq/m³). Iowa has the highest average radon concentration in the United States; studies performed there have demonstrated a 50% increased lung cancer risk with prolonged radon exposure above the EPA's action level of 4 pCi/L.

Similar to many other cancers, lung cancer is initiated by activation of oncogenes or inactivation of tumor suppressor genes. Oncogenes are genes that are believed to make people more susceptible to cancer. Proto-oncogenes are believed to turn into oncogenes when exposed to particular carcinogens. Mutations in the K-ras proto-oncogene are responsible for 20–30% of non-small cell lung cancers. Chromosomal damage can lead to loss of heterozygosity. This can cause inactivation of tumor suppressor genes. Damage to chromosomes 3p, 5q, 13q and 17p are particularly common in small cell lung carcinoma. The TP53 tumor suppressor gene, located on chromosome 17p, is often affected.

Several genetic polymorphisms are associated with lung cancer. These include polymorphisms in genes coding for interleukin-1, cytochrome P450, apoptosis promoters such as caspase-8, and DNA repair molecules such as XRCC1. People with these polymorphisms are more likely to develop lung cancer after exposure to carcinogens.

Performing a chest x-ray is the first step if a patient reports symptoms that may be suggestive of lung cancer. This may reveal an obvious mass, widening of the mediastinum (suggestive of spread to lymph nodes there), atelectasis (collapse), consolidation (pneumonia), or pleural effusion. If there are no x-ray findings but the suspicion is high (such as a heavy smoker with blood-stained sputum), bronchoscopy and/or a CT scan may provide the necessary information. Bronchoscopy or CT-guided biopsy is often used to identify the tumor type.

The differential diagnosis for patients who present with abnormalities on chest x-ray includes lung cancer, as well as nonmalignant diseases. These include infectious causes such as tuberculosis or pneumonia, or inflammatory conditions such as sarcoidosis. These diseases can result in mediastinal lymphadenopathy or lung nodules, and sometimes mimic lung cancers.

Prevention is the most cost-effective means of fighting lung cancer. While in most countries industrial and domestic carcinogens have been identified and banned, tobacco smoking is still widespread. Eliminating tobacco smoking is a primary goal in the prevention of lung cancer, and smoking cessation is an important preventative tool in this process.

Policy interventions to decrease passive smoking in public areas such as restaurants and workplaces have become more common in many Western countries, with California taking a lead in banning smoking in public establishments in 1998. Ireland played a similar role in Europe in 2004, followed by Italy and Norway in 2005, Scotland as well as several others in 2006, England in 2007, and France in 2008. New Zealand has banned smoking in public places as of 2004.

The state of Bhutan has had a complete smoking ban since 2005. In many countries, pressure groups are campaigning for similar bans. Arguments cited against such bans are criminalisation of smoking, increased risk of smuggling and the risk that such a ban cannot be enforced.

A 2008 study performed in over 75,000 middle-aged and elderly people demonstrated that the long-term use of supplemental multivitamins, such as vitamin C, vitamin E, and folate did not reduce the risk of lung cancer. To the contrary, the study indicates that the long term intake of high doses of vitamin E supplements may even increase the risk of lung cancer.

Radiotherapy is often given together with chemotherapy, and may be used with curative intent in patients with non-small cell lung carcinoma who are not eligible for surgery. This form of high intensity radiotherapy is called radical radiotherapy. A refinement of this technique is continuous hyperfractionated accelerated radiotherapy (CHART), where a high dose of radiotherapy is given in a short time period. For small cell lung carcinoma cases that are potentially curable, in addition to chemotherapy, chest radiation is often recommended. The use of adjuvant thoracic radiotherapy following curative intent surgery for non-small cell lung carcinoma is not well established and controversial. Benefits, if any, may only be limited to those in whom the tumor has spread to the mediastinal lymph nodes.

For both non-small cell lung carcinoma and small cell lung carcinoma patients, smaller doses of radiation to the chest may be used for symptom control (palliative radiotherapy). Unlike other treatments, it is possible to deliver palliative radiotherapy without confirming the histological diagnosis of lung cancer.

Patients with limited stage small cell lung carcinoma are usually given prophylactic cranial irradiation (PCI). This is a type of radiotherapy to the brain, used to reduce the risk of metastasis. More recently, PCI has also been shown to be beneficial in those with extensive small cell lung cancer. In patients whose cancer has improved following a course of chemotherapy, PCI has been shown to reduce the cumulative risk of brain metastases within one year from 40.4% to 14.6%.

Recent improvements in targeting and imaging have led to the development of extracranial stereotactic radiation in the treatment of early-stage lung cancer. In this form of radiation therapy, very high doses are delivered in a small number of sessions using stereotactic targeting techniques. Its use is primarily in patients who are not surgical candidates due to medical comorbidities.

Worldwide, lung cancer is the most common cancer in terms of both incidence and mortality with 1.35 million new cases per year and 1.18 million deaths, with the highest rates in Europe and North America. The population segment most likely to develop lung cancer is over-fifties who have a history of smoking. Lung cancer is the second most commonly occurring form of cancer in most western countries, and it is the leading cancer-related cause of death. Although the rate of men dying from lung cancer is declining in western countries, it is actually increasing for women due to the increased takeup of smoking by this group. Among lifetime non-smokers, men have higher age-standardized lung cancer death rates than women.

Not all cases of lung cancer are due to smoking, but the role of passive smoking is increasingly being recognized as a risk factor for lung cancer, leading to policy interventions to decrease undesired exposure of non-smokers to others' tobacco smoke. Emissions from automobiles, factories and power plants also pose potential risks.

