Posts Tagged ‘Add new tag’
The Top 10 Plants for Removing Indoor Toxins
Tuesday, February 9th, 2010A recent NASA study has determined the top 10 plants for reducing indoor
air pollution.
Common indoor plants may provide a valuable weapon in the fight against rising levels of indoor air pollution. NASA scientists are finding them to be surprisingly useful in absorbing potentially harmful gases and cleaning the air inside homes, indoor public spaces and office buildings.
The indoor pollutants that affect health are formaldehyde, Volatile Organic Compounds (benzene and trichloroethylene or TCE), airborne biological pollutants, carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxides, pesticides and disinfectants (phenols), and radon. These pollutants contribute to ’sick building syndrome’, which causes symptoms ranging from allergies, headaches and fatigue through to nervous-system disorders, cancer and death.
Through studies conducted by NASA, scientists have identified 50 houseplants that remove many of the pollutants and gases mentioned above. Dr. B. C. Wolverton rated these plants for removing chemical vapors, ease of growth, resistance to insect problems, and transpiration (the amount of water they expire into the air).
NASA, with assistance from the Associated Landscape Contractors of America, conducted a two-year study directed by Dr. B.C. Wolverton, an environmental engineer from Picayune, Miss. Wolverton has worked as a research scientist for NASA for some 20 years. His study, in the late ’80s and early ’90s, of the interaction of plants and air found that houseplants, when placed in sealed chambers in the presence of specific chemicals, removed those chemicals from the chambers.
Dr. B.C. Wolverton, researcher and author of “ How to Grow Fresh Air — 50 Houseplants that Purify Your Home or Office” (1997, Penguin paperback, $15.95), conducted plant studies for NASA that determined that plants can clean pollutants in homes, offices, factories and retail outlets.
Later, Wolverton expanded the study and assigned plants a rating from one to 10, based on a plant’s ability to remove chemical vapors or indoor air toxins, ease of growth and maintenance, resistance to insect infestation and the rate at which water evaporates from the leaves.
Dr. B.C.Wolverton’s book, “How to Grow Fresh Air”, is available in book stores, directly from Penguin books, New York (1-800-526-0275) or online at websites such as www.amazon.com and www.bn.com.
The source report is not available on NASA’s website.
Top ten plants for removing formaldehyde, benzene, and carbon monoxide from the air:
1. Areca Palm (Chrysalidocarpus lutescens)
Also called the “Butterfly Palm”. An upright houseplant that is somewhat vase shaped. Specimen plants can reach 10 to 12 foot in height. Prefers a humid area to avoid tip damage. Requires pruning. When selecting an Areca palm look for plants with larger caliber trunks at the base of the plant. Plants that have pencil thin stems tend to topple over and are quite difficult to maintain.
2. Lady Palm (Rhapis excelsa)
Also called the “Lady Palm”, this durable palm species adapts well to most interiors. The Rhapis are some of the easiest palms to grow, but each species has its own particular environment and culture requirements. The “Lady Palm” grows slowly, but can grow to more than 14′ in height with broad clumps often having a diameter as wide as their height.
3. Bamboo palm (Chamaedorea seifrizii)
Also called the “reed palm”, this palm prefers bright indirect light. New plants will lose of some interior foliage as they acclimate to indoor settings. This plant likes to stay uniformly moist, but does not like to be over-watered or to sit in standing water. Indoor palms may attract spider mites which can be controlled by spraying with a soapy solution.
4. Rubber Plant (Ficus robusta)
Grows very well indoors, preferring semi-sun lighting. Avoid direct sunlight, especially in summer. Young plants may need to be supported by a stake. The Ficus grows to 8’ with a spread of 5’. Wear gloves when pruning, as the milky sap may irritate the skin. Water thoroughly when in active growth, then allow the soil to become fairly dry before watering again. In winter keep slightly moist.
5. Dracaena “Janet Craig” ( Dracaena deremensis)
The Dracaena grows to 10’ with a spread of 3’. Easy to grow, these plants do best in bright indirect sunlight coming from the east/west. They can adapt to lower light levels if the watering is reduced. Keep the soil evenly moist and mist frequently with warm water. Remove any dead leaves. Leaf tips will go brown if the plant is under watered but this browning may be trimmed.
6. Philodendron (Philodendron sp.)
One of the most durable of all house plants. Philodendrons prefer medium intensity light but will tolerate low light. Direct sun will burn the leaves and stunt plant growth. This plant is available in climbing and non-climbing varieties. When grown indoors, they need to be misted regularly and the leaves kept free of dust. Soil should be evenly moist, but allowed to dry between watering.
