U Ljuboviji na Drini pokrenut je za sada prvi „antistres turistički odmor” u Srbiji, koji traje sedam dana na sedam različitih lokacija, a kompletna cena je 175 evra.
Idejni tvorac programa antistres odmora i vlasnik turističke agencije Regata-turs iz Ljubovije Milutin Tomić rekao je a je u cenu uračunat, prevoz, smeštaj, hrana i lečenje pod nadzorom stručnjaka psihologije i kardiologije, koji učesnicima tokom odmora daju savete o „načinu života”.
On je precizirao da se antistres odmor podrazumeva obilaske manastira Sveti Nikolaj na Soko Gradu jedan dan raftinga Drinom, obilazak izletišta kod Ljubovije, i etno sela uz Drinu.
Antistres turistički program, prvi je te vrste u Srbiji, i namenjen je jačanju psiho-fizičkih sposobnosti, kroz učenje tehnika za relaksaciju i prevenciju od psihosomatskih bolesti.
Monday, August 11, 2008
Sunday, August 10, 2008
300
pise: Aleksandar Ciric, odlomak
Kaže se da su bitku kod Termopila u kasno leto 480. godine stare ere preživela trojica od tri stotine Spartanaca.
Eurit i Aristodem ležali su, s odobrenjem kralja Leonide, u obližnjem gradu Alpeni zbog neke očne bolesti. Na vest da je odsudna bitka počela njih dvojica nisu se složila o tome šta da rade.
"Eurit je, kad je saznao da su Persijanci zašli iza leđa Helenima, zahtevao da mu se donese oružje, opremio se i naredio helotu da ga odvede na bojište", priča Herodot. "A kad ga je odveo, helot koji ga je vodio pobegne, a on jurne u najveći bojni metež i pogine."
Aristodem se, međutim, vrati u Spartu i bude izvrgnut ruglu i preziru jer, dodaje Herodot, "da su se obojica zajedno vratila usled bolesti u Spartu, čini mi se da im Spartanci ne bi to uzeli za zlo, a ovako, pošto je jedan od njih poginuo a drugi, o kome se bio proneo isti takav glas, da nije hteo da pogine, morali su Spartanci jako da se ozlojede na Aristodema... Prezir su prema njemu izražavali time što mu nijedan Spartanac nije dao da potpali vatru, niti je iko s njim govorio, a rugali su mu se na taj način što su ga zvali Aristodem Begunac."
Slično je prošao i Spartanac Pantit, kog je Leonida poslao kao glasnika u Tesaliju da zatraži pomoć. Suočen s prezirom sunarodnika po povratku u Spartu, on se obesio.
Priča o Aristodemu Beguncu, međutim, ima nastavak.
Godinu dana posle Termopila, u odlučnoj bici protiv Persijanaca kod Plateje 479. g.p.n.e. u kojoj Grci zamalo da dva puta poraze sami sebe – pre boja zbog svađe da li su hrabriji Atinjani ili Spartanci, posle bitke u oružanoj raspravi ko je zaslužniji za pobedu (završila se time što su podignuta tri spomenika, atinski, spartanski i zajednički) – učestvovao je i Aristodem.
"A najbolje od svih, po mom mišljenju", tj. Herodotovom, "pokazao se Aristodem, onaj isti koji se jedini od tri stotine spasao kod Termopila i zbog toga doživeo toliko uvreda i poniženja."
Ali, ne lezi vraže! Uprkos Herodotovom uverenju, Spartanci – ili bar neki Spartanci – junaštvo mu nisu priznali, smatrajući da je "želeo da pogine jer je sigurno bio svestan svoje ranije krivice, te je samo zbog toga tako ludo jurišao i izvršavao tako velike podvige, dok Posidonije nije želeo da pogine, pa se i pored toga pokazao tako hrabar, te je on zbog toga bio bolji junak od Aristodema".
Nije bilo lako Spartancima, čak i da nisu imali žene kao gazdarice u kući – i u Sparti, dok su oni okolo ratovali. Kao i sam Leonida, uostalom: njegova žena Gorga postala je slavna još kao osmogodišnja kći kralja Kleomena. Kad je ovome došao Milećanin Aristagora da ga nagovori na ratni pohod u Susu, ponudio mu je kao platu deset talenata zlata, potom dvadeset, pa pedeset. "Oče, ovaj stranac će te podmititi ako smesta ne izađeš odavde", primetila je buduća Leonidina žena.
Putnika koji se zatekne u Olimpiji na zapadnom Peloponezu pa odluči da obiđe i tamošnji muzej, može da dirne pogled na dva eksponata, među ogromnim brojem drugih gotovo neupadljivih. Jedan je bronzana kaciga korintskog tipa, delimično propala tokom dve i po hiljade godina pod zemljom, drugi je jednostavan mada pozlaćen kupasti šlem nekog Persijanca. "Miltijad posvećuje Zevsu" piše na obodu broznanog, "Atinjani posvećuju Zevsu, otevši ga Međanima", piše na drugom. Miltijad je onaj Atinjanin koji je 490. godine stare ere na Maratonskom polju poveo nekoliko stotina svojih sugrađana i saveznika u pobednički juriš na vojsku persijskog kralja Darija.
Deset godina kasnije Grci su poslanicima Darijevog naslednika Kserksa listom slali zemlju i vodu kao znak predaje i savezništva u novom persijskom pohodu. Među onima koji su odbili da se pokore bili su Atinjani – koji su glasnike bacili sa stene, i Spartanci, koji su – bacajući ih u bunar, dodali i poruku: "Eto vam i vode i zemlje."
Leonida će, nešto kasnije kod Termopila, na Kserksov poziv da preda oružje, i sam odgovoriti potpuno lakonski: "Dođi i uzmi."
Uzaludno pokušavajući da dobiju pomoć Sirakuze i Krita, malobrojni Grci rešili su da se od koalicije stotina i stotina naroda pod zapovedništvom Kserksa, kralja kraljeva, brane na Korintskoj prevlaci. Saznavši da uz pešadiju i konjicu nastupa i ogromna flota – koja bi mogla da pustoši Peloponez dok se oni guraju na prevlaci – promenili su odluku i odmarširali do Olimpa, da bi persijsku vojsku dočekali na nekoj od uskih ravnica između planine i mora. Tek tu su, izgleda, shvatili kolikoj se sili suprotstavljaju – više od pet miliona ljudi, po Herodotovoj računici – i pošteno se uplašili, koliko te sile toliko i izdaje nepouzdanih severnih sunarodnika. Tako su se vratili na jug, do uskog prolaza Termopila neposredno ispod Artemisiona, zapadnog rta Eubeje, s idejom da se bore i na kopnenom i na morskom tesnacu, jer je napredovanje kopnene persijske vojske duž obale pratila i ogromna flota na moru, uključujući tu i Herodotovu sugrađanku, kraljicu Halikarnasa Artemisiju.
Ko zna šta bi se tu dogodilo da se u vreme bitke na Peloponezu nisu održavale Olimpijske igre, i da u Sparti nisu održavane svečanosti u čast Apolona Karnejskog zbog kojih je deset godina ranije spartanska vojska na Maraton stigla tek posle bitke. Zbog proslave Karneja Spartanci su na Termopile poslali Leonidu sa samo 300 hoplita, a ostatak saveznika je, izgovarajući se Olimpijadom, na Termopile poslao gotovo simboličan broj ratnika. Sve u svemu, tamo se pred bitku nalazilo jedva nešto više od 7000 Grka – naspram najmanje 300.000 Persijanaca i njihovih saveznika, dobrim delom takođe Grka. Suočen s neraspoloženjem svojih saveznika – možda plašeći se i njihove izdaje – Leonida je svima koji su to hteli dopustio da se povuku, ostajući sa svojih 300 Spartanaca – "sredovečnih ljudi, koji su već imali svoje sinove" – te nešto Lokrana i Tebanaca, dok je čuvanje planinske staze iznad Termopila prepustio hiljadi Fokejaca.
Zbunjen malobrojnošću protivnika, Kserks je pitao gde su ostali Grci i dobio odgovor da su u Olimpiji, na takmičenjima. A na odgovor da je nagrada za pobednika venac od grančice divlje masline, Tritantehmo, jedan od persijskih zapovednika reče: "Teško nama, Mardonije, kad nas vodiš u borbu protiv takvih ljudi koji se ne bore za novac, nego za slavu." Posmatrajući Grke kako ujutru nagi vežbaju, a Spartanci se još i češljaju i uređuju frizure, Kserks je dobio objašnjenje: "Ovi su ljudi odlučili da se sa nama bore u Klancu i za to se pripremaju. Kod njih je, naime, običaj da se češljaju kad hoće da stave svoj život na kocku."
Ovo je, kao i sve ostalo, poznato. Persijski juriš u uskom prolazu – u ono vreme dovoljnom koliko da prođe jedna zaprega – odbijan je dva dana. Trećeg je Kserks odlučio da deo vojske pošalje planinskom stazom iza leđa Leonidi i Grcima. Spartanci su izginuli braneći se na brežuljku u kom će biti pokopani pod spomenikom u obliku lava i Simonidovim epigramom koji od putnika traži da Spartancima javi "da ovde ležimo mirno njihovih zakona svi slušajuć’ glas". Mrtvom Leonidi odsečena je glava i nabijena na kolac – postupak koji je začudio Herodota, dobrog poznavaoca persijskih običaja i poštovanja koje ukazuju hrabrim protivnicima. Uzgred, posle bitke kod Plateje jedan Eginjanin predložio je Leonidinom nasledniku Pausaniji da se osveti tako što će odseći glavu mrtvom Mardoniju. Ovaj je to s gnušanjem odbio.
Predložak za priču o herojskoj pogibiji čiji nam je najstariji i najpouzdaniji izvor Herodot – koji je bio u prilici da razgovara s učesnicima ili savremenicima bitke kod Termopila – nije njegovo objektivno pripovedanje: on poimenice pominje više poginulih uglednih Persijanaca nego Spartanaca "mada znam imena svih".
Platon je sve vrste umetnosti generalno smatrao trećerazrednim proizvodom jer niti se bave idejama niti stvarnošću, već su u najboljem slučaju kopija nečega što je i samo kopija.
Istorijski, persijski vodič je nedugo posle Termopilske bitke, na osnovu nagrade za njegovo hvatanje koju su ponudili Spartanci, pogubljen.
Herodot kaže da je:
Leonida sin Anaksandridov, koji je bio sin Leontov, a ovaj sin Eurikratidov, a ovaj sin Anaksandrov, a ovaj sin Burikratov, a ovaj sin Polidorov, a ovaj sin Alkamenov, a ovaj sin Teleklov, a ovaj sin Arhelajev, a ovaj sin Eurikratov, a ovaj sin Polidorov, a ovaj sin Leobotov, a ovaj sin Ehestratov, a ovaj sin Agisov, a ovaj sin Euristenov, a ovaj sin Aristodemov, a ovaj sin Aristomahov, a ovaj sin Kleodejev, a ovaj sin Hilov i ovaj sin Heraklov.
Četiri decenije posle bitke, negde oko 440. godine stare ere, Spartanci su Leonidine ostatke preneli u Spartu i – izuzetno, jer se kraljeva smrt u ratu smatrala prirodnom – podigli mu spomenik i ukazivali poštovanje kao heroju.
Romantizovana istorija kaže da je Leonida Gorgi, polazeći u Termopile, na pitanje šta da radi ako on pogine, odgovorio: "Udaj se za dobrog čoveka i rađaj dobru decu."
Kaže se da su bitku kod Termopila u kasno leto 480. godine stare ere preživela trojica od tri stotine Spartanaca.
Eurit i Aristodem ležali su, s odobrenjem kralja Leonide, u obližnjem gradu Alpeni zbog neke očne bolesti. Na vest da je odsudna bitka počela njih dvojica nisu se složila o tome šta da rade.
"Eurit je, kad je saznao da su Persijanci zašli iza leđa Helenima, zahtevao da mu se donese oružje, opremio se i naredio helotu da ga odvede na bojište", priča Herodot. "A kad ga je odveo, helot koji ga je vodio pobegne, a on jurne u najveći bojni metež i pogine."
