What Say You?

Will This Be The Last Movie Of The Harry Potter Series?

2009-07-11T10:51:00.005+08:00

Warner Brothers Harry Potter film is set to open July 15th, 2009. Like the previous film, this film will be simultaneously released in regular theatres and IMAX 3D. They are showing some great behind the scenes footage and new scenes from the new film Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. The video highlights both the dark and comedic moments of the film. Movies like this one are correcting the balance. It offers the best of both worlds.

David Yates is returning for the sixth film Half-Blood Prince, and I am sure that moviegoers will welcome him with open arms. I'm guessing somebody else noticed the improvements. David Yates is the director for which this amazing series has been searching. While Columbus's first two were cute sometimes too cute and imaginative, Cuaron's story driven focus on the third was very well-done, and Newell's streamlined fourth was well acted with poor effects, Yates's vision of the fifth novel was exactly as I imagined everything in my head. David Yates is the fourth director to take on the task of bringing Harry Potter's adventures to the screen. Yates has relatively little feature film directorial experience particularly compared to his predecessors but he still manages to put in a solid effort.

Director David Yates is a seasoned hand at TV realism, his credits include Sex Traffic and The Way We Live Now. Director David Yates has a great way of telling the story. Director David Yates is presently working on the Half-Blood Prince movie but many expected he would step aside for someone else to handle the film version of the seventh and final installment.

Movie fans expect Harry Potter will magically rule box offices this summer. Thirty nine percent of respondents in an online poll named Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince the summer movie they most want to see.

On Harry Potter JK Rowling does an excellent job with this new story. She mixes action and romance with a dose of mystery and a side order of excitement. This could be the last film in the series because the actors getting so old now that it would be hard for future movies to be believable.

Let's Talk About Cats!

2009-07-04T23:05:00.014+08:00

Five Popular Cat Breeds
Choosing a cat breed can be a bit daunting, especially if you don’t know very much about cats! When considering a cat, you must be sure to choose a breed that will best suit your lifestyle. Some breeds require more physical activity than others, and some require much more grooming. Look below to find the five most popular cat breeds. You will also find a brief description about each breed’s grooming requirements and personality type.

The Oriental is one of the most popular cat breeds around. This breed is a very intelligent, loyal companion and tends to bond deeply with its family. It has large, pointed ears, and although its body is very sleek, it is still quite a muscular breed.

The American Shorthair is extremely popular with families, as they tend to be very affectionate and friendly. The American shorthair originally was a working breed, mostly for mouse hunting, which explains the agile muscular structure and short hair. They do need alittle exercise, but most are quite content being a lap cat.

The Birman breed is thought to have originated from Burma. It is perhaps best recognized by its blue eyes, white body, and smoky-brown face, ears, legs, and tail. Birmans possess a long, sturdy body structure with long, mat-resistant hair. They love to play and are quite gentle. They are affectionate without being too needy.

If you’re looking for a very affectionate, cuddly cat, then a Sphynx may be the breed for you. Although they look like they have no fur, they actually have a peach-like fuzz all over their body. As they don’t have much hair to protect their skin, they should strictly be kept indoors. This breed does require a bit of extra care, particularly with room temperature, as this breed can easily become too cold.

A very mild and gentle cat breed is the Ragdoll, appropriately named such as it can be quite floppy and relaxed when picked up. If you love a cat that accompanies you from room to room, this breed would likely be a wonderful match for you. They are very careful not to use teeth or claws when playing around, so they would also make an excellent cat for children.

Now that you have a better idea about the most popular, yet very different, breeds out there, hopefully you find choosing a cat to be a little less daunting than before. Be sure to remember that lifestyles are important factors to consider; so if you aren’t very active, you probably shouldn’t choose a cat that requires a lot of activity, and vice versa.

Goodbye Mikaeel...

2009-06-26T23:53:00.005+08:00

Thank You for the MUSIC
Al-Fatihah to you....

Internet Banking

2009-06-19T00:02:00.007+08:00

With all the attention online banking has received in the last couple of years, it seems there are new online banks popping up everywhere. Users are choosing online banking for its ease and convenience. And while issues of identity theft are important factors to consider with online banking, it has not stopped people from utilizing the Web to streamline their finances.

Even more importantly, recent studies suggest that Internet banking doesn't just make life easier, customers who choose it seem to be more satisfied with their bank. The two areas of greatest satisfaction fall in the categories of the convenience online banking provides and the ability to pay bills online. The report also shows that users who pay their bills online experience not only satisfaction with the ability to bank online, but with their specific banking institution, suggesting users have strong confidence in their bank's ability to secure identity. In fact, similar reports have also shown that those who pay bills online retain their business longer at a particular bank than those who do not use a bank's online service.

Many first-time users come to online banking to access their account information such as account balances and check activity. That is followed by the ability to transfer funds between accounts. And finally, many users then move into online bill payment.

Perhaps they start with paying a few utilities online at the utility's website. They may then look into the online bill payment service offered by their bank. Now, banks are seeing more and more users receiving bills electronically.

