When dealing with <b>acne skin care</b>, most of the medical professionals commonly suggest that people affected with acne must practice certain acne skin care methods that will help improve the condition of their skin.

Acne, as you may already know, is a very severe skin disorder that affects thousands of people from all over the world. It not only affects the surface of the skin but also the inner layers of the skin. Acne usually occurs on the face, neck, chest and back, and it starts during the adolescence period.

During the past several years, a good number of acne experts and skin care professionals have conducted many studies on how to prevent the formation of acne. And fortunately, these skin care specialists have come out with certain acne skin care tips that can be of great help for fighting acne. I have selected the three simpler yet most powerful acne skin care tips that you can follow in order to have a healthier skin. These are mentioned below:


<B>Acne Skin Care Tip # 1: You Should Always Clean Your Skin Very Gently</B>

First of all, personal hygiene is very necessary for fighting acne. So as what most experts usually suggest, you should gently clean your skin with a mild cleanser at least twice a day.  This simple acne skin care step is deemed important for fighting acne since washing your face or the other affected areas will wipe away the acne-causing bacteria found on the skin. Also note that although you are sometimes told to scrub your face, scrubbing is not a good acne skin care move since it will just trigger the development of acne, worsening the condition. In addition to this acne skin care step, it is worth noting that astringents are not always suggested unless the skin is very oily. And, they must only be applied on the oily spots.


<B>Acne Skin Care # 2: You Should Refrain from Frequently Holding Your Skin</B>

Another helpful acne skin care tip is to avoid frequently handling of the skin. Don&#8217;t pinch, pick or squeeze your pimple since it will only worsen the condition. Many of the people have considered this acne skin care step as one of the most important acne skin care pointers knowing that it may only cause infection and scars formation. As this acne skin care tip holds, you should avoid rubbing and touching your skin lesions if possible.


<B>Acne Skin Care # 3: Always Choose Cosmetics Carefully</B>

This last acne skin care tip holds that people who are being treated for acne must change some of the cosmetics they use. Note that in order to avoid the onset or the development of acne, the cosmetics you plan on using like the foundation, blush, moisturizers, and eye shadow should be oil free. Aside from that, this acne skin care tip also holds that you must avoid oily hair products for they may cause closed comedones. Therefore, those products that are labeled as noncomedogenic should be applied.

It is a fact that many of us are very conscious of our skin condition. And as such, we are always wanting to have a fresh, good-looking skin as much as possible. Unfortunately, many of us also fail to come to the conclusion that simple steps are the best ways to accomplish this goal. We often are blind enough that we don&#8217;t see what&#8217;s really right or wrong for our skin. We often fall in so much frustration and desperation that make us go buy any high-priced beauty products that in the end just turn out to be a waste of time and money, and even worsen our acne. Hopefully, the above mentioned <i>acne skin care</i> tips will be a good start to help you enhance your skin condition.


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When dealing with <b>acne skin care</b>, most of the medical professionals commonly suggest that people affected with acne must practice certain acne skin care methods that will help improve the condition of their skin.

Acne, as you may already know, is a very severe skin disorder that affects thousands of people from all over the world. It not only affects the surface of the skin but also the inner layers of the skin. Acne usually occurs on the face, neck, chest and back, and it starts during the adolescence period.

During the past several years, a good number of acne experts and skin care professionals have conducted many studies on how to prevent the formation of acne. And fortunately, these skin care specialists have come out with certain acne skin care tips that can be of great help for fighting acne. I have selected the three simpler yet most powerful acne skin care tips that you can follow in order to have a healthier skin. These are mentioned below:


Acne Skin Care Tip # 1: You Should Always Clean Your Skin Very Gently

First of all, personal hygiene is very necessary for fighting acne. So as what most experts usually suggest, you should gently clean your skin with a mild cleanser at least twice a day.  This simple acne skin care step is deemed important for fighting acne since washing your face or the other affected areas will wipe away the acne-causing bacteria found on the skin. Also note that although you are sometimes told to scrub your face, scrubbing is not a good acne skin care move since it will just trigger the development of acne, worsening the condition. In addition to this acne skin care step, it is worth noting that astringents are not always suggested unless the skin is very oily. And, they must only be applied on the oily spots.


Acne Skin Care # 2: You Should Refrain from Frequently Holding Your Skin

Another helpful acne skin care tip is to avoid frequently handling of the skin. Don&#8217;t pinch, pick or squeeze your pimple since it will only worsen the condition. Many of the people have considered this acne skin care step as one of the most important acne skin care pointers knowing that it may only cause infection and scars formation. As this acne skin care tip holds, you should avoid rubbing and touching your skin lesions if possible.

Acne Skin Care # 3: Always Choose Cosmetics Carefully

This last acne skin care tip holds that people who are being treated for acne must change some of the cosmetics they use. Note that in order to avoid the onset or the development of acne, the cosmetics you plan on using like the foundation, blush, moisturizers, and eye shadow should be oil free. Aside from that, this acne skin care tip also holds that you must avoid oily hair products for they may cause closed comedones. Therefore, those products that are labeled as noncomedogenic should be applied.



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USB which stands for Universal Serial Bus is a standard for serial communications between computers and other devices. It was first introduced in 1996 and was jointly promoted by Intel, Phillips, US Robotics and Microsoft. USB was developed so that many different types of devices could be accommodated under a single common interface. Due to this capability, nowadays USB devices are the most popular form of plug and play devices. In short, a plug and play device is an external device which we connect to the computer either for data transfer or to provide additional capabilities to the computer. Normally plug and play devices are used along with additional software which acts as a link between the device and the CPU of the computer. This software is called the driver.
   
              Many other standards exist for such connections like PS2, but USB devices provide a distinct advantage over other standards mainly due to two significant reasons.
First, the USB standard allows devices to be connected to the computer without needing to restart the computer. For many previous standards, the computer needed to be restarted before the device could be used. Secondly, the USB device takes its power supply directly from the CPU thus eliminating the need for an external power supply cord. This was only possible due to the fact that USB devices typically consume very little power.

        Nowadays USB devices are used for a number of purposes. The most popular adaptation of the USB devices is in the form of USB drives (also called pen-drives). These are basically devices which offer portable data storage facilities. Often these devices are as small as a keychain. With the advent of technology, USB drives can now store as much as 200GB of data and still appear very small.
        Another important use of USB is for webcams which allow us to transmit and store photos and videos directly on our computers. Apart from these uses, USB also allows us to connect audio devices like iPods, microphones and speakers, network between different computers with USB routers and also provides an interface to link our other gadgets like mobile phones and PDAs. With Windows becoming more common it is now simpler to synchronize our gadgets as windows can automatically recognize and install our USB devices.  Another new technology which is making waves is USB 2.0, which provides data transfer speeds of up to 480mbps (Megabytes per second).


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Radius, Remote Authentication Dial In User Service is a networking concept which is used to provide access to users to services which require logging in, generally with a username and password. This protocol uses servers to store information in the form of a list of user names or passwords. So, when a user wants to log onto for example, the internet, he enters his user name and password and submits them. The data is sent to the RADIUS server and checked against a list of existing users and their respective passwords. If the username and password entered by the user matches the one on the list, then the user is granted access to the internet.

This protocol is widely used by Internet Service Providers (ISPs) as well as large companies, corporations, educational institutions and other organizations to regulate and manage access to the internet as well as to internal networks. Normally these authentications protocol is carried out by devices like the modem, Digital Subscriber Lines (DSLs) automatically.

The most important functions of the RADIUS server can be summarized as AAA or Authentication, Authorization and Accounting. The first two 'A's refer to allowing a user access to a network. If we look in detail at our previous example, we will come to know that a RADIUS server may return any one of three responses to the login request – "Nay" which means that access to the user is denied under all circumstances, "Challenge" which means that the user is asked for additional information before access is granted, and "Yea" which grants to the user, access to the network.

Accounting refers to the billing function carried out by RADIUS. It refers to the situations in which the users' time or activities are monitored and logged. This is especially useful for those who run on postpaid internet which is calculated either by Data Transfer or by time. The RADIUS server receives a command to start billing when the user logs on and later to stop billing, when the users logs off. RADIUS servers nowadays, can also access databases stored remotely to check details. Communication between the user and the server is nowadays done through highly encrypted, reliable channels.