Aristodem se, međutim, vrati u Spartu i bude izvrgnut ruglu i preziru jer, dodaje Herodot, "da su se obojica zajedno vratila usled bolesti u Spartu, čini mi se da im Spartanci ne bi to uzeli za zlo, a ovako, pošto je jedan od njih poginuo a drugi, o kome se bio proneo isti takav glas, da nije hteo da pogine, morali su Spartanci jako da se ozlojede na Aristodema... Prezir su prema njemu izražavali time što mu nijedan Spartanac nije dao da potpali vatru, niti je iko s njim govorio, a rugali su mu se na taj način što su ga zvali Aristodem Begunac."
Slično je prošao i Spartanac Pantit, kog je Leonida poslao kao glasnika u Tesaliju da zatraži pomoć. Suočen s prezirom sunarodnika po povratku u Spartu, on se obesio.
Priča o Aristodemu Beguncu, međutim, ima nastavak.
Godinu dana posle Termopila, u odlučnoj bici protiv Persijanaca kod Plateje 479. g.p.n.e. u kojoj Grci zamalo da dva puta poraze sami sebe – pre boja zbog svađe da li su hrabriji Atinjani ili Spartanci, posle bitke u oružanoj raspravi ko je zaslužniji za pobedu (završila se time što su podignuta tri spomenika, atinski, spartanski i zajednički) – učestvovao je i Aristodem.
"A najbolje od svih, po mom mišljenju", tj. Herodotovom, "pokazao se Aristodem, onaj isti koji se jedini od tri stotine spasao kod Termopila i zbog toga doživeo toliko uvreda i poniženja."
Ali, ne lezi vraže! Uprkos Herodotovom uverenju, Spartanci – ili bar neki Spartanci – junaštvo mu nisu priznali, smatrajući da je "želeo da pogine jer je sigurno bio svestan svoje ranije krivice, te je samo zbog toga tako ludo jurišao i izvršavao tako velike podvige, dok Posidonije nije želeo da pogine, pa se i pored toga pokazao tako hrabar, te je on zbog toga bio bolji junak od Aristodema".
Nije bilo lako Spartancima, čak i da nisu imali žene kao gazdarice u kući – i u Sparti, dok su oni okolo ratovali. Kao i sam Leonida, uostalom: njegova žena Gorga postala je slavna još kao osmogodišnja kći kralja Kleomena. Kad je ovome došao Milećanin Aristagora da ga nagovori na ratni pohod u Susu, ponudio mu je kao platu deset talenata zlata, potom dvadeset, pa pedeset. "Oče, ovaj stranac će te podmititi ako smesta ne izađeš odavde", primetila je buduća Leonidina žena.
Putnika koji se zatekne u Olimpiji na zapadnom Peloponezu pa odluči da obiđe i tamošnji muzej, može da dirne pogled na dva eksponata, među ogromnim brojem drugih gotovo neupadljivih. Jedan je bronzana kaciga korintskog tipa, delimično propala tokom dve i po hiljade godina pod zemljom, drugi je jednostavan mada pozlaćen kupasti šlem nekog Persijanca. "Miltijad posvećuje Zevsu" piše na obodu broznanog, "Atinjani posvećuju Zevsu, otevši ga Međanima", piše na drugom. Miltijad je onaj Atinjanin koji je 490. godine stare ere na Maratonskom polju poveo nekoliko stotina svojih sugrađana i saveznika u pobednički juriš na vojsku persijskog kralja Darija.
Deset godina kasnije Grci su poslanicima Darijevog naslednika Kserksa listom slali zemlju i vodu kao znak predaje i savezništva u novom persijskom pohodu. Među onima koji su odbili da se pokore bili su Atinjani – koji su glasnike bacili sa stene, i Spartanci, koji su – bacajući ih u bunar, dodali i poruku: "Eto vam i vode i zemlje."
Leonida će, nešto kasnije kod Termopila, na Kserksov poziv da preda oružje, i sam odgovoriti potpuno lakonski: "Dođi i uzmi."
Uzaludno pokušavajući da dobiju pomoć Sirakuze i Krita, malobrojni Grci rešili su da se od koalicije stotina i stotina naroda pod zapovedništvom Kserksa, kralja kraljeva, brane na Korintskoj prevlaci. Saznavši da uz pešadiju i konjicu nastupa i ogromna flota – koja bi mogla da pustoši Peloponez dok se oni guraju na prevlaci – promenili su odluku i odmarširali do Olimpa, da bi persijsku vojsku dočekali na nekoj od uskih ravnica između planine i mora. Tek tu su, izgleda, shvatili kolikoj se sili suprotstavljaju – više od pet miliona ljudi, po Herodotovoj računici – i pošteno se uplašili, koliko te sile toliko i izdaje nepouzdanih severnih sunarodnika. Tako su se vratili na jug, do uskog prolaza Termopila neposredno ispod Artemisiona, zapadnog rta Eubeje, s idejom da se bore i na kopnenom i na morskom tesnacu, jer je napredovanje kopnene persijske vojske duž obale pratila i ogromna flota na moru, uključujući tu i Herodotovu sugrađanku, kraljicu Halikarnasa Artemisiju.
Ko zna šta bi se tu dogodilo da se u vreme bitke na Peloponezu nisu održavale Olimpijske igre, i da u Sparti nisu održavane svečanosti u čast Apolona Karnejskog zbog kojih je deset godina ranije spartanska vojska na Maraton stigla tek posle bitke. Zbog proslave Karneja Spartanci su na Termopile poslali Leonidu sa samo 300 hoplita, a ostatak saveznika je, izgovarajući se Olimpijadom, na Termopile poslao gotovo simboličan broj ratnika. Sve u svemu, tamo se pred bitku nalazilo jedva nešto više od 7000 Grka – naspram najmanje 300.000 Persijanaca i njihovih saveznika, dobrim delom takođe Grka. Suočen s neraspoloženjem svojih saveznika – možda plašeći se i njihove izdaje – Leonida je svima koji su to hteli dopustio da se povuku, ostajući sa svojih 300 Spartanaca – "sredovečnih ljudi, koji su već imali svoje sinove" – te nešto Lokrana i Tebanaca, dok je čuvanje planinske staze iznad Termopila prepustio hiljadi Fokejaca.
Zbunjen malobrojnošću protivnika, Kserks je pitao gde su ostali Grci i dobio odgovor da su u Olimpiji, na takmičenjima. A na odgovor da je nagrada za pobednika venac od grančice divlje masline, Tritantehmo, jedan od persijskih zapovednika reče: "Teško nama, Mardonije, kad nas vodiš u borbu protiv takvih ljudi koji se ne bore za novac, nego za slavu." Posmatrajući Grke kako ujutru nagi vežbaju, a Spartanci se još i češljaju i uređuju frizure, Kserks je dobio objašnjenje: "Ovi su ljudi odlučili da se sa nama bore u Klancu i za to se pripremaju. Kod njih je, naime, običaj da se češljaju kad hoće da stave svoj život na kocku."
Ovo je, kao i sve ostalo, poznato. Persijski juriš u uskom prolazu – u ono vreme dovoljnom koliko da prođe jedna zaprega – odbijan je dva dana. Trećeg je Kserks odlučio da deo vojske pošalje planinskom stazom iza leđa Leonidi i Grcima. Spartanci su izginuli braneći se na brežuljku u kom će biti pokopani pod spomenikom u obliku lava i Simonidovim epigramom koji od putnika traži da Spartancima javi "da ovde ležimo mirno njihovih zakona svi slušajuć’ glas". Mrtvom Leonidi odsečena je glava i nabijena na kolac – postupak koji je začudio Herodota, dobrog poznavaoca persijskih običaja i poštovanja koje ukazuju hrabrim protivnicima. Uzgred, posle bitke kod Plateje jedan Eginjanin predložio je Leonidinom nasledniku Pausaniji da se osveti tako što će odseći glavu mrtvom Mardoniju. Ovaj je to s gnušanjem odbio.
Predložak za priču o herojskoj pogibiji čiji nam je najstariji i najpouzdaniji izvor Herodot – koji je bio u prilici da razgovara s učesnicima ili savremenicima bitke kod Termopila – nije njegovo objektivno pripovedanje: on poimenice pominje više poginulih uglednih Persijanaca nego Spartanaca "mada znam imena svih".
Platon je sve vrste umetnosti generalno smatrao trećerazrednim proizvodom jer niti se bave idejama niti stvarnošću, već su u najboljem slučaju kopija nečega što je i samo kopija.
Istorijski, persijski vodič je nedugo posle Termopilske bitke, na osnovu nagrade za njegovo hvatanje koju su ponudili Spartanci, pogubljen.
Herodot kaže da je:
Leonida sin Anaksandridov, koji je bio sin Leontov, a ovaj sin Eurikratidov, a ovaj sin Anaksandrov, a ovaj sin Burikratov, a ovaj sin Polidorov, a ovaj sin Alkamenov, a ovaj sin Teleklov, a ovaj sin Arhelajev, a ovaj sin Eurikratov, a ovaj sin Polidorov, a ovaj sin Leobotov, a ovaj sin Ehestratov, a ovaj sin Agisov, a ovaj sin Euristenov, a ovaj sin Aristodemov, a ovaj sin Aristomahov, a ovaj sin Kleodejev, a ovaj sin Hilov i ovaj sin Heraklov.
Četiri decenije posle bitke, negde oko 440. godine stare ere, Spartanci su Leonidine ostatke preneli u Spartu i – izuzetno, jer se kraljeva smrt u ratu smatrala prirodnom – podigli mu spomenik i ukazivali poštovanje kao heroju.
Romantizovana istorija kaže da je Leonida Gorgi, polazeći u Termopile, na pitanje šta da radi ako on pogine, odgovorio: "Udaj se za dobrog čoveka i rađaj dobru decu."
Every PC User Should Know
The Windows Task Manager provides a good start when you try to discover what programs are running on your system, but it's only a first step. For more-detailed data, you need another tool. Your best bet: Sysinternals Process Explorer Get Process Explorer for Windows v10.21 at Microsoft TechNet. It needs no formal installation; just unzip it and run the .exe file. It will then list your PC's active processes, much as Task Manager does, but with better descriptions and organization.Interpreting Process Explorer's information is fairly straightforward, but here are some tips to help you make the most of the utility.
Consider adding the useful 'Handles' column to the view. Handles (a term that refers to programming methodology) are a convenient way to measure a process's resource utilization. Processes with high handle usage should be the first ones you kill when resources run low. Add the column by right-clicking in the header area and clicking the Select Columns option. Click the Process Performance tab and check the box next to Handle Count.
Note that Handles can also be created for media-based devices like CD-R drives, which may cause errors on eject. If you can't safely eject a disk or memory card, use the Find menu to search for the drive letter followed by a colon (for example, E:), and kill that process directly.
Instead of outright killing a process, you can suspend it (right-click on a process to see this option). This can be useful in the case of a runaway program stuck in an endless loop.
Want to know what a program's process identification is to better tell whether it's friend or foe? Open the program, then switch to Process Explorer. In the top-right corner is a target icon (concentric circles). Click this icon and drag it onto the program you want to ID; Process Explorer will highlight the process.
Expand Your Collection of Windows ToolsMicrosoft offers a sizable collection of useful yet unofficial and unsupported utilities called PowerToys. Following are the essential PowerToys for any serious computer user; all are downloadable from Microsoft's PowerToys for Windows XP page.
ClearType Tuner: Dramatically improves font legibility on some LCD screens.
Image Resizer: Adds a new menu when you right-click a photo on your PC. Just click Resize Pictures to change an image's dimensions without opening an editor.
Tweak UI: If you don't already have Tweak UI, get it. This essential OS tweaking tool offers more granular control over your privacy settings and operations, and even over the way you log in to your PC (plus much more). It should be one of the first things you install on any new computer.
Alt-Tab Replacement: Adds previews of each page when you switch between open applications using-.
SyncToy: Improves the task of synchronizing files among multiple machines, especially compared with Windows Briefcase.
Safeguard Your Wi-Fi NetworkOut of the box, most Wi-Fi routers are totally insecure.
If possible, plug in via ethernet to set up your router at the start--it'll save considerable time down the line. Don't bother installing the special software that comes with your router. Most routers can be controlled via a Web browser, which lets you manage your router from any networked PC.