7. Dwarf Date Palm (Phoenix roebelenii)
A hardy, drought-tolerant and long-lived plant, the Dwarf Date Palm needs a bright spot which is free of drafts. It grows slowly, reaching heights of 8-10’. The Dwarf Date Palm should not be placed near children’s play areas because it has sharp needle-like spines arranged near the base of the leaf stem. These can easily penetrate skin and even protective clothing.
8. Ficus Alii (Ficus macleilandii “Alii”)
The Ficus Alii grows easily indoors, and resists insects. It prefers a humid environment and low to medium light when grown indoors. The Ficus Aliii should not be placed near heating or air conditioning vents, or near drafts because this could cause leaf loss. Soil should be kept moist but allowed to dry between watering.
9. Boston Fern (Nephrolepis exaltata “Bostoniensis”)
The Boston fern grows to 4’ in height with a spread up to 5’. It has feathery ferns which are best displayed as a hanging plant. It prefers bright indirect sunlight. Keep the soil barely moist and mist frequently with warm water. This plant is prone to spider mites and whitefly which can be controlled using a soapy water spray. Inspect new plants for bugs before bringing them home.
10. Peace Lily (Spathiphyllum “Mauna Loa”)
The Peace Lily is a compact plant which grows to a height of 3’ with a 2’ spread. This hardy plant tolerates neglect. It prefers indirect sunlight and high humidity, but needs to be placed out of drafts. For best results, the Peace Lily should be thoroughly watered, then allowed to go moderately dry between waterings. The leaves should be misted frequently with warm water.
By: Greg Seaman | May 13, 2009
Source: EarthEasy.co, | www.eartheasy.com/blog/2009/05/the-top-10-plants-for-removing-indoor-toxins/
Popularity: 1% [?]
Start Slide Show with PicLens Lite
Nokia 5800 with Garmin Mobile XT
Saturday, January 30th, 2010Here is a tutorial to show you how to install Garmin Mobile XT (for Symbian S60 3rd Edition software version 5.00.30) to your Nokia 5800 Xpress Music phone.
Here are some things that you need to have ready before starting this tutorial.
- Garmin Files
- Maps of Malaysia / Singapore
- 3rd Party File
- Key Generator for Garmin (search garmin_kgen.exe)
Warning: Please kindly backup your phone first before installing this, as a precaution. We are not responsible for any damages done to your phone by following our instructions, as this is just a step-by step guide. So far many phones have been installed successfully with these instructions.
Note: Always connect mobile phone to PC via USB cable. Select Mass Storage mode as the connection mode, and NOT PC Suite.
STEP 1
a. Connect phone to PC. 
Locate GarminMobileXTforSymbianS603rdEdition_50030.exe & click to install from PC. A window will pop up. Click on Setup so that the files can begin to be extracted out.
b. Once extraction done, 
Garmin Mobile XT Setup screen will appear. Select (Removable Drive) E:\ and then click Install to proceed.
* If Removable Drive cannot be seen, most probably the connection mode is not Mass Storage Mode. Kindly check the phone settings.
c. Do the same steps for the Base Map & Support File.
Click to install Base Map from PC – GarminMobileXTFreeBasemap_4xxxx.exe
Click to install Support File from PC – GarminMobileXTSupportFiles_4xxxx.exe
STEP 2
a. Once all 3 Garmin files are installed, remove USB cable between PC & phone. 
Do NOT launch Garmin mobile if prompted when the cable is still attached.
b. Browse Phone File Manager (or Y-Browser). Run the GarminMobileXT.sis to install . Click OK to install. It will take you through several steps; select Language, Voice etc. Launch Garmin Mobile XT (search icon, from the mobile, should be under Applications).
c. Once installation is done, go inside Garmin -> Tools -> Settings -> About. Copy down the Card ID.
STEP 3
a. Now open the Garmin Keygen file. 
Copy & paste the Card ID and click the Generate (top button) to get the Device Unlock Code.
Card ID is unique to your SD card, and cannot be shared to other phones.
Copy the Device Unlock Code & paste into a Notepad.
b. Save the file as sw.unl. 
Change the file type to All Files (*.*), and not as text file. Now connect back the cable to the phone & PC, using Mass Storage.
Place this sw.unl file in the Garmin root folder of the phone, usually it is in E drive.