Eastern Europe has the highest lung cancer mortality among men, while northern Europe and the U.S. have the highest mortality among women.Lung cancer incidence is currently less common in developing countries. With increased smoking in developing countries, the incidence is expected to increase in the next few years, notably in China and India.

Lung cancer incidence (by country) has an inverse correlation with sunlight and UVB exposure. One possible explanation is a preventative effect of vitamin D (which is produced in the skin on exposure to sunlight).

Lung cancer was extremely rare before the advent of cigarette smoking. Lung cancer was first recognized as a distinct disease in 1761. Different aspects of lung cancer were described further in 1810. Malignant lung tumors made up only 1% of all cancers seen at autopsy in 1878, but had risen to 10–15% by the early 1900s. Case reports in the medical literature numbered only 374 worldwide in 1912. A review of autopsies showed that the incidence of lung cancer had increased from 0.3% in 1852 to 5.66% in 1952. In Germany, in 1929 physician Fritz Lickint recognized the link between smoking and lung cancer. This led to an aggressive anti-smoking campaign. The British Doctors Study, published in the 1950s, was the first solid epidemiological evidence of the link between lung cancer and smoking. As a result, in 1964 the Surgeon General of the United States recommended that smokers should stop smoking.

The connection with radon gas was first recognized among miners in the Ore Mountains near Schneeberg, Saxony. Silver has been mined there since 1470. However these mines are rich in uranium, with accompanying radium and radon gas. Miners developed a disproportionate amount of lung disease, eventually recognized as lung cancer in the 1870s. An estimated 75% of former miners died from lung cancer. Despite this discovery, mining continued into the 1950s due to the USSR's demand for uranium.

The first successful pneumonectomy for lung cancer was carried out in 1933. Initially, pneumonectomy was the surgical treatment of choice. However with improvements in cancer staging and surgical techniques, lobectomy with lymph node dissection has now become the treatment of choice.

Palliative radiotherapy has been used since the 1940s. Radical radiotherapy, initially used in the 1950s, was an attempt to use larger radiation doses in patients with relatively early stage lung cancer, but who were otherwise unfit for surgery. In 1997, continuous hyperfractionated accelerated radiotherapy (CHART) was seen as an improvement over conventional radical radiotherapy.

With small cell lung carcinoma, initial attempts in the 1960s at surgical resection and radical radiotherapy were unsuccessful. In the 1970s, successful chemotherapy regimens were developed.

MY FAVORITE GAME

It is already a common scene in our office to see players go crazy about the sport called chess. The game of chess was introduced to my by my father. I witnessed him play the game and even went on stage to accompany him when received his trophy in chess. Now that I am already working in an office, chess is always being played every lunch and even early morning. In fact I am the organizer of our first company chess tournament. I also played but I landed second to my buddy, who won the trophy.

The good thing about playing chess is that it is the only sport that does not have luck involved. A player must calculate every move. But it is not just limited there. Creating a trap for your opponent and making his pieces pay for the mistakes that are being created.

A little bit of trivia here. Did you know that playing chess, especially our elders, minimize the risk of Alzheimer's disease. It is because our brain cells functions well. As we grow old our brain cells die slowly and along our memory. Playing chess is good and fun.

HOW TO BECOME A MILLIONAIRE IMMEDIATELY

So, you want to be a millionaire.

It's a big goal, and for most people there are only four options to make it happen. You can inherit money, win money, save money or earn money.

In other words, you can inherit money from a rich relative, win the lottery, save for most of your life, or earn a million in your own business.

Inherit Money

This one is pretty straightforward. You either come from money or you don't. Movies are full of stories about people inheriting millions unexpectedly from long-lost relatives, but don't count on it. Even if you do have rich relatives, you could wait years and years before the millions become your own.

Bottom Line: It's not your money, so don't waste your life waiting for it.

Win the Lottery

The odds of winning the lottery in a single state lottery are about 18 million to one. Looking to win one of the multi-state Mega-Millions? Your odds of winning jump as high as 120 million to 1.

Your odds of being struck by lightening are about 2.65 million to one. You are 6 to 45 times more likely to be struck by lightening than to strike it rich on your next lottery ticket.

Bottom Line: Buying that lottery ticket is about as productive for your financial future as striking a match to that dollar and watching it burn.

Save Money

Finally, a guaranteed way to become a millionaire! If you discipline yourself to save and safely invest 10% of your income from the time you are 18, there is absolutely no doubt in my mind that you will have accumulated at least a million dollars by the time you are ready to retire at 65.

That means you need to be sensible and practical your entire life. No splurge spending on your dream car, or vacations in paradise. After all you are saving for your future!

Saving for your future is a great habit. But most of us just don't have the self-discipline to be successful at it. Personally, I would rather earn money fast so I don't have to sacrifice to save. I want to spend money on things that make my current life rewarding. Patience has never been one of my strong suits. If you can make the save and invest method happen, I applaud you.

Bottom Line: You can become a millionaire by saving wisely. But life is not guaranteed. How do you know you will be around to benefit from all your scrimping and saving?

Start Your Own Business

As far as I'm concerned, this is really your own option. The first three methods are either out of your control, or take so long that it may not be worth the wait. Generating extra income through your own business gives you the best odds of success.

Owning your own business gives you control over your income. Your success is solely dependent on your efforts. You don't have to be dependent on your boss for your next raise, fate to give you the winning ticket, decades of time to earn interest and dividends, or death to take away a family member.

Owning your own business also gives you the opportunity to spend hundreds or even thousands of dollars on ineffective marketing programs, training materials, and overhead expenses. If you have dabbled in business ownership at all, you know that running a business can cost big bucks, too.