To manage the router, type its IP address into your Web browser's address bar. If you don't know the IP address, go to Start, Run and type ipconfig /all in the field. The address will be shown as 'Default Gateway'. You'll also need the user name and password available in the manual or via an online search of the model number. (Try looking at this Default Password List.)
Once you can manage your router, change the administrator password you just looked up. This is typically under System Settings or a similar option.
Next, turn on encryption. WPA (or WPA-PSK) is about as secure as Wi-Fi gets today. Set a WPA key, and configure your clients to use the new key. (If one of the devices on your network does not support the WPA version you want to use, though, you'll have to go with a less secure method.) Look for 'Encryption' or 'Security' in the wireless management portion of the page (where you'll also find the following steps' settings).
It's a good idea to change the SSID from the default, which is usually 'linksys', 'belkin', or the like. Choose an SSID that doesn't invite inquiry from passersby (like 'broken' instead of 'janes-wifi' or '123mainstreet'). For extreme security, turn off SSID broadcasting.
Optional: Enable MAC address control, which limits access to computers you specify by their unique MAC address. This can enhance security, but MAC addresses are easily spoofed, and using this feature means you'll have to access your router's admin page to add new PCs to your network. To find a PC's MAC address, use the ipconfig command in step 2; look for the 'Physical Address'. Add that address to the allowed list in the appropriate router settings page.
Diagnose PC Problems Using Event IDsAnytime your system crashes or an application freezes up, Event Viewer dutifully logs the error--but sorting through Event Viewer logs can be just as frustrating as dealing with the Blue Screen of Death. Here's a cheat sheet.
Start by familiarizing yourself with Event Viewer before you have a problem. It's under Start, Settings, Control Panel, Administrative Tools, Event Viewer. The utility's System node logs Windows issues (particularly networking ones), while the Application node logs issues with other software. You should not see much activity in the Security node since it is disabled by default and is used only if you have auditing turned on (which requires extra Microsoft software and ultimately doesn't help most folks anyway). Third-party apps might create more nodes, as well.
Events are fairly self-explanatory: The date and time of each event are logged along with its source, plus miscellaneous data about the issue. Most events will be noted as 'Information' and are generally safe to ignore. The 'Error' and 'Warning' entries are what you should concern yourself with. You can access the guts of the information by double-clicking the event to open its Event Properties page.
In the Event Properties window, you'll find detailed information about the error in question and a link to the Microsoft support Web site. Clicking the link will open a detail page within the Windows Help application (not your browser) for the error you're investigating. But often the information you get will tell you little about the problem, either saying no more data is available or declaring there's nothing you can do.
For more detail on the error types and what they mean, turn to the Web. Plug the event ID into EventID.net, or search for key phrases in the error message, and try looking for clues to your problem by using the 'Source' field in the Event Viewer log as a search term.
Surf AnonymouslyNot too long ago hiding your tracks on the Web usually meant finding an open proxy server to surf through or paying for proxy software like Anonymizer ($30), which redirects traffic through its own proxy servers.
Today there's a better solution, and it's free: the Torpark browser. Torpark is a Firefox-based browser designed to access the Tor network of encrypted proxies. When you use the Torpark browser, your Web session bounces through multiple secure proxies, encrypted all the way, until your request reaches its destination. Torpark is a quick download and doesn't require a formal install on your PC; just launch the executable when you need it and make sure the Tor Network icon is active when the browser starts.
Secure browsing is considerably slower than regular browsing, though, so skip it If you don't need the extra security---and most people don't most of the time.
Test and Tweak Your Internet Connection for Top Speed
First, measure your current connection speed. Make sure nothing else on your network is using the connection and stop any Internet processes on your PC (finish downloads, close your e-mail client, and the like). Next, visit Speakeasy's speed tester. Click a server to run the test for download and upload speeds. Note that you will get atypically high results for servers very near you, but that will give you a gauge of your connection's top raw speed. Try running the test once more against the farthest-away city on the list to see your full range. Try the same test at BroadbandReports.com, too, for a good idea of what your current throughput is.
If you like to keep an eye on performance over time, the venerable DU Meter keeps logs of network performance no matter what kind of connection you have.
You can improve network performance modestly through Registry tweaks, but mucking around in the Registry is never a pleasurable experience, and with these difficult tweaks, it's easy to mess something up. Tweak Tester makes the task simple. Visit Broadband Reports' tweak page, and run Tweak Tester II. Results will appear on a new page. Pay attention to the 'Notes and recommendations' section of the page, where you will see any settings that merit alteration for improved performance. (You may want to print this page.) Changing the TCP Receive Window setting is likely to be the only tweak that will have any real effect.
Next, download and run Dr. TCP. You can run the program directly without installing it, but backing up the Registry before you use it is a good idea. (Go to Start, Run, and type regedit at the prompt; then, click File, Export, name the file, and click Save.) Enter the changes noted in the Tweak Tester results in the Dr. TCP window, and the program will then make all of the appropriate Registry fixes for you. Restart the PC, and then retest your connection to see if the tweaks helped.
You can also improve your Web experience (but not raw throughput) by increasing the number of download sessions in your browser. By default, Windows limits you to a mere two downloads at a time, but you can bump that up to eight or ten. Since few downloads fill your network pipe completely, the overall effect is that downloads should go faster. (Warning: Regedit work coming up, so back up your Registry before you begin!)
Click Start, Run, and type regedit.
Browse to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings.
Right-click in the right pane and then click New, DWORD Value.
Type MaxConnectionsPerServer in the resulting field.
Double-click on the new item and then type a new number of connections (say, 10) in the 'Value data' field. Click Decimal.
Following the previous three steps, create another new DWORD entry, giving it the name MaxConnectionsPer1_0Server.
Solve Wireless Connection ProblemsWi-Fi is awfully convenient, but it's also awfully buggy for many users, particularly those in areas crowded by competing wireless signals. If you're dealing with a loss of signal, try the following to troubleshoot your wireless setup.
Your PC might just need a little massaging. The best way to quickly disconnect and reconnect to your router is to right-click the wireless icon in the system tray and click Repair. If this doesn't solve the problem and you suspect it's still a PC issue, open a command prompt and type ipconfig /renew. This performs nearly the same operation as Repair but bypasses Windows, which could be causing the problem. If all else fails, reboot your PC.
If you're still having trouble, power-cycle your router by unplugging it, waiting 10 seconds, and plugging it back in. Your PC will need to reconnect after the router has booted up. Most routers lock up occasionally, and power cycling is the most reliable way to fix them. (Unless you can't physically reach your router, don't restart it through its management utility; that approach takes just as long, and the utility may not respond anyway.)
If you're still encountering frequent problems, you may be experiencing channel conflict, where multiple Wi-Fi routers are operating in the same narrow band of frequency. Download and run the evaluation version of WirelessMon; you can do all you need to with the demo. Look at the 'Channel Use' chart: Red and orange bars indicate channels under heavy use, while blue or no bars indicate relatively free channels. If your router is on a crowded channel, switch to a less busy one. (Visit your router's management system to do this; read "Safeguard Your Wi-Fi Network" for directions.) You may see better performance and fewer dropouts.
Save Streamed Media LocallySince YouTube hit it big, streaming movies and music have gone positively bananas. But such online media has a major flaw: You can't download it to your desktop and save it forever.
Here's how you can download streamed-media offerings of various types.
AudioRecord Internet radio with Replay A/V, which can handle every audio format you're likely to come across, including Windows Media, Real, QuickTime, Flash, and even AOL's NSV format. It's $50, but if you want to record a lot, it's worth it.
VideoRecord Flash-based video (like YouTube and Google Video files) with KeepVid.com. Just enter the video's URL, and KeepVid converts it into an FLV file you can download. To play the file, use software such as FLV Player or VLC. Better yet, convert the video to an .avi, .mov, or .mp4 file by visiting the FLV Online Converter. These sites and programs are free.
Create Keyboard ShortcutsYou can automate just about any point-and-click operation you perform with the mouse. Here's a variety of ways to make keyboard shortcuts.
Windows lets you assign a keyboard command to any shortcut icon. (Note, though, that it has to be a shortcut; you can't assign a keyboard shortcut to any file you want.) Just right-click the icon in question, click Properties, and click in the 'Shortcut key' field. Press the keyboard combo you want to assign to launch the shortcut; it must include one standard character plus two or three of, , or . (--R in the example shown.)
To make more robust shortcuts, try the appropriately named freeware app Keyboard Shortcuts. With such shortcuts you can launch any file, perform system commands (such as logging off and shutting down), or open any URL in a browser. One shortcut can even perform several of these actions, simultaneously or in sequence.
For even more complex shortcuts, get a macro recorder that can capture detailed steps and repeat them on command. The Workspace Macro program ($25) can capture anything you type, as well as mouse movements and clicks. Just click New to record a macro, and click Stop after you've done all your typing and mousing. If you want to assign keyboard shortcuts to your macros, you'll need a separate program, Launch-N-Go ($25).
Create a Disaster Recovery DiscIt's great to have your PC's system-restore disks and a fresh copy of Windows at hand, but if your computer does go south, don't be in such a rush to wipe out the hard drive. In advance, create a DVD full of essential utilities that you can use to try to repair your PC before reinstalling Windows from scratch.
Your disaster disc should also contain up-to-date hardware drivers, especially for networking devices. Organize everything by folders, and keep names short: You may be browsing the folder from a command prompt if Windows won't boot.
Here's a good selection of utilities that should help out in any crisis, large or small. Note that the first two listed need to be installed on their own bootable CD or DVD in order to run at startup. All are free or available as trialware.
MemTest86: This venerable RAM tester still works.
Active@ KillDisk: Securely wipes drives as required.
Hot CPU Tester: Diagnoses CPU problems with an in-depth testing procedure.
Restoration: Recovers accidentally deleted files from both FAT and NTFS partitions, as well as memory cards.
HDDlife: Monitors the hard drive to warn you if a failure is near. (It's also a good idea to install this on your PC for occasional checkups.)
AOL Active Virus Shield: Free antivirus protection, with an engine powered by Kaspersky.
Spybot Search & Destroy: Keep an antispyware scanner on hand at all times.
OpenOffice.Org: Always great for reading Office files when Microsoft Office isn't working.
Also check out these premade, downloadable emergency discs, which, in many cases, pack lots of system utilities.
Knoppix: Use this free bootable Linux CD to access Windows directories on a hard drive.
Ultimate Boot CD: Contains over 100 low-level system utilities on a single disc. The download is free; a CD is $6, with shipping.
EBCD: This free emergency CD is designed for seriously broken PCs--and expert users.
Microsoft Boot Disks: Download free boot discs for OSs from Windows XP to MS-DOS 6.
Move Big Files Across the InternetIt's considered rude--and rightly so--to e-mail someone a file larger than a few megabytes without permission. And you may not be able to anyway, since many ISPs place a cap on message size (often 10MB or less). So what are you to do if you need to send an 18MB, an 80MB, or even an 800MB file to someone? Online services make the task much easier and more elegant than burning a DVD and dropping it in the mail. You have lots of options, and more new services pop up every day. MediaFire.com is my favorite, and it's one of the best on the market now. The free service requires no registration, and it allows unlimited maximum file size, unlimited downloads, and multiple simultaneous downloads. It's just about perfect!
The other services below, however, also have certain unique features that may make them more suitable for you.
Files-upload.com: Handles 300MB files through a Web-based interface without registration; files expire after 45 days. Register, and you get your own FTP subdomain (yourname.files-upload.com) that's accessible with a standard FTP client. It has a 1GB file-size limit.
GigaSize.com: Has a 1.5GB file-size limit and stores files for 90 days. A $4 monthly fee gets you a 2.5GB size limit.
Pando.com: Has a 1GB file-size limit, but offers a peer-to-peer plug-in for various e-mail, Web mail, and instant messenger clients, so you don't have to go to the Web site to transfer files.
Xdrive.com: Gives you 5GB of free storage space, accessible through the Web or a Windows Explorer plug-in that also allows for sharing with others.
Eradicate Your Web and Windows TracksHey, it's nobody's business but yours what you're doing on your own PC. If you share a system with a nosy roommate or family member, or if you're stuck using public PCs at a conference, you may want to scrub your tracks--Windows' memory of what you've done over the last few hours or days--each time you sign off.