Close Garmin Keygen dialog box.
STEP 4
Install MalFreeMaps to your device. Click
here to view the steps in a separate post.
STEP 5
a. Launch the Garmin from the phone. 
You will now be able to log in successfully. When you see Garmin trying to search for
Bluetooth GPS, click Cancel. Now go to Tools -> Settings -> System -> RemoteGPS -> Use Attached/Built In GPS.
DONE. COMPLETED. CONGRATS!!
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- Garmin Fights Off Google And Nokia With Two New Satnavs (gizmodo.com.au)
- 6 reviews of Nokia 5800 XpressMusic (rateitall.com)
Popularity: 1% [?]
Start Slide Show with PicLens LiteHow to Backup and Restore Windows 7 and Server 2008 R2 Activation Status (Activate Offline On Reinstall)
Saturday, January 30th, 2010Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2, similar to Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008, requires user to perform activation in order to activate the Windows operating system to be used without interruption. Activation of Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2, except for users who bought branded OEM computer or activate via KMS host, is normally performed online to validate against Microsoft’s activation server, or via phone activation.
One inconvenience brought by activation is that Microsoft limits and restricts the number of time that online activation can be done. Anything more than that will require user to call Microsoft activation hotline to go through manual hectic process to activate via phone.
Besides, not many people will like to “contact” Microsoft every time after reinstalling or reformating the PC or computer for a fresh and clean start. So it would be great if the “activated” activation status of Windows OS can be preserved, or backed up and restored after re-installation so that Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 can be activated offline or without connecting to Microsoft’s activation server.
Try the following trick to backup activation files for Windows 7 or Windows Server 2008 R2, which has been previously been activated, prior to reinstallation. Note that the workaround should only be tried by users who want to clean install Windows, as if user (i.e. want to upgrade to bigger hard disk) makes a clone image of physical hard disk with Norton Ghost or Acronis True Image, all application programs, data, resources together with activation status will be automatically preserved.
1. Copy and save or backup the following activation-related files to external storage medium such as USB flash drive or portable hard disk drive:
%SystemDrive%\Windows\ServiceProfiles\NetWorkService\
AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\SoftwarePlatform\Tokens.dat
and,
%SystemDrive%\Windows\System32\spp\tokens\pkeyconfig\pkeyconfig.xrm-ms
Note: For 64-bit (x64) OS, %SystemDrive%\Windows\SysWOW64\spp\tokens\pkeyconfig\pkeyconfig.xrm-ms have to be backed up too.
2. Retrieve and record the product key used to install and activate the current Windows 7 or Windows Server 2008 R2.
Tip: If you can’t remember the product key used, there is plenty of product key viewers available to help.
3.
Reinstall Windows 7 or Windows Server 2008 R2. When installation wizard prompts for a product key for activation, leave it blank (do not enter anything).
4. In the newly installed Windows operating system, stop the Software Protection Service in Services.msc or with the following command (run in elevated command prompt):
net stop sppsvc
5. Navigate to the following folder:
%SystemDrive%\Windows\System32\spp\tokens\pkeyconfig\
Note: In 64-bit (x64) operating system, also perform the action in %SystemDrive%\Windows\SysWOW64\spp\tokens\pkeyconfig\ folder.
6. Take ownership and give user full control permissions (alternatively add grant full control right click menu item) to pkeyconfig.xrm-ms file.
7. Delete the original default pkeyconfig.xrm-ms file, and replace with the backup copy.
8. Navigate to the following folder:
%SystemDrive%\Windows\ServiceProfiles\NetWorkService\
AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\SoftwarePlatform\
9. Take ownership and give user full control permissions (alternatively add grant full control right click menu item) to tokens.dat file.
10. Delete the original default tokens.dat file, and replace with the backup copy.
11. Restart the Software Protection Service in Services.msc or with the following command (run in elevated command prompt):
net start sppsvc
12. Register the product key for Windows 7 or Windows Server 2008 R2 with the following command (run in elevated command prompt):
slmgr.vbs -ipk xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx
Replace xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx with the actual product key.
13. Windows will activated instantly, off-line. To check activation status, uses of of the following commands:
slmgr.vbs -dlv
slmgr.vbs -dli
slmgr.vbs -ato
Note that the ability to backup and restore old activation status in order to pre-activate or ready-activate a machine after re-installation must be on the same hardware without any hardware change, else user will need to activate online again. Besides, the product key used must be the same serial code too. The hack also does not apply to OEM branded computer which has Windows pre-activated and KMS host activated Windows system.