Bottom Line: The best guarantee of generating income in a business is finding a product or service that people want to buy. Forget all that feel good fluff about "finding something you love". Get rolling by starting something that is tried and true, find someone experienced to help you along, and be willing to work.

Becoming a millionaire is a big goal. But there are more millionaires now than at any other time in history. If millionaire status is your dream, there is absolutely no reason why you can't achieve it.

At the same time, positive mental attitude and luck does not create millionaires. You have to have a plan and work your plan in order to make your dream a reality. Most importantly, expect that you will make mistakes, have to backtrack, and sometimes even have to start over.

Start researching your options now. Your best bet is to find a business you can start part-time. Keeping your day job limits your financial risk. Give yourself time to start making sales and generating income. If you don't need the business income to survive, you can invest everything back into your business at the beginning. This will give your business extra capital to grow more quickly.

It all starts with your vision. If you want it bad enough, and are willing to do more than want and dream, your vision can become your reality. Earning extra income is not dependent on luck or being born into the right family. You need to be willing to do whatever it takes, and stop settling for less.

Set aside just one hour a day to work on your business. I challenge you to schedule one hour each day as your Millionaire Hour. Start with research, but as soon as possible, find a product or service you can market, and start selling! Quit dreaming about being a millionaire, and start doing.

Where will you be one year from today if you have invested 365 hours into starting and running your own business? In five years, you would have worked a total of 1825 hours in your business, simply by spending just one hour a day, or seven hours each week on your business rather than the next prime time TV show.

Or, you can keep dreaming and keep on buying next week's lottery ticket.....

SEARCH ENGINE MARKETING EXPLAINED

Search engine marketing, or SEM, is a form of Internet marketing that seeks to promote websites by increasing their visibility in search engine result pages (SERPs). According to the Search Engine Marketing Professionals Organization, SEM methods include: search engine optimization (or SEO), paid placement, and paid inclusion. Other sources, including the New York Times, define SEM as the practice of buying paid search listings.

In 2006, North American advertisers spent US$9.4 billion on search engine marketing, a 62% increase over the prior year and a 750% increase over the 2002 year. The largest SEM vendors are Google AdWords, Yahoo! Search Marketing and Microsoft adCenter. As of 2006, SEM was growing much faster than traditional advertising.

As the number of sites on the Web increased in the mid-to-late 90s, search engines started appearing to help people find information quickly. Search engines developed business models to finance their services, such as pay per click programs offered by Open Text in 1996 and then Goto.com in 1998. Goto.com later changed its name to Overture in 2001, and was purchased by Yahoo! in 2003, and now offers paid search opportunities for advertisers through Yahoo! Search Marketing. Google also began to offer advertisements on search results pages in 2000 through the Google AdWords program. By 2007 pay-per-click programs proved to be primary money-makers for search engines.

Search engine optimization consultants expanded their offerings to help businesses learn about and use the advertising opportunites offered by search engines, and new agencies focusing primarily upon marketing and advertising through search engines emerged. The term "Search Engine Marketing" was proposed by Danny Sullivan in 2001 to cover the spectrum of activities involved in performing SEO, managing paid listings at the search engines, submitting sites to directories, and developing online marketing strategies for businesses, organizations, and individuals. In 2007 Search Engine Marketing is stronger than ever with SEM Budgets up 750% as shown with stats dating back to 2002 vs 2006.

Paid search advertising hasn't been without controversy, and issues around how many search engines present advertising on their pages of search result sets have been the target of a series of studies and reports by Consumer Reports WebWatch, from Consumers Union. The FTC also issued a letter in 2002 about the importance of disclosure of paid advertising on search engines, in response to a complaint from Commercial Alert, a consumer advocacy group with ties to Ralph Nader.

* SEMPO, the Search Engine Marketing Professional Organization, is a non-profit professional association for search engine marketers.

Search engines with SEM programs

* Google - global
* Yahoo! - global
* Microsoft Live - global
* Ask.com - global
* Baidu - China
* Yandex - Russia
* Rambler - Russia
* Timway - Hong Kong

HELLO KITTY PHONE

Lat week I have a scheduled meeting with my dentist. When I arrived in her clinic, I waited for my turn on her chair because there is was a patient ahead of my schedule. While waiting, I noticed this phone. I thought it was a toy phone but I was wrong. This Hello Kitty phone is a real phone. You can actual call your friends and family using this unique-looking phone to make a call.

TASK COMPLETED

I just finished the laundry work. I washed my two favorite shoes. These are my Adidas and my Nike shoes. I find it very hard to have a time to wash these shoes because of the busy schedule that I have. My house mate already informed me several times about my shoes must be washed so that it will stay new and clean. Dust and dirt can cause damage to my shoes. Instead of allowing the sun to dry the shoes, I placed them in the washing machine dryer so that It get dry immediately. It is another brilliant idea that I sewed in my active mind.

5 THINGS TO SPEED UP YOU INTERNET CONNECTION

One of the most frequently asked questions about Windows is "Why and How" to speed up the Internet connection. What I am going to show you is applicable to Windows Vista and XP.

Step #1 - Optimize Maximum Transmission Unit (MTU) and TCP Receive Windows (RWIN) with SpeedGuide TCP Optimizer

TCP Optimizer is free, and you can download it at SpeedGuide web site, just types "SG TCP Optimizer" into Google or any major search engine, you should be able to find it. It will help you to detect and configure the proper registry settings for your TCP network connection, automatic set the proper value for MTU and RWIN into registry. Remember to restart Windows after this setting.