First, set up a browser for sensitive surfing, and use it only for work in which you need maximum security. Clear your secure browser's history and configure it to remember as little as possible. In the chart below are instructions for the most commonly used browsers.
You can also get rid of your Windows history on PCs that you own or share, but the easiest way to keep prying eyes away from your Windows history is to prevent it from being recorded. Download Tweak UI (see "Expand Your Collection of Windows-Tweaking Tools") and run it. Make these changes:
Under 'Explorer' check Clear document history on exit. Uncheck Allow Recent Documents on Start menu, Maintain document history, and Maintain network history.
Under 'Common Dialogs' uncheck Enable AutoComplete and Remember previously-used filenames.
Calibrate Your Monitor's ColorObtaining true-to-life color on your display can be an expensive task that requires special software and hardware. Here's how to get more-accurate color out of your monitor without spending an arm and a leg.
First, download the free Monitor Calibration Wizard. When you run the wizard, it will walk you through several simple tests.
Afterward, save the profile under a name of your choosing. Select this profile under the Load Profile box, and check the box next to Load at Windows startup. Your color will be corrected to your new profile each time you boot. You may not notice much of a difference, though, unless your monitor was seriously out of whack to begin with.
Additional free color-correction tools exist for specific video card brands. RivaTuner is primarily designed for systems with nVidia cards (through the GeForce 7 card series), while ATITool is the counterpart for ATI cards (to get color-correction support for cards released in the last 12 months or so, download the beta version of this free tool).
Consider adding the useful 'Handles' column to the view. Handles (a term that refers to programming methodology) are a convenient way to measure a process's resource utilization. Processes with high handle usage should be the first ones you kill when resources run low. Add the column by right-clicking in the header area and clicking the Select Columns option. Click the Process Performance tab and check the box next to Handle Count.
Note that Handles can also be created for media-based devices like CD-R drives, which may cause errors on eject. If you can't safely eject a disk or memory card, use the Find menu to search for the drive letter followed by a colon (for example, E:), and kill that process directly.
Instead of outright killing a process, you can suspend it (right-click on a process to see this option). This can be useful in the case of a runaway program stuck in an endless loop.
Want to know what a program's process identification is to better tell whether it's friend or foe? Open the program, then switch to Process Explorer. In the top-right corner is a target icon (concentric circles). Click this icon and drag it onto the program you want to ID; Process Explorer will highlight the process.
Expand Your Collection of Windows ToolsMicrosoft offers a sizable collection of useful yet unofficial and unsupported utilities called PowerToys. Following are the essential PowerToys for any serious computer user; all are downloadable from Microsoft's PowerToys for Windows XP page.
ClearType Tuner: Dramatically improves font legibility on some LCD screens.
Image Resizer: Adds a new menu when you right-click a photo on your PC. Just click Resize Pictures to change an image's dimensions without opening an editor.
Tweak UI: If you don't already have Tweak UI, get it. This essential OS tweaking tool offers more granular control over your privacy settings and operations, and even over the way you log in to your PC (plus much more). It should be one of the first things you install on any new computer.
Alt-Tab Replacement: Adds previews of each page when you switch between open applications using
SyncToy: Improves the task of synchronizing files among multiple machines, especially compared with Windows Briefcase.
Safeguard Your Wi-Fi NetworkOut of the box, most Wi-Fi routers are totally insecure.
If possible, plug in via ethernet to set up your router at the start--it'll save considerable time down the line. Don't bother installing the special software that comes with your router. Most routers can be controlled via a Web browser, which lets you manage your router from any networked PC.
To manage the router, type its IP address into your Web browser's address bar. If you don't know the IP address, go to Start, Run and type ipconfig /all in the field. The address will be shown as 'Default Gateway'. You'll also need the user name and password available in the manual or via an online search of the model number. (Try looking at this Default Password List.)
Once you can manage your router, change the administrator password you just looked up. This is typically under System Settings or a similar option.
Next, turn on encryption. WPA (or WPA-PSK) is about as secure as Wi-Fi gets today. Set a WPA key, and configure your clients to use the new key. (If one of the devices on your network does not support the WPA version you want to use, though, you'll have to go with a less secure method.) Look for 'Encryption' or 'Security' in the wireless management portion of the page (where you'll also find the following steps' settings).
It's a good idea to change the SSID from the default, which is usually 'linksys', 'belkin', or the like. Choose an SSID that doesn't invite inquiry from passersby (like 'broken' instead of 'janes-wifi' or '123mainstreet'). For extreme security, turn off SSID broadcasting.
Optional: Enable MAC address control, which limits access to computers you specify by their unique MAC address. This can enhance security, but MAC addresses are easily spoofed, and using this feature means you'll have to access your router's admin page to add new PCs to your network. To find a PC's MAC address, use the ipconfig command in step 2; look for the 'Physical Address'. Add that address to the allowed list in the appropriate router settings page.
Diagnose PC Problems Using Event IDsAnytime your system crashes or an application freezes up, Event Viewer dutifully logs the error--but sorting through Event Viewer logs can be just as frustrating as dealing with the Blue Screen of Death. Here's a cheat sheet.
Start by familiarizing yourself with Event Viewer before you have a problem. It's under Start, Settings, Control Panel, Administrative Tools, Event Viewer. The utility's System node logs Windows issues (particularly networking ones), while the Application node logs issues with other software. You should not see much activity in the Security node since it is disabled by default and is used only if you have auditing turned on (which requires extra Microsoft software and ultimately doesn't help most folks anyway). Third-party apps might create more nodes, as well.
Events are fairly self-explanatory: The date and time of each event are logged along with its source, plus miscellaneous data about the issue. Most events will be noted as 'Information' and are generally safe to ignore. The 'Error' and 'Warning' entries are what you should concern yourself with. You can access the guts of the information by double-clicking the event to open its Event Properties page.
In the Event Properties window, you'll find detailed information about the error in question and a link to the Microsoft support Web site. Clicking the link will open a detail page within the Windows Help application (not your browser) for the error you're investigating. But often the information you get will tell you little about the problem, either saying no more data is available or declaring there's nothing you can do.
For more detail on the error types and what they mean, turn to the Web. Plug the event ID into EventID.net, or search for key phrases in the error message, and try looking for clues to your problem by using the 'Source' field in the Event Viewer log as a search term.
Surf AnonymouslyNot too long ago hiding your tracks on the Web usually meant finding an open proxy server to surf through or paying for proxy software like Anonymizer ($30), which redirects traffic through its own proxy servers.
Today there's a better solution, and it's free: the Torpark browser. Torpark is a Firefox-based browser designed to access the Tor network of encrypted proxies. When you use the Torpark browser, your Web session bounces through multiple secure proxies, encrypted all the way, until your request reaches its destination. Torpark is a quick download and doesn't require a formal install on your PC; just launch the executable when you need it and make sure the Tor Network icon is active when the browser starts.
Secure browsing is considerably slower than regular browsing, though, so skip it If you don't need the extra security---and most people don't most of the time.
Test and Tweak Your Internet Connection for Top Speed
First, measure your current connection speed. Make sure nothing else on your network is using the connection and stop any Internet processes on your PC (finish downloads, close your e-mail client, and the like). Next, visit Speakeasy's speed tester. Click a server to run the test for download and upload speeds. Note that you will get atypically high results for servers very near you, but that will give you a gauge of your connection's top raw speed. Try running the test once more against the farthest-away city on the list to see your full range. Try the same test at BroadbandReports.com, too, for a good idea of what your current throughput is.
If you like to keep an eye on performance over time, the venerable DU Meter keeps logs of network performance no matter what kind of connection you have.
You can improve network performance modestly through Registry tweaks, but mucking around in the Registry is never a pleasurable experience, and with these difficult tweaks, it's easy to mess something up. Tweak Tester makes the task simple. Visit Broadband Reports' tweak page, and run Tweak Tester II. Results will appear on a new page. Pay attention to the 'Notes and recommendations' section of the page, where you will see any settings that merit alteration for improved performance. (You may want to print this page.) Changing the TCP Receive Window setting is likely to be the only tweak that will have any real effect.
Next, download and run Dr. TCP. You can run the program directly without installing it, but backing up the Registry before you use it is a good idea. (Go to Start, Run, and type regedit at the prompt; then, click File, Export, name the file, and click Save.) Enter the changes noted in the Tweak Tester results in the Dr. TCP window, and the program will then make all of the appropriate Registry fixes for you. Restart the PC, and then retest your connection to see if the tweaks helped.
You can also improve your Web experience (but not raw throughput) by increasing the number of download sessions in your browser. By default, Windows limits you to a mere two downloads at a time, but you can bump that up to eight or ten. Since few downloads fill your network pipe completely, the overall effect is that downloads should go faster. (Warning: Regedit work coming up, so back up your Registry before you begin!)
Click Start, Run, and type regedit.
Browse to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings.
Right-click in the right pane and then click New, DWORD Value.
Type MaxConnectionsPerServer in the resulting field.
Double-click on the new item and then type a new number of connections (say, 10) in the 'Value data' field. Click Decimal.
Following the previous three steps, create another new DWORD entry, giving it the name MaxConnectionsPer1_0Server.
Solve Wireless Connection ProblemsWi-Fi is awfully convenient, but it's also awfully buggy for many users, particularly those in areas crowded by competing wireless signals. If you're dealing with a loss of signal, try the following to troubleshoot your wireless setup.
Your PC might just need a little massaging. The best way to quickly disconnect and reconnect to your router is to right-click the wireless icon in the system tray and click Repair. If this doesn't solve the problem and you suspect it's still a PC issue, open a command prompt and type ipconfig /renew. This performs nearly the same operation as Repair but bypasses Windows, which could be causing the problem. If all else fails, reboot your PC.
If you're still having trouble, power-cycle your router by unplugging it, waiting 10 seconds, and plugging it back in. Your PC will need to reconnect after the router has booted up. Most routers lock up occasionally, and power cycling is the most reliable way to fix them. (Unless you can't physically reach your router, don't restart it through its management utility; that approach takes just as long, and the utility may not respond anyway.)
If you're still encountering frequent problems, you may be experiencing channel conflict, where multiple Wi-Fi routers are operating in the same narrow band of frequency. Download and run the evaluation version of WirelessMon; you can do all you need to with the demo. Look at the 'Channel Use' chart: Red and orange bars indicate channels under heavy use, while blue or no bars indicate relatively free channels. If your router is on a crowded channel, switch to a less busy one. (Visit your router's management system to do this; read "Safeguard Your Wi-Fi Network" for directions.) You may see better performance and fewer dropouts.
Save Streamed Media LocallySince YouTube hit it big, streaming movies and music have gone positively bananas. But such online media has a major flaw: You can't download it to your desktop and save it forever.
Here's how you can download streamed-media offerings of various types.
AudioRecord Internet radio with Replay A/V, which can handle every audio format you're likely to come across, including Windows Media, Real, QuickTime, Flash, and even AOL's NSV format. It's $50, but if you want to record a lot, it's worth it.
VideoRecord Flash-based video (like YouTube and Google Video files) with KeepVid.com. Just enter the video's URL, and KeepVid converts it into an FLV file you can download. To play the file, use software such as FLV Player or VLC. Better yet, convert the video to an .avi, .mov, or .mp4 file by visiting the FLV Online Converter. These sites and programs are free.
Create Keyboard ShortcutsYou can automate just about any point-and-click operation you perform with the mouse. Here's a variety of ways to make keyboard shortcuts.
Windows lets you assign a keyboard command to any shortcut icon. (Note, though, that it has to be a shortcut; you can't assign a keyboard shortcut to any file you want.) Just right-click the icon in question, click Properties, and click in the 'Shortcut key' field. Press the keyboard combo you want to assign to launch the shortcut; it must include one standard character plus two or three of
To make more robust shortcuts, try the appropriately named freeware app Keyboard Shortcuts. With such shortcuts you can launch any file, perform system commands (such as logging off and shutting down), or open any URL in a browser. One shortcut can even perform several of these actions, simultaneously or in sequence.