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Popularity: 1% [?]
Start Slide Show with PicLens LiteHow to Disable and Turn Off UAC in Windows 7
Monday, January 25th, 2010
The user interface of User Account Control (UAC) settings in Windows 7 has changed to reflect the move to make UAC less annoying, more user control and more user friendlier approach. In Windows 7, the UAC has a slider bar which allows users to configure and select which level of notification (and hence protection against unauthorized and malicious access) they want. With the fine-tuning of UAC, the wording ‘disable’ or ‘turn off’ is no longer available. So how can you disable UAC? Or at least, how can you turn off the notification prompt or pop-up so that they appear less regularly?
In fact, the steps to disable UAC is Windows 7 is similar to steps to disable UAC in Windows Vista, only with slight user interface change, and there is plenty of methods to turn off UAC too.
Method 1: Disable or Turn Off UAC (User Account Control) in Control Panel
- To user Control Panel to disable UAC in Windows 7, there are several methods to access the User Account Control settings page:
- Go to Start Menu -> Control Panel -> User Accounts and Family Safety -> User Account.
- Go to Start Menu -> Control Panel -> System and Security -> Action Center.
- Click or right click on Flag icon in notification area (system tray), and then Open Action Center.
- Type “MsConfig” in Start Search to start System Configuration, then go to Tools tab, select Change UAC Settings, then click on Launch button.
- Click on User Account Control settings link.
- Slide the slider bar to the lowest value (towards Never Notify), with description showing Never notify me.
- Click OK to make the change effective.
- Restart the computer to turn off User Access Control.
Method 2: Disable UAC with Registry Editor ( RegEdit)
- Run Registry Editor (RegEdit).
- Navigate to the following registry key:HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System
- Locate the following REG_DWORD value:EnableLUA
- Set the value of EnableLUA to 0.
- Optional step to suppress UAC consent prompt dialog, locate the following REG_DWORD value:ConsentPromptBehaviorAdmin
- Set the value of ConsentPromptBehaviorAdmin to 0 (optional).
- Exit from Registry Editor and restart the computer to turn off UAC.
Method 3: Turn Off UAC Using Group Policy
For Windows 7 Ultimate, Business or Enterprise edition which has Local Group Policy, or computer joined to domain and has Active Directory-based GPO, the group policy can be used to disable UAC for local computer or many computer across large networks at once.
- Enter GPedit.msc in Start Search to run Local Group Policy editor. (Or gpmc.msc to run Group Policy Management Console for AD-based domain GPO editor).
- Navigate to the following tree branch:Computer Configuration -> Windows Settings -> Security Settings -> Local Policies -> Security OptionsIn GPMC, browse to the required GPO which is linked to the domain or OU where the policy wants to apply.
- Locate the following policy in the right pane:User Account Control: Behavior of the elevation prompt for administrators in Admin Approval ModeSet its value to Elevate without prompt.
- Locate the following policy in the right pane:User Account Control: Detect application installations and prompt for elevationSet its value to Disabled.
- Locate the following policy in the right pane:User Account Control: Run all administrators in Admin Approval ModeSet its value to Disabled.
- Locate the following policy in the right pane:User Account Control: Only elevate UIAccess applications that are installed in secure locationsSet its value to Disabled.
- Restart the computer when done.
Method 4: Using Command Prompt to Disable User Account Control
The command line option can also be used in batch script command file, i.e. .bat and .cmd files, providing greater convenient to advanced technical user. In actual, the commands,, which are also used to disable or enable UAC in Vista, are just doing the same thing as directly modifying the registry.
- Open an elevated command prompt as administrator.
- To disable the UAC, run the following commands:%windir%\System32\cmd.exe /k %windir%\System32\reg.exe ADD HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System /v EnableLUA /t REG_DWORD /d 0 /fand optionally, the following comand to suppress all elevation consent request and notification:
%windir%\System32\cmd.exe /k %windir%\System32\reg.exe ADD HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System /v ConsentPromptBehaviorAdmin /t REG_DWORD /d 0 /f
Tip: To re-enable UAC, the command is:
%windir%\System32\cmd.exe /k %windir%\System32\reg.exe ADD HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System /v EnableLUA /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f
and to turn on prompt for consent UI:
%windir%\System32\cmd.exe /k %windir%\System32\reg.exe ADD HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System /v ConsentPromptBehaviorAdmin /t REG_DWORD /d 2 /f
Disable UAC may cause gadget not working in Windows 7. User who facing the issue can use another workaround to suppress User Account Control.