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Port forwarding, often referred to as .tunnelling. is the forwarding of network ports from one network device to another. This is commonly done using a NAT (network address translation) enabled router or server and another computer within the local network. The main purpose of using port forwarding is to allow hosts outside your local network who doesn.t have their own public IP address access to some services running on machines within your LAN.
Port forwarding is easy to set up on a router since the management interface allows for easy configuration. In some cases this easy configuration feature might be a problem since most routers cannot provide complex customization for port forwarding and other services. In such case a Linux box can do the job. With Linux, port forwarding is configured by adding iptable rules with a DNAT target to the PREROUTING chain and a SNAT target to the POSTROUTING chain. After doing so iptables will use the existent masquerade table to rewrite packages so they will reach the desired host in concordance with the port forwarding rules you provided. This is similar to OSX and BSD, however ipfw is used. In most cases ipfw is already compiled with kernel.
With port forwarding you can use a router to connect to the Internet and also run a web-server or a FTP server on a computer with your LAN. By using port forwarding you can instruct the router to forward all information that comes on a specific net port (such as 80 for the web-server or 21 for the FTP server) to a host within the local network. This means that if an outside host try to make a HTTP request towards the public IP the router has, it will be sent to the machine known to handle such request within the LAN. This is done in a transparent manner, meaning that the network client is not aware of the fact that he is accessing a machine found somewhere in the LAN. Applications of such methods are widely used both in business environments and in small home networks.
With more and more devices in the home needing to be connected to the internet or to each other, the router has become a very popular device worldwide. In such situations port forwarding is used to allow access within the network for applications that require access on a specific port, such as games or multimedia streaming software.eaming softwaR.th port forwarding you can use a router to connect to the Internet and also run a web-server or a FTP server on a computer with your LAN. By using port forwarding you can instruct the router to forward all information that comes on a specific net port (such as 80 for the web-server or 21 for the FTP server) to a host within the local network. This means that if an outside host try to make a HTTP request towards the public IP the router has, it will be sent to the machine known to handle such request within the LAN. This is done in a transparent manner, meaning that the network client is not aware of the fact that he is accessing a machine found somewhere in the LAN. Applications of such methods are widely used both in business environments and in small home networks. With more and more devices in the home needing to be connected to the internet or to each other, the router has become a very popular device worldwide. In such situations port forwarding is used to allow access within the network for applications that require access on a specific port, such as games or multimedia streaming software.
Forwards are possible with larger networks. This is done when one router or server forward packets to another router or server that delivers it to the host that should handle it. Such methods are rarely used in small home networks, but can become useful in larger networks whether or not they are connected to the Internet.
Port forwarding can be more secure than using other methods such as a DMZ (demilitarized zone). When using a DMZ all the ports of your machine are forwarded, thus you are no longer truly behind the firewall. Port forwarding provides you security by only allowing access to ports you specifically select.


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ODBC (Open Data Base Connectivity) is a function library which provides a common API (Application Programming Interface) for ODBC compliant database management systems.
ODBC was developed by the SQL Access Group in 1992.
ODBC operates as an industry-standard "shim" between applications which utilize databases and the databases themselves.
If an application is developed using ODBC, the application will be able to store data in any database management system which is equipped with an ODBC driver.
ODBC drivers are often developed in sub-components:
• An ODBC Driver Manager
• ODBC Drivers
The application submits ODBC calls to the ODBC driver manager.
The ODBC driver manager selects the appropriate ODBC driver, loads that driver, and sends read or write requests using that driver.
The ODBC driver processes the ODBC function calls, submits the SQL requests to the database, and returns the results to the application.


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MSDTC, an abbreviation for Microsoft’s Distributed Transaction Coordinator (DTC), is a service component implanted in recently marketed Microsoft Windows systems (operating systems Windows 2000 and after, and Windows NT 4.0 has the MSDTC). Its job is coordinating the various transactions among multiple resource managers, including but not limited to databases, file systems, and message queues.


Installing and Configuring MSDTC on a Windows 2003 Server Cluster
There are two main ways on installing the MSDTC in Windows Server 2003, one of the more widely, if not the most used server system today. Before anything else, the MSDTC resource must be created by enabling the Network DTC access.


Method 1: Cluster Administrator
Cluster Administrator can be used to install MSDTC on all nodes in a cluster, as you only need to install the MSDTC once to have an effect on all.
1. Start the Cluster Administrator by:
A. Click Start, and then All Programs
B. Go to Administrative Tools, and click Cluster Administrator
2. Create a Group called “MSDTC Group” containing a Network Name, IP Address, and a Physical Disk, by:
A. Click File Menu, New, and then Group
B. Go through the New Group Wizard which will help you create the MSDTC Group
3. Create an IP address resource by:
A. Right click on the MSDTC Group, and click NewResource
B. Create a name (eg. MSDTC IP Address)
C. Go to Resource Type, click IP Address, and check MSDTC Group, and then Next
D. Go to Possible Owners and click Next
E. Go to Dependencies and click Next as you do not want to add any dependencies
F. Go to TCP/IP Address Parameters and choose the public network
G. Type in the static IP address for the MSDTC Group and click Next
H. Click Finish and Ok
4. Create a Network Name resource by:
A. Right click on the MSDTC Group, and click NewResource
B. Create a name (eg. MSDTC Network Name)
C. Go to Resource Type, click Network Name, and check MSDTC Group, and then Next
D. Go to Possible Owners and click Next
E. Go to Dependencies, add the MSDTC IP Address as a dependency, and click Next
F. Go to Name, and type in the name of the MSDTC resource and click Next
G. Click Finish and Ok
5. Create a Physical Disk resource by:
A. Right click on the MSDTC Group, and click NewResource
B. Create a name (eg. MSDTC Physical Disk)
C. Go to Resource Type, click Physical Disk, and check MSDTC Group, and then Next
D. Go to Possible Owners and click Next
E. Go to Dependencies and click Next as you do not want to add any dependencies
F. Go to Disk Paramters and select a physical disk for the MSDTC
G. Click Finish and Ok
6. Right click on the MSDTC group and click NewResource
7. Type in a name
8. Go to Resource Type and select the Distributed Transaction Coordinator in the MSDTC Group and click Next
9. Go to Possible Owners and click Next
10. Go to Dependencies, hold on to your Ctrl key, select the Network Name and Physical Disk that you created, and click Add
11. Click Finish and Ok to complete the creation of the resource
12. Enable the network DTC access
13. Right click the MSDTC Resource and click Bring Online


Method 2: Cluster.exe
Cluster.exe is powerful for installing and configuring the MSDTC on multiple clusters.
1. Enable the network DTC access unless the cluster is dedicated to Exchange Server, which would make the enabling unecessary
2. Using the command prompt (cmd.exe), create a Group called MSDTC Group (make sure that the group contains an IP Address, Network Name, and a Physical Disk)
3. Create the MSDTC Resource by typing the following into the command prompt:
cluster clustername res "MSDTC Resource" /CREATE /GROUP:"MSDTC Group" /TYPE:"Distributed Transaction Coordinator"
4. Run the following command in the command prompt:
cluster clustername res "MSDTC Resource" /ADDDEP:"Network Name"
cluster clustername res "MSDTC Resource" /ADDDEP:"Disk X:"
A. Network Name is the Network Name resource and Disk X is MSDTC’s physical disk
5. Run the following command in the command prompt to bring online the MSDTC:
cluster clustername res "MSDTC Resource" /ON


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Domains and Forests can also share resources available in active directory. These resources are searched by Global Catalog across domains and forests and this search is transparent to user. For example, if you make a search for all of the printers in a forest, this search goes to global catalog server for its query and then global catalog returns the results. Without a global catalog server this query needs to go to every domain in the forest of its result.
It is important to have a global catalog on at least one domain controller because many applications use port 3268 for searching. For example, if you do not have any global catalog servers in your network, the Search command on the Start menu of Windows 2000/2003 cannot locate objects in Active Directory.
The global catalog is a domain controller that contains attributes for every object in the Active Directory. By default, only the members of the Schema Admins group have rights to change which attributes stored in the global catalog, according to organization's requirements.
The global catalog contains:
• The commonly used attributes need in queries, such as a user's first and last name, and logon name.
• All the information or records which are important to determine the location of any object in the directory.
• A default subset of attributes for each object type.
• All the access related permissions for every object and attribute that is stored in the global catalog. Say, without permission you can't access or view the objects. If you are searching for an object where you do not have the appropriate permissions to view, the object will not appear in the search results. These access permissions ensure that users can find only objects to which they have been assigned access.
A global catalog server is a domain controller that contains full and writable replica of its domain directory, and a partial, read-only replica of all other domain directory partitions in the forest. Let's take an example of a user object; by default user objects have lot of attributes such as first name, last name, address, phone number, and many more. The Global Catalog will store only the main attributes of user objects in search operations like a user's first name and last name, or login name. This partial attributes of that user object which is stored would be enough to allow a search for that object to be able to locate the full replica of the object in active directory. If a search comes to locate objects, then first it goes to local global catalog and reduces network traffic over the WAN.
Domain Controllers always contain the full attribute list for objects belonging to their domain. If the Domain Controller is also a GC, it will also contain a partial replica of objects from all other domains in the forest.
It is always recommended to have a global catalog server for every active directory site in an enterprise network.