Yet for some bank customers, concerns about identity theft keep them from trying online banking. Interestingly, their counterparts who do use the Internet to conduct banking do not seem to hold those same perceptions. Most are satisfied with the level of online security offered by their banks. The challenge then for banks lies in the continued education of their customers to try online banking and discover for themselves the high level of security in place at most banks. Once those customers give online banking a try, perceptions of risk seem to decrease, reports indicate. Surprisingly, these same reports discovered that today's security measures put in place by PC users and banks have many ID thieves targeting potential victims offline.

The following are a few tips to consider when choosing an Internet bank account:

The Annual Percentage Yield (APR) may be higher with Internet bank accounts, and therefore one of the most important attractions for those looking for a high yield. Conducting transactions online may save the bank money, and those savings may then be passed on to the online customer, most often in the form of higher savings rates.
Ability to access money. Online users need to consider what steps are involved in accessing their money in an online account.
Ability to link accounts. Users want the ability to link various accounts to one another, making it easy to move money seamlessly between online bank accounts.
What types of additional services are available? Potential users should be interested in not only banking online, but purchasing CDs, applying for a mortgage, and paying bills online.
Security. Users must confirm that their online bank is FDIC insured and that the security system can be trusted.
Ability to set up automatic savings account. There's no reason not to save today with an online account that electronically deposits money into a savings or money market account.

Dell XPS and Inspiron Laptops: a Balance of Features, Performance, and Price...

2009-06-11T22:04:00.013+08:00

Choosing personal computers today is influenced by a user centric criteria. These include size, power and graphics, convenience, price, and style. People are opting to buy computers that save on space and can be lugged around for long trips. They want desktop replacements (which perform just as well as PCs, but consumes less space and is portable), and sub notebooks (the new name for the small and ultraportable version of laptops). Among the brands that try to balance features, style, user convenience, and price is Dell.

Shining among Dell XPS laptops is the Dell XPS M1730, one you could say was designed for the gaming masses. With strong SLI graphic, an integrated game panel LCD, a convenient backlit keyboard, this laptop can even let you play media files even without booting to the installed operating system. With its massive hard drive and top of the line video graphics, it's a gaming laptop that's more than a replacement desktop. Dell also offers the new Alienware M17X a superb notebook for gamers with Alienware’s BinaryGFX technology, where users have the ability to switch between discrete or integrated graphics. Also Stealth Mode — While in Stealth Mode, discrete graphics cards are turned off and other components throttle down to achieve a 65W power limit.

If you're going for thin and light and hardly a compromise, go for the Dell XPS Notebooks. The Dell XPS M1530, for example, is a fine one. At 5.7 pounds, it's no Mac Air, but it doesn't compromise of features. It's got an NVIDIA GeForce 8600M GT graphics and 256MB of video memory, more than what you need for YouTube and just enough for the artist's image tweaking and high resolution DVD playback. It's 4 GB of memory is certainly more than what most of the current no compromise notebooks offer. This thin notebook is good enough as a desktop replacement for most people. But not for the hard core gamers.

Dell Inspiron notebooks are a mix of entry level features and pricing. The Dell Inspiron 15, for example, has been released with improvements after consumers provided feedback on the earlier models. This one sports a thinner and lighter frame, and a 2GB RAM along with Intel Core 2 Duo engine. Not bad, except for the plastic feel.

On the cutting edge of newness are the Dell Inspiron Mini 10v Netbooks. The name itself gives away what people on the move would use this for: Internet surfing. Weighing only a little above two pounds, and at just ten inches, it looks perfect for pulling out on Starbucks to catch up on a friend's blog, or check out maps, and do some Twitter'ing. It's got editions that run Ubuntu Linux and Windows XP. Dell Inspiron Laptops are just amazing.

So, let's recap. When you're buying a laptop, here's the criteria:-

Space (you don't want one that consumes your desk, power and graphics (you want to be able to have fun surfing and yet open multiple spreadsheets and applications).
Convenience (you don't want to spend more time tweaking and fixing your PC than actually using it).
Price (you don't want to loan a lot or save up for months for it).
Style (gone are the days when awkward and squarish corners looked futuristic).

Dell does a very good job of offering a line of notebooks and laptops that meet these needs, your needs.

Gumblar Still At Large...

2009-06-06T22:03:00.005+08:00

What is it?
Gumblar is another multi-faceted, ninja-quiet website attack. Gumblar is named after the Gumblar.cn exploit, which so far targets users of Internet Explorer and Google search, delivering malware through compromised sites that infects a user's PC and subsequently intercepts traffic between the user and the visited sites. This means that once infected, anything the victim types could be monitored and used to commit identity theft, such as stealing credit card numbers, Web passwords or other sensitive data. Visitors encountering the compromised website also risk having their subsequent search results replaced with links that point to other malicious websites. The malware can also steal FTP credentials from the victim's computer and use them to infect more sites, thus increasing the spread of this threat. So far, more than 3,000 websites have been attacked including Tennis.com, Variety.com and Coldwellbanker.com.

Who is at risk?

Users of Internet Explorer and Google's search engine.

How do I know if I've been infected?
(as reported by Elinor Mills with data from ScanSafe):-

1. Locate sqlsodbc.chm in the Windows system folder (by default under Windows XP, the location is C:\Windows\System32\).
2. Obtain the SHA1 of the installed sqlsodbc.chm. FileAlyzer is a free tool that can be used to obtain the SHA1 of a file.
3. Compare the obtained SHA1 to the list located on the ScanSafe STAT Blog.
4. If the SHA1 and corresponding file size do not match with a pair on the reference list, it could be an indication of a Gumblar infection.