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- Stop UAC From Dimming The Desktop [Windows 7] (ghacks.net)
Popularity: 1% [?]
Start Slide Show with PicLens LiteJamie Oliver reduced to tears
Tuesday, January 19th, 2010Television chef Jamie Oliver was reduced to tears during his latest efforts to convert an Amercian community to healthy eating.
The usually upbeat good food crusader broke down after he met serious resistance while shooting scenes for his new series, Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution.
More than half the residents of the country‘s fattest city, Huntington, West Virginia, are obese but most were blatantly uninterested in the chef’s advice.
He sobbed as he said: ‘They don’t understand me. They don’t know why I’m here.
A production source told the Sun: ‘His tears was the lowest we’ve ever seen Jamie.
‘He is normally so upbeat but the scale of this challenge got to him. Everywhere he turned, he was face with obstacles.
‘People were outwardly hostile to some of the ideas he put forward.
to Jamie’s advice
‘He felt so alone and thought at times of packing the whole thing in.’
Some members of the local press warned him to steer clear of their community.
One radio presenter blasted: ‘We don’t want to sit around and eat lettuce all day.
‘I don’t think Jamie has anything that can change this town. He can try all he wants.’
Jamie was also left flabbergasted after he asks a group of school children to identify vegetables, mistaking tomatoes for potatoes.
The programme, which will air on America’s ABC network, is based on his British series Jamie’s School Dinners.
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- Jamie: ‘World’s Fattest Town Is Hair-Raising’ (news.sky.com)
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Popularity: 1% [?]
Start Slide Show with PicLens LiteConfigure Legacy Devices to Run on Windows 7
Wednesday, January 13th, 2010-
- Image via CrunchBase
The Windows 7 driver store includes a small collection of drivers for legacy devices, mostly older printers, modems, scanners, infrared ports, PCMCIA controllers, and other oddball devices that don’t use Plug and Play connections. As you might suspect, Windows will not automatically set up such devices, and you’re rolling the dice if you find one of these old but still worthwhile devices and try to install an old driver.
But what if the device in question is valuable to you and can’t be easily replaced by a newer, supported one? Then by all means give it a try. Download the most recent hardware drivers you can find (ideally, for Windows XP or Windows Server 2003), and then use the Add Hardware wizard to complete the hardware setup process. Follow these steps:
1. If you’ve found a downloadable driver package or a CD that came with the device, look for a Setup program and run it. This option places the driver files on your hard disk and simplifies later installation steps.
2. Connect the new hardware to your computer. In the case of an internal device such as an add-in card, turn off the computer, add the device, and then restart.
3. Open Device Manager, select any item in the list of installed devices, and then click Add Legacy Hardware on the Action menu.
4. Click Next to skip past the Welcome screen. On the next wizard screen, choose how you want to select the device to be installed.
- For printers, network cards, modems, and other devices that can be detected mechanically, choose Search For And Install The Hardware Automatically (Recommended). After you click Next, the wizard quickly runs a detection module that searches for anything on its list of non–Plug and Play devices. If it finds the new device, it installs the driver automatically, and your work is finished. If the wizard doesn’t find any new hardware, you’ll be prompted to click Next and look manually.
- If you have a driver on a disc, skip the detection process. Choose Install The Hardware That I Manually Select From A List (Advanced) and click Next.
5. From the Common Hardware Types list, select a hardware category (or the inclusive Show All Devices category) and click Next.
6. From the master list of available drivers, select the device manufacturer and the correct model. Click Next to continue. Follow the prompts to complete the wizard.
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Popularity: 1% [?]