Step #2 - Turn off TCP Auto tuning

In order for previous settings to activate, you need to turn off TCP auto tuning in Vista:

i) Press Windows key and type " cmd. exe", then CTRL+SHIFT+ENTER to run as Administrator. In the command Window, type " netsh interface tcp set global autotuning=disable", then enter.

ii) If you want to reactivate auto tuning, type " netsh interface tcp set global autotuning=normal".

If you find your Internet connection drop or slower after turning off TCP auto tuning, just reactivate it again.

Step #3 - Use OpenDNS

Your ISP DNS server will affect your Internet connection response, you can try a better and faster DNS server, and OPENDNS is a fast and free DNS server. Unfortunately, some country's connection is too slow to use this service.

Step# 4 - Use Google Web Accelerator (GWA)

Every major web browser will support proxy server, this technology extends by Google web accelerator will establish a tunneling connection between your low bandwidth computer to Google high bandwidth server, and Google will compress the data before sending it over to your web browser, so overall performance increased!

The formula is simple: Google web accelerator downloads the destination page faster with high speed connection, then compressed it with the super fast server processing power before sending it over to your computer, and your low bandwidth connection will be faster because smaller data is sending across, then Google web accelerator on your computer will unpack and send the data to web browser.

Step #5 - Use faster web browser

Try to install a faster web browser from Mozilla Firefox or Apple Safari, they use less resources and generally far more faster than Internet Explorer. You ought to keep Internet Explorer for special web sites, but you can enjoy a faster browsing speed with Firefox and Safari.

This concludes your Windows Internet connection speed problems, if this 5 steps does not help, you need to re-install Windows or contact your ISP!

10 WAYS TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN LIFE

Step 1- Find and Clarify Your Vision of Success:

If you don't yet know what you want to achieve that's okay. There are ways to find out. Ask yourself what you are good at, what you enjoy doing, and what you would be doing if money were no object. Write out an ideal scenario of you having and doing what you dream of.

Step 2- Define your Goals Clearly:

From your ideal scenario of your Vision of Success identify concrete goals. Define them clearly and write them down. Writing your goals down is very important and gives them more power than just thinking or imagining your success.

Step 3- Visualize Yourself Achieving Your Goals:

Before setting off on the path to success you must first be able to see yourself achieving your success. You must believe that you can do it. Your imagination is a powerful creative tool. Once we can vividly imagine something, it often opens the door to manifesting it (Gawain, 1997).

Step 4- Uncover Psychological Blocks to Success:

If you have difficulty with steps one and two you may have internal obstacles preventing you from having or keeping what you want. On some level you may feel undeserving of success and happiness and this may be reflected in a lack of achievement. To uncover these obstacles ask yourself how you truly feel about having what you desire. Is there any guilt attached to this? One way to uncover any blocks here is to write down why you deserve to be successful. This can reveal any feelings to the contrary. Examine where your attitudes about success came from. Write out all you fears and fantasies associated with being successful.

Step 5- Remove Psychological Blocks to Success:

Often just the awareness of negative attitudes and beliefs about success begins the process of letting them go. You can't force change, but there are different tools and techniques that may be helpful. Some of these include: positive affirmations, therapy, success coaching, support groups such as Visions Anonymous, and rituals to rid yourself of the negative beliefs e.g. write them down then burn/tear them up.

Step 6- Make a Clear Plan With a Timeline:

Consider creating a plan that breaks your goals down into 5-year goals, 1-year goals, 6-months, 3-months and 1-month achievements. After completing this plan you can do weekly goals that will put you on schedule for all of the other goal milestones. Be realistic here so you don't get discouraged.

Step 7- Chart your Progress:

It is important to assess your progress at regular intervals. Pick a day once a week or once a month, read your plan and see if you are on schedule. Reward yourself for achieving milestones. If you need to adjust your plan be realistic and do so. Also, be honest with yourself. Visions and goals can change. If you find that you no longer really want this Vision do not be afraid to change your plan.

Step 8- Enjoy Your Success!

Once you have achieved your goals and your Vision of Success it is very important to acknowledge this. Reward yourself, give yourself credit and allow yourself to feel the attendant good feelings. Don't just rush off to your next goal as if you take your success for granted.

Step 9- Cultivate Gratitude:

Having gratitude is important once you achieve your visions. Literally "count your blessings", give thanks, allow yourself to enjoy them, and relish the experience of the success you already have. This increases success by attracting more of what you currently possess. One simple way to do this is to write a gratitude list (listing everything that you feel grateful for).

Step 10- Give it Away:

Out-flowing (giving away our material gifts and talents) makes room for more to flow to us. When out of feelings of fear or insecurity, we cling to what we have, we cut this flow off. You must not only express gratitude for achieving success, you must share this success with others. Share your resources, time and talents. You are also giving it away when you tell your story to others so that they might be encouraged.

PITFALLS TO AVOID IN BUYING A COMPUTER

Don't Waste Your Money On Your Next Computer Purchase

Eager to take advantage of low advertised prices that look like great bargains, people often end up wasting their money by making these common mistakes when purchasing a new computer:

1. Memory neglect. In order to cut the price to the bone, vendors rarely include enough memory in the baseline product. 512MB is not enough memory. 2GB (2030-2048MB) is a good baseline for a home or office computer. If you are buying a computer for a "gamer" then start with 4GB.

Recommendation: ALWAYS add more memory.

Failure to Act: Even if you just plan on performing basic tasks like e-mail and word processing with an occasional spreadsheet thrown in, the performance of the system will be impacted. Simply applying the critical security updates that Windows, Office, and other programs regularly require will impact the performance of your system noticeably, over a period of months, if you don't have enough memory to start with.

2. Processor ignorance. Separate from the memory in the computer (item 1), processors have their own memory. The lack of adequate memory on a processor can be the source of much frustration with a computer. Constant lock-ups or freezing, applications that run out of memory, even strange printing behavior may all be symptoms of a processor that lacks adequate memory.