More info about Gumblar
Link1
Link2
Link3

Wishing Happy Birthday in Different Languages...

2009-05-31T11:32:00.009+08:00

Whether it's your birthday or the birthday of some one close to you, it'll always be an occasion that remains the reservoir of happy memories, lots of laughter and wholesome family fun! Birthday is one of those occasions where the strong emotional bonds, warmth of heartfelt best wishes go beyond the barrier of language and sincere and cordial birthday wish always becomes successful in conveying with its true glory.

Other than the usual party, celebrations, good food and sparkling birthday gifts, it is a day when the spotlight shines on friends, relatives, parents and cheerful memories. It is the day when the birthday boy or girl is in his or her most emotionally vulnerable state. Feelings, thoughts previously unspoken, may be in fear of denunciation are expressed on this day as it is the perfect occasion to share feelings and emotions along with best wishes.

When it comes to wishing your loved ones on his or her birthday, originality and uniqueness is the key to make your dear one feel surprised and delighted. It's hard to put in to words what you want to express to the birthday boy or girl on that special day, but once you tell them how wonderful you feel on their birthday, the expression on their face with bright smile and cheerful look makes the day all the more special. To brighten up the birthday of your loved onesyou may be finding the right word to express your heartfelt best wishes can be a difficult task, so why don't you go beyond the barrier of language and wish happy birthday in different languages. It's sure to make your friend, relative or whoever is the birthday boy or girl, feel fascinated and really excited at this unique birthday wish. Even if it is the birthday celebration of a little kid, wishing happy birthday in different languages can be a quite an educating way of wishing someone happy birthday. Kids can learn those languages a little and feel fascinated in exploring more, consequently stirring their learning faculty in an indirect way.

Here is a list which will help you to wish "Happy Birthday" in different languages of the world. So next time you are at a birthday party you can share the joy and excitement in different languages. It can be an amusing at the same time a unique learning experience for you.

Brazil: Parabéns a você! nesta data querida muitas felicidades e muitos anos de vida.
Chinese-Cantonese: Sun Yat Fai Lok!
Chinese-Mandarin: qu ni sheng er kuai le
Croatian: Sretan Rodendan!
Czech: Vsechno nejlepsi k Tvym narozeninam!!
Danish: Tillykke med fodselsdagen!
Dutch: Hartelijk gefeliciteerd! or Van harte gefeliciteerd met je verjaardag!
Esperanto: Felichan Naskightagon!
Farsi: Tavalodet Mobarak!
Finnish: Hyvaa syntymapaivaa!
French (Canada): Bonne Fete!
French: Joyeux Anniversaire!
German: Alles Gute zum Geburtstag!
Greek: Eytyxismena Genethlia! or Chronia Pola!
Hawaiian: Hau`oli la hanau!
Hungarian: Boldog szuletesnapot! or Isten eltessen!
Italian: Buon Compleanno!
Japanese: Otanjou-bi Omedetou Gozaimasu!
Russian: S dniom razhdjenia! or Pazdravliayu s dniom razhdjenia!
Spanish: Feliz Cumpleaños!
Swedish: Grattis på födelsedagen
Taiwanese: San leaz quiet lo!
Thai: Suk San Wan Keut!
Ukrainian: Mnohiya lita! or Z dnem narodjennia!

Hmmm... Happy Birthday to those celebrate!

Conficker...

2009-05-24T22:08:00.002+08:00

This 8 months old Conficker or Downadup worm is still infecting around 50,000 computers on a daily basis and is proven to have infected several of the top 1000 companies in the U.S..

In September 2008 several security companies including Microsoft warned about a new threat arrives to our computers, the Conficker was on its way to you. The message was to all, update your software including the operative system to stay clear of the threat.

In May 2009, eight months later and several worm generations later and a massive amount of media attention the Conficker or Downadup virus is still active and makes its entry to computers worldwide. According to internet security company Symantec there are still around 50,000 computers infected by this virus and India, U.S.A and Brazil are worst hit by it.

Lots of the hype in the media seems to have died around Conficker, but it is making progress and spreads with a surprising speed.

Millions of computers are already infected by this malicious worm that can open security holes in back doors on your computer. This makes it possible for cyber criminals to utilize resources on your computer without you knowing it at all. The virus seems to spread to become the largest botnet in the world.

Companies are spending millions of dollars to avoid infections and misuse of their computer systems. However, it is difficult and really expensive to stop its parade into their computers anyway.

Companies makes an effort in stopping the viruses and to get control of its progress by setting up sinc hole servers to illustrate infection progress and the amount of infections. Based on this they can illustrate that many of the largest companies including Microsoft are still infected by viruses of various kinds.

The estimate is that 6 out of 10 web sites are vulnerable to viruses and could be sources of viruses.

The giant botnet of conficker is huge but has not yet made any dramatic on the net, or at least as we know about at this moment. But the botnet grows by the day and becomes fatter and fatter and therefore more powerful to launch an attack on the net.

It is a sizable botnet with enormous resources globally, and with the right control system, this botnet can perform significant activities on the internet and create potential situations that can be very harmful both to private companies and individuals, but also public authorities. -

Therefore it is of main concern how effective internet security companies can create a serum against these viruses, but also how authorities around the world can protect themselves as well as you and me against any malicious attack now and in the future.