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ComboFix is a spyware infection remover. ComboFix was designed and written specifically to target the following types of infections: SurfSideKick, QooLogic, Look2Me or any combination of that group.
This software also has a built-in engine to target Vundo infections, now it may take care of some of these infections, but not all of them.
Now while it can help and cure some other infections, it doesn't do that good of a job, as it does with the group listed above, because it was designed to look for the specific traits that are used by those infections.
The software is constantly being updated to provide the latest protection to its users.
As well as providing good support for removing spyware and infections, ComboFix also has other built in utilities that makes it a nice software to have. ComboFix also has the ability to unhook any .DLL files inside the Windows "System32" folder so that you can personally access them, and help to remove any infections manually that might have taken place with these files.
Also, ComboFix has a built in file deleting engine inside it, so that the user can delete any file, not just infected files. These can be locked or hidden files as well. Using the Command Line, a user can delete up to 8 files at one time.


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Anonymous surfing is browsing web sites privately.
Anonymous surfing encompasses two different forms of privacy:
• Privacy protection from the web site you are browsing.
• Privacy protection from eavesdroppers who may be watching your network connection.
Why Anonymous Surfing?
There are many reasons why someone would want to do anonymous surfing. People surf anonymously to protect themselves from the government, their employers, or nosy family members.
People in Iran use anonymous surfing to prevent being executed in the streets. People in corporate America use anonymous surfing to avoid sharing the details of their personal lives with their employers. Everyone uses anonymous surfing to protect their privacy from nosy web sites and annoying advertisers.
How does anonymous surfing work?
Anonymous web surfing works by putting a proxy server between the user and the web site. The web browser talks to the proxy server, and the proxy server talks to the web site.
The web site does not know who you are, it only knows who the anonymous proxy server is. The anonymous proxy server does know who you are -- so you had better choose an anonymous proxy server that you trust.
There are four technical approaches utilized to enable anonymous surfing through a proxy server:
Anonymous surfing through a web site
With these systems, you browse the web site of the anonymous proxy server and enter in the URL of the web page you actually want to surf.
Anonymous surfing through client applications
With these systems, you download and install a client application which manages the details of anonymous surfing for you.
Anonymous surfing though an anonymous web proxy service
With these services, you configure your browser to point to an anonymous web proxy. These systems are public and are setup and advertised for anonymous proxy usage.
Anonymous surfing though an anonymous server
With these systems, you configure your browser to point to an anonymous web proxy. These systems are published in constantly updated lists on many web sites on the Internet. You normally do not know who is running each of these anonymous proxy servers. You hope it isn't someone who is recording your traffic.
Anonymous surfing is browsing web sites privately.
Anonymous surfing encompasses two different forms of privacy:
• Privacy protection from the web site you are browsing.
• Privacy protection from eavesdroppers who may be watching your network connection.
Why Anonymous Surfing?
There are many reasons why someone would want to do anonymous surfing. People surf anonymously to protect themselves from the government, their employers, or nosy family members.
People in Iran use anonymous surfing to prevent being executed in the streets. People in corporate America use anonymous surfing to avoid sharing the details of their personal lives with their employers. Everyone uses anonymous surfing to protect their privacy from nosy web sites and annoying advertisers.
How does anonymous surfing work?
Anonymous web surfing works by putting a proxy server between the user and the web site. The web browser talks to the proxy server, and the proxy server talks to the web site.
The web site does not know who you are, it only knows who the anonymous proxy server is. The anonymous proxy server does know who you are -- so you had better choose an anonymous proxy server that you trust.
There are four technical approaches utilized to enable anonymous surfing through a proxy server:
Anonymous surfing through a web site
With these systems, you browse the web site of the anonymous proxy server and enter in the URL of the web page you actually want to surf.
Anonymous surfing through client applications
With these systems, you download and install a client application which manages the details of anonymous surfing for you.
Anonymous surfing though an anonymous web proxy service
With these services, you configure your browser to point to an anonymous web proxy. These systems are public and are setup and advertised for anonymous proxy usage.
Anonymous surfing though an anonymous server
With these systems, you configure your browser to point to an anonymous web proxy. These systems are published in constantly updated lists on many web sites on the Internet. You normally do not know who is running each of these anonymous proxy servers. You hope it isn't someone who is recording your traffic.


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Firstly, a FLAC is an abbreviation for “Free Lossless Audio Codec,” which means that the audio is compressed and the size of the file is smaller, but the quality is still the same. On the other hand, an MP3, an abbreviation for MPEG-3, is a lossy audio format that looses a bit of the original audio data. Converting a file from .flac to .mp3 can be an annoying task, but it can be done quite easily in any operating system with the right program.


Converting FLAC to MP3 in Microsoft Windows
Converting any of your audio files from FLAC format to the MP3 format can be done with various free softwares available in the market today. For example, the combination of two free softwares, Winamp and Apple’s iTunes, can be used to convert FLAC files very efficiently.
1. As we first need to decode the .flac files, open Winamp and click on Options and then Preferences (Shortcut: Control + P)
2. At the left window, under Plug-ins, select Output. Then choose Nullsoft Disk Writer and click Configure at the bottom.
3. Then, click the button beside Directory and navigate to a folder where Winamp should output the converted files. Just to make everything all that easier, choose the directory as the same folder as where your .flac files are at.
4. After your directory is chosen, click Ok and Close without changing any other settings and to exit the Preferences.
5. Back at Winamps, make sure that you have the Shuffle and the Repeat feature off (or else you will experience an endless loop of conversions) and click File and Open (this can be done by right clicking on any part of the player and selecting Open).
6. Browse to the folder with your .flac files and select all (Shortcut: Ctrl + A) and click Open.
7. Now, Winamp will look as if it is playing the selected .flac files (if not, click Play) in mute mode, but it actually is not; it is decoding the .flac files into the .wav files. Usually the process takes a couple tens of seconds with a five minute song, although this is purely dependent on your system’s hardware.
8. When Winamp is done, make sure that you put your output settings back to DirectSound output.
9. Now, to encode the .wav files into .mp3 files, you need to first configure iTunes to do it by opening up iTunes and going to Edit and Preferences.
10. Then, click Advanced and in the Importing tab, among the Import Using options, select MP3 Encoder. Now click Ok.
11. Now, add the .wav containing folders by clicking File and Add Folder to Library. Find the appropriate folder and click Ok.
12. When the .wav files are in the iTunes, select them all, right click, and select Convert Select to MP3.
13. When it is finished, iTunes will make a little “beep.” You should remove the .wav files from you playlist to avoid any confusion.
14. You can find your newly converted .mp3 files in the iTunes folder in My Documents, My Music.

Note that there are many free programs in the market today that can convert FLAC files to MP3 files directly, if the above steps are slightly hard.


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These instruction will assist you in converting the C: partition from FAT32 to NTFS. If you wish to convert another partition instead, just use that drive letter instead of C: while following these instructions.
1. First, back up your data. The conversion process almost always works flawlessly, but there is no point in taking the risk.
2. Click the <Start> button.
3. Click <Run>.
4. Enter "cmd" into the text field labeled "Open".
5. Click the <OK> button.
6. Enter the command "vol c:" to find the volume label for the C: partition.
7. Enter the command "convert c: /fs:ntfs" to convert the C: partition from FAT32 to NTFS.
8. When prompted, enter the volume label for the partition.


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Grams to pounds conversion applications consist of a user interface. This is the main area where you can enter data that you want to process. Normally, the user interface consists of text boxes and buttons that have the corresponding labels and instructions. Some grams to pounds software may even have graphics that enhance its visual appearance.

Another component of these conversion programs is the set of codes that performs the actual calculation. These codes are written by the developer of the conversion software. They are usually hidden from the user. This component also contains the needed formula and does the mathematical procedures involved in converting the given number of grams into pounds.

Aside from this, there are so many grams to pounds software available. With the proper knowledge on how this software can be used, you will be able to see the common similarity they possess. Plus, you will understand how easy it is to utilize this software.

Most of the time, this type of software asks you to enter the number of grams you want to convert. There is basically a particular field for this. Then, you will be given the options on whether you would like to determine its equivalent in grams, milligrams, or kilograms. After selecting the desired unit of measurement and clicking on the button normally labeled “calculate”, you will be able to view the converted data shown in the unit you have chosen. All this is done in just a matter of seconds. Thus, your final option would be to perform another conversion or to already exit from the application.