Recommendation: If the computer will be used for very light Internet surfing and word processing or maybe balancing your checkbook, then by all means, a Sempron™ or Celeron™ is all the processor you need. If you plan on having more than two applications open simultaneously, and use your computer more vigorously (word processing, spreadsheet, several Internet browser tabs or windows, and e-mail open at the same time) then you need a more robust processor.

Failure to Act: A bruised and bloody forehead from beating your head against the wall in frustration. The cost of an entirely new computer. You cannot replace just the processor at a later date.

3. CD/DVD drives that don't write or are not fast enough. Another way that vendors keep the price of a computer down is to equip it with a slower, read only CD/DVD drives. DVD media has a much higher storage capacity than CDs, so make sure you can always write to the DVD drive.

Recommendation: Always make sure you can write to the highest capacity storage media. At some point you will need to write to the device to backup your data, including any music you might download. Keep in mind that the ONLY way to backup songs that you download is to make a music CD or DVD. Simply copying the files to a flash drive or other storage device will not enable you to play them again should you lose the originals for some reason (such as updating your software).

Failure to Act: Could cost you real dollars in the long run. Whether it is data or music, you need to backup. Sometimes you may want to share something with another computer user and you are not going to want to part with your flash drive for this purpose.

4. Failure to bundle Office products with your computer purchase. Exceptionally low-priced computers do not come with Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook, or any other Microsoft Office product. Some come with Microsoft Works, a product that is completely incompatible with Microsoft Word, or other Microsoft Office product. If you ever plan on exchanging a word processing or spreadsheet file with anyone else, you will need one or more of the Microsoft Office products. Purchase what you might need with the computer.

Recommendation: Always purchase Microsoft Office products with the computer when given the chance. The cost savings are considerably better than going to the store and purchasing them separately.

Failure to Act: You might spend a couple of hundred or more dollars than you would have if you had purchased the Office product(s) you needed with the computer. The cost difference is definitely significant.

5. Don't cut corners with your monitor. Buy the biggest, highest resolution, flat panel display that you can afford. Again, these are often offered at a significant discount when bundled with a computer. We have yet to hear anyone express regret over buying a monitor that was "too big." Your eyes will thank you.

Recommendation: High resolution, flat panel displays are the way to go and are almost always cheaper when purchased with your computer. Buy the best you can afford.

Failure to Act: Buyers remorse and "tired eyes". If you work on a computer for more than a couple of hours a day, you won't regret spending a few extra dollars on a good monitor. The cost of upgrading to a higher resolution, larger monitor at the time you originally make your computer purchase is much less than having to buy a whole new monitor at a later date. This is not the place to try to save a few dollars.

Avoiding these common mistakes can greatly increase the useful life of your computer and enhance your computing experience.

BIRTHDAY AND DRIVING

I will be going to Mati City this Wednesday to attend to my grandmother's birthday. She is already 95 years old and she is considered the oldest person in the town where she is residing. Going to Mati City would take around 3 and a half hours depending on the round and weather condition.

My brother will be driving us going to Mati City. We will meet at Tagum City. Going to Tagum City would take around an hour to arrive there and I will be driving our Honda City. I still consider myself as a novice driver. I still need much driving hours before I can consider myself an expert one. But in due time I will become that kind of a driver.

IMPROVING YOUR BLOG'S PAGE IMPRESSION

Comment at related blogs - This is probably the biggest thing you can do to improve and promote your blog. It is very simple. Just make comments on other blogs that are related to yours. When you make a comment, it is standard to leave your name and URL. If you leave a relevant comment, maybe even with some free advice, other readers will visit your blog to see what you are all about.

Write a weekly "best of" post - It is fairly simple to do. Make a weekly post that spotlights the best posts that you have read on other peoples blogs. By linking directly to the post, you create trackback links on other blogs and this will result in new readers to your blog. This is sort of works like a backwards blog comment.

Be sure to link - A very important persona of your blog is the links that you provide. The more link outs you have the more your readers perceive it as more authoritative and valuable. It also shows that you are not trying to hide something and also show that you put credit where credit is due.

Improve your blog's look - Why use the same templates and designs that many other blogs are using? Use a design that is totally different than everyone else and people will remember "that cool looking blog" that they had seen earlier and come back to it. If you can not find a unique template or don't know how to change your design, consider outsourcing to have it done.

Know your readers - Just because you have a blog, don't put yourself on a pedestal above everyone else. Get to know your visitors by responding to their comments, become friends with them and in return they will spread the word about you and your blog.

Create reader friendly content - Make sure that your content speaks to all of your potential audience. Make it entertaining and interesting for all to read. You want your content to be shared, if it reads like a tech manual, readers are going to give up on it let alone share it.

Remember that blogging is suppAosed to be fun, for you and your readers. I hope this will help you improve your blog and take it to the next level.

LEARNING LOVE FROM A LABRADOR

I love reading stories and this story that I am about to share to you is one that I got from reading the book, Ripples of Joy. Learn and feel the love and share it to others.

My recovery from an intricate foot surgery was long and difficult, and I was feeling very sorry for myself, confined, as I was to wheelchair or hopping about balanced on a walker. I despaired of ever walking again and enjoying normal mobility. To make matters worse, it was summer, and I missed being near the soothing seaside and watching the waves roll in.

One weekend, my daughter Cindy, her roommate Georgan, and their two handsome Labradors came to visit. They had driven from central California in a van large enough to accommodate all of us, including my wheelchair. When asked where I’d like to go for a drive. I immediately responded, “To the beach!”

