Friday, March 14, 2008

How To Deal With The Death Of A Loved One

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The death of a loved one is the hardest thing you'll ever deal with in life. During and after the funeral, there seems to be an endless stream of tears, sleepless nights and sickness in the pit of your stomach. You wonder how you will ever go on without being able to touch, laugh with or talk to that person again.

While a period of mourning is normal, you may find that you've lost your appetite for weeks, you find yourself listless and unable to get out of bed, you're slowly withdrawing from friends and family, and the weight on your heart doesn't seem to go away. These signs may signal serious depression.

Before this sadness changes your personality in unimaginable ways, seek out support and help. After all, you shouldn't die, prematurely, with your loved one. You are still here for a reason.

Your friends and family can create a tremendous support net for you following the death and funeral for a friend or family member. Some people instinctively withdraw from others in their time of loss.

This can be hard for the comforters to understand, especially if the person grieving is a spouse. Be aware that people will genuinely want to comfort you, they want you to come to them for an embrace or to talk about your feelings.

The hardest part is feeling shut out and helpless. While it may not be the first thing on your mind or a natural tendency, when you're ready, accept the help of those around.

Open up to them by trying to recall fond memories of the person who has died. Sometimes there need not be any conversation at all, as the power of a hug is incredible at bolstering emotional strength. Even if you're not a "huggy" kind of person, the wounded soul seeks this kind of comfort.

Wakes are a good time to seek out a support system. Find others who are grieving as much as you - or even more than you - and bond together. Make arrangements to meet for lunch. Take trips to the gravesite together or flip through old photo albums.

It's comforting to know you are not alone in your grief. The death of a loved one can be traumatizing, more so than you initially realize, so it's important to deal with your feelings in a healthy manner.

You may have heard of drugs to treat depression once the death has set in and you feel a lingering sadness. If you find that your psychological grief begins to affect your physical health, eating or sleeping patterns, and your motivation to live, check with your doctor for various options.

Antidepressants like Effexor prevent the Seratonin from reuptake (meaning that your "happy chemicals" are encouraged to stay in your system longer) or like Wellbutrin which prevents Dopamine reuptake. Escitalopram, Sertraline, Venlafaxine and Paroxetine are all common antidepressant drug prescriptions. However, use drugs as a last-resort, as a 2007 study found that 25% of Americans were over-diagnosed for depression.

Thursday, March 13, 2008

Learning About Computers Is Part Of A Childs Education

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Computers have fast become an integral part of our lives and times have changed since we were kids and did not even know of the existence of this wonder machine while at school. Computers have become such a significant part of our daily lives that it is impossible to conceive a life without the PC or the Mac.

In such an environment it is imperative that our children do not face the same problems that we had to face while grappling with this new invention. I had crossed fifty years of age when I bought my first computer. I was hopelessly ignorant about it. It was simply a wonder machine as far as I was concerned and was oblivious of its capability and versatility in creating, managing and storing documents and accounts and sourcing information from the Internet. I was the unlucky one and learnt all that I now know, the hard way and through the hit and trial method. And believe me it is not even 1% of what one should know about computers.

Children are nowadays taught computers in school starting from first grade and. it is astonishing to note how much they know so early in life. Words like PC and MAC and hard disk that were all Greek to us are part of their normal vocabulary.

To augment the knowledge that they acquire at school they need to be encouraged to spend quality time on computers at home too. There is a vast storehouse of knowledge waiting for them on the Net. There are sites that teach kids and novices, step by step, the basics of computers and use of the Internet. New software is so user friendly that all it requires is a click of the computer mouse to enter the web and unlock the doors that lead to all the information that your kid needs to learn about computers.

However it is obligatory on the part of the parents to make them aware of the dangers that are hanging around and to teach them to stay away from disgusting sites that abound the Net. With vultures in the shape of obnoxious sites waiting to pound upon impressionable young minds you need to teach your children how to be circumspect while roaming through the abysmal abyss that the Net has now become.

All said and done, it is a bounden duty of the parents to learn more about computers and at the same time encourage their children to gain as much knowledge as they can.

Why Does Your Computer Have Frequent Problems?

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Computer has performance has slowed. This is the number one complaint from most users. There are several reason why this has occurred. However, most can attributed to lack of maintenance. Fragmented data, corrupted registry, spyware, and load of unnecessary programs and services running can all eat away at your PC speed and performance. Manage your programs and cleaning your registry would easily award you a 30% gain in performance speed. Check out The 4 ways to speed up my computer

Update Windows and drivers.
Some lockups can be caused by outdated software components - update your windows and drives by running a windows update: http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com (it's good idea to run it regularly).

"If it ain't broke, don't fix it". When you upgrade, the file formats are sometimes different from the earlier versions of the software. This means you cannot go back to the earlier versions because they don't recognize the new file format. Do not assume that newer versions are better than the earlier versions. All you have done is make the software producer richer! Have a firewall and virus checker and keep them up to date

Why Computers Crash? Improper Cleaning Procedures
There are a lot of hardware components that run together to make your PC work. Over time, these components can age and begin to work improperly. Unfortunately, these problems are hard to fix because they aren't always consistent. Moreover, the components inside that tower can overheat and begin to fail. If your RAM (random access memory) or Central Processing unit (CPU) gets too hot, they will fail and your computer will crash.