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Conversation Starters

In my many charisma courses that I teach, I am constantly amazed at the high quality of person that shows up to take the classes.  The people are usually attractive, articulate and professional. I’ve had many doctors, lawyers, accountants, sales professionals, entrepreneurs and other professionals in the classes.  The reasons they come are usually to feel more comfortable in something that some of us take for granted: The dreaded SMALL TALK.

I usually ask for a show of hands to find out who LIKES small talk. Two or three hands go up but usually, the people are shrinking away under a table when they are facing the very thought of it.

It always surprises me even still that there are all of these articulate, confident and knowledgeable people out there, who really just don’t know what to say to start a conversation.  The majority of them are extremely comfortable in their job or talking about their work, but when it comes to the getting to know people part, outside of work, they just freeze up.  

There are some really good things to remember about small talk. First of all: it’s necessary.  Second, MANY people don’t like it so it’s worth YOU getting comfortable with it.  And third, it really doesn’t matter WHAT you talk about, it just has to remain SMALL.  I’ll explain later.

The small talk part of the conversation is really just to warm each other up. It’s an opportunity to feel the person’s mood out, their status, or your compatibility.  You get a “feel” for a person and that’s what small talk is mostly about.  You start thinking… “are they all about themselves? Or, do they care about me, the listener”.

I usually get a few different types that come to class:

1. The conversation hog – who eats up all the time chatting about him or herself.
2. The interrogator – Who drills others but never volunteers any information about themselves.
3. The “Let’s pretend I’m not even here” person – who fades into the background and lets everyone ELSE do the talking
4. And, the warm, delightful conversationalist who just doesn’t have the confidence in themselves.

The last item, happens to be the bulk of the people. And it’s something so important to know: That nearly EVERYONE feels uncomfortable even if they LOOK comfortable.
Social situations are nerve wracking for MANY people so the most important thing is that you TAKE CONTROL of the situation and be the one who LOOKS comfortable.

Your job is to make OTHERS comfortable. I like to say, to pretend it’s a party that you’re giving, and you’re the host. So your job is to find out about others and make them glad they came to your party.

Start by asking people questions about the OBVIOUS. What is obvious at that minute?  How about …. “so how do you know our host?”   Or, “have you taken these classes before?”  If you are at a networking event, you could state the obvious, “so you work in Human Resources? How long have you been at your present company?”

It really doesn’t matter what you ask them. But, make sure if you lead in with a comment about the weather or something that you follow up with a question that they can answer.

Remember: WWWHW – Who, What, Where, When, How, and lastly Why? (Asking WHY questions can sound like you might be challenging the person so it’s best to avoid if at all possible.)

Next, an easy formula to remember is FORM: Family, Occupation, Recreation and Message. ( aka; their passion). You can ask about any of these things and people will light up because they are now talking about themselves.. their favorite topic!!!

Lastly, small talk is SMALL. Many people go off on tangents and start talking about something more in depth than they should in a small talk environment. This is the time for BULLET POINTS.. not the whole story. For instance, if someone asks HOW you injured your leg, just give them the brief story, “I hurt it in kickboxing”; rather than a long winded story that will bore everyone to tears!

Conversation starters are really easy if you focus on getting to know the other person. If you focus on engaging them and making THEM feel comfortable, rather than worry about how you are appearing, you’re bound to make a new contact, a new friend, and hopefully, have a good time in the process!

For more information contact: mary@marygardner.com or visit Mary at www.marygardner.com


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Consumers have consistently and rapidly adopted new digital technologies--CDs, MP3s and DVDs, to name a few--because of the improved quality, choice, convenience and interactivity they provide. And this consumer adoption trend shows no sign of slowing.

The latest development is HD Radio&#8482; technology, which offers broadcasters and their listeners radically upgraded audio quality, along with an on-demand interactive experience and compelling, new wireless data services. HD Radio marks the most significant advancement in radio broadcasting since the introduction of FM stereo more than 50 years ago.

Consumers can continue listening to the same local AM/FM stations they love but with the added services and benefits that HD Radio offers, including:

&#8226; AM digital will have FM-like audio quality, allowing for new and innovative programming using music formats. FM digital will have CD-like audio quality.

&#8226; Static-free and crystal-clear reception.

&#8226; Multicasting for more channels of programming that includes currently unavailable genres.

&#8226; Metadata-song, artist and other information (news, weather, traffic ticker info as determined by the broadcaster) displayed on-screen.

&#8226; Wireless data services to include on-demand audio. On-demand audio allows for the streaming of content, providing more information on station programs, news, weather and traffic-all at the touch of a button.

"We're moving very rapidly to improve consumers' radio listening experience," says Peter Ferrara, president and CEO of the HD Digital Radio Alliance. "Listeners will now have even more local choices of new and diverse programming."

Some of the totally new formats to be introduced include Viva La Voce (opera), Classical Alternative, Traditional Jazz & Blues, Coffee House, Female Talk, Future Country, Extreme Hip-Hop and in-depth news. Also of note is the wide variety of new rock formats.

One option for taking advantage of HD Radio is a new entertainment system from Polk Audio. The I-Sonic&#8482; produces big, lifelike sound quality-and is the first to offer HD Radio technology with a DVD player and XM-ready satellite radio technology, making it a total entertainment solution. Its compact dimensions (14.5" x 9.75" x 4.75") allow for use virtually anywhere-home, office or business.

In addition, the I-Sonic was honored as the Best of Innovations audio product at the 2006 Consumer Electronics Show.


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Web conferencing provides a great combination of the advantages of the Internet together with voice conferencing to enable you to carry on online meetings and events like a face to face meeting with the aid of audience response tools , visuals, and other features with ease making your events and meetings productive, more interactive, entertaining and engaging through inexpensive conference calling.
Web conferencing is the term which refers to conducting presentations or meetings over the Internet live. In the initial span of time for the use of Internet, the terms "computer conferencing" and "web conferencing" were generally used to specify to group discussions that were conducted within a message board (through posted messages) i.e. they were not live. But with the advancement of technology, the term has grown to refer particularly to "live" meetings, while the posted message variety of discussion is called a "message board", "forum", or " company bulletin board", since these days live discussions are more effective. One needs to have an internet connection for web conferencing. Web conferencing requires an application software that enables any user to communicate with other conferencing people using internet. This application is provided by a "host" company which charges for using it. The people involved can exchange their ideas, information and data easily and the presenter can get the feedback immediately from all the people concerned simultaneously. This can be either an application that is downloaded on each of the attendees computers or an application that is web-based where the attendees simply have to enter a "URL" or website meeting address to enter and participate in the conference or live meeting . These web applications use either Java or Flash technology for their functioning. For many individuals and businesses entities, conference calls alleviate the unnecessary cost and troubles of travel by providing a platform to contact different people at the sane time. By using this facility a person can be contacted at the best comfort. Audio conference call service systems help organizations improve communications and business processes while significantly reducing conferencing costs Tele conference calls involve telephone solutions only - no internet or web-based technology. Conference call, using standard telephone equipment and speakerphones, was a new way to reach out and connect with distant clients.
Now, companies can save significant travel expenditure by using tele conferencing – get connected  with 5, 10, or 50 co-workers, clients, or customers.
Our expert designed solutions utilize industry standards to ensure compatibility of existing networking infrastructure. It reduces overall business travel expenses and eliminates potential risk factors to employees..
Instead of the deployment of the complete or process redevelopment or network face-lifts , a network add-on is often simpler and more effective. Conference call rates are less and even allows timely, productive and effective communications between employees , businesses, investors, suppliers, and customers on a 24 by 7 basis without any hassles or disruptions.


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The Internet has brought all of us a variety of great benefits. It has become a new form of media that rivals television. Advertising on the Internet is now a must for business owners who want to run successful advertising campaigns.

The opportunities for doing business with people all over the world in ways no one thought was possible is one of the greatest benefits. It brings people closer together. The Internet allows us to connect to people in other countries as if they were our next door neighbors.

In this article, I am going to help you explore the many ways in which we are able to connect to other people on the web and how that interconnectivity can be used to help your business save time and money.

Early communication on the web was mostly by email. People sent emails back and forth with people around the world. Then along came the chatrooms where people could chat in real-time. The instant messengers also came along to offer real-time chat and millions of people began chatting to each other daily across the world.

However, instant messengers, chatrooms, and email are not exactly the communications solutions business owners needed. Conference calling over the Internet provides that solution like nothing else can.

Conference calling is a very broad term though. It is used to describe a variety of services that all qualify as conference calling, but not all are equal. There are a lot of different options and choices to make when choosing conference calling for your business.

This can save your company a fortune in travel and accommodations for meetings that can be held online instead of the more expensive method of traveling to destinations and holding meetings in person. Also time is a huge factor. Your need for a meeting may be urgent. You may have no time to make travel arrangements to hold that meeting. Conference call meetings can be set up on the fly.