You can check if your computers are infected by taking the picture test. Since the worm blocks over 100 antivirus and security net places, it will also block certain pictures from any security vendor.

Take the test here.

If you seem to be infected after taken this test, you can remove the worm with Microsoft own Malicious Software Removal Tool.

If this should fail, you can also remove the worm manually – even if this is not user friendly at all, and should be left to someone with some knowledge about the operating system.

Security vendors also provide software to remove this virus, so you could check some of their web sites to get help there.

If you can not access their web pages, then you have to turn of the blocking function of the worm itself manually. You can do this by the following procedure;

1. Klick on start and choose run

2. Write «cmd» in the dialogue box and press ok

3. Write the command «cd..» till you are left with only «C:>» in your screen

4. Write the command «net stop dnscache» and click enter

5. You will now be able to use the web sites and links provided above.

If you are not infected and would like to stay like that, then you have to do the following to avoid infection:-

1. Update with latest security patches from Microsoft. To stay updated is smart to avoid infections of a variety of worms and viruses, since they try to utilize security holes in the software.

2. Install antivirus and other security software and keep them updated. Try to avoid use of free versions of these tools, as some malicious activities are registered amongst some players of free antivirus software providers.

3. Make sure to have strong user identities and passwords on all systems and software you use on your computer and web sites.

4. Have a control on use of memory sticks and external hard drives on your computer. Turn off the autorun function on your computer.

5. Make sure you keep updated versions of other commonly used software like Adobe reader and flashplayer together with the realplayer f.inst. There are several other programs that are vulnerable, so please check upgrades of all installed software on your computer.

OnLive Gaming System...

2009-05-17T22:27:00.003+08:00

The new and exciting online gaming service by OnLive only launched this past March but already, millions of people around the world are showing interest. For one thing, this particular on-demand gaming service uses innovative technology so players around the world can enjoy high-end titles without the need to install or download. Working with a broadband internet connection, gamers will soon have immediate access to the 16 initial OnLive games.

Although gamers will not be able to lock into the monthly subscription for OnLive games until sometime this winter, the price will be affordable. In addition, OnLive will be offering members a number of package options and even game playing tiers based on skill and desire. Regardless of the option a person chooses, everyone can be certain that cost will be less than paying retail for standard console games. Obviously, with the launch of OnLive, retailers will be put in a position of serious challenge.

Typically, a game publisher selling a game for USD60 would keep approximately USD27. Additionally, the retailer would hang on to about USD15, as well as any revenue coming from reselling a used game. That means the console owner only receives $7. While that all sounds fine, the big problem is that to run such games, the gamer needs a very powerful and fast computer system, fast connection, and lots of patience while the game installs or downloads. However, OnLive games will be much different by taking a cut of what the gamer pays for the service. As a result, game publishers save a tremendous amount of money allowing game creators to increase profits.

What makes OnLive games so different from other online games is that streaming video can be viewed on a standard computer or television without additional cost of hardware, Ethernet cards, etc. This means the on-demand gaming industry will be changed dramatically! By subscribing to the OnLive service, the game chosen to play is run on OnLive's computer while the streaming video goes to the user. This creates the appearance of being on OnLive's proprietary controller, which is much like the Xbox 360 controller.

The way in which OnLive games are delivered is different in that a new compression technology is used. That means streaming to a conventional console or using high dollar graphics' cards is eliminated. Additionally, the video is received without dropped frames or lag time. The only thing the user needs is a 1.5 Mb internet connection and a high definition device, again television or computer.

Once this service is ready for public use, it will initially offer 16 OnLive games but over time, the numbers will increase significantly. Additionally, the service will give gamers the option of trying games to determine if they want to go ahead and purchase or not. Without doubt, this is the most awesome online gaming service ever developed with no more upgrades, no downloads, no discs, no recalls, and no wait time. Instead, every gamer, regardless of age, lifestyle, or skill level will be given the most incredible online gaming experience ever.

Teacher's Day...

2009-05-16T10:07:00.004+08:00

TERIMA KASIH CIKGU!

Thanks to all my teachers from my day one at school. I pray for all of you everyday and I hope all teachers in this world are good and sincere like my teachers...

HAPPY TEACHER'S DAY
TO ALL THE TEACHERS

Graphics Card for Your Needs...

2009-05-13T21:12:00.005+08:00

The popularity of computer gaming has intensified since its activity started 40 years ago. Even though the early games were incredibly primitive, today's games require the highest of computer power as game creators push computer skills to the extreme by creating the greatest looking games ever created.

Every computer gamer will know the struggle of getting the latest games to play on your PC, however this doesn't have to be the case. What the majority of gamers do not realize is that the graphics card is by far the single most important element in your PC for playing games. It is roughly three times more important then the next important component; the processor. This is in fact good information as you do not require the fastest processor or ridiculous amounts of RAM in your computer. What you will need is a very good graphics card and you will have no problems playing the latest games at their highest graphics settings.

