Tuesday, December 29, 2009

Methods to prevent your email from getting spoofed

There are different methods to prevent email from getting spoofed.
  • The simple method is by distributing your SPF (Sender Policy Framework) records. This will protect your domain name from anyone trying to spoof or cheat with your domain.
  • McAfee provides a number of AntiVirus and Internet Protection products which helps in identifying virus that spoofs the mail and deleting it fron the system.
  • Norton Internet Security 2009 can also be used to protect your system.
  • Prisma Firewall is a personal firewall designed for home and small office windows desktops users and helps in providing a solution for the virus attacks.
  • Mithi Connect Server makes sure that within a domain a user cannot masquerade or disguise as another user.
  • Using SecureClean and MySecurity Vault PRO softwares infected files can be permanently deleted, unwanted traces of personal information can be removed, sensitive files can be encrypted and protected.
  • ESET NOD32 AntiVirus Software System delivers smarter antispam technology for Outlook,Thunderbird and other popular mail clients.
Other simple preventive methods of email spoofing are Frequent password changing, safe surfing, frequent virus checks, email filters and firewalls.

Tuesday, December 15, 2009

Tools to manage time efficiently

Time management plays an important role in success of personal life as well as in career. Time management is as simple as extracting the most of the time you are awake in a day. At the same time it is as complicated as a set of practices, principles, skills, systems and more over tools.

What tool do you use to manage your time? Let us start with a simple list – calendar, to-do list. A calendar will be a calendar as long you see it as just a calendar. Enhance your calendar with a diary, mobile, or sites online like 30boxes, Google calendar, etc.

The Ti-Mandi (or Time and I) Window is one of the famous time management that most successful persons use. Its as simple as creating 2 by 2 column table. In the first row and first column list out all your works that are on priority for action (Important and urgent in other words). Assign the second column of the table to hold the list of all works that are important but can be put on hold for sometime. The second row and first column will be a list of all hot potatoes (that are trivial but demand an attendance in urgency). The last column of the table will hold all to-do thins that are a sheer time-trappers. They are neither urgent nor important.

Tuesday, October 6, 2009

Technical Responses to Prevent Phishing

Many anti-phishing browsers have been implemented till date and some of them include embedding features in browsers, as extensions or toolbars in browsers, and as part of website login procedures. Most websites targeted for phishing are secure, meaning that SSL with strong cryptography is used for server authentication. In theory, it should be possible to confirm the site using the SSL authentication, but in practice, it is easy to fool the user.

The superficial flaw is in the browser's security User Interface (UI) that is insufficient to deal with today's strong threats. There are three parts for secure authentication: indication that the connection is in authenticated mode, the site which the user is connected to and which authority says it is the site that it claims to be.

Secure Connection: The user easily misses the padlock that was the standard display for secure browsing from the mid-1990s to mid 2000s. Mozilla featured a yellow URL bar in 2005 as a better indication that the connection is secure. However, unfortunately, this innovation was then reversed due to the EV Certificates, which replaced high value certificates with a green display and the rest with a white display.

Which Site: The user is expected to confirm that the domain name in the browser's URL bar is in fact where they wanted to go. Users can be too complex to be passed and users often do not know or recognize the URL they intend going making authentication meaningless. Many e-commerce sites will change the domain names within the overall set of websites making it harder for the user to trace himself. Also simply displaying the domain name of the visited website as some anti-phishing toolbars do is not sufficient.

Firefox offers an alternative- a pet name extension which lets users type in their own labels for websites that they can recognize when they later return to the website. In addition, if the site is not recognized then the software warns the user or detects it outright. This symbolizes the user-centric identity management of the server. A graphical image selected by a user could be a better identification.

With the introduction of EV Certificates, browsers display the organization's name in green making it more visible ad hopefully more consistent with the user's expectations. But then the browser vendors have limited this display to only EV Certificates, leaving the user groping in the dark for other certificates.