For even more complex shortcuts, get a macro recorder that can capture detailed steps and repeat them on command. The Workspace Macro program ($25) can capture anything you type, as well as mouse movements and clicks. Just click New to record a macro, and click Stop after you've done all your typing and mousing. If you want to assign keyboard shortcuts to your macros, you'll need a separate program, Launch-N-Go ($25).
Create a Disaster Recovery DiscIt's great to have your PC's system-restore disks and a fresh copy of Windows at hand, but if your computer does go south, don't be in such a rush to wipe out the hard drive. In advance, create a DVD full of essential utilities that you can use to try to repair your PC before reinstalling Windows from scratch.
Your disaster disc should also contain up-to-date hardware drivers, especially for networking devices. Organize everything by folders, and keep names short: You may be browsing the folder from a command prompt if Windows won't boot.
Here's a good selection of utilities that should help out in any crisis, large or small. Note that the first two listed need to be installed on their own bootable CD or DVD in order to run at startup. All are free or available as trialware.
MemTest86: This venerable RAM tester still works.
Active@ KillDisk: Securely wipes drives as required.
Hot CPU Tester: Diagnoses CPU problems with an in-depth testing procedure.
Restoration: Recovers accidentally deleted files from both FAT and NTFS partitions, as well as memory cards.
HDDlife: Monitors the hard drive to warn you if a failure is near. (It's also a good idea to install this on your PC for occasional checkups.)
AOL Active Virus Shield: Free antivirus protection, with an engine powered by Kaspersky.
Spybot Search & Destroy: Keep an antispyware scanner on hand at all times.
OpenOffice.Org: Always great for reading Office files when Microsoft Office isn't working.
Also check out these premade, downloadable emergency discs, which, in many cases, pack lots of system utilities.
Knoppix: Use this free bootable Linux CD to access Windows directories on a hard drive.
Ultimate Boot CD: Contains over 100 low-level system utilities on a single disc. The download is free; a CD is $6, with shipping.
EBCD: This free emergency CD is designed for seriously broken PCs--and expert users.
Microsoft Boot Disks: Download free boot discs for OSs from Windows XP to MS-DOS 6.
Move Big Files Across the InternetIt's considered rude--and rightly so--to e-mail someone a file larger than a few megabytes without permission. And you may not be able to anyway, since many ISPs place a cap on message size (often 10MB or less). So what are you to do if you need to send an 18MB, an 80MB, or even an 800MB file to someone? Online services make the task much easier and more elegant than burning a DVD and dropping it in the mail. You have lots of options, and more new services pop up every day. MediaFire.com is my favorite, and it's one of the best on the market now. The free service requires no registration, and it allows unlimited maximum file size, unlimited downloads, and multiple simultaneous downloads. It's just about perfect!
The other services below, however, also have certain unique features that may make them more suitable for you.
Files-upload.com: Handles 300MB files through a Web-based interface without registration; files expire after 45 days. Register, and you get your own FTP subdomain (yourname.files-upload.com) that's accessible with a standard FTP client. It has a 1GB file-size limit.
GigaSize.com: Has a 1.5GB file-size limit and stores files for 90 days. A $4 monthly fee gets you a 2.5GB size limit.
Pando.com: Has a 1GB file-size limit, but offers a peer-to-peer plug-in for various e-mail, Web mail, and instant messenger clients, so you don't have to go to the Web site to transfer files.
Xdrive.com: Gives you 5GB of free storage space, accessible through the Web or a Windows Explorer plug-in that also allows for sharing with others.
Eradicate Your Web and Windows TracksHey, it's nobody's business but yours what you're doing on your own PC. If you share a system with a nosy roommate or family member, or if you're stuck using public PCs at a conference, you may want to scrub your tracks--Windows' memory of what you've done over the last few hours or days--each time you sign off.
First, set up a browser for sensitive surfing, and use it only for work in which you need maximum security. Clear your secure browser's history and configure it to remember as little as possible. In the chart below are instructions for the most commonly used browsers.
You can also get rid of your Windows history on PCs that you own or share, but the easiest way to keep prying eyes away from your Windows history is to prevent it from being recorded. Download Tweak UI (see "Expand Your Collection of Windows-Tweaking Tools") and run it. Make these changes:
Under 'Explorer' check Clear document history on exit. Uncheck Allow Recent Documents on Start menu, Maintain document history, and Maintain network history.
Under 'Common Dialogs' uncheck Enable AutoComplete and Remember previously-used filenames.
Calibrate Your Monitor's ColorObtaining true-to-life color on your display can be an expensive task that requires special software and hardware. Here's how to get more-accurate color out of your monitor without spending an arm and a leg.
First, download the free Monitor Calibration Wizard. When you run the wizard, it will walk you through several simple tests.
Afterward, save the profile under a name of your choosing. Select this profile under the Load Profile box, and check the box next to Load at Windows startup. Your color will be corrected to your new profile each time you boot. You may not notice much of a difference, though, unless your monitor was seriously out of whack to begin with.
Additional free color-correction tools exist for specific video card brands. RivaTuner is primarily designed for systems with nVidia cards (through the GeForce 7 card series), while ATITool is the counterpart for ATI cards (to get color-correction support for cards released in the last 12 months or so, download the beta version of this free tool).
Friday, August 8, 2008
10 sexy dates
You’re probably not going to fall madly in lust while making polite conversation over roast chicken and a glass of Sauvignon Blanc. You’ve got a much better chance of forging an electric connection if you ditch your routine date destination. Here are ten suggestions that will help get the electricity between you two crackling.
1. Play hooky.
Why restrict your dates to weekend nights? Agree to each take a sick day and spend it indulging. Share a long lunch (with wine), catch an afternoon movie, browse in near-empty shops or do whatever else you never get time to do on the weekends.
2. Take in some subtitles.
Catching a movie is a stand-by date activity for a reason—namely, it’s a great way to log some time with somebody you’re just getting to know without having to stare each other down over a drinks or a meal. But instead of getting sucked into watching the wannabe-blockbuster of the week, hit a foreign film, whether a new one or a classic (the French Belle de Jour and the Italian La Dolce Vita are two erotically charged options to look out for at your local revival house). There’s something inherently sexier about watching a film in another language—maybe it’s that listening to a foreign tongue for ninety minutes lulls you into a dreamy state of mind or that it makes you and your date suddenly feel like travel partners even though you haven’t left the local multiplex.
3. Flirt surrounded by flora.
“The botanical garden near me is really pretty in the early evening,” “And there are lots of scenic spots where you can make out if you’re so inclined.”
4. Try the tapas trend.
It seems like at least half of the buzz-heavy new restaurants out there specialize in “small plates,” appetizer-sized portions that are meant to be ordered in multiples and shared. Luckily, this style of dining is perfect for dates. You’ll bond while debating the merits of different menu options, and find that leaning across the table to eat off of the same dishes — with a perfect excuse to feed each other — stirs up a lot more intrigue than staying hunched over individual entrees would.
5. Go back to school.
Taking a class, whether a one-night seminar or a weekly thing, is a guaranteed way to get close. “When you learn something new together you feel like a team, which is very bonding,” Think courses that involve physical touch, like reflexology, or which engage the senses, such as a wine or Scotch tasting.
6. Go out to breakfast.
You look and feel your sexiest when you’re relaxed, but the standard dinner date — in a noisy restaurant, with a waiter pressuring you to run up your tab with sparkling water — can make a chilled-out state impossible. It’s much easier to be languid over a weekend breakfast, which is why meeting a potential mate for the first meal of the day can actually be a better idea. Just pick a café where you can linger over your coffee, rather than a diner where they’ll try to shuttle you out the door in under a half hour. You’ll be able to assess each other in your pre-caffeinated states—and if you like what you see it will be a sexy preview of how your mornings will be once you start waking up together!
7. Check out some R-rated art.
Visiting a museum or gallery exhibit filled with subtly suggestive painting or sculpture will bring the subject of sex front and center. However, since the works come with “high art” credentials, you won’t feel sleazy or bashful about seeing it with somebody you still don’t know all that well. For classic options, look for Andrew Wyeth’s nudes, Georgia O’Keefe’s suggestive blossoms, or Rodin’s sculptural celebrations of the human form. In search of something more cutting edge? Scan the art reviews in your local paper.
8. Get lost.
Head to a neighborhood you’re not totally familiar with but that you know is a safe place to explore. “When we were first dating my husband and I would buy tickets to way off-Broadway plays in remote parts of the city, then afterward we’d stop into whatever bar or restaurant looked interesting,” “The feeling of adventure it gave to those nights was a turn-on.”
9. Ride a roller-coaster.
Hit an amusement park and get in line for the most stomach-churning rides they’ve got. Having your bodies whipped around curves or dropped from heights could be a surprising prelude to a night of passion. “Activities that feel dangerous raise levels of the neurotransmitters dopamine and adrenaline in your brain, which is the same biochemical activity that occurs when you’re sexually aroused,” Not to mention that a roller-coaster ride provides the perfect excuse to grasp each other’s hands, arms, thighs…
10. Watch the moon rise.
Using the sunset as a backdrop to your date is a little too trite to be truly seductive, but catching the moon rise? Now that’s a suggestion that’s certain to feel magical. “My boyfriend drove me to the beach and set up a lovely picnic with a killer bottle of wine,” “Then he told me to turn around and there was the moon rising over the ocean—it was my favorite date ever.” Check the Old Farmer’s Almanac to learn the moon-rise times in your zip code.
1. Play hooky.
Why restrict your dates to weekend nights? Agree to each take a sick day and spend it indulging. Share a long lunch (with wine), catch an afternoon movie, browse in near-empty shops or do whatever else you never get time to do on the weekends.
2. Take in some subtitles.
Catching a movie is a stand-by date activity for a reason—namely, it’s a great way to log some time with somebody you’re just getting to know without having to stare each other down over a drinks or a meal. But instead of getting sucked into watching the wannabe-blockbuster of the week, hit a foreign film, whether a new one or a classic (the French Belle de Jour and the Italian La Dolce Vita are two erotically charged options to look out for at your local revival house). There’s something inherently sexier about watching a film in another language—maybe it’s that listening to a foreign tongue for ninety minutes lulls you into a dreamy state of mind or that it makes you and your date suddenly feel like travel partners even though you haven’t left the local multiplex.
3. Flirt surrounded by flora.
“The botanical garden near me is really pretty in the early evening,” “And there are lots of scenic spots where you can make out if you’re so inclined.”
4. Try the tapas trend.
It seems like at least half of the buzz-heavy new restaurants out there specialize in “small plates,” appetizer-sized portions that are meant to be ordered in multiples and shared. Luckily, this style of dining is perfect for dates. You’ll bond while debating the merits of different menu options, and find that leaning across the table to eat off of the same dishes — with a perfect excuse to feed each other — stirs up a lot more intrigue than staying hunched over individual entrees would.
5. Go back to school.
Taking a class, whether a one-night seminar or a weekly thing, is a guaranteed way to get close. “When you learn something new together you feel like a team, which is very bonding,” Think courses that involve physical touch, like reflexology, or which engage the senses, such as a wine or Scotch tasting.
6. Go out to breakfast.
You look and feel your sexiest when you’re relaxed, but the standard dinner date — in a noisy restaurant, with a waiter pressuring you to run up your tab with sparkling water — can make a chilled-out state impossible. It’s much easier to be languid over a weekend breakfast, which is why meeting a potential mate for the first meal of the day can actually be a better idea. Just pick a café where you can linger over your coffee, rather than a diner where they’ll try to shuttle you out the door in under a half hour. You’ll be able to assess each other in your pre-caffeinated states—and if you like what you see it will be a sexy preview of how your mornings will be once you start waking up together!
7. Check out some R-rated art.
Visiting a museum or gallery exhibit filled with subtly suggestive painting or sculpture will bring the subject of sex front and center. However, since the works come with “high art” credentials, you won’t feel sleazy or bashful about seeing it with somebody you still don’t know all that well. For classic options, look for Andrew Wyeth’s nudes, Georgia O’Keefe’s suggestive blossoms, or Rodin’s sculptural celebrations of the human form. In search of something more cutting edge? Scan the art reviews in your local paper.
8. Get lost.
Head to a neighborhood you’re not totally familiar with but that you know is a safe place to explore. “When we were first dating my husband and I would buy tickets to way off-Broadway plays in remote parts of the city, then afterward we’d stop into whatever bar or restaurant looked interesting,” “The feeling of adventure it gave to those nights was a turn-on.”