The complex segment is choosing a graphics card for your computer. There exist many different models with vastly different performance levels hitting almost every price range. As a universal rule of thumb, the further you spend on a card the better its output should be however this does not mean you will be getting the best value for your money. To get the best bang for the your money, you will need to review every card individually and find performance reviews to truly see how well those cards cope with the latest games {To go for the best buy, you have to do an intensive search on every card possible and their performance reviews to make sure your card cope with the latest game you want to go for. Most computer manufacturers will attempt to lower costs by using low-cost or even onboard graphics on their PCs while using high specification processors to give the impression that you are purchasing a fast computer when in reality for computer gaming it will be near to useless.

If you do want to buy a computer with a good graphics card from one of the top computer manufacturers be prepared to pay 2-3 times more then their basic models to get anything capable of playing the latest games at a decent frame rate.. It is possible to improve the graphic card of just about any PC if you sense that your card is not up to the job. The process is incredibly easy and shouldn't take longer then five minutes to complete. For certain reason there is a vast misconception about graphics cards that have a huge quantity of memory e.g. 512MB, 1024MB etc having high-quality performance levels. Its not true at all and this is how manufacturers trick you , they sell you low performing cards at a relevantly high cost. The best procedure you can follow to determine graphics card performance is to look at performance reviews showing frames per second in game tests as this will show you the real power of the card. For the beginner it is best to ignore all of the card specifications such as core, memory and shader speeds as they can be incredible misleading when comparing two cards. The main performance level is determined mainly by the chipset or actual architecture of the card which is never really quantifiable unless you look at concrete performance tests. Now expectantly this vital information should protect you from being deceived of a high performance gaming experience. Have fun gaming at high resolutions with the graphics turned up to max.

Happy Mother's Day!

2009-05-10T16:31:00.003+08:00

To ALL
MOTHERS
all over the world

DeLL Studio One 19...

2009-05-03T17:28:00.005+08:00

I want this!!!!!!

DeLL Studio One 19 in action...

Other interesting video Click HERE!

More info at:
DeLL Studio One 19
DeLL Community

Swine Flu Infomation Sheet

2009-04-29T00:51:00.003+08:00

What is swine flu?
Swine flu is a group of influenza viruses that causes flu in pigs. Usually infections in humans are uncommon. The current swine flu which is infecting people is a new strain of influenza A/H1N1. It is not certain how it developed. Its genetic makeup shows parts of human flu, avian (bird) flu and swine flu.

What are the symptoms?
Limited information is available at this stage. It appears that the early symptoms are similar to seasonal flu - cough, fever, sore throat, headache, runny nose, general fatigue and muscle pains. Vomiting and diarrhea have also been noted. Severe cases have progressed quickly (within 5 days) to pneumonia-like illness (shortness of breath and difficulty breathing).

Is this swine flu a severe illness?
It appears that the virus is capable of causing severe disease. However it is currently unknown how likely it is that those who get sick will suffer a severe illness.

Most cases in the United States and Canada to date have been mild. There have been no fatalities.

In Mexico there have been fatal cases, apparently in previously healthy young adults. The proportion of severe cases appears to be much higher than with regular seasonal flu.

Why the disease appears to be more severe in Mexico is unknown.

How is this swine flu spreading?
It is most likely spreading from person to person through infectious respiratory droplets (droplets generated when a person coughs, sneezes or talks.)

How can I prevent getting sick?
Observe good hygiene. Avoid people who are obviously sick. Be sure to wash your hands frequently. Avoid touching your face, and if you do, be sure your hands are clean.

What is the infectious period?
The infectious period for this strain is not yet known. According to the US CDC, infected people should be considered potentially contagious:

one day before their symptoms start
seven days after their symptoms start OR as long as they are still showing symptoms (whichever is longer)

Children, especially younger children, might potentially be contagious for longer periods.

What is the incubation period?
The incubation period is the time between exposure to the virus and people developing symptoms? The incubation period for this strain is not yet known.

With seasonal flu, people develop symptoms within about 4 days. However for this new strain of flu, the incubation period may be longer.

US CDC is currently advising people to monitor their health for 7 days after possible exposure.

Is there a vaccine?
There is no specific vaccine against this swine flu as yet. Regular seasonal flu vaccine is unlikely to provide protection against this strain. Nevertheless, those who have not had a seasonal flu vaccine should consider doing so.

As a general good health practice, people should make sure all their routine vaccinations are up-to-date. This includes pneumococcal vaccination for certain adults. This vaccine is usually recommended for all people over 65 years old and younger people with serious long-term health problems (heart disease, diabetes, alcoholism, COPD, emphysema, asthma, cancer treatment, HIV/AIDS).

Can swine flu be treated with antiviral medications?
Preliminary information indicates that the virus is sensitive to the newer antiviral medications oseltamivir (Tamiflu) and zanamivir (Relenza). It is resistant to the older medications amantadine and rimantidine.

All travelers (any destination)
People who have not had an annual flu vaccination should consider having one to prevent regular seasonal flu.

As a general good health practice, all travelers should:

Maintain good personal hygiene. Wash your hands frequently. Avoid touching your face.
void people who are obviously sick.
Cover coughs and sneezes with a mask or a tissue.
Stay at home if you are unwell.
Contact your health care provider if you or your children develop flu-like symptoms.
Ensure their routine vaccinations are up-to-date. This includes pneumocococcal vaccination for certain adults: those over 65, people with serious long term health conditions and people whose immune systems are compromised due to transplants, cancer treatments, HIV/AIDS, etc.