Who is the Authority As far as the user is concerned the browser is the authority at the simplest level since no authority is stated at this stage. The current practice is for the browser vendors to control a root list of acceptable CA s the problem is that all Certification Authorities (CA s) employ neither good nor applicable checking. In addition, neither do all CA s subscribe to the same model and concept that certificates are only about authenticating web sites or e-commerce organizations. Certificate Manufacturing is the term given to low value certificates that are delivered on a credit card and an email confirmation, which can be easily perverted by fraudsters. Thus, a valid certificate issued by another CA may spoof a high value site. This could happen because the CA is in another part of the world and it is unfamiliar with high value e-commerce sites. Nevertheless, since the CA is charged with protecting its own customers and not the customers of another CA there is an inherent flaw in this model.

The solution to the above problem is that the browser should show and the user should be familiar with the name of the authority that issues the certificate. This projects the CA as a brand and allows the user to come in contact with the handful of CA s in her country. The use of brand provides the CA with an incentive to improve their checking and the user will demand good checking for high value sites.

This solution was put into action in early versions of IE7 when displaying EV Certificates here the issuing CA was displayed. Nevertheless, this turns out to be an isolated case. There is resistance for branding CA s on the chrome resulting in a fallback to the simplest level above: the browser is the user's authority.

Monday, September 28, 2009

All about Journalism

Journalism is the discipline of gathering, writing and reporting news, and broadly it includes the process of editing and presenting the news articles. Journalism applies to various media, but is not limited to newspapers, magazines, radio, and television. While under pressure to be the first to publish its stories, each news media organization adheres to its own standards of accuracy, quality, and style — usually editing and proofreading its reports prior to publication. Many news organizations claim proud traditions of holding government officials and institutions accountable to the public, while media critics have raised questions on the accountability of the press.

Journalists report and write on a wide variety of subjects: politics on the international, national, provincial and local levels, economics and business on the same four levels, health and medicine, education, sports, hobbies and recreation, lifestyles, clothing, food, pets, and relationships; journalists report on anything that news organizations think consumers will read. Journalists can report for general interest news outlets like newspapers, news magazines and broadcast sources; general circulation specialty publications like trade and hobby magazines, or for news publications and outlets with a select group of subscribers. Journalists are usually expected and required to go out to the scene of a story to gather information for their reports, and often may compose their reports in the field. They also use the telephone, the computer and the Internet to gather information. However, more often those reports are written, and they are almost always edited in newsrooms, the offices where journalists and editors work together to prepare the content of news items.

Journalists, especially if they cover a specific subject or area are expected to cultivate sources, people in the subject or area that they can communicate with, either to explain the details of a story, or to provide leads to other subjects for stories yet to be reported. They are also expected to develop their investigative skills to research and report stories better.

Monday, September 21, 2009

Economic Immigrants In American Colonies

Many immigrants to the American colonies came for economic reasons. Inspired by the Spanish riches from colonies founded upon the conquest of the Aztecs, Incas, and other large Native American populations in the sixteenth century, the first Englishmen to settle in America hoped for some of the same rich discoveries when they first established a settlement in Jamestown, Virginia. They were sponsored by common stock companies such as the Virginia Charter Company financed by wealthy Englishmen who understood the economic potential of this new land. The main purpose of this colony was the hope of finding gold or the possibility (or impossibility) of finding a passage through the Americas to the Indies. It took strong leaders, like John Smith, to convince the colonists of Jamestown that searching for gold was not taking care of their immediate needs for food and shelter and that "he who shall not work shall not eat". The extremely high mortality rate was quite distressing and cause for despair among the colonists. Tobacco quickly became a cash crop for export and the sustaining economic driver of Virginia and nearby colonies like Maryland.

From the beginning of Virginia's settlements in 1587 until the 1680s, the main source of labor and a large portion of the immigrants were indentured servants looking for new life in the overseas colonies. During the 17th century, indentured servants constituted three-quarters of all European immigrants to the Chesapeake region. Most of the indentured servants were English farmers who had been pushed off their lands due to the expansion of livestock rising, the enclosure of land, and overcrowding in the countryside. This unfortunate turn of events served as a push for thousands of people (mostly single men) away from their situation in England. There was hope, however, as American landowners were in need of laborers and were willing to pay for a laborer’s passage to America if they served them for several years. By selling passage for five to seven years worth of work they could hope to start out on their own in America.In the French colonial regions, the focus of economy was the fur trade with the natives. Farming was set up primarily to provide subsistence only, although cod and other fish of the Grand Banks were a major export and source of income for the French and many other European nations. The Russians on the northwest coast of North America also practiced the fur trade. After the French and Indian War, the English captured virtually all-French possessions in North America, leaving only the islands of Saint-Pierre and Miquelon to France.