9. Ride a roller-coaster.
Hit an amusement park and get in line for the most stomach-churning rides they’ve got. Having your bodies whipped around curves or dropped from heights could be a surprising prelude to a night of passion. “Activities that feel dangerous raise levels of the neurotransmitters dopamine and adrenaline in your brain, which is the same biochemical activity that occurs when you’re sexually aroused,” Not to mention that a roller-coaster ride provides the perfect excuse to grasp each other’s hands, arms, thighs…
10. Watch the moon rise.
Using the sunset as a backdrop to your date is a little too trite to be truly seductive, but catching the moon rise? Now that’s a suggestion that’s certain to feel magical. “My boyfriend drove me to the beach and set up a lovely picnic with a killer bottle of wine,” “Then he told me to turn around and there was the moon rising over the ocean—it was my favorite date ever.” Check the Old Farmer’s Almanac to learn the moon-rise times in your zip code.
6 sites for shoppers
Don't buy online without them.
Sites such as MyBargainBuddy.com, Slickdeals.net, Ben's Bargains and Deals of America specialize in sniffing out good buys. Some have specialties: Ben's Bargains, for example, is heavy on computer and electronics gear, while MyBargainBuddy is especially attuned to stuff for the home.
But Dealnews rises above the competition for a number of reasons:
The site keeps track of past sale prices.Sometimes what looks like a deal really isn't. Knowing an item's past sale history helps you know whether you're getting a bargain. DeepDiscount.com
The site has a "hotness" scale.The scale reflects both the depth of the discount and the desirability of the item.
The site is well-designed and easy to navigate.
The site finds deals many of the others miss. WilsonsLeather.com
The site is updated frequently.
A note on coupons: You should always, always search around for coupons before you complete a Web purchase. Dealnews typically finds the best coupons for the deals it highlights and maintains a long list of coupons for various retailers, but no bargain or coupon site captures every discount. Use a search engine to look for "coupon" or "promotion code" and the name of the retailer you're using to find the hidden deals.
Coupons, gossip and a little extra
FatWallet is another excellent bargain-finding site with standout features:
Rebates.
Lively forums.
Free 'price protection'
PriceProtector makes this process automatic - and free. If you buy something at one of the 70 listed retailers and the price drops during that store's price-protection period (typically 30 days), you'll get an e-mail notifying you with instructions on how to claim a refund.
Hear from the shopper who's bought one
Amazon.com doesn't always have the best prices on everything, but the mega-retailer was among the first to encourage user reviews, and the sheer volume of opinions is reason enough to bookmark the site.
Speaking of reviews, you also should consider bookmarking Epinions.com and BizRate for feedback on products, businesses and sites not covered by Amazon.
Another feature at Amazon I like: the redesigned bargain feature, now called "Today's Deals," at the top of the home page. Deals are featured for a few hours each, and you can get a good idea of a product's desirability by how quickly it's snapped up - something that's tracked in a "percent claimed" graphic that includes a countdown of how much longer the sale will last. Some of the lesser deals fail to sell out, while the best ones disappear in minutes.
The smart shopper's taste tester
Most of the sites I've singled out are free, and some, such as FatWallet, even pay you to sign up. Consumer Reports posts some free information and reviews, but the $26 annual subscription fee to access the whole site is well worth the cost.
Simply put, you shouldn't make a major purchase, or many minor ones, without consulting Consumer Reports. The nonprofit organization subjects an array of products to rigorous testing and thorough, objective reviews, and its buying advice can help you make sense of your options. You'll come away with plenty of information to make sound choices.
Head-to-head price comparisons
As with bargain sites, there are many good contenders in the price-comparison space, including MSN Shopping, Google Product Search (I still miss the old name, Froogle), MySimon and Shopzilla. All can help you track down low prices on most of the things you want to buy.
PriceGrabber.com stands out for its design and ease of navigation. Prices are easy to compare, as are the retailers' reputations. If there's too much negative feedback, or no feedback at all, you'll know to choose somewhere else to buy.
Check your balances before it's too late
If you haven't already, sign up for online access to your financial accounts and bookmark the Web sites for easy retrieval.
Why? Because it's not savvy shopping to overdraw your checking account or pile up more credit card charges than you can pay off when the bill arrives. Bargain hunting won't do you much good if you face over-limit fees of $30 to $40 a pop or double-digit finance charges. Before you buy, make sure you can afford it.
Sites such as MyBargainBuddy.com, Slickdeals.net, Ben's Bargains and Deals of America specialize in sniffing out good buys. Some have specialties: Ben's Bargains, for example, is heavy on computer and electronics gear, while MyBargainBuddy is especially attuned to stuff for the home.
But Dealnews rises above the competition for a number of reasons:
The site keeps track of past sale prices.Sometimes what looks like a deal really isn't. Knowing an item's past sale history helps you know whether you're getting a bargain. DeepDiscount.com
The site has a "hotness" scale.The scale reflects both the depth of the discount and the desirability of the item.
The site is well-designed and easy to navigate.
The site finds deals many of the others miss. WilsonsLeather.com
The site is updated frequently.
A note on coupons: You should always, always search around for coupons before you complete a Web purchase. Dealnews typically finds the best coupons for the deals it highlights and maintains a long list of coupons for various retailers, but no bargain or coupon site captures every discount. Use a search engine to look for "coupon" or "promotion code" and the name of the retailer you're using to find the hidden deals.
Coupons, gossip and a little extra
FatWallet is another excellent bargain-finding site with standout features:
Rebates.
Lively forums.
Free 'price protection'
PriceProtector makes this process automatic - and free. If you buy something at one of the 70 listed retailers and the price drops during that store's price-protection period (typically 30 days), you'll get an e-mail notifying you with instructions on how to claim a refund.
Hear from the shopper who's bought one
Amazon.com doesn't always have the best prices on everything, but the mega-retailer was among the first to encourage user reviews, and the sheer volume of opinions is reason enough to bookmark the site.
Speaking of reviews, you also should consider bookmarking Epinions.com and BizRate for feedback on products, businesses and sites not covered by Amazon.
Another feature at Amazon I like: the redesigned bargain feature, now called "Today's Deals," at the top of the home page. Deals are featured for a few hours each, and you can get a good idea of a product's desirability by how quickly it's snapped up - something that's tracked in a "percent claimed" graphic that includes a countdown of how much longer the sale will last. Some of the lesser deals fail to sell out, while the best ones disappear in minutes.
The smart shopper's taste tester
Most of the sites I've singled out are free, and some, such as FatWallet, even pay you to sign up. Consumer Reports posts some free information and reviews, but the $26 annual subscription fee to access the whole site is well worth the cost.
Simply put, you shouldn't make a major purchase, or many minor ones, without consulting Consumer Reports. The nonprofit organization subjects an array of products to rigorous testing and thorough, objective reviews, and its buying advice can help you make sense of your options. You'll come away with plenty of information to make sound choices.
Head-to-head price comparisons
As with bargain sites, there are many good contenders in the price-comparison space, including MSN Shopping, Google Product Search (I still miss the old name, Froogle), MySimon and Shopzilla. All can help you track down low prices on most of the things you want to buy.
PriceGrabber.com stands out for its design and ease of navigation. Prices are easy to compare, as are the retailers' reputations. If there's too much negative feedback, or no feedback at all, you'll know to choose somewhere else to buy.
Check your balances before it's too late
If you haven't already, sign up for online access to your financial accounts and bookmark the Web sites for easy retrieval.
Why? Because it's not savvy shopping to overdraw your checking account or pile up more credit card charges than you can pay off when the bill arrives. Bargain hunting won't do you much good if you face over-limit fees of $30 to $40 a pop or double-digit finance charges. Before you buy, make sure you can afford it.
5 things that are always on sale
Here's how to shop smartly.
Consult a shopping search engine, like MSNShopping or Google Product Search
Mattresses
Reliability and durability of all brand-name mattresses -- Sealy, Serta, Simmons and Spring Air -are typically very good. What matters most is comfort.
Spend at least 15 minutes lying on any mattress you're considering buying to make sure it's comfortable for you in all positions.
Specialty mattresses from Duxiana, Select Comfort and Tempur-Pedic are rarely discounted, but you should be able to get 50% off the list price of a conventional innerspring mattress if you wait for a sale or bargain hard.
Jewelry
Understand that the big markups mean there's usually room to haggle down a price. Shoot for at least a 10% discount.
Buy from certified gemologists who belong to the Gemological Institute of America, American Gem Society or Jewelers of America.
Make sure you're allowed at least 30 days to return jewelry for a refund.
Pay to have expensive jewelry evaluated by an appraiser not affiliated with the jeweler. Make sure the appraiser is certified by the American Society of Appraisers.
College educations
About two-thirds of those who attend college get some kind of financial aid, and many colleges tweak their aid packages to benefit the students they most want to attract.
The College Board says the typical private school discounts its costs by about a third, and public universities offer an average break of 14.7%.
FinAid.org.
To avoid overpaying for a college education, you'll want to:
Learn about the financial aid process and how to arrange your finances to get the best possible package. Some resources to check: MSN Money's Saving for College and Managing College Costs Decision Centers, FinAid.org's financial-aid calculator and the book "FastWeb College Gold: The Step-by-Step Guide to Paying for College." Never assume that you won't qualify for aid, Kantrowitz said; the formulas for aid are complicated, and how they're applied can vary by school. Also, changing family circumstances and congressional changes to available aid can have a big impact on how much you get. Even if you don't have financial need, you'll need to fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to qualify for federal student loan programs.
Cast a wide net when researching and applying to colleges so you can uncover the schools that really want you (or your student). You can start with MSN Money's College Search engine, but also check out the Managing College Costs Decision Center, which includes articles on good values in public and private colleges.
Make sure that if you do have to borrow money for school, you exhaust all federal student loan options first before resorting to private loans (read "How did student loans get so sleazy?" for details).
And two more to think about
Almost nobody negotiates half off a house or a car, but almost nobody pays sticker price, either. And because these are two of the biggest purchases most people make, it's worth going over the ground rules.
You know you shouldn't pay sticker price for a vehicle, but figuring out the "right" price - and keeping to it in the face of an industry that specializes in getting people to overpay - is a tall order. The second you drive a car off the dealer's lot, for example, it's worth only what someone will pay you for it, regardless of how big a rebate you got or how big a discount off sticker you negotiated. The closer you come to that price, the better the deal.
And even that swift bit of negotiation can be quickly erased in a few short minutes in the dealer's finance department. Similarly, you're not likely to make a bigger purchase than a home - or have more of an opportunity to overpay.
Cars.
Dealerships "know you're focused on the price of the car," said Philip Reed, consumer advice editor for Edmunds.com and editor of the book "Strategies for Smart Car Buyers." "You need to know about the charges that are bogus or inflated at the many other steps of the deal."
If you really want to make sure you get the best deal, don't walk onto a car lot until you've:
Considered all your alternatives. The fewer times you buy a car in your lifetime, the more money you'll save. You may be able to get a few more years out of your current car or even do without a vehicle for a while. If you've decided you "need" a specific car, or even a car at all, you may be setting yourself up to overpay. Read "The real reason you're broke" for details.
Set up your financing. A credit union is typically a good place to find low-cost auto loans. Limit your loan term to four years with a 20% down payment, if at all possible, and make sure you can swing all the costs of the car (such as higher insurance payments).
Done your research. MSN Autos, among other sites, offers information about performance, reliability and safety. Edmunds.com also has a "True Cost to Own" feature that can show you how much a vehicle is likely to cost you over five years. You can get detailed reports on vehicles, including how much the dealer paid, with Consumer Reports' auto price reports.
Prepared to walk out. The typical dealership will do everything in its power to keep you on the lot until you've signed the deal. They're hoping you'll fall in love with a car or be convinced the dealership is offering a one-time-only deal that will soon expire. Sometimes your most powerful negotiating tactic is the willingness to call their bluff, Reed said, and walk out the door. The deal may suddenly improve - and if it doesn't, there's always the next dealership.
"Car sales (are) based on control. They want to know they control you," Reed said. "Any time you show the ability to walk out, you're taking back control."
Houses.