If you are in an affected area, or have traveled to an affected area recently:

Monitor your health
If you develop symptoms, seek medical attention. Advise the healthcare facility that you have recently been in an area that has reported swine flu.
Parents should take their young children with fever or influenza-like symptoms for prompt medical attention.

Earth Day 2009...

2009-04-17T22:35:00.016+08:00

April 22, will mark the beginning of The Green Generation Campaign which will also be the focus of the 40th Anniversary of Earth Day in 2010. With negotiations for a new global climate agreement coming up in December, Earth Day 2009 must be a day of action and civic participation, to defend The Green Generation’s core principles: Family with windmills: Renewable energy for future generations.

* A carbon-free future based on renewable energy that will end our common dependency on fossil fuels, including coal.

* An individual’s commitment to responsible, sustainable consumption.

* Creation of a new green economy that lifts people out of poverty by creating millions of quality green jobs and transforms the global education system into a green one.

Earth Day Network’s Green Generation campaign is a two-year initiative that will launch in 2009 and culminate on the 40th Anniversary of Earth Day in 2010. Similar to "The Greatest Generation" that confronted the challenge of World War II, who inspired the major societal changes that followed, the Green Generation includes ordinary people who are engaged in individual and collective activities to improve their health, to improve their schools, to participate in building a solution to urgent national and global issues, such as climate change or the world’s water crises.

Earth Day Site.

Netbooks...

2009-04-15T22:45:00.007+08:00

Netbooks are everywhere, on buses, on trains, on planes... and in the classroom. It seems the little netbook has come out of nowhere to become extremely popular overnight.

But what is a netbook?

Netbooks usually have screens of 10 inches or less, runs Windows or Linux and generally sell for well under RM2500. As its name indicates, the netbook's main purpose is to keep its owner conveniently connected to the net - anywhere, anytime.

First introduced by Asustek when it launched the first Eee PC in the fall of 2007. But it was only in the last year when we saw the explosive growth of these so-called mini-laptops. Now we have many computer companies such as HP, Dell, Lenovo... all jumping on this craze for a small portable laptop. So much so, that netbooks now is the fastest growing segment of the laptop industry and is expected to reach 139 million units by 2013.

Why is there a sudden popularity for the small netbook? Perhaps the answer lies mainly in our constant quest for mobility. We want a portable device that will keep us connected to the Internet and yet be small and light enough to be carried around all day. A truly ultra-portable device that keeps us connected with family, friends and the web.

The next question you have to ask: why do netbooks make for great student laptops? If the above reasons aren't enough, try the following:

Size
Netbooks are small with 10 inch displays or less, which make them ideal for students. Plus, they are usually very lightweight - around 2 or 3 pounds. They are compact enough to tuck into your school bag or backpack, and small enough to carry around all day without developing a hernia.

Portability
As mentioned above because the netbook is so small and compact, it is very portable. A very mobile device that we can use to stay connected to the web and friends. Connectability is one of the main features - you are connected to the web at all times.

Sturdiness
Most netbooks are designed to be sturdy and tough. They can take a few hard knocks and still keep on working. Students are not exactly the most gentle creatures on the planet, so a sturdy tough machine is needed to handle the demands put upon it.

Battery Life
Because of their small size, you will usually get better battery life than with a regular sized laptop. This is important to the student since you may have to go all day without a chance to re-charge the battery. Long lasting battery life makes the netbook the perfect student laptop.

Performance
Although small, these mini-laptops still sports some very impressive specs. Many now come with at least 1 Gig of RAM and Intel Atom processors. There are even some with Solid State Hard Drives which make them more durable and less likely to be damaged. Most use Windows XP - newer models debuting this year with the Nvidia's Ion platform may have Vista or Windows 7, but still don't expect the kind of performance you would get from a regular laptop.

Storage
While storage on netbooks is constantly increasing, it is still nowhere near the kind of storage you will find on a regular sized laptop. Usually, most devices have around 30 or 60 Gig hard drives which should be adequate for most student's needs. Many newer netbooks have 160 Gigs of storage.

Price
Perhaps, the main reason netbooks make the perfect student laptops is the low price. Students are usually on a very limited budget and the low price-tag is a perfect fit. Many perfectly adequate machines are now priced in the RM2000 to RM3500 range - while many good ones go for well under RM2000. Plus, prices are steadily dropping so almost any student can now afford a netbook.

As you can plainly see, the netbook does have many features to make it a perfect student laptop: small size, very portable, excellent connections, very sturdy, long battery life, good performance, adequate storage and most of all, a very affordable price almost any student can take advantage of. Overall, netbooks are well suited for the classroom and the student.

New Cabinet Line Up 2009...