Monday, September 14, 2009

The Nomination And Selection Process of Nobel Prize

Compared with some other prizes, the Prize nomination and selection process is long and rigorous. This is a key reason why the Prizes have grown in importance over the years to become the most important prizes in their field.

Their respective committees select the Nobel Laureates. For the Prizes in Chemistry, Physics and Economics, a committee consists of five members elected by The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences; for the Prize in Literature, a committee of four to five members of the Swedish Academy; for the Prize in Physiology or Medicine, the committee consists of five members selected by The Nobel Assembly, which consists of 50 members elected by Karolinska Institutet; for the Peace Prize, the Norwegian Nobel Committee consists of five members elected by the Norwegian Storting (the Norwegian parliament). In its first stage, several thousand people are asked to nominate candidates.

These names are scrutinized and discussed by experts in their specific disciplines until only the winners remain. This slow and thorough process, insisted upon by Alfred Nobel, is arguably what gives the prize its importance. Despite this, there have been questionable awards and questionable omissions over the prize's century-long history.

Forms, which amount to a personal and exclusive invitation, are sent to about three thousand selected individuals to invite them to submit nominations. For the peace prize, inquiries are sent to such people as governments of states, members of international courts, professors and rectors at university level, former Peace Prize laureates, current or former members of the Norwegian Nobel Committee, among others. The Norwegian Nobel Committee then bases its assessment on nominations sent in before 3rd of February. The submission deadline for nominations for Physics, Chemistry, Medicine, Literature and Economics is January 31. Self-nominations and nominations of deceased people are disqualified.

The names of the nominees are never publicly announced, and neither are they told that they have been considered for the Prize. Nomination records are sealed for fifty years. In practice some nominees do become known. It is also common for publicists to make such a claim, founded or not.

After the deadline has passed, committee screens the nominations, and a list is produced of approximately two hundred preliminary candidates. This list is forwarded to selected experts in the relevant field. They remove all but approximately fifteen names. The committee submits a report with recommendations to the appropriate institution. The Assembly for the Medicine Prize, for example, has fifty members. The institution members then select prizewinners by vote.

The selection process varies slightly between the different disciplines. The Literature Prize is rarely awarded to more than one person per year, whereas other Prizes now often involve collaborators of two or three.While posthumous nominations are not permitted, awards can occur if the individual died in the months between the nomination and the decision of the prize committee. The scenario has occurred twice: The 1931 Literature Prize of Erik Axel Karlfeldt, and the 1961 Peace Prize to UN Secretary General Dag Hammarskjöld. As of 1974, laureates must be alive at the time of the October announcement. There has been one laureate—William Vickrey (1996, Economics)—who died after the prize was announced but before it could be presented.

Monday, September 7, 2009

Things to Consider While Remodeling Your Kitchen

A kitchen is a heart of a home. So Kitchen remodeling is among the most fashionable projects each year. Remodeling your kitchen is expensive and a lot of work. Recently I have remodeled my apartment's kitchen. But a well thought out, detailed plan could produce a kitchen where you will enjoy years of memorable experiences. When ever you plan to remodel your kitchen it’s the time to keep in mind the "work-triangle". This is the area of the kitchen from the refrigerator to the cooking area to the sink. Relating these 3 areas should form a triangle. Its helps to keep your cooking activities in one area, with everything you need close by. If you are unable to remodel your self, then you hire a professional. He will save you many headaches as your project unfolds. There are lots of professionals out there - interior designers. At this time more and more people are spending anywhere from $50,000 to $60,000 on kitchen remodels. Because kitchens are becoming more of a showplace and an entertainment area in homes. Not only will you get a beautiful new kitchen, but also your home value will increase dramatically more than the cost of the remodel job.