That is why there are fans built into each tower. These fans, though, can bring dust and other tiny particles into the tower and cause all the components to clog and eventually overheat. An easy solution for this is to take the casing off your tower and buy a can of compressed air. Don't blow into the hardware yourself, as you may spit a little or get dust in your face and sneeze all over your hardware. This could cause further problems with your computer. Use the compressed air from a distance so you don't do any damage, and please, do this outdoors. Keeping them clean is one quick way to solve the "Why do computers crash?" problem.

Tons of unwanted software installed in the computers. Try to remove unwanted software in the computer. Because they consume lot of computer hard disk and also requires a large chunk of your computer RAM (Random Access Memory). Sometime some crucial files required for running these programs or software may get deleted or corrupted, so it results in hanging up your PC.

The Importance Of Maintaining Your CPU & System Fans

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As technology progresses and circuitry such as modern Central Processing Units (CPUs) continue to climb in speed heat production is a topic which should not be overlooked. Although manufactures are constantly refining their CPU manufacturing process which brings down the power required for a CPU

The heat that is produced by a CPU is actually wasted power that has leaked from the circuitry as energy travelled through the CPU. Now as computers evolve (roughly doubling in speed even 18 months Moore’s Law) so do the components and technologies employed in designing, and producing them. These new improvements and technologies help reduce the amount of inefficient power loss, as well as overall power usage.

However in the real world when they employ new technologies cooling down the current chips is only a byproduct. Their main goal is preparing for future higher frequency chips, and adding additional features into new cores. Then as time trickles by the lowest end chip will once again be a high frequency chip producing more heat than the original lower clocked models.

If you think that just because you didn’t buy the top of the line CPU you’re not producing a lot of heat, well then think again. In the world of CPUs there are perfect units, than there are lower quality units coming off that production line. Due to the failure rate of circuitry runs at such high frequencies every CPU is tested, based on these tests not only do they approve CPUs they decide which speed grade they belong in. The slower your computer’s CPU the more likely it is that this was a lower quality CPU from the manufacturing process. For manufactures it’s a lot cheaper to under clock a defective CPU, then to throw it away.

Over the years I have worked on a countless number of machines, and seen some really electronically unhealthy computers. How do you think your mouth would look if you never brushed your teeth? Well that’s how your computer can start to look inside if you never remove the dust. The environment your computer is located greatly contributes to what ends up inside of your computer. These particles end up in all your fans, between your peripherals, and in the bottom of your case.

As dust particles build up in your machine you will find they are drawn to fans, where dust quickly builds up. Dust can contribute to reducing the airflow of affected fans, reducing the speed of fans, and potentially burning out fans. In the dusty environment I used to live in I would clean my case every 6 months.

The advantages of cleaning your CPU are:
-Cooler operational temperatures, resulting in longer product life spans.
-Lower risk of catching fire (Dust can be an extremely flammable substance).
-Less work and friction on your fan ball bearings.
-Having a happier computer, sometimes they crave a little love and attention.

Now there are several ways to clean a fan, and some are more foolhardy then others. I myself can be rather foolhardy when it comes to dealing with my computer. I use the vacuum approach, and I am very careful about it (it is a rather low powered vacuum). The most dangerous part of this approach is the potential to vacuum jumpers right off of the motherboard. I myself have never done this, but I have heard stories from people. I would not recommend this approach, but as I said before my machine builds up a lot of dust and fast, so I need an industrial solution.

Now the best and most commonly way of cleaning out your computer is the use of compressed air. Now you can either use compressed air in an aerosol can, or an air compressor. An air compressor is the better approach as it is a onetime cost. If you already have a compressor, I would recommend the attachment for blowing up basketballs (high air flow through a small hole). As for recommendations for compressed air I would recommend MG Chemicals Super Duster 134 (I use the industrial sized can), here is what the can’s label says:

Removes dust, lint and foreign particles. Ideal for preventative maintenance on electronic, electrical, optical equipment and mechanical devices, such as; cash registers, computers, keyboards, audio and video equipment and ATM’s. Contains no ozone depleting substances.

Regardless of which brand of compressed air you buy always make sure it mentions it is compatible with electronic equipment, and that it leaves no residue. The last thing you want is some aerosol can creating static electricity within you case. So once you have gotten a hold of your air source, take your computer outside and blow out the fans, and all around you case gently. If there is dust on the bottom of the case the safest option is to gently use a cloth to remove the particles. Remember this is your computer, and it deserves a little tender loving care.

Everything Is An Android

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When I was asked to write an article about computer solutions, I was pretty stumped. What do I know about computers, I thought? Yeah, I use one, like most people. I get on the internet and expect to push a few buttons and summon up the information I need. But ask me about computer solutions, how a computer works, what computing is all about and I scratch my head and watch the tumble weed roll around my feet.