There are monthly services that range from connecting a few people several times per month for as low as $30 per month, to medium range services that connect more people for $80 to $100 per month, to services that connect a lot of people for regular meetings for $150 per month and above.

It all depends on your needs. The best conference call services offer a variety of plans to help you choose the one that is right for your business. Some have live operators to facilitate calls. Some guarantee your sound quality, some don’t.

Some conference calling plans include the ability to schedule regular meetings each week or each month, where it automatically calls all of the participants at the right time to join them into the meeting.

Many companies hold daily staff meetings by conference call. If your business has many locations across the country or worldwide, then you need to consider how much time and money conference calling can save your company.

Do not just consider price as the deciding factor for choosing a conference calling service. Remember how much conference calling is saving you and your company. I am not saying you must get the most expensive service out there, but you need to consider all of the options the different services have to offer.

For instance, a live operator to connect the calls can save you a lot of time and hassle. If there are problems connecting or with the audio or video feed, there is someone that can fix the problem without you having to cancel an important meeting.

Audio and video quality are huge items to consider. The better your audio and/or video feed will be the difference between a successful meeting or a miserable one.

The ability to set up a conference call meeting on the fly is another important option to consider. It is very convenient to be able to call a meeting wheneve3r you think one is needed VS using a conference calling service that only allows you a set schedule you give them each month.

The bottom line is this; Decide what your needs are. Decide which meetings can be held online VS being there in person. Once you establish your needs, then shop around and look at the various options that are available from conference call providers, before you make your decision.


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These days it seems business is becoming more and more complex and globalized. We are doing business with people everywhere in the US and in many instances, people in other countries. Due to the wide use of the Internet, the words “foreign country” doesn’t even seem to apply anymore.

The Internet has brought us all closer together in one aspect, but how does that affect investor relations, sales pitches, meetings, and group sessions? A lot of people now work closer with their computers than they do with co-workers and because of the Internet, many companies have people working for them from different parts of the world who have never even met each other.

Never before has conference calling been a more popular solution to the communication needs of companies and individuals all over the world. Conference calls are becoming increasingly popular as a method of bringing people together for meetings and discussions.

In this article, I will do my best to explain the advantages of conference calling for your business communication needs. Whether you are talking about meetings with investors, conference calls with your employees, making your sales presentation to groups, or simply needing several people in on the same discussion, conference calling is the most useful tool there is.

Chat rooms and message boards just don’t cut it. Message boards are impersonal, not real-time, and tend to get filled with useless information that isn’t directly related to your topic. Chat rooms are just that, chatty. You type in messages in real-time so it is better than a message board, but it again lacks the personal touches and insights conference calling provides.

Voice inflection, as many of you know is a great way to tell how someone feels about what you are saying. Simple typed messages do not give you that same advantage. When we hear our counterparts speak, we can tell how enthusiastic, positive, negative, or apathetic they are about what you say.

Conference calling is relational, while message boards and chat rooms are merely informational. That is the great difference in those options. You don’t make sales through information alone. You make sales by creating relationships.

You don’t encourage or motivate your employees or partners through information alone, you do it by creating relationships. You don’t instill confidence to your investors through providing just information, you do it by letting them hear how enthusiastic and positive you are about your proposal.

Only conference calling can provide the relationship solution when working with people who are too far away to physically attend meetings.

A simple search on your favorite search engine or just following the links in the footer of this article can provide you with many options for your specific conference calling needs.

What are some of the things that separate good conference calling services and bad ones? That is the question I get asked the most when discussing this topic. Here are some of the features you should look for;

High sound quality; The last thing you want to do is try to hold an important meeting through static, interrupted service, and low quality sound. The sound quality of your conference calls is far more important than the price or other features. If they cannot hear you speak clearly and you cannot hear them clearly, what is the use of a conference call at all?

Operators: While an operator assisted call is not necessary, having someone from your conference call service provider greeting each person as they are connected is a valuable service. They can tell the participants what to expect better than your own staff can, since they are familiar with the conference call software and service. In addition to that, the operator can and should monitor the entire call to make sure the sound quality maintains a high level of clarity. They will know what to do to fix it if a problem arises.

Recordings and Copies: If your conference call provider has the ability to record and provide playback of your conference call sessions, then you will want to take advantage of that feature. Some conference call providers can even provide it to you on CD afterwards. This is enormously helpful for you to be able to review your conference call sessions later. It may also serve as a record of agreements made during the conference call session.

Price: Last, but certainly not least, you have to consider price. You may be able to choose a conference call provider that gives you all of the features I mentioned above and more, or you may be on a tight budget and have to settle for less service. Whichever conference call service you use, do not sacrifice sound quality for price. That is the one feature you cannot afford to do without, no matter what the cost.

I hope this article on conference calling has been helpful to you. It was my goal to share with you what features I consider the most helpful to me in my business meetings.


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So most prepaid calling cards are cheap prepaid calling cards.  I mean when you think about it, the calling cards really are significantly cheaper than the cost of calling from a landline.  My parents pay around 20 cents a minute to call me and I have found calling cards from the United States to Venezuela for a low at 3 cents a minute.  I found most of these online.  Of course this is not surprising since you are able to find most things you need these days online.

So anyway; if you go online and search under calling cards or cheap prepaid calling cards, or anything remotely resembling these terms you will find a large list of companies devoted to finding you the cheapest prepaid calling cards possible.  Many of these sites will let you order the cards online and will even let you refill the card you have, on the same website; saving you the aggravation and charge of buying another card.

So maybe I am just lazy.  This seems like an amazingly simple thing to do yet my parents, my best friend, and I still communicate using traditional landlines.  I am sure my best friend’s husband has to have pitched a fit over her phone bills.  Still no one looks for any other option.  Maybe we are all just lazy, but I feel like there are definitely better options out there.

For some reason my parents have not investigated this service. It would seem as though it is a good resource.  However my parents and most of my friends in the United States still all using conventional landline.  Why is this?  I mean they are all smart people, they have to know that there is a cheaper way to call me; but yet the all use their landlines.

For some reason I think they may see cheap prepaid calling cards as being unreliable.  Where I live, anything that is cheap and gets you around conventional channels is suspect.  Maybe this is the problem, though I don’t think it is a true observation.


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The old concept that cellular phones are merely luxurious toys is now dismissed by the growing need for it. Cellular phones now became a very essential tool for everyone including parents who want to know where their kids are on a real time basis. Business executives do business more effectively with a multi-functional cellular phone. Eve teenagers need cellular phones. Gone are the days when cellular phones are toys to show off, now cellular phones evolve to be a necessity. Thus, cellular phones of various models and designs now flood the market. There are those cellular phones that can perform many different functions but there are also those basic telephones that come in cheap.

Because of this great need and want for cellular phones, manufacturers flood the market from cheap cellular phones to high-tech cellular phones.  If you are one of those who are lucky and that you can afford high-tech cellular phones, then that is good for you, however, if you want or need a cellular phone but cannot afford high-tech cellular phones, then you may acquire a cheap cellular phone. Knowing what you need and how you need it may help you find a cellular phone with reasonable and useful features. If you are to buy a cheap cellular phone, you should never expect it to perform tasks a high tech cellular phone can give. Merely being able to send and receive calls may be enough for you to expect from your cheap cellular phone. Because you cannot afford the high definition performance of high tech cellular phone, having reasonable expectation may help you avoid throwing your cellular phone out of your window.

Cellular phones, especially cheap cellular phones, may only give you basic communication capabilities. Having to send and receive call which is the basic function of a cellular phone may be the only functions if can offer. Thus, you need to check the reception of your cheap cellular phone, since this is the only thing it is good for, it has to perform well enough for this basic function. Sending and receiving text messages may be available for cheap cellular phone however, only on a limited basis. If your can find a cheap cellular phone that has text messaging capacity, it will be better for you.

Sending and receiving internet communication may not be available for cheap cellular phone; you do not need it as much anyway. However, if you do need to be able to send and receive message in your cellular phone from internet sites, cheap cellular phone is not going to be any good.

Cheap cellular phones notwithstanding, if you can afford cellular phone plan that provide free cellular phones, you may choose a cellular phone plan that will provide free cellular phone with reasonable and advanced features. Not the high-tech cellular phone but definitely not very limited features like what you will find in cheap cellular phones. Various network companies offer this wonderful promotion and thus you may take advantage of owning a good quality cellular phone. If you can find a neat deal from a cellular phone plan, you may not need to content yourself with cheap cellular phones.

Even a simple as buying a cellular phone, one needs to do a bit of research in order to get enough and reasonable benefit even from a meager budget, thus you may not need to settle for a cheap cellular phone.