And select the appliance also very important in kitchen remodeling so select commercial type stainless steel appliances have become quite popular. Hospitality Institute of Technology and Management survey the stainless steel received the 1st position. And another biggest expense of your kitchen remodel will be the cabinets and countertops. Cabinets range from the most expensive custom built, to the "off the shelf" variety available at home centers. A kitchen planner/designer's focus should be to design for the way a person lives, and asking the right questions will ensure your finished kitchen fits you and your budget.

Related Links:
Orangeries

Monday, August 31, 2009

Aloe Vera Gel and Its Uses

The mucilaginous juice or gel obtained from the leaves of this plant, widely used in cosmetic and pharmaceutical preparations for its soothing and healing properties. It prolongs the conservation of fresh produce, such as fresh fruit and legumes. This gel is tasteless, colorless and odorless. This natural product is a safe and environmentally friendly alternative to synthetic preservatives such as sulfur dioxide. The study showed that grapes at 1°C coated with this gel could be preserved for 35 days against 7 days for untreated grapes. According to the researchers, this gel operates through a combination of mechanics forming a protective layer against the oxygen and moisture of the air and inhibiting, through its various anti-biotic and anti fungal compounds, the action of microorganisms that cause food borne illnesses. A study performed in the 1990s showed that the healing time of a moderate to severe burn was reduced when the wound was treated on a regular basis with Aloe Vera gel, compared to the healing of the wound covered in a gauze bandage. In contrast, another study suggested wounds to which Aloe Vera gel was applied were significantly slower to heal. Cosmetic companies add sap or other derivatives from A. Vera to products such as makeup, tissues, moisturizers, soaps, sunscreens, shampoos and lotions, though the effectiveness of Aloe Vera in these products remains unknown. A. Vera gel is also alleged to be useful for dry skin conditions, especially eczema around the eyes and sensitive facial skin. Aloe Vera gel may help some people with ulcerative colitis, an inflammatory bowel disease. These are some of the benefits of Aloe Vera.


Related Links:
Saliva drug test

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

Why to Give Your House for Rent?

People often would have come across the situation where the house owners ask – “Why should I rent my house out?” Many people can’t afford the expenses in the current market.

Below are some of the reasons of Why to give your house for rent:

1. People who cannot afford the payments in the current situation, renting can be a good idea allowing your house slip into foreclosure and ruining your credit. When their financial position improves, maybe they can pay some of them and sell the house at that point.

2. Most people have lost money in their homes equity. Renting now can allow you to wait till prices go back up before selling so that you can recover the money that has been lost earlier.

3. The things like Mortgage interest, taxes, insurance, property management expenses, repair expenses, utilities can be written off by renting and you may be able to depreciate the property as well.

4. Rental rates are increasing because many good people lost their homes and cannot afford to get another mortgage and have no money for the down payment. This would be the good time to rent your home, as people need house with less cost.

Saturday, July 18, 2009

Gorgeous iPhone

These days i am hearing more about one electronic gadget, that is iPhone. I am shocked when i saw my boss is going crazy in buying that. I picked it from him to take a close look.

The first thing i observed in iPhone is that it is handy and easy to use. iPhone has high resolution and give a feeling of a real desktop. It plays both videos and music like iPod and allows to watch more videos.Unlike to my expectations, it does not have 3G. But its camera is much more sophisticated compared to Blackberry.

Simply i can say iPhone is one more revolutionary gadget from Apple.

Friday, June 26, 2009

Slowing down your age with anti-aging

People dislike aging. They try to keep the aging away from them by using many techniques. Some may seem to have worked sometimes, but most of the times they are worthless. Aging is a natural process in animal system, which cannot be kiboshed using some artificial process.

But we cannot say that all the hype going around anti-aging treatments and creams is wrong. Some of them are very effective and can help you to conceal or postpone your aging for some time.

The anti-aging hormones are most effective of all the present anti-aging treatments we have. This enables the anti-aging process to initialize naturally. However, recently we have a group of doctors from US who say that using these products for long tenures are risky rather than helpful. They seem to possess terrible impact on health of the users.

Monday, April 27, 2009

Underage Drinking Poses Threat To Teens

According to stats by the government, the law, which set the minimum legal age for drinking to 21 years, has reduced the number of fatalities, which included 15- to 20-year-old driver, by more than half. However, the harm caused by the underage drinking is more than the high way fatalities, road crashes, and 1900 deaths. Because this the country which has states like Virginia, where 15 percent of the alcohol purchased ends up in the hands of teenagers. In some states, it can be more.