“Dog’s Beach” is a special section of the coastline nearby where, for stretch of a mile, dog owners are allowed to bring their dogs. Naturally this is where we went, especially as the dogs had never experienced the ocean and the girls were eager to see their reaction.

My wheelchair could not manage the sand, so the girls set me on the sidewalk high above the water, where I had a good view and could watch them play fetch with the dogs. It was fun to see the girls toss a stick into the waves and see the dogs happily bark as they retrieved the sticks and brought them back for more of the game.

Their play had gone on for about ten minutes when one of the dogs, Sky, suddenly left the water’s edge and ran up the bank of sand to the sidewalk where I was sitting. She came up to me, laid her head on my lap, and gazed into my face with her beautiful eyes as if to say, “Are you all right? I know something must be wrong if you’re not down by the water with us.” I gave her a big hug and encouraged her to go back to play.

A few minutes later, Sky was back again, checking on me, head on my lap, and telling me with her eyes, “I care for you.” Those eyes of hers, those soulful eyes, brought me close to tears.

When we got home and the dogs and girls were hosed off and fed, I was relaxing in an armchair with my cast-enclosed foot up on an ottoman. Soon, Sky was at my armchair, her head up and her eyes telling me that she was still on duty watching out for me. So expressive were her eyes that I could almost hear her words of concern and support.

When the visit was over and the girls had gone back to central California, the memory of Sky stayed with me. She had taught me a lesson: just the expression of caring and concern had a salutary effect. It made me feel warm and secure-and yes, loved.

Time passed. I healed and went back to my work as a school librarian.

Back at work, I used the lesson that I learned from Sky to change how I dealt with staff and students. Where once I had passed another teacher with just a quick “Hi,” I now slowed down, made eye contact, asked “how’s it going today?” and waited for an answer. When students seemed overwhelmed by all the books to choose from, I took time to ask about their interests and guided them to books they might like.

Taking time and extra effort to show caring and support was more than its own reward. The staff now comes into the library with big smiles, and the kid think it’s a good idea to give me a hug as a thank you for the experience of a book they enjoyed.

I hope this will be permanent way of life for me-showing that I care. After all, what should Sky think if I failed to put into practice all she’s taught me?

I AM A FULL TIME DRIVER

The whole day today I was driving our car that my brother gave to my mother. The Honda City 2003 model car performed well. But I have to have the car checked because the air conditioning unit of the car. Honda City is indeed a good car to drive in the City.

SOCIAL BOOKMARKING EXPLAINED

Social bookmarking is a method for Internet users to store, organize, search, and manage bookmarks of web pages on the Internet with the help of metadata.

In a social bookmarking system, users save links to web pages that they want to remember and/or share. These bookmarks are usually public, and can be saved privately, shared only with specified people or groups, shared only inside certain networks, or another combination of public and private domains. The allowed people can usually view these bookmarks chronologically, by category or tags, or via a search engine.

Most social bookmark services encourage users to organize their bookmarks with informal tags instead of the traditional browser-based system of folders, although some services feature categories/folders or a combination of folders and tags. They also enable viewing bookmarks associated with a chosen tag, and include information about the number of users who have bookmarked them. Some social bookmarking services also draw inferences from the relationship of tags to create clusters of tags or bookmarks.

Many social bookmarking services provide web feeds for their lists of bookmarks, including lists organized by tags. This allows subscribers to become aware of new bookmarks as they are saved, shared, and tagged by other users.

As these services have matured and grown more popular, they have added extra features such as ratings and comments on bookmarks, the ability to import and export bookmarks from browsers, emailing of bookmarks, web annotation, and groups or other social network features.

The concept of shared online bookmarks dates back to April 1996 with the launch of itList.com. Within the next three years, online bookmark services became competitive, with venture-backed companies like Backflip, Blink, Clip2, Hotlinks, Quiver, and others entering the market. Lacking viable models for making money, this early generation of social bookmarking companies failed as the dot-com bubble burst.

Founded in late 2003, del.icio.us pioneered tagging and coined the term "social bookmarking". In 2004, as del.icio.us began to take off, Citeulike, Connotea (focusing on social bookmarking for scientists), Simpy, Furl, and Stumbleupon were released, and Netvouz in 2005. In 2006, Ma.gnolia and Diigo also entered the bookmarking field. Sites such as Digg, reddit, and Newsvine are a related type of web service that provides a system for social news. In 2006, Connectbeam was the first company to launch a social bookmarking application squarely focused at businesses and enterprises, and continues to innovate in this direction. In 2007, IBM announced plans to enter the social software market, and the BBC web site added social bookmarking links for its news and sport articles, as many other news websites had done earlier.

This system has several advantages over traditional automated resource location and classification software, such as search engine spiders. All tag-based classification of Internet resources (such as web sites) is done by human beings, who understand the content of the resource, as opposed to software, which algorithmically attempts to determine the meaning of a resource. This provides for semantically classified tags, which are hard to find with contemporary search engines.

Additionally, as people bookmark resources that they find useful, resources that are of more use are bookmarked by more users. Thus, such a system will "rank" a resource based on its perceived utility. This is arguably a more useful metric for end users than other systems which rank resources based on the number of external links pointing to it.

There are drawbacks to such tag-based systems as well: no standard set of keywords (also known as controlled vocabulary), no standard for the structure of such tags (e.g. singular vs. plural, capitalization, etc.), mistagging due to spelling errors, tags that can have more than one meaning, unclear tags due to synonym/antonym confusion, highly unorthodox and "personalized" tag schemas from some users, and no mechanism for users to indicate hierarchical relationships between tags (e.g. a site might be labeled as both cheese and cheddar, with no mechanism that might indicate that cheddar is a refinement or sub-class of cheese). Services which allow both tags and folders for organizing bookmarks (such as Netvouz) make this less of a problem though.