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A famous person once said that the more available you make yourself; the more available everyone will expect you to be. People will actually be annoyed if you are not instantly and constantly available rather than being pleased when you do call. People expecting you to be available all the time may be annoying.  Cell phone calls follow you everywhere you are including your bathroom.  Even during nighttime when you want to rest, cell phones continue to ring and annoy you.  If it is important, no problem but if it is very menial, why you need to be bothered so late.

Today in this modern society, we live in and the proliferation of cell phones we see people talking anywhere and everywhere.  If used for business, this may prove to be very effective and worthy.  However, for very menial issues being bothered in your sleep and even during your bathroom time may be quite annoying if not outright disgusting.  However, if you make yourself available all the time, you created your own nightmare.

Cell phone etiquette is getting to be a forgotten concept.  You will see people talking on the phone loudly and disturbs people nearby in restaurants and even in offices.  I am sure by now, once or twice in a meeting you will notice that when a cell phone rings, almost everyone around will immediately look for their cell phones.  If you were the one talking, and then the person in front of you talks on his phone, how would you feel?  I am sure you will feel belittled and ignored.  Rude practice, and should be changed.

It may help people who use cell phones to follow certain degree of etiquette with respect to the use of cell phones specially in places where you may seem rude if you use or even when your cell phone rings.

When you are in a place of worship, it may be necessary to leave your cell phone in the house or at least turn it off if you do not want to be away with it.  This is because ringing cell phone will not just disturb you while you pray it will also disturb others.  You do not need to show off your expensive gadget in a place of worship.

During meetings, please turn off your cell phone; it is rude to have your phone ringing while somebody speaks.  Disruption may cause problems especially when the meeting tackles extremely important issues.  However, if you are waiting for terribly important call, you may use the vibrate mode of your cell phone to alert you when a call is in-coming and leave the meeting if you need to answer the call.  You may also inform the possible caller that you are in a meeting and that you cannot be disturbed.

When traveling and if you are on-board an aircraft, you will be required to turn off your phone.  This is because electronics devices may interfere with the aircraft's avionics.  Thus, it is a requirement to turn of your phone for safety reasons.  However, for extremely long flights, airline companies allow cell phone usage at a certain time, if you really need to make a phone call, use this time allotted if necessary.

Cell phone have become to be a necessity nowadays, that is why most people use it and cell phone manufacturers have continuously develop different usage and functions for this very small gadget. Be globally competitive, but you should understand that being rude is not part of modernity.  Follow certain degree of etiquette; this will be very helpful to you and your business.


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The term cell phone is becoming nondescriptive of today's portable devices. The units available lately do more than just make and receive phone calls. With the ever decreasing price of electronics, things such as cameras, GPS, calendars, and contact managers have become available even on the cheapest of models. There is such a fine line between the function of a cell phone and a Personal Digital Assistant, that maybe the term "cell phone" will fall by the wayside!

How to choose a cell phone? First of all, any communication outside the device will have to be paid for. Cell phone plans are a whole different topic. But, it is partlly related because some of the functions of these cell phones or PDAs require communication with the internet or other online service. Primarily, you want a device to talk on. A good place to start shopping is the many forums that are related to differeent models. Enter terms like "cell phone review" or "cell phone forum". Many times there are subforums related exclusively to a certain brand or model. If you browse through these forums, you will find many dislikes and likes of many different models. Although consider this- many people post their negative experiences far more than their postive ones in forums. So, keep that in mind that there are no perfect electronic devices. Notice features discussed such as holdability (is the device TOO small or big), sound clarity, reception, how easy to use the menus system of the cell phone. These are key factors. Your device might open your garage door for you. But if you despise using it all day becasue it is uncomfortable to hold or has bad reception, then do not go for it.

Once you have a list of a few models, consider the other functions of the cell phones and what you really need. DO you NEED a camera? Many are just toys. Some models today actually have 1.3 megapixel cameras in them- just like the first digital cameras. How about ringtone quality? Is that important? Some are just "FM synthesized" and give you your typical blleps and bloops arranged into a song. Other have full polyphonic instrumentsplaying the tones. Others play a section of a real song. Do you drive a lot? Some phones have what is called Bluetooth. This is a wireless protocall for connecting to other dvices that are close by. It is excellent for using in your car that has a Bluetooth receiver in it- you can have a handsfree setup with no wwires! Some cars are coming with this function already, but there are kits to add it to any car. Most exciting is the ability to accept memory cards and store MP3s and even movies! The screens are small, but with amazing quailty! Notice, these are just options that enhance the user experience- but sound quailty of the voice and reception far outweigh these options.

Do you have data needs? Some devices have either a Palm Pilot or Windows CE computer in them. These are great if you use these types of devices and want to carry one device. Maybe you are carrying a laptop soley for using somelike like the ACT! Contact manager. Well there is a Palm version of that so you can take all you ACT! data with you, without ther laptop. Maybe you need to be up to date on the latest news? These devices typically also have a small web browser in them, so you can connect to the internet. Granted, you cant get the same webcontent a real computer could due to the screen size, but you can still get the information you need, send an email, receive email, etc. The downside is the size and the cost. They typically are twice the size of a nice compact phone, and sell in the $350+ area. Also, keep in mind that these data services cost extra money. So, if you need these functins, you might start your quest by lookin for cell phone companies that have better priced, or unlimited online service along with your cell minutes. Then you might have to chose a phone from that company's linup.

If you spend the time thinking about what you need and attack the project the right way, you will end up with something you will wonder how you ever lived without. Today's cell phones and PDAs have become integrated heavily into or society. Enjoy your cell phone and use it responsibly! Some states have laws that you cannot hold a cell phone in your hand while driving, so you might want to consider the Bluetooth option or a car kit. Remember, turn your ringer down in the movies or other quiet public place!


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So I don’t know if I was the only person who didn’t know this, but it is more expensive to call a cell phone internationally than it is to call a landline.  This applies even if you are calling from a landline and not from a cell phone.  I found this out from a friend of mine, and suddenly felt very bad about the fact hat I only had a cell phone number in Venezuela for my friends and family to call.  Now of course it is more expensive to call internationally from a cell phone but I expected that, however I did not realize it was more expensive to call to a cell phone.

Well the not having a landline thing I can’t do much about, but the price of calling me I can assist with.  There are apparently now calling cards that are made specifically for cell phones.  My mom sometimes needs to call me during the day when she is not home.  This of course results in a long string of text messages as it is exorbitantly expensive to call internationally from your cell phone.  However I have found cell phone calling cards.  These are of course more expensive than landline calling cards but still cheaper than calling from a cell phone.

I of course found this information on the internet, like I find all the information I want.  This service is just like a calling card in the fact that it is prepaid.  However it adds on to your normal cell phone service in that you do not have to actually have the card on hand each time you want to make a call,  You simply have to call the access number and it recognizes your cell phone calling card.  From there you can call anywhere in the world at up to a 75% savings form your normal fee.  Oh the wonders of the things you can find on the internet.


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In the technological world we live in today we are all interconnected through millions of cables whether they can be seen or not. What we will be looking into today is the intercal design and purpose of two special cables called Category 5 cable and category 6 cable. Category 5 cable, commonly known as Cat 5, is a twisted pair cable type designed for high signal integrity. Many such cables are unshielded but some are shielded. Category 5 has been superseded by the Category 5e specification. This type of cable is often used in structured cabling for computer networks such as Ethernet, and is also used to carry many other signals such as basic voice services, token ring, and ATM (at up to 155 Mbit/s, over short distances).
Organizations such as the Telecommunication Industry Association (TIA) and Electronic Industries Association (EIA) set specific product standards, and these guidelines have resulted in cables being classified into various categories based on their performance levels. Just in case you’re not too familiar with cabling terminology here are a few straightforward definitions and statistics on these three common grades of network cable:

Cat 5: Out of the three types of cable we’ll be discussing, Category 5 is the most basic. Cat 5 cable is available in two varieties: Unshielded Twisted Pair (UTP), the type widely used in the United States, and Screened Twisted Pair (SCTP), which has shielding to provide a measure of extra protection against interference, but is rarely used outside of Europe. Cables belonging to Category 5 are either solid or stranded: Solid Cat 5 is more rigid, and the better choice if data needs to be transmitted over a long distance, while Stranded Cat 5 is very flexible and most likely to be used as patch cable. Cat 5 cable can support 10 or 100 Mbps Ethernet, and has a capability of up to 100MHz., to help you better choose the right one to fit your needs.