According to another survey by the scientists of University of California, teenage binge drinkers who drink rarely but in large quantities have same affects as that of a teenager who drinks regularly. In both the cases, adolescents end up in incoherence of the brain’s white matter. White matter in the brain plays an important role in performance of a person in activities like reading, copying complex figures, and speeded coding of information.


Related Links:
Breathalyzer

Thursday, March 19, 2009

Workplace Accident Compensation

Every employee has right to have a safe and secure working environment. Employer is responsible for providing it to the employee.

Accidents in workplace happen occasionally. You can claim compensation for the injuries and damages and it is responsibility of the employer to pay you the compensation if it is genuine.

You can claim compensation from the employer because accidents in workplace occur with the negligence of the management and they are responsible for it.

You can also take the advice of attorney for compensation claims of workplace accident. Trained and experienced attorney gives you clear idea about everything relating to compensation claim like how to apply for compensation, what should be the amount of compensation and many more things. Sometimes, employer refuses to pay the fair amount in terms of claim, better to take that advice of the attorney to get your full compensation.

Related Links:
Workers compensation software

Tuesday, February 17, 2009

The 5 Habits of Highly Effective Bloggers

Very few blogs online are credible and effective. There are few qualities of effective bloggers, which distinguish their blogs from the other ordinary blogs. Effective bloggers do not assume them as special practices but they do them habitually. The following are five of those habits of highly effective bloggers.

Proactive blogging
Effective bloggers do not just blog for the sake of blogging. Before getting their hands on blogging, they create certain goals. Their goals could be increasing credibility for a business, or provide good traffic to some website, or creating awareness among people over an issue, or even raising charity for some cause, etc., Their goals are proactive for which they blog and are soon met with success.

Creating useful content for visitors
Effective bloggers are very concerned about their content. Often, effective bloggers provide useful information for the visitors. At the same time, they do not replicate the content or others reviews or opinions often from other sources. When a blog has effective content, it is very likely for it to attract traffic effectively.

Engaging the readers
Effective bloggers engage their blog readers with consistency in postings. Often, they don’t infringe their blog posting schedule and don’t make their visitors wait for them to post. They balance consistency and substance in their postings. Consistent posting helps them to make their blog interesting as well as effective.

Balancing between blogging and personal life
Effective bloggers do not commit to over blogging and make it effect their personal life. They maintain a good balance between personal life and blogging. This also helps them to refurbish their attitude towards blogging. Thus, they never get tired of blogging.

Maintenance of the blog
Effective bloggers do not stick only to the consistent posting in terms of maintaining their blog. They make sure that their blog has every potential feature to keep it appealing to their visitors. However, they do not compromise with their goal of creating a good blog.

Being an effective blogger is not an easy task But it is not an impossible. Cultivating the habit of effective blogging may take some effort and time. But once we make it, effective blogging is a routine job.

Friday, January 30, 2009

How Can You Move Into New Apartment?

When you are planning to move into new apartment and moving your belongings from one place to another is a tedious process. Moving can be a most stressful experience for the people who go through it without any planning. The following are few choices to help you in your move.

Full service moving:
In this service, the service providers look after the entire move. Representatives along with few assistants come to you and estimate the cost by looking at your belongings. On the day of moving they come with truck. From packing the stuff into boxes, labeling them, moving them into new apartment and rearranging them in the home, done by them. This service is convenient for those who do not have time for move.

Self-moving:
The name itself says that you yourself should plan the move, arrange a truck, pack the stuff, carry them to new apartment, and re-arrange the stuff. Advance planning makes your move smooth and convenient. You can also take help of your friends while moving.

Moving labor service or Moving helpers:
This is the oldest option you have while moving. You should plan a day for moving, arrange your belongings in boxes, and call the helpers. They keep these boxes into truck and unload the boxes from truck as soon as they reach your new apartment. Place the boxes in the apartment and leave from the place after collecting their charges.

Saturday, January 24, 2009

Europeans Grade US as 5th Best Place to Travel

The EIBTM 2008 was successful as ever. The event this time emphasizes on the details of key