Start Slide Show with PicLens Lite61 Aplicații
Tuesday, January 12th, 2010-
- Image via Wikipedia
- Firefox (see also: Power User’s Guide to Firefox 3, Top 10 Firefox 3.5 Features)
- VLC (see also: Master Your Digital Media with VLC, VLC Hits 1.0 with Better Playback and File Support)
- CCleaner (see also: Five Best Windows Maintenance Tools)
- Dropbox (see also: Use Dropbox for More Than Just File Syncing, Sync Files and Folders Outside Your My Dropbox Folder)
- 7-Zip (see also: Five Best File Compression Tools)
- OpenOffice.org (see also: OpenOffice.org 3.1′s Usability Tweaks, OpenOffice.org Screenshots Preview a Ribbon-Like Toolbar)
- Google Chrome (see also: The Power User’s Guide to Google Chrome, 2009 Edition)
- µTorrent (see also: Tweak uTorrent’s Settings for Faster Downloads, Five Best BitTorrent Applications)
- Notepad++ (see also: Five Best Text Editors, AutoSave Adds Reassurance to Notepad++ Editing)
- Gmail (see also: Our full Gmail coverage)
- GIMP (see also: Gimp 2.7 Beta Improves Text Editing, Streamlines Saving)
- Paint.NET (see also: Paint.NET Releases Big Update, Still a Killer Photoshop Alternative, Paint.NET Plugin Lets You Open Photoshop Files)
- Microsoft Security Essentials (see also: Microsoft Security Essentials Free Antivirus App Leaves Beta, Stop Paying for Windows Security; Microsoft’s Security Tools Are Good Enough)
- Revo Uninstaller (see also: Lifehacker Pack 2009: Our List of Essential Free Windows Downloads)
- Evernote (see also: Evernote 3.5 Beta Brings Tons of Tiny Fixes to Windows, Expand Your Brain with Evernote)
- Thunderbird (see also: Thunderbird 3 Release Candidate Available for Download)
- Audacity (see also: Geek to Live: Make a ringtone from any MP3)
- ImgBurn (see also: Turn Your PC into a DVD Ripping Monster, Five Best CD and DVD Burning Tools)
- Picasa (see also: Picasa 3.5 Organizes Your Photos with Facial Recognition)
- Skype (see also: Our full Skype coverage)
- Pidgin (see also: Ten Must-Have Plug-ins to Power Up Pidgin, Five Best Instant Messengers)
- Ubuntu (see also: First Look at Ubuntu 9.10 Karmic Koala, Dual-Boot Windows 7 and Ubuntu in Perfect Harmony)
- iTunes (see also: iTunes 9 Improves Syncing, Network Sharing, More)
- foobar2000 (see also: Screenshot Tour: The beautiful and varied world of foobar2000, Hack Attack: Roll your own killer audio player with foobar2000)
- Foxit Reader (see also: Five Best PDF Readers, Lifehacker Pack 2009: Our List of Essential Free Windows Downloads)
- FileZilla (see also: Five Best FTP Clients, Build a Home FTP Server with FileZilla)
- VirtualBox (see also: The Beginner’s Guide to Creating Virtual Machines with VirtualBox)
- TrueCrypt (see also: Geek to Live: Encrypt your data, Five Best Portable Applications)
- Avast! (see also: Five Best Antivirus Applications)
- Defraggler (see also: Five Best Disk Defragmenters)
- KeePass (see also: Eight Best KeePass Plug-Ins to Master Your Passwords, How to Use Dropbox as the Ultimate Password Syncer)
- Opera (see also: Opera 10.10 with Unite Media Server Released)
- AVG (see also: AVG 9 Free Now Available for Download)
- Digsby (see also: Five Best Instant Messengers, Digsby Sees the Light, Removes (Some) Bundled Crapware)
- Google Reader (see also: Our full Google Reader coverage)
- Winamp (see also: Win7shell Adds Windows 7 Jump List Support to Winamp)
- Google Earth (see also: Google Earth 5.1 Speeds Up Your World Browsing)
- TeraCopy (see also: Five Best Alternative File Copiers)
- Launchy (see also: Our full Launchy coverage)
- Transmission (see also: Lifehacker Pack 2009: Our List of Essential Free Mac Downloads)
- Eclipse IDE
- SpyBot Search & Destroy (see also: Five Best Malware Removal Tools)
- Adium (see also: Adium Updates with Security Fixes, Better Facebook Integration)
- PuTTY (see also: Add Tabs to PuTTY with PuTTY Connection Manager)
- Songbird (see also: Songbird 1.0 Release Official, Fixes Bugs, Plays iTunes Purchases, Killer Add-ons Make Songbird So Much Better)
- Sumatra PDF (see also: Sumatra 1.0 is a Blazing Fast Replacement for Adobe Reader)
- XBMC (see also: Build a Silent, Standalone XBMC Media Center On the Cheap, Customize XBMC with These Five Awesome Skins, Turbo Charge Your New XBMC Installation)
- Blender (see also: Learn Blender with free e-book)
- CDBurnerXP (see also: Five Best CD and DVD Burning Tools)
- Everything (see also: Everything Finds Windows Files As You Type, Top 10 Tiny & Awesome Windows Utilities)
- HandBrake (see also: HandBrake Updates to 0.9.4 with Over 1,000 Changes, 64-Bit Support)
- Rainmeter (see also: Rainmeter 1.0 Brings the Enigma Desktop to Everyone)
- AutoHotkey (see also: Turn Any Action into a Keyboard Shortcut, Hack Attack: Knock down repetitive email with AutoHotKey)
- Google Calendar (see also: Our full Google Calendar coverage)
- MediaMonkey (see also: MediaMonkey 3.2 Syncs with More Devices, Adds Auto Folder Watching)
- Quicksilver (see also: A beginner’s guide to Quicksilver)
- WinSCP
- Google Voice (see also: Make Unlimited Free Calls on Your Cellphone with Google Voice, How to Ease Your Transition to Google Voice)
- Boxee (see also: Build a Cheap But Powerful Boxee Media Center, Boxee to Launch Beta with Loads of New Features)
- AdBlock Plus (see also: Top 10 Must-Have Firefox Extensions, 2009 Edition)
- Media Player Classic (see also: Five Best Video Players)
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Popularity: 1% [?]