Your two biggest enemies are your own emotions and a lack of information. You can help cure the latter with (as always) good research.
"Spend your weekends visiting open houses. Then, find a great agent, who really knows the neighborhood and its housing stock, and see even more properties that are for sale," advises Ilyce Glink, author of several books on real estate, including "100 Questions Every First-Time Home Buyer Should Ask." "Track the sales prices of these homes and use that information as a tool to help unlock the value of other properties."
You also need to consider which way the market winds are blowing in your area: whether prices are going up, down or flattening.
"Once you figure out the direction the neighborhood is going," Glink said, "you can start to compare the value of one house to another, taking into account the differences in size, amenities, and specific location."
With this information, you can craft a bid. When multiple buyers are after the same property, you may have to make your best offer first; when home sales are slow or prices are dropping, it's often best to start with a bid that's lower than what you're actually willing to pay.
As for your emotions, I won't advise you not to fall in love with a property. Love is too tricky a thing to predict or prevent, and once it hits you you'll know how tough it is to keep your head. Just try to keep in mind that there's more than one "right" house for you, and you won't have to bankrupt yourself to get it.
Consult a shopping search engine, like MSNShopping or Google Product Search
Mattresses
Reliability and durability of all brand-name mattresses -- Sealy, Serta, Simmons and Spring Air -are typically very good. What matters most is comfort.
Spend at least 15 minutes lying on any mattress you're considering buying to make sure it's comfortable for you in all positions.
Specialty mattresses from Duxiana, Select Comfort and Tempur-Pedic are rarely discounted, but you should be able to get 50% off the list price of a conventional innerspring mattress if you wait for a sale or bargain hard.
Jewelry
Understand that the big markups mean there's usually room to haggle down a price. Shoot for at least a 10% discount.
Buy from certified gemologists who belong to the Gemological Institute of America, American Gem Society or Jewelers of America.
Make sure you're allowed at least 30 days to return jewelry for a refund.
Pay to have expensive jewelry evaluated by an appraiser not affiliated with the jeweler. Make sure the appraiser is certified by the American Society of Appraisers.
College educations
About two-thirds of those who attend college get some kind of financial aid, and many colleges tweak their aid packages to benefit the students they most want to attract.
The College Board says the typical private school discounts its costs by about a third, and public universities offer an average break of 14.7%.
FinAid.org.
To avoid overpaying for a college education, you'll want to:
Learn about the financial aid process and how to arrange your finances to get the best possible package. Some resources to check: MSN Money's Saving for College and Managing College Costs Decision Centers, FinAid.org's financial-aid calculator and the book "FastWeb College Gold: The Step-by-Step Guide to Paying for College." Never assume that you won't qualify for aid, Kantrowitz said; the formulas for aid are complicated, and how they're applied can vary by school. Also, changing family circumstances and congressional changes to available aid can have a big impact on how much you get. Even if you don't have financial need, you'll need to fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to qualify for federal student loan programs.
Cast a wide net when researching and applying to colleges so you can uncover the schools that really want you (or your student). You can start with MSN Money's College Search engine, but also check out the Managing College Costs Decision Center, which includes articles on good values in public and private colleges.
Make sure that if you do have to borrow money for school, you exhaust all federal student loan options first before resorting to private loans (read "How did student loans get so sleazy?" for details).
And two more to think about
Almost nobody negotiates half off a house or a car, but almost nobody pays sticker price, either. And because these are two of the biggest purchases most people make, it's worth going over the ground rules.
You know you shouldn't pay sticker price for a vehicle, but figuring out the "right" price - and keeping to it in the face of an industry that specializes in getting people to overpay - is a tall order. The second you drive a car off the dealer's lot, for example, it's worth only what someone will pay you for it, regardless of how big a rebate you got or how big a discount off sticker you negotiated. The closer you come to that price, the better the deal.
And even that swift bit of negotiation can be quickly erased in a few short minutes in the dealer's finance department. Similarly, you're not likely to make a bigger purchase than a home - or have more of an opportunity to overpay.
Cars.
Dealerships "know you're focused on the price of the car," said Philip Reed, consumer advice editor for Edmunds.com and editor of the book "Strategies for Smart Car Buyers." "You need to know about the charges that are bogus or inflated at the many other steps of the deal."
If you really want to make sure you get the best deal, don't walk onto a car lot until you've:
Considered all your alternatives. The fewer times you buy a car in your lifetime, the more money you'll save. You may be able to get a few more years out of your current car or even do without a vehicle for a while. If you've decided you "need" a specific car, or even a car at all, you may be setting yourself up to overpay. Read "The real reason you're broke" for details.
Set up your financing. A credit union is typically a good place to find low-cost auto loans. Limit your loan term to four years with a 20% down payment, if at all possible, and make sure you can swing all the costs of the car (such as higher insurance payments).
Done your research. MSN Autos, among other sites, offers information about performance, reliability and safety. Edmunds.com also has a "True Cost to Own" feature that can show you how much a vehicle is likely to cost you over five years. You can get detailed reports on vehicles, including how much the dealer paid, with Consumer Reports' auto price reports.
Prepared to walk out. The typical dealership will do everything in its power to keep you on the lot until you've signed the deal. They're hoping you'll fall in love with a car or be convinced the dealership is offering a one-time-only deal that will soon expire. Sometimes your most powerful negotiating tactic is the willingness to call their bluff, Reed said, and walk out the door. The deal may suddenly improve - and if it doesn't, there's always the next dealership.
"Car sales (are) based on control. They want to know they control you," Reed said. "Any time you show the ability to walk out, you're taking back control."
Houses.
Your two biggest enemies are your own emotions and a lack of information. You can help cure the latter with (as always) good research.
"Spend your weekends visiting open houses. Then, find a great agent, who really knows the neighborhood and its housing stock, and see even more properties that are for sale," advises Ilyce Glink, author of several books on real estate, including "100 Questions Every First-Time Home Buyer Should Ask." "Track the sales prices of these homes and use that information as a tool to help unlock the value of other properties."
You also need to consider which way the market winds are blowing in your area: whether prices are going up, down or flattening.
"Once you figure out the direction the neighborhood is going," Glink said, "you can start to compare the value of one house to another, taking into account the differences in size, amenities, and specific location."
With this information, you can craft a bid. When multiple buyers are after the same property, you may have to make your best offer first; when home sales are slow or prices are dropping, it's often best to start with a bid that's lower than what you're actually willing to pay.
As for your emotions, I won't advise you not to fall in love with a property. Love is too tricky a thing to predict or prevent, and once it hits you you'll know how tough it is to keep your head. Just try to keep in mind that there's more than one "right" house for you, and you won't have to bankrupt yourself to get it.
Thursday, August 7, 2008
Meditations from Coversations With God - Walsch
You are creating your reality every minute.
There comes a time in the evolution of every soul when the chief concern is no longer the survival of the physical body, but the growth of the spirit.
There are no 'rotten apples'. There are only people who disagree with the point of view on things, people who construct a different model of the world.
Power comes from inner strength.
Everything that occurs - everything that has occured, is occuring, and ever will occur-is the outward physical manifestation of your innermost thoughts, choices, ideas, and detrmination regarding Who You Are and Who You Choose to Be.
Yes, there is One Great Truth; there is a Final Reality. You are divine creature, divinely creating your reality.
I do not forgive you, and will not forgive you ever, for anything. There is nothing to forgive.
Religion cannot stand Spirituality. For Spirituality may bring you to a different conclusion than a particular religion.
Religion encourages you to explore the thoughts of others and accept them as your own.
Spirituality invites you to toss away the thoughts of others and come up with your own.
God and his Universal Presence
I'm in every flower, every rainbow, every star in the heavens. I'm the whisper of the wind, the warmth of the sun, the incredible individuality and the extraordinary perfection of every snowflake.
I'm the wind which rustles your hair.
I'm the sun which warms your body.
I'm the rain which dances on your face.
I'm the smell of the flowers in the air.
I'm the flower, and I'm the air.
Every minute is holy.
This, now, is the Holy Instant.
Use your Now Moment for the Highest Purpose - the creation and the expression of Who You Really Are.
Decide Who You Are-What you want to be - and then do everything in your power to be that.
Embrace every circumstance, own every fault, share every joy, contemplate every mistery, walk in every man's shoes, forgive every offense (including you own), heal every heart, honor every person's truth, adore every person'r God, protect every person's rights, preserve every person's dignity, promote every person's interests, provide every person's needs, presume every person's holiness, present every person's greatest gifts, produce every person's blessing, and pronounce every person's future secure in the assured love of God.
If all you desired is what your soul desired, everything would be very simple.
If you listened to the part of you which is pure spirit, all of your decisions would be easy, and all the outcomes joyous.
Feelings are simply truths.
How you express your truth is what matters.
You cannot take responsibility for how well another accepts your truth; you can only ensure how well it is communicated: how clearly, how lovingly, how compassionately, how sensitively, how courageously, and how completely.
Feelings are the language of the soul.
Make sure you are listening to your true feelings and not some counterfeit model constructed in your mind.
Fear anf guilt are your only enemies.
Love and awareness are your true friends.
You will not grow through guilt, but only shrivel and die. Guilt is the poison that kills the plant.
Ultimately, all thoughts are sponsored by love or fear.
Everything, ultimately, breaks down to one of these.
All thoughts, ideas, concepts, understandings, decisions, choices, and actions are based in one of these.
This is the great polarity.
This is the primal duality.
And, in the end, there is really only one.
Love.
In truth, love is all there is.
Even fear is an outgrowth of love and expresses love when used effectively.
Grief - the sadness within you at the experience of any kind of loss.
Anger - tool which allows you to say:'No, thank you.'
Envy - makes you want to do it again, to try harder, to continue striving until you succeed.
The soul is very clear that its purpose is evolution.
There is no great tragedy involved in leaving the body, in many ways the tragedy is being captured in the body.
Dying - at the moment of your death you will realize the greatest freedom, the greatest peace, the greatest joy, and the greatest love you have ever known.
Transforming yourself
Even the rock will not be the rock forever. Before it was a rock, it was something else. It fossilized into that rock. It was once something else, and will be something else again.
Death is not an end, but a beginning; it's not a closing down, but an opening up.
Your life doesn't end, but only goes on in ways so magnificent as to make it difficult to describe and impossible for you to comprehend.
Illusion of death
See the flower as dying and you will see the flower sadly. You see the flower as part of a whole tree that is changing, and will soon bear fruit, and you see the flower's true beauty.
When you understand that the blossoming and the falling away of the flower is a sign that the tree is ready to bear fruit, then you understand life.
Go to your Highest Thought about yourself.
Imagine the you that you would be if you lived that thought every day.
Imagine what you would think, do, and say, and how you would respond to what others do and say.
Remember, you are constantly in the act of creating of yourself.
You are in every moment deciding who and what you are.
You decide this largely through the choices you make regarding who and what you feel passionate about.
Never deny passion, for that is to deny Who You Are, and Who You Truly Want to Be.
Be a Bringer of the Light.
For your light can do more than illuminate your own path.
Your light can be the light which truly lights the world.
So long as you are still worried about what others think of you, you are owned by them.
Only when you require no approval from outside yourself can you own yourself.
Spend your time wisely
When you spend your time trying to figure out what's 'best' for you, you are doing just that: spending your time - your choices will be cautious, your decisions will take forever, and your journey will be launched on a sea of expectations.
Be carefull not to drown in your expectations.
Recognizing the importance of the moment
"Now" is all there is...
"Yesterday" and "Tomorrow" are fragments of your imagination, constructions of your mind, nonexistent in Ultimate Reality.
Everything that ever happened, is happening, and ever will happen, is happening right now.
Past, present and future are concepts you have constructed, realities you have invented in order
to create a context within which to frame your present experience.
Remember, life is an ongoing process of creation.
Ignore your previous experience and go into the moment.
Be Here Now.
Group consciousness is powerful and produces outcomes of unspeakable beauty or ugliness.
The choice is always yours.
The best way to change the consciousness of others is by your example.
Deception is part of government, for few people would choose to be governed the way they are governed, few would choose to be governed at all unless government convinced them that its decisions were for their own good.
Your soul doesn't care what you do for a living, and when your life is over, neither will you.
Your soul cares only about what you're being while you're doing whatever you're doing.