2009-04-09T23:27:00.009+08:00

Prime Minister and Finance Minister 1: Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak

Deputy PM and Education Minister: Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin

Ministers in Prime Minister’s Department

Unity and Performance Management: Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon
Law and Parliament: Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Aziz
Religious Affairs: Brig. Gen. (Rtd) Datuk Jamil Khir Baharum
Economic Planning Unit: Tan Sri Nor Mohamed Yakcop

Deputies: Datuk Liew Vui Keong, Senator Datuk Dr Mashitah Ibrahim, Datuk SK Devamany, Ahmad Maslan, Senator T. Murugiah

Finance
Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak
Finance Minister II: Datuk Ahmad Husni Hanadzlah
Deputies: Datuk Chor Chee Heung, Datuk Dr Awang Adek Hussein

Education
Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin
Deputies: Datuk Wee Ka Siong, Datuk Puad Zarkashi

Transport
Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat
Deputies: Datuk Abdul Rahim Bakri, Datuk Robert Lau

Home
Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein
Deputies: Datuk Wira Abu Seman Yusop, Jelaing Mersat

Information, Communications, Arts and Culture
Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim
Deputies: Datuk Joseph Salang Gandum, Senator Heng Seai Kie

Energy, Green Technology & Water
Datuk Peter Chin Fah Kui
Deputy: Noriah Kasnon

Plantation Industries and Commodities
Tan Sri Bernard Dompok
Deputy: Datuk Hamzah Zainuddin

Rural and Regional Development
Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal
Deputies: Datuk Hassan Malek, Datuk Joseph Entulu

Higher Education
Datuk Seri Khaled Nordin
Deputies: Dr Hou Kok Chung, Saifuddin Abdullah

International Trade and Industry
Datuk Mustapa Mohamed
Deputies: Datuk Muhkriz Mahathir, Datuk Jacob Dungau

Science, Technology and Innovation
Datuk Dr Maximus Ongkili
Deputy: Fadillah Yusof

Natural Resources and Environment
Datuk Douglas Uggah Embas
Deputy: Tan Sri Joseph Kurup

Tourism
Datuk Seri Dr Ng Yen Yen
Deputy: Datuk Seri Sulaiman Abdul Rahman Abdul Taib

Agriculture and Agro-based Industries
Datuk Noh Omar
Deputies: Johari Baharum, Rohani Abdul Karim

Defence
Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi
Deputy: Datuk Dr Abdul Latif

Works
Datuk Shaziman Abu Mansor
Deputy: Datuk Yong Khoon Seng

Health
Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai
Deputy: Datuk Rosnah Rashid Shilin

Youth and Sports
Datuk Ahmad Shabery Cheek
Deputies: Datuk Razali Ibrahim, Wee Jeck Seng

Human Resources
Datuk Dr S. Subramaniam
Deputy: Datuk Maznah Mazlan

Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs
Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri
Deputy: Datuk Tan Lian Hoe

Housing and Local Government
Datuk Kong Cho Ha
Deputy: Lajim Ukin

Women, Family and Community Development
Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil
Deputy: Datin Paduka Chew Mei Fun

Foreign Affairs
Datuk Anifah Aman
Deputies: Datuk Lee Chee Leong, Senator A. Kohilan Pillai

Federal Territories
Datuk Raja Nong Chik Zainal Abidin
Deputy: Datuk M. Saravanan

The eight dropped are Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar (Home), Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said (Tourism), Senator Tan Sri Muhammad Muhammad Taib (Rural and Regional Development), Senator Datuk Amirsham A. Aziz (Prime Minister’s Department), Datuk Seri Ong Ka Chuan (Housing and Local Government), Datuk Mohd Zin Mohamed (Works), Datuk Seri Zulhasnan Rafique (Federal Territories) and Datuk Shahrir Abdul Samad (Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs) who had resigned.

Also not included in the new line-up is Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin, but his rival Mukhriz Mahathir has been named a deputy minister. Khairy is the only head of the three Umno wings not appointed minister.

Previous Line Up

Goodbye Pak Lah, Hello Najib...

2009-04-04T11:49:00.003+08:00

Thank You Pak Lah... So Najib is Malaysia new Prime Minister, the sixth Prime Minister in Malaysia history. Some facts about Najib:-

- He is the eldest son of Abdul Razak Hussein, Malaysia's second prime minister. Abdul Razak is credited with rescuing the country from the brink of disaster following racial riots in 1969, and laying the foundations for modern Malaysia.

Abdul Razak expanded the ruling alliance and created what is now known as the National Front. He also introduced the New Economic Policy which gives ethnic Malays preference in jobs, education and business, to narrow the wealth gap between poor Malays and the richer Chinese minority.

- Najib, one of the youngest to be elected into Malaysia's parliament, won his father's constituency of Pekan in 1976 at the age of 22 after Abdul Razak died of leukemia. Najib retained the seat in six subsequent general elections, and also served for a term as chief minister in his home state of Pahang.

- Najib was groomed for political leadership. He served for 22 years under the administration of former premier Mahathir Mohamad, who has said he owes a debt of gratitude to Najib's father for his ascent to the top post.

But Mahathir, in an interview with Reuters last month, said Najib's entry into politics was accidental.

- Najib was a firebrand in the 1980s, heading the youth wing of the main United Malays National Organisation party at meetings where people called for Chinese blood on the Malays' keris (traditional knives). But he has now pledged to unite all races and urged Malaysians to close ranks.

- An avid golfer, he has a network of friends and confidantes from the country's elite business circle, whom he often taps for input. His brother, Nazir Razak, heads CIMB (BUCM.KL), Malaysia's second-largest bank.

- After being appointed deputy prime minister in 2004, Najib was given a broad portfolio of responsibilities including oversight of FELDA, a state-run cooperative of oil palm smallholders developed by his father. FELDA is one of the world's largest plantation owners and managers, owning over 800,000 hectares of rubber and oil palm estates.