Social bookmarking can also be susceptible to corruption and collusion. Due to its popularity, some users have started considering it as a tool to use along with Search engine optimization to make their website more visible. The more often a web page is submitted and tagged, the better chance it has of being found. Spammers have started bookmarking the same web page multiple times and/or tagging each page of their web site using a lot of popular tags, hence obliging the developers to constantly adjust their security system to overcome abuses. Because of this, some social bookmarking websites were forced to add CAPTCHA protection against spam, which caused some problems for people who use social bookmarking for non-spamming purposes.

SPYWARE REMOVAL MADE EASY

Spyware removal is a tedious but necessary chore. At best, spyware slows down your computer and brings up those annoying popup windows. At worst, spyware can monitor your activities on your computer without your knowing, steal vital information from your computer such as passwords and bank account numbers, and even crash your computer. Thus, the removal of spyware, no matter how laborious and time-consuming, is a very important task.

Free Tools for Spyware Removal

To get rid of the spyware plaguing your computer system, you would need to get your hands on software that does spyware removal. If you can afford to buy software for spyware removal, there are a lot of proprietary programs available in the market that can do the job for you.

But if you are not willing to spend money on software, there are also plenty of spyware removal programs that you can download for free from various reliable websites. Some are demo versions of proprietary spyware removal software, while others are free for home use.

Whether you choose to invest on spyware removal software or opt to download free spyware removal tools, there are three programs that you must get in order to rid your computer completely of such malware. These programs are a spyware scanner, an antivirus program and a registry cleaner. The spyware scanner removes the obvious spyware while the antivirus program will get rid of the viruses included in the spyware. The registry cleaner will dredge out the malicious code hiding within your Windows registry.

The Proper Way of Spyware Removal

Below is a step-by-step guide in spyware removal:

Install the spyware removal software that you have bought or downloaded for free - the spyware scanner, the antivirus and the registry cleaner. Once installed, disconnect your computer from the Internet and then run the scan for a first pass.

Once the first pass is done, reboot your computer, run it on safe mode, and do a second pass. Sometimes, spyware include resuscitators that will keep them from being completely wiped out of your system. By running only the essential applications on your computer on safe mode, you can be sure that these resuscitators will not be able to stop your spyware removal software from doing their work.

After the second pass, restart your computer and let it run normally. Check your Internet browser if the malicious websites that were the source of your spyware managed to include themselves in your list of trusted websites.

To prevent spyware from infesting your computer again, set your spyware removal software to do regular runs. Your antivirus software and spyware scanner should be running while you are using your computer to block all incoming malware. As for your registry scanner, you can run it once or twice a month to delete all malicious code hiding in your registry.

SUMMER HEAT

I can feel the heat of summer at this very moment. It is very hot outside and I can see the heat coming from the ground. I am thinking of going to the beach for a summer getaway. Speaking of summer getaway, my girlfriend is planning to go to Boracay Island as part of their company's summer outing. She has already booked their stay there and room accomodation for 5 days and 4 nights stay in the Island of Boracay. Here in the Philippines, Boracay is just one of the many top summer destinations. To mention a few, there is Palawan, Laguna and Surigao, the surfing capital of the Philippines.

FIGHTING OBESITY POSITIVELY

It's fast becoming a problem in many corners of the world, and perhaps most notably in the U.K.: Obesity. The numbers are staggering. According to the BBC, almost a quarter of the adults in the United Kingdom are obese, a fifty percent increase over the last decade.

But, it doesn't stop there. One out of every six children, between the ages of two and fifteen, are obese in the United Kingdom compared to one in ten children a decade ago. The bad news is obesity has been linked to such diseases and illnesses as diabetes, hypertension, heart problems, and blood clots. Studies have even found that obesity can lead to a shortened life span.

The good news is you can fight obesity and learn to control your weight if you're willing to commit yourself to it. Following are several ways you can effectively control your weight:

1. Set goals: What do you want to accomplish? Do you want to add physical activity to your schedule? Do you want to cut out the fatty and sugary foods? Set your goals for losing weight before you do anything else.

2. Exercise regularly. The fact is only 40 percent of men in the United Kingdom and 28 percent of women exercise a minimum of a half an hour each week. Exercise is essential to weight loss and to maintaining your ideal weight. Exercising can be as simple as walking instead of taking the bus. Talk with your physician to devise an exercise regiment that is best for your needs.

A word of caution: Before you adjust your diet or begin a regular exercise regiment, be sure that you consult your physician first to determine how many calories a day you should intake and to ensure that you are healthy enough to begin exercising.

3. Drink plenty of water. Cut out the sugary drinks and those drinks that contain caffeine - both also contain plenty of fat. The general rule of thumb is to drink eight glasses of water a day.

4. Create a meal plan. Some medical experts advise, rather than eating three meals a day, eating small meals throughout the day. Talk with your doctor to determine what is best for your individual needs.

5. Surround yourself by those who support you. Combating obesity and losing weight isn't easy, and it's essential that you have a strong support system. In addition to friends and family who support you, you may also want to consider finding a support group in your local community. Support groups are an excellent means of sharing the ups and downs of weight loss with others who are going through the same thing.

6. Keep a daily journal documenting how you've dealt with food each day: For example, write down what you ate, how you felt before you ate, and how you felt after you ate. A daily journal will help you identify behaviours you want to avoid (i.e. overeating because you're upset) and will ensure you remain focused on your goals.

7. Diet Correctly. The word diet strikes fear in the heart of many of us, but diet doesn't have to be a bad word. Learning how to eat healthy is a diet habit that we can do for the rest of our lives.