Start Slide Show with PicLens LiteItaliani ancora razzisti nel 2010
Tuesday, January 12th, 2010
Il lungo servizio, firmato da Giulia Galeotti, s’intitola “Gli italiani e il razzismo, Tammurriata nera”. La Tammurriata è un canto popolare napoletano, scritto nel 1945 da Edoardo Nicolardi, dirigente di un ospedale cittadino. La canzone riporta il vivace botta e risposta tra il protagonista-spettatore e la gente del vicolo che commenta un fatto “strano”: la nascita di un bambino nero da una ragazza partenopea. Si conclude con l’accettazione del nuovo arrivato: poco importa che sia dalla pelle bianca o nera, rimane una creatura.
Ma adesso le cose sono cambiate. ”Per una volta – si legge nell’articolo – la stampa non enfatizza: un viaggio in treno, una passeggiata nel parco o una partita di calcio, non lasciano dubbi. Non abbiamo mai brillato per apertura, noi italiani dal Nord in giù. Né siamo stati capaci di riscattarci, quando il ‘diverso’ s’è fatto più vicino, nel mulatto, a prescindere dalle diversissime cause per cui ciò è avvenuto”.
“Sia stato il risultato di un atto d’amore o, invece, di uno stupro – si legge sul giornale del Vaticano – ben difficilmente abbiamo considerato quel bambino come nostro, al pari dei nostri. Anzi, la doppia appartenenza è sembrata (e continua a sembrare) una minaccia ulteriore”. “In questo – rileva l’Osservatore – davvero a nulla è servito l’esempio americano: l’Obama-mania che imperversa trasversalmente, dalla politica all’arte, dallo stile al linguaggio, non ha invece fatto breccia alcuna nel dimostrare il valore dell’incontro tra razze diverse”.
Il quotidiano della Santa Sede torna sul tema dopo che il Papa domenica ha chiesto rispetto per gli immigrati e che il Segretario di Stato vaticano, cardinale Tarcisio Bertone, ha parlato delle drammatiche condizioni di vita degli immigrati nella zona di Rosarno.
Napolitano in
Calabria
E per “riaffermare i valori di legalità e solidarietà oscurati dai gravi fatti di Rosarno” anche il presidente della Repubblica, Giorno Napolitano, si recherà a
Reggio Calabria il 21 gennaio in occasione della Giornata della Legalità – “Insieme per non dimenticare” . “Il Capo dello Stato – fa sapere una nota del
Quirinale – incontrerà i rappresentanti delle istituzioni territoriali e degli organi dello Stato operanti nella regione. Sarà un’occasione per rinnovare l’impegno
comune, sempre ribadito dal Presidente della Repubblica, per l’affermazione dei valori oscurati a Rosarno”.
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Start Slide Show with PicLens LiteWindows 7 has “God Mode”? I don’t think so…
Monday, January 11th, 2010-
- Image via CrunchBase
A rather silly “trick” ( and really that’s all it is, has been making headlines over the last few days. From what I can tell it was really brought to the forefront by Ina Fried from CNET who says:
“By creating a new folder in Windows 7 and renaming it with a certain text string at the end, users are able to have a single place to do everything from changing the look of the mouse pointer to making a new hard drive partition.”