It is a state of beingness the soul is after, not a state of doingness.
There is nothing I have to have, there's nothing I have to do, and there's nothing I have to be, except exactly what I'm being right now.
Cycle of Life
Understanding the life of the universe will help you understand the life of the universe inside you.
Life moves in cycles.
Everything is cyclical.
Everything.
All things move cyclicaly.
There is a natural rhythm to life, and everything moves to that rhythm; evrything goes with that flow.
For everything there's a season; and a time for every Purpose under Heaven.
When you understand this, you became more able to enjoy the Process, not merely endure it.
Women
A woman hears the melody of flowers in the wind.
She sees the beauty of the Unseen.
She feels the pulls and urges of life.
She knows when it is time to run, and time to rest; time to laugh, and time to cry; time to hold on, and time to let go.
The greatest secret of all time
Act as if you were separate from nothing, and no one, and you will heal your world tomorrow.
Relationship
The purpose of the relationship is to decide what part of yourself you'd like to see 'show up', not what part of another you can capture and hold.
There comes a time in the evolution of every soul when the chief concern is no longer the survival of the physical body, but the growth of the spirit.
There are no 'rotten apples'. There are only people who disagree with the point of view on things, people who construct a different model of the world.
Power comes from inner strength.
Everything that occurs - everything that has occured, is occuring, and ever will occur-is the outward physical manifestation of your innermost thoughts, choices, ideas, and detrmination regarding Who You Are and Who You Choose to Be.
Yes, there is One Great Truth; there is a Final Reality. You are divine creature, divinely creating your reality.
I do not forgive you, and will not forgive you ever, for anything. There is nothing to forgive.
Religion cannot stand Spirituality. For Spirituality may bring you to a different conclusion than a particular religion.
Religion encourages you to explore the thoughts of others and accept them as your own.
Spirituality invites you to toss away the thoughts of others and come up with your own.
God and his Universal Presence
I'm in every flower, every rainbow, every star in the heavens. I'm the whisper of the wind, the warmth of the sun, the incredible individuality and the extraordinary perfection of every snowflake.
I'm the wind which rustles your hair.
I'm the sun which warms your body.
I'm the rain which dances on your face.
I'm the smell of the flowers in the air.
I'm the flower, and I'm the air.
Every minute is holy.
This, now, is the Holy Instant.
Use your Now Moment for the Highest Purpose - the creation and the expression of Who You Really Are.
Decide Who You Are-What you want to be - and then do everything in your power to be that.
Embrace every circumstance, own every fault, share every joy, contemplate every mistery, walk in every man's shoes, forgive every offense (including you own), heal every heart, honor every person's truth, adore every person'r God, protect every person's rights, preserve every person's dignity, promote every person's interests, provide every person's needs, presume every person's holiness, present every person's greatest gifts, produce every person's blessing, and pronounce every person's future secure in the assured love of God.
If all you desired is what your soul desired, everything would be very simple.
If you listened to the part of you which is pure spirit, all of your decisions would be easy, and all the outcomes joyous.
Feelings are simply truths.
How you express your truth is what matters.
You cannot take responsibility for how well another accepts your truth; you can only ensure how well it is communicated: how clearly, how lovingly, how compassionately, how sensitively, how courageously, and how completely.
Feelings are the language of the soul.
Make sure you are listening to your true feelings and not some counterfeit model constructed in your mind.
Fear anf guilt are your only enemies.
Love and awareness are your true friends.
You will not grow through guilt, but only shrivel and die. Guilt is the poison that kills the plant.
Ultimately, all thoughts are sponsored by love or fear.
Everything, ultimately, breaks down to one of these.
All thoughts, ideas, concepts, understandings, decisions, choices, and actions are based in one of these.
This is the great polarity.
This is the primal duality.
And, in the end, there is really only one.
Love.
In truth, love is all there is.
Even fear is an outgrowth of love and expresses love when used effectively.
Grief - the sadness within you at the experience of any kind of loss.
Anger - tool which allows you to say:'No, thank you.'
Envy - makes you want to do it again, to try harder, to continue striving until you succeed.
The soul is very clear that its purpose is evolution.
There is no great tragedy involved in leaving the body, in many ways the tragedy is being captured in the body.
Dying - at the moment of your death you will realize the greatest freedom, the greatest peace, the greatest joy, and the greatest love you have ever known.
Transforming yourself
Even the rock will not be the rock forever. Before it was a rock, it was something else. It fossilized into that rock. It was once something else, and will be something else again.
Death is not an end, but a beginning; it's not a closing down, but an opening up.
Your life doesn't end, but only goes on in ways so magnificent as to make it difficult to describe and impossible for you to comprehend.
Illusion of death
See the flower as dying and you will see the flower sadly. You see the flower as part of a whole tree that is changing, and will soon bear fruit, and you see the flower's true beauty.
When you understand that the blossoming and the falling away of the flower is a sign that the tree is ready to bear fruit, then you understand life.
Go to your Highest Thought about yourself.
Imagine the you that you would be if you lived that thought every day.
Imagine what you would think, do, and say, and how you would respond to what others do and say.
Remember, you are constantly in the act of creating of yourself.
You are in every moment deciding who and what you are.
You decide this largely through the choices you make regarding who and what you feel passionate about.
Never deny passion, for that is to deny Who You Are, and Who You Truly Want to Be.
Be a Bringer of the Light.
For your light can do more than illuminate your own path.
Your light can be the light which truly lights the world.
So long as you are still worried about what others think of you, you are owned by them.
Only when you require no approval from outside yourself can you own yourself.
Spend your time wisely
When you spend your time trying to figure out what's 'best' for you, you are doing just that: spending your time - your choices will be cautious, your decisions will take forever, and your journey will be launched on a sea of expectations.
Be carefull not to drown in your expectations.
Recognizing the importance of the moment
"Now" is all there is...
"Yesterday" and "Tomorrow" are fragments of your imagination, constructions of your mind, nonexistent in Ultimate Reality.
Everything that ever happened, is happening, and ever will happen, is happening right now.
Past, present and future are concepts you have constructed, realities you have invented in order
to create a context within which to frame your present experience.
Remember, life is an ongoing process of creation.
Ignore your previous experience and go into the moment.
Be Here Now.
Group consciousness is powerful and produces outcomes of unspeakable beauty or ugliness.
The choice is always yours.
The best way to change the consciousness of others is by your example.
Deception is part of government, for few people would choose to be governed the way they are governed, few would choose to be governed at all unless government convinced them that its decisions were for their own good.
Your soul doesn't care what you do for a living, and when your life is over, neither will you.
Your soul cares only about what you're being while you're doing whatever you're doing.
It is a state of beingness the soul is after, not a state of doingness.
There is nothing I have to have, there's nothing I have to do, and there's nothing I have to be, except exactly what I'm being right now.
Cycle of Life
Understanding the life of the universe will help you understand the life of the universe inside you.
Life moves in cycles.
Everything is cyclical.
Everything.
All things move cyclicaly.
There is a natural rhythm to life, and everything moves to that rhythm; evrything goes with that flow.
For everything there's a season; and a time for every Purpose under Heaven.
When you understand this, you became more able to enjoy the Process, not merely endure it.
Women
A woman hears the melody of flowers in the wind.
She sees the beauty of the Unseen.
She feels the pulls and urges of life.
She knows when it is time to run, and time to rest; time to laugh, and time to cry; time to hold on, and time to let go.
The greatest secret of all time
Act as if you were separate from nothing, and no one, and you will heal your world tomorrow.
Relationship
The purpose of the relationship is to decide what part of yourself you'd like to see 'show up', not what part of another you can capture and hold.
The Preservationist - David Maine
Thank you Lord for another day, the health to enjoy it, a labor to fill it and a home to return to at the end of it.
'And the rain fell upon the earth forty days and forty nights' - Genesis 7:12
For the last few days the rain has died back from fierce lashing to a steady light drizzle.
'The water was fifteen cubits higher than the mountins which it covered'-Genesis 7:19
People would not have been noble or selfless in any way...
You can't hope for anything...You hope for things, you'll get hurt.
I feel something pushing up from inside of me, like a geyser. It takes a moment to recognize it: HOPE.
'And the waters prevailed upon the earth a hundred and fifty days'-Genesis 7:24
'And the arc rested in the seventh month, the seventh and twentieth day of the month, upon the mountains...'-Genesis 8:4
Lord, we have striven to uphold your calling.
'And Noe lived after the flood three hundred and fifty years'-Genesis 9:29
'And the rain fell upon the earth forty days and forty nights' - Genesis 7:12
For the last few days the rain has died back from fierce lashing to a steady light drizzle.
'The water was fifteen cubits higher than the mountins which it covered'-Genesis 7:19
People would not have been noble or selfless in any way...
You can't hope for anything...You hope for things, you'll get hurt.
I feel something pushing up from inside of me, like a geyser. It takes a moment to recognize it: HOPE.
'And the waters prevailed upon the earth a hundred and fifty days'-Genesis 7:24
'And the arc rested in the seventh month, the seventh and twentieth day of the month, upon the mountains...'-Genesis 8:4
Lord, we have striven to uphold your calling.
'And Noe lived after the flood three hundred and fifty years'-Genesis 9:29
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
Kafa
Servis za kafu iznesite na poslužavniku i sipajte kafu u šoljice pošto ste pitali goste kakvu žele. Keramičke šoljice su dobre, ali ako je moguće koristite porculanske.
Bonton nalaže unapred zagrejane šoljice, napunjene do dve trećine.
Najbolje je koristiti kašičice manje od onih za čaj, a šoljicu prinosite ustima desnom rukom, držeći tanjirić levom.
Kada služite samo porodicu, kafa može da se sipa direktno iz džezve. U drugim prilikama koristite ibrik za kafu koji može biti keramički ili porculanski, u kompletu sa šoljama. Ibrik treba prethodno zagrejati ispirajući ga vrućom vodom, da se kafa ne ohladi pre serviranja.
Gostima uz kafu treba ponuditi različite vrste šećera: beli ili smeđi, poslužen u zasebnoj posudi. One mogu takođe biti deo servisa ili napravljene od srebra i drugih metala.
Mnogi piju kafu s melkom pa je neophodan i vrč za mleko.
Uz kafu možete poslužiti i različite vrste poslastica koje zavise od doba dana.
Ujutru je prirodno da poslužite brioš ili kroasan.
Posle ručka ili večere, možete da izaberete između čokolade i raznih vrsta keksa ili kolača. Podrazumeva se da ćete uz to gostima poslužiti i salvete.
Najčešeće greške prilikom ispijanja kafe:
1. stavljanje šećera u šoljicu pre sipanja kafe
2. mešanje kašičicom tako glasno da zvecka
3. ostavljanje kašičice u šoljici
4. podizanje malog prsta prilikom ispijanja
5. stavljanje kašičice u usta
Bonton nalaže unapred zagrejane šoljice, napunjene do dve trećine.
Najbolje je koristiti kašičice manje od onih za čaj, a šoljicu prinosite ustima desnom rukom, držeći tanjirić levom.
Kada služite samo porodicu, kafa može da se sipa direktno iz džezve. U drugim prilikama koristite ibrik za kafu koji može biti keramički ili porculanski, u kompletu sa šoljama. Ibrik treba prethodno zagrejati ispirajući ga vrućom vodom, da se kafa ne ohladi pre serviranja.
Gostima uz kafu treba ponuditi različite vrste šećera: beli ili smeđi, poslužen u zasebnoj posudi. One mogu takođe biti deo servisa ili napravljene od srebra i drugih metala.
Mnogi piju kafu s melkom pa je neophodan i vrč za mleko.
Uz kafu možete poslužiti i različite vrste poslastica koje zavise od doba dana.
Ujutru je prirodno da poslužite brioš ili kroasan.
Posle ručka ili večere, možete da izaberete između čokolade i raznih vrsta keksa ili kolača. Podrazumeva se da ćete uz to gostima poslužiti i salvete.
Najčešeće greške prilikom ispijanja kafe:
1. stavljanje šećera u šoljicu pre sipanja kafe
2. mešanje kašičicom tako glasno da zvecka
3. ostavljanje kašičice u šoljici
4. podizanje malog prsta prilikom ispijanja
5. stavljanje kašičice u usta
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