Najib provided infrastructure and benefits for the 115,000 mostly Malay landless families under the scheme and developed a strong network of grassroots support among the rural poor.

(Reporting by Razak Ahmad; Editing by Valerie Lee)
(@thomsonreuters.com; +603 2333 8047; Reuters messaging razak.ahmad.reuters.com@reuters.net; bureau email areuters@gmail.com)

Earth Hour in KL...

2009-03-29T19:58:00.004+08:00

The combination photos here show Malaysia's landmark Petronas Twin Towers
before (left) and after the lights were turned out.
(AP Photo/Lai Seng Sin)

Here's a view of the Kuala Lumpur skyline before (top) and during
Earth Hour in Malaysia.
(Reuters / Bazuki Muhammad)

Die Hard!!! - Married Again...

2009-03-28T00:48:00.010+08:00

Bruce Willis and supermodel Emma Heming, 32,
visited London to view some properties.

With ex-wife Demi Moore and her husband Ashton Kutcher among the guests, Bruce Willis said "I do" with model and actress Emma Heming on Saturday 21st, PEOPLE confirms. The small wedding ceremony took place at the actor's home in Parrot Cay, Turks & Caicos. Also present among the small group of guests were Moore and Willis's daughters, Rumer Willis, 20, Scout, 17, and Tallullah Belle, 15.

The wedding coincided with Willis's birthday: The actor turned 54 on Thursday. Heming is 32. The couple, who met through mutual friends, have been together for more than a year and will be having a civil ceremony when they return to California, according to the actor's rep.

Demi Moore, 42, and Ashton Kutcher, 27, said “I do” in Los Angeles Saturday Sept. 25, 2005. The first marriage for Kutcher and the third for Moore, whose previous unions—to rock musician Freddie Moore (1980-84) and to actor Bruce Willis (1987-2000) — ended in divorce.

YIPPEE KA YAY!!!

10 Things To Do During Earth Hour...

2009-03-26T22:12:00.004+08:00

10 Things To Do During Earth Hour
1. Gather family & friends for a night picnic
2. Dine in one of the many Earth Hour participating restaurants by candlelight
3. Organise a family night playing board games
4. Throw an Earth Hour street party with your neighbours
5. Arrange a house party lit by torches
6. Take your pet for a night walk
7. Hand write a letter to loved one by lantern
8. Sit in the dark and share stories
9. Read a book using a book light
10. Share a romantic night in with your loved one

UMNO Election...

2009-03-25T00:01:00.002+08:00

Perfecting The Dual-Boot...

2009-03-23T00:04:00.005+08:00

Some prefer Windows, some Linux. For those who demand the best of both worlds, there is the Dual-Boot option.

The first thing to do is find a bootable disk partitioning application, that you are comfortable using. There are many available for free from different sites, use the one you like. Just like Linux, it's about "choice".

Boot your machine with the partition application and delete your hard drive.

You will now want to make 3 partitions. It does not matter what file system you use as long as there are 3 separate partitions. One partition should be about 3-5Gb. This will be your "linux swap" partition. Divide the rest of the disk into two partitions, leaving more room for Windows, because you will most likely be loading your games there.

Write the partition changes and save them.

Now reboot with your Windows CD. Install windows normally. If you are using a recovery CD set, do NOT resize the hard drive. You can format it during the install, but skip the "recovery partition" thing.

When the installation is done, you may now download your favorite Linux ISO and burn it from Windows.

When you install the Linux system, use the small partition you made earlier as "swap space" and the larger for the system itself. Use the GRUB bootloader if it is possible, and check to make sure it "sees" Windows on the other partition. At this point you should also be able to set the "default" boot system in the GRUB menu.

When the installation is done, reboot, and choose your poison! ;)

Earth Hour...

2009-03-14T23:56:00.007+08:00

Click The Switch!

On March 28 at 8.00pm local time you can VOTE EARTH by switching off your lights for one hour. Or you can vote global warming by leaving your lights on.

The results of the election are being presented at the Global Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen 2009. One billion votes needed for Earth, to tell world leaders that we have to take action against global warming.

Link:-
Earth Hour (Global)
Earth Hour (Malaysia)

Natures Secret Power...

2009-03-01T10:01:00.005+08:00

By the ANTS!!! It's amazing! Do they have schools or politicians?

Quick Facts

Type: Bug
Diet: Omnivore
Average lifespan in the wild: Several weeks to several years
Size: 0.08 to 1 in (2 to 25 mm)
Group name: Army or colony
Did you know? Ants can lift and carry more than three times their own weight.

Ants are common insects, but they have some unique capabilities. More than 10,000 known ant species occur around the world. They are especially prevalent in tropical forests, where they may comprise up to half of all the insects living in some locations.

Ants look much like termites, and the two are often confused—especially by nervous homeowners. However, ants have a narrow "waist" between the abdomen and thorax, which termites do not. Ants also have large heads, elbowed antennae, and powerful jaws. These insects belong to the order Hymenoptera, which includes wasps and bees.

Enthusiastically social insects, ants typically live in structured nest communities that may be located underground, in ground-level mounds, or in trees. Carpenter ants nest in wood and can be destructive to buildings. Some species, such as army ants, defy the norm and do not have permanent homes.