So somebody decided to call this “God Mode” because to enable this “trick” you make a folder called GodMode.{ED7BA470-8E54-465E-825C-99712043E01C} and double-click on it. What you end up with is… drum roll… the control panel; it’s just in a different view than you’d normally see.
First of all, the text ”GodMode” has nothing to do with making the trick work. You can call the folder “IFreakinRawk.{ED7BA470-8E54-465E-825C-99712043E01C}” and now you’ve discovered the magical “IFreakinRawk” feature hidden in Windows.
In reality all you have discovered is:
A documented feature of the shell. Folders can be easily made into ‘namespace junctions’. The whole thing is described on MSDN. Basically, any folder named . will show up with just the portion visible in Explorer, and navigating into the folder will take you to the namespace root defined by the portion of the name. This isn’t for USERS, it’s really more of a developer feature.
The second thing is that it’s really the “All Tasks” folder. This is a special shell folder which is used as the source of the “Control Panel” search results seen in the Start menu. This folder was not designed to be browsed to directly, as the normal Control Panel folder (accessible via Start -> Control Panel) contains all the same items but with a custom view designed to be easier to navigate. The “All Tasks” folder has no custom view, so you just see the standard Explorer list view and little else.
The existence of this folder and its CLSID are implementation details and should not be relied upon by anybody for any purpose.
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Start Slide Show with PicLens Lite10 Quick Fixes to Make your Windows Computer Faster
Monday, January 11th, 2010-
- Image by Getty Images via Daylife
Our computer running Windows isn’t running in the same speed that it used to run when you first used it. It’s slower, crappy, takes a while to start and tests your patience like anything. There are many reasons for this, let’s try fixing up a few things on your slow Windows PC:
Slow Start Up
There can be a variety of reasons to Windows loading slow during start up. Go to Run, type msconfig and hit enter. Under the ‘Start Up’ tab, uncheck the unwanted programs and press OK. Things should be a bit fine the next time Windows boots.
Another program worth mentioning here is StartUp Delayer which will help in setting after how much time programs should be loaded after Windows boots. For instance, you could set your instant messenger program to load 50 seconds after Windows starts up.
Slow Loading Start Menu
If the Start Menu items are loading slowly, you can open the Registry Editor by typing in the Run menu ‘regedit.exe’ and pressing Enter. Go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop. Look for MenuShowDelay, and double click to edit the value. The lower the number specified, the faster the Start Menu will load.
Slow Right Click Context Menu
Probably the Windows Right Click menu on your computer is loading slow because too many programs added unwanted entries there. Just
download this program called Mmm, install it and then modify your context menu to remove unwanted items to speed it up.
Slow Send To Menu
If the Send To menu loads slowly, you can type ’sendto’ in the Run Dialog, and remove unwanted items in the Explorer Window that appears. This should add some speed to it.
Slow Defragmentation
The Windows Defragmenter can’t get any slower. You need to have an alternative to the Windows Defragmenter, and
Defraggler is just one of the best ones available in the market. It’s free, and works like a charm and can speed up defragmentation manifold. For some alternatives, see
Five Free Programs to Defragment your PC.
Slow loading My Computer Window
If the My Computer Window loads slowly, in the Explorer Window, go to Tools >> Folder Options >> View and uncheck ‘Automatically search for network folders and printers”
Slow loading Add or Remove Programs Applet
This is one of the most annoying piece of programs present in Windows, it takes ages to load if you have a considerable number of programs installed on your computer. You can either use the all-in-one
CCleaner for this purpose, or get
MyUninstaller that comes as a speedy replacement for Add or Remove Programs.
Slow Ending of Unresponsive Programs
If you’ve clicked on ‘End Task’ if any program is running unresponsive, you might have noticed that the program is not terminated immediately. You can alter this by going to Run >> regedit.exe >> HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\ and change this value to 1000.
Disable Animations and Appearance Overhauls to maximize performance
If you’re a serious performance junkie, you probably won’t bother about eyecandy. Go to System Properties in the Control Panel. Click ‘Advanced’, then ‘Performance’ and click ‘Adjust for best performance’. This might boost your PC’s performance up a bit.
Additional Tips:
- Always keep your computer clean. Remove Junk and Unnecessary registry entries. Use CCleaner for this purpose, one excellent tool that just does what it says.
- Don’t keep installing software. Install a program only if it really serves you a purpose.
- Keep as less programs as possible running on the System Tray. This essentially means reducing the number of programs that start during Windows start up.
(By) Shankar Ganesh, a student and part time blogger from India, and the guy behind KillerTechTips
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