I don't use or have any need for computer solutions. Or so I thought. Looking into it a little further, I realise we all use them all the time. Computer solutions are in our everyday lives, regardless of age, intelligence levels, ability, class and race.

Long gone are the days when I really believed Starsky and Hutch were miniature people running around inside my TV. The TV is one of the first things that we all realise carries a degree of computerisation. We realise it, then we forget it. But every time we pick up the remote control to save ourselves the long trek across the room to switch channels, somebody, somewhere, has had to come up with a computer solution.

Switch on the DVD player and a whole host of computer solutions come to life. Pop in a cartoon DVD for the kids and computer solutions come into their own with numerous man hours having gone into the computer graphics and animation behind the story.

Walk down any street and you'll see the majority of people who look like they're wearing hearing aids but are, in fact, listening to music on their mp3 players or iPods. This is another computer solution application that constructs barriers to conversation, just as a TV does.

Simply washing your smalls has gone all computerised on us. Using the washing machine these days requires onboard computers. Some of the more high tech complicated washing machines require a virtual degree in computer programming just to get a quick rinse and spin done.

And therein lies the ongoing problem of simplifying computer solutions. Everything moved on in leaps and bounds with the dawning of the technology age but in the struggle to make our lives easier, for some it has just become more difficult. On top of that, it doesn't seem to give us any more time because we just try to cram more in.

Those who work in the world of computers are constantly striving to discover new ways of using computer technology, then on ways to apply it in everyday life. Next, they find ways of making it available to the masses, then they have to try and make it affordable. After all that, they then look for ways to fine tune what they have to make it easier to use. Whatever happened to an on/off button? I might not know about computers but who doesn't understand on/off?

At least if we don't like this complicated life we can escape to the world of virtual reality. An amazing feat on the behalf of computer solution experts comes in the form of what resembles a wired up oversized crash helmet. You can escape to a place that not so long ago was the stuff of science fiction movies.

Surely, they could make a programme for this virtual reality world that would show us how to use all our complicated computerised gadgetry.

A site about automobiles

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In the last 10 years, the world wide web has suffered a massive growth of new users. The main attraction is money. In the last decade, a zillion tales of enormous money-making stories have donned the newsstands and, it seems, everyone wants a piece of the action. Stay-home moms, grandparents, young teens...well, everyone has joined the trend.

Entrepeneurs are launching personal blogs, communities, fan clubs and writing eBooks. There are sites about everything from food to poetry. Many of these sites are exact replicas of a hundred others. But who cares about originality? It's the cash that's there to be earned.

And there's loads of cash to be earned online. The ones who are making most of it are web hosting service providers. Such is the demand, that there are new web hosting service providers popping up from Monday to Sunday.

Quick Guide To Computer Software

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There is not doubt that there is a great deal of importance attached to computer software today. With today being the age of computers, there is a great deal of significance placed on the different types of software that are available for computers today.

What exactly is computer software? For those of you who have limited knowledge of computers, software is basically a collection of programs, documentation and procedures that perform any tasks on a computer system. You may think of these softwares as the mind of the computer that has the job of running all of the applications on a computer. More importance is attached to computer software when it comes to wanting to connect to the Internet.

With so much software that is available for computers today, how does one know what software is safe and reliable? That is a very big question today as a lot of software can have spyware and adware attached to it which will make your computer go buggy! Should you spend all of your hard-earned money buying every piece of software that your hear desires, or should you try to download some free software that you will find online and save yourself some bucks? There are basically two kinds of free software which you will now learn about.

One kind of copyrighted software is called freeware which is made available for your use, free of charge, for an unlimited period of time. In order for software to be classified as freeware it must be made available at no cost to the user and for an unlimited amount of time. Do not be confused with the terms freeware and free software. They are not the same thing. The authors of freeware want to make sure that they retain control for its development in the future.

A program is constituted as free software only if users can study, use, redistribute copies, improve upon the software and then release it to the public. One of the necessary conditions for free software is the accessibility of a source code.

Another type of copyrighted computer software is called shareware. It is made available to users free of charge, but then after the trial period is over, the user must pay a fee for additional functionality. This is a marketing method that is used to get people to buy computer software that they have already been thinking about purchasing. This approach is the try it before you buy it approach.

Today, Shareware and freeware software is usually obtained free of charge simply by downloading it from the Internet. The very first shareware programs that were distributed way back when were done so over bulletin board systems, on CD's and diskettes. As the Internet usage grew, users began downloading these shareware and freeware software programs without having to pay long-distance charges or disk fees.

The Internet also makes it very easy to locate niche software. Freeware, free software and shareware are all quality software that is offered either for free or at very reasonable prices. If you are tired of buying software at retail prices, then you will want to definitely discover the world of freeware.

Only purchase software when you are sure it is what you want. You will be able to find the most popular and best kinds of software available today when looking through the tons of freeware and software titles on the Internet. Let your fingers do the walking on the Internet to find the software that best suites your wants and needs!

Monday, March 3, 2008

Creed

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Welcome

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Welcome to my blog