Cat 5e: Cat 5e (which stands for Category 5, enhanced) cable goes along the same lines as basic Cat 5, except that it fulfills higher standards of data transmission. While Cat 5 is common in existing cabling systems, Category 5e has almost entirely replaced it in new installations. Cat 5e can handle data transfer at 1000 Mbps, is suitable for Gigabit Ethernet, and experiences much lower levels of near-end crosstalk (NEXT) than Cat 5.
Both CAT-5 and CAT-5e have 100 ohm impedance and electrical characteristics supporting transmissions up to 100 MHz. The differences between CAT-5 and CAT-5e show in all aspects of performance: capacitance, frequency, resistance, attenuation, and NEXT. CAT-5e components were designed with high-speed gigabit Ethernet in mind. While CAT-5 components may function to some degree in a gigabit Ethernet, they perform below standard during high-data transfer scenarios. CAT-5e cables work with ATM and gigabit speed products. Simply, if you are using a 100Mbps switch, get CAT-5e cable instead of CAT-5.

Common Questions:

Is CAT-5e backwards compatible?
Yes it works with any 10BaseT or 100BaseT network cards and hubs.
CAT-5 is also upwardly compatible with CAT-5e, however your network throughput will only be as fast as the slowest part.

Can I run CAT-5e Ethernet cable outside?
CAT-5e cable is not rated for outdoor use; however it can generally be used without a problem. If possible, run the cable through some kind of conduit to prevent moisture or an attractive site for lightning to strike. You should be able to find gray PVC conduit suitable for cable at any hardware store. Remember, 100 Meters is your max distance, without some kind of hub, bridge or amplification.

What is the operating temp for CAT-5e cable?
Operating Temp for CAT-5e cable: -10C to 60C


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Calling cards are those cards you get handed to you on the street sometimes, or see advertised in corner shops. They’re a cheap way to call internationally – much cheaper than a normal landline phone – and they’re getting more and more popular as more people choose to live and work in foreign countries and make friends internationally.

So how do calling cards work? There are two main kinds of cards: free and paid-for. Free cards have a premium rate phone number on that you then call and enter your card number and PIN number. The premium rate phone call pays for a certain number of minutes for you to the country of your choice. Paid-for cards work similarly with the card number and the PIN, except that you buy them in a shop instead of paying with a premium rate call.

The reason your calls can be so much cheaper than usual when you use a calling card is that they are no longer being routed through the normal phone network. Instead, calling card companies are free to construct their own international telephone networks, often using advances in technology to their advantage.

Most modern calling cards actually route calls over the Internet, which means that an international call in fact becomes only a local call at each end, with the Internet acting as a ‘bridge’ between the two phone networks. This means that the calling card companies can make a lot of money for very little work, while also providing a much cheaper service than usual to the customer.

If you want to cut out the middleman, though, you might consider using a voice-over-IP service on your computer, such as Skype. This allows you to make calls for free over the Internet, and at local rate to landline phones all over the world. While you have to have a computer and Internet access and use a headset instead of a phone, the calls are a lot cheaper than even the cheapest calling card.


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Calling cards can be an excellent way to save money, both at home and abroad. Calling cards can offer you the lowest prices in domestic and international long distance service, no matter where you call from.

This means that the next time you're traveling, you won't have to pay the hotel their ridiculous long distance charges. Some hotels charge as much as $8 per minute! With a calling card, you can get rates for less than a penny a minute - now that's dome savings!

But if you want to save as much money as possible, you need to know several things about choosing the correct calling card for your uses. The cheapest is not always the best. Here are several factors to consider:

1 – is there a connection fee?
Some calling cards charge you a fee for each call you make, usually in exchange for lower rates. If you make short calls, this setup could be expensive for you.

2 – is there an expiration date?
Some calling cards have an expiration date – if you don't use the minutes on the card within a certain number of days or weeks, they become invalid. Of course, this would not matter to you if you make lots of calls on a regular basis, and would use up the card before it expired.

3 – how do the international rates work?
If you will be calling to more than one country, look carefully at how the international rates work. Some cards may give you very low rates to one country, but high rates to other countries. Some domestic calling cards do not allow international calling at all, or charge very high rates. Every card is different – just check before you buy.

All in all, if you get the right calling card for your uses, you can save a great deal of money over time. Just use these tips to ensure that you get the right calling card for you.


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Okay so there are numerous ways to find calling cards these days.  The most conventional and probably easiest way to find then is to go to your local grocery or drug store and simply ask for one.  A lot of gas stations also carry them; they are not hard to find.  However if you are really worried about getting the best rate and finding the right card, I have good news.  There now appear to be actual calling card distributors available on the internet.

Of course I found these calling card distributors in the internet.  Isn’t that how you find everything nowadays; on the internet?  Well so most of the pages I found act kind of as a search engines for the calling cards they stock; it is kind of like an eBay for calling cards.   You can type in the country you are calling from and the country you are calling to and they will give you a huge list of all the possible calling cards out there and their rates-.  The one search I did turned up with 20 results.  Now some of these cards I am sure are hard to find in your grocery stores of drug stores; and most stores only sell one or two kinds of cards.  However; you can actually order these cards online.  These sites act like online calling card distributors for people who need them.

I can’t say why I am surprised at this service.  You can find most things on the internet now.  It just seems like such a small industry and not one that people would develop entire internet sites and businesses around.  However I guess you can now make a business out of anything if you want to, and now should you really need an international calling card, and are really worried about the rates; well here is your solution.


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Callcentric internet phone service is perhaps the only company that allows you to make calls all over the world at a rate which would be considered cheap by any standards. To keep in touch with our near and dear ones, we usually spend a lot of money through international phone calls and other communications services. But thanks to Callcentric, international calling has been made surprisingly easy and affordable. It offers a bundle of plans which includes free phone calls, free PC calls, unlimited phone calls for a nominal charge, other related services, and many, many more.

Callcentric has four types of outgoing plans – Callcentric IP Freedom, Callcentric Pay Per Call, Callcentric North America Unlimited, and Callcentric World Select. All these plans are unique in nature and offer a lot of value added services which make them the best in their genre. If free PC to phone international call and low rate PC to phone call are what you are looking for, then you have come to the right place.

Callcentric IP Freedom Plan is free for life. Yes; it’s as simple as that. You can make free calls to other Callcentric members forever. There are absolutely no hidden charges, no credit card required, no wire transfer required, and no other strings attached whatsoever. As a Callcentric member, you can make free calls to other Callcentric members, wherever in the world they are. All you have to do is to purchase a telephone adapter or to download software to your computer and connect to the internet.
Callcentric Pay per Call is meant for people who make lots of calls in a day and don’t make even a single call the next day. If you are not sure of the frequency of calls, you can go for this plan which offers incredibly low rates for PC to phone calls at per call basis without any monthly charge. You can add your credit card and deposit a small amount - the amount could be as small as $5 - and start using this plan. You can call any number across the globe at incredibly low rates and without any monthly charge whatsoever. And moreover, you can still use the facility of PC calling and call any Callcentric members all over the world for free. There is absolutely no charge for that.

Callcentric North America Unlimited is meant for people who make a lot of calls to the USA and Canada regularly. You can talk any number of times in a month and still pay only $19.95. It is that cheap. For a rate as low as $19.95 per month, North America Unlimited allows you to make any number of calls to the USA and Canada without any hidden charges. And more, you can still make unlimited free calls to other Callcentric members all over the world. You can get all this and more for just $19.95 per month.

People looking for low rate PC phone calls need not look any further. With Callcentric World Select plan, you can call almost anyone from many countries any number of times at a low  rate of $29.95 per month. With over 35 countries covered in the wide network of Callcentric, you can reach almost anyone across the globe. Do you remember the times you used to burn your pocket every month for those big international calls you made? Well, it’s history now.


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In the world of internet phone service, Callcentric and Skype could be very well considered the toughest competitors. Both have a relatively big customer base and an equally big reputation in the industry. Both offer lots of value added services to their customers and are considered very cheap when compared to traditional international phone calls. Despite these similarities, there are a few things that can be compared between Callcentric and Skype to highlight certain features that separate one from the other.

Callcentric offers four plans that could be considered the cheapest in the market. They are Callcentric IP Freedom Plan, Callcentric Pay per Call, Callcentric North America Unlimited, and Callcentric World Select. All of them offer unlimited PC to PC calls to other Callcentric members for free, wherever in the world they are. IP Freedom Plan is considered the cheapest of them all, as it provides free calls to other members, wherever they are. At no monthly charge, no surcharge, no hidden fees, no per-call rate, and no other commitment, this is considered the best bargain. All you need is an adapter or software and you are good to go with the Callcentric IP Freedom plan.