Most people think of diet as being something that you do until your lose a certain amount of weight, and then you go back to regular eating. This is the precise reason why most diets fail; they are impossible to sustain in the long run.

Learning how to diet right will help you get to a healthy weight and stay there. Staying away from fad diets is vital to losing weight successfully. Low carbohydrate diets are a good example of this.

Millions of people swear by the latest low carb craze, but how many of us know a friend or co-worker who had lost a shocking amount of weight in a short period of time, only to gain it back in an even shorter period? Carbohydrates are an important part of a complete and healthy diet, so they certainly can't be omitted forever. While your body may lose weight while on the diet, you're bound to gain it back when you start eating carbs again.

Everyone knows that too much fat is a bad thing. While certain fats are very good for us, many people on low carb diets are getting too much of the bad fats, i.e. animal fats. It is a shame that people are so concerned with losing weight that they lose sight of the fact that their wonder diet may actually be doing their body harm.

Losing weight can be a struggle, but you don't have to go through it alone. Follow the preceding tips, and you'll be well on your way to a new, healthier you. Remember, in the end, losing weight is all about you becoming healthier: It's not about becoming thinner.

HOW TO UPGRADE YOUR LAPTOP

If you are bored with using the same old technology of your laptop, and disturbed by its day by day decreasing speed, then it is the right time to have your laptop upgraded. But before you proceed with upgrading, you should search for all the criteria that needs to be upgraded to give a new look plus more capacity to your laptop. Several things can be upgraded in laptops such as, memory, the video card, the processor, the hard disk etc. Therefore it is essential for you to be sure of your motive for upgrading your laptop.

You can upgrade the memory or the RAM very easily by opening a partition in the laptops bottom. Here you can add to or remove the memory. The RAM can be decided by you at the time of the purchase of the laptop. However, there is a similar RAM contained in the laptop so that you can utilize it when you feel you need to upgrade your laptop memory. Apart from that you can buy the RAM from a number of stores. These are available in a variety of bytes and can be installed in the laptop very easily. You may be able to install it yourself, but if you are not sure of how to do it seek the help of a skilled technician.

Along with the memory you can upgrade the video card of your laptop too. The newly manufactured and hi tech laptops offer these options to the user. However, this was not so easy or not available in the earlier designs of laptops. For upgrading laptops with their video cards you will have buy a new and better chip to replace the old one As it was said before, not all types of laptops have such facilities for replacement. if you are not sure about yours, you should consult your manufacturer about this issue

Like the memory and the video card you can enhance the hard disk drive too. Based on the manufacturer, you have the opportunity of upgrading the hard disk size. You can choose to change the hard disk by going for the larger sizes and in that respect the best thing will be to consider the external drives first. The external drives are the USB drives and though this may hamper the portability of the laptop, it is still considered to be good.

Based on the information above, it is very clear that upgrading laptops is not a very difficult task. However it is true that in certain instances the help or the suggestion of the manufacturer is a must. Otherwise if you are familiar with the type of laptop you own, then nothing should prevent you from upgrading it by yourself.

7 SIGNS OF ALLERGY WHEN SOY DRINK

Here is a list of common symptoms that could be related to an allergy. The way to find out which allergy you may have is by process of elimination.

I was able to determine my allergy to soy after 10 minutes of ingesting a soy protein drink. That was 2 weeks after I spent 4 days in the intensive care unit and doctors diagnosed food poisoning!

I did not agree...and I was right!

1. Nausea, bloating, cramps, diarrhea, vomiting.

2. Flushed face, hives or a rash, red and itchy skin.

3. Swelling of the eyes, face, lips, throat, and tongue.

4. Trouble breathing, speaking or a drop in blood pressure.

5. Rapid heartbeat (palpitations), loss of consciousness.

6. Anxiousness, distress, faintness.

7. Paleness, sense of doom, or weakness.

The most common allergies are Milk, Eggs, Peanuts, Soy, Tree Nuts, Fish, Shellfish, and Wheat. Proteins in these eight major foods are estimated to cause 90 percent of the allergic reactions in the United States.

The realization that Gregg had developed a soy allergy sparked a long-term research effort looking into soy, with Gregg scrutinizing the proof behind many of the soy boosters' claims. What she found was a bombshell: far from a "super food," there is substantial evidence showing soy could actually cause a host of health woes, including early puberty, infertility, thyroid disease, increase of tumors in cancer survivors, and osteoporosis. And the dangers are not limited to those with an existing soy allergy.

Gregg discovered peer-reviewed research shows a variety of factors unique to soy that could be to blame. Among them: Several naturally occurring compounds that are toxic to humans and animals are present in soy. Called "anti-nutrients," these toxins prevent the body from fully breaking down nutrients and target specific organs, cells and enzyme pathways. The governments of Britain and New Zealand were concerned enough about soy to issue official guidelines discouraging parents from using soy formula unless recommended by a doctor.

MACBOOK AIR

This is a Macbook Air that was featured in a column magazine that talks about the latest gadgets and gizmos. I was lucky enough to be able to operate one of this incredible laptop. The Macbook Air is very ideal for people who are always on the go. Check out his cool gadget.

DRIVING AT RISK

This morning I went to the gas station for a fuel load. Unaware that my brother was just behind me along with his house keepers and his baby, Nicole. He informed me about the car that he gave to my mom. The Honda City has no car insurance and I am driving at risk in case I bump another vehicle. I was shocked when my brother told me about that because a car insurance is very important when you are driving an automobile. My brother will try confirm their office about the car if it has still a car insurance. But in case it has none, I have to et one for my own sake and protection.