Skype also has a similar structure, as calls made to any Skype customer are free all over the world. In fact, Skype became extremely popular due to this feature, as free PC to PC calls were something really rare at the time when Skype brought in this feature. So, basically this plan works the same way for Skype and Callcentric. Free PC to phone international call and phone calls from the PC are something everyone looks forward to while using Skype and Callcentric, and this is the area where Callcentric scores over Skype.

Callcentric has plans such as Pay per Call, North America Unlimited, and World Select which offer tremendous value for the money you pay. At a miserly monthly rate around $19.95 per month, you will be able to make unlimited phone calls to the USA and Canada. With this plan, you will be able to make hundreds of calls in a month and still pay an incredibly low $19.95.

In the World Select plan, Callcentric goes a step ahead of its competitors and offer unlimited calls to people all over the world for a monthly rate of $29.95. Thanks to the wide network of Callcentric with over 35 countries across the globe, you can call any of your near and dear ones any number of times for just around $30 a month.

Skype has an offer called Skype Credit which asks you to pay some amount and you also need to pay a connection fee. Once you log in, the credit you have will appear next to your name. Then you can start calling any part of the world. But the catch here is the rate per call. The rates range around 1.7 Euro cents per minute, which is considered costlier than Callcentric, as you can make unlimited calls to any part of the world in case of Callcentric for just under $30 per month. This is where Callcentric scores over Skype and is considered the better option when it comes to PC to phone calling.


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Most Filipinos would love to hear from their relatives or friends from the US. Who won't? There's just so much to tell and burning the lines would be one helluvah understatement if you are to make an international call to the Philippines. This is because the Philippines is one of the most eventful places in the world right now. See the news to prove this.

Placing an international call could be a very wallet-pinching endeavor. But this should not always be the case. There are numerous ways to make a long distance call, especially if the destination of your call is the Pearl of the Orient, the Philippines.

Here is a rundown of suggestions on how to make that international call to the Philippines without shelling out much of your hard-earned dollars.

1. Be careful when buying call cards.

Several prepaid phone cards have hidden charges. There could be a connection fee that could be almost tantamount to getting ripped off especially when the card buyer makes a call and either the call is routed to a voice mailbox or to an answering machine. Connection fee deduction is automatically done even when the caller did not say anything yet.

Other phone card hidden charges include service fee, maintenance fee, access number and long talking fee. The expiration date should also be checked.

2. Know what type of phone will receive your call.

It won't be advisable to make a long distance call to any mobile device. This is because most of overseas carriers implement the "calling party pays" system. The tariff rate of an international wireless phone could be a lot higher compared to a call made to a land-line in the same country.

3. Say no to a telephone operator.

When you choose to be assisted by a telephone operator when placing an international call, you choose to pay considerably more. Whenever possible opt to use a dial-around service or dial direct.

4. Sign up to a prepaid long distance plan.

Various carriers offer this kind of service to those who frequently place long distance calls. Opt for those with flexible programs. These plans work like phone cards but do not have fees and charges associated with prepaid phone cards. They usually have very low domestic and international rates 24/7 and call quality is usually excellent. One more thing about these prepaid plans is the convenience of being able to use them when placing calls from any telephones be it cell phones or public phones.

5. Calling during non-business days or off-peak time will help you save.

Make the most out of these privileges by checking on what your carrier offers. Just make sure that it won't be too much of an inconvenience to the recipient of your call.

6. Bad connections should be noted.

Bad connections happen and the Philippines is not an exception to this nuisance. When this happens, take note of the time and the number you called. Prepaid calling cards rarely gives you credit for bad connections. But if you made an international call using a standard long distance carrier, or prepaid long distance plans, better check if you could be given credit for that call. They always do.

It would help if you print this info to be always reminded of the Do's and Don't's when it comes to making an international call.

With these simple tips, you don't have to worry when your phone bill arrives.

Finally, here's the step-by-step process in calling the Philippines.

a. Dial 011, which is the international code

b. Then, key in the Philippines' country code, which is 63.

c. Now, dial the city area code where your your wife and kids are.

Here are the major cities in the Philippines with their respective city area codes:

Angeles Luzon - 455

Bacolod - 34

Baguio - 74

Cebu - 32

Clarkfield, Pampanga - 45

Dagupan, Pangasinan - 75

Davao - 82

Iloilo - 33

Laguna Province - 49562

Lucena, Luzon - 42

Makati, Luzon - 2

Manila - 2

Ozamiz City - 88

San Fernando, Pampanga - 45

San Fernando, La Union - 72

San Pablo - 49

Subic, Zambales - 47

Tarlac - 452

Tarlac Province - 45

Zamboanga - 62

d. Finally, dial the remaining digits.

Also, don't forget to greet your Filipino friend using her native lingo. "Kumusta", pronounced as "cooh-moose-TAH" surely will never fail to make her smile.


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Feel drawn to Germany’s sylvan valleys and pristine alpine peaks? Does Beethoven’s music beckon you? Do you swoon over by Germany’s grandiose architecture and enchanting art and culture? Or do you just yearn for a taste of the country that brews the best beer in the world.

Now, connecting with Germany, and making calls to friends and family is quick and extremely cheap. Amongst a population of an estimated 81,338,000 people, German is the standard language of communication and has several slight variations in regional dialects. With education being compulsory till the age of 18, Germany has an astounding literacy rate of 99%.

Simple Steps to Call Germany:

* Dial the international access code – 011.

* Dial Germany’s country code – 49.

* The ‘0’ at the start of the city code does not need to be dialed.

* Dial the remaining digits.

Guten Tag (pronounced goo ten tahk) is the phrase normally used for greeting for ‘hello’ or ‘good day’ in general German parlance. However, when you call Germany, it is the norm for Germans to answer the phone with their last names first.

Over the years, rates to Germany has declined steadily. Offers between 2 cents per minute to 4 cents per minute to call Germany are now very common among long distance providers and phone card companies. What is the catch? Again, have you heard of connection fees, monthly charges and maintenance fees? These can add up big time and can easily double the rates as promised by these phone companies. And one more thing, while Germany’s phone system is one of the most advanced in the world, be aware that there are cheap long distance carriers that can actually make the connections frustrating to consumers.

No matter your reason for calling, personal, business, or leisure call to Germany. Find a long distance telecom service provider that offers a flexible prepaid calling plan that is hassle-free and requires no switching over phone companies, cumbersome PIN dialing or paying unnecessary, hidden costs generally associated with most phone cards. With these in mind, you should be able to call Germany – and don’t bother about how you call, when you call or how much you talk

Situated in the centre of Europe, at the border of the Baltic Sea and the North Sea, Germany may seem quite a distance away, but a cheaper and reliable long distance calls should bridge the gap in a matter of seconds.


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The call center business has become one of the fastest booming industries today. In the era of customer-oriented services, the provision for accessible support is now a priority. With many companies trying to cope up with their customers’ needs and demands, the concept of the call center was born.

A call center normally operates with all its agents (or customer service representatives) in one central location. It is equipped to handle a large amount of transactions between customers and the call center agents. Transactions may be carried out through a variety of media. The telephone is the foremost form of communication in call centers today. However, transactions are also carried out via email and the live chat through the Internet.

Call centers offer a wide range of services. The first thought that comes to mind for many is support - product information, technical support, and all sorts of after sales services. However, call centers can offer more than that. They also deal with marketing and sales. Telemarketing is an aggressive form of selling your product and can yield very good results. Call centers cater to businesses which aim to increase their sales as well as provide customer services. One example would be credit card companies.

While aiming to provide information and assistance to customers, they can also increase their revenue through sales spiels given by their agents. Another service that can be dealt with by a call center is debt collection. Credit bureaus also make use of call centers to provide information on a person’s credit rating. In effect, basically anything that has to do with your customers can be done through call centers.

What is the typical set up in a call center? The term call center brings up images of wide open work spaces, with small workstations containing a computer, headset, and telephone dialer. The practice is increasingly turning to the linking of data and voice in one pathway. This integration makes for more efficient work practices and is called Computer Telephony Integration (CTI). Individual agents are normally managed by a floor supervisor who also takes calls when the need arises.

Setting up a call center requires certain technology to be applied. There is a wide range of available technologies for call centers today. More often than not, different types of technologies are combined in order to achieve the most effective and efficient set up. The Computer Telephony Integration has already been mentioned is one of the trends in the business today. In fact, CTI is used to combine most applications used in call centers - voice, email, fax, and web. CTI provides many functions such as caller ID, on screen dialing, on screen phone controls (conference calls, hang up, hold, etc.), and agent status control (whether agent is available for calls or not).

With all these advances in technology and developments in consumer-oriented practices, the call center has emerged as an ideal solution for many companies. The call center provides standardized service to customers and helps cut the cost. In addition to that, the separate entity of the call center subtracts from the actual operational considerations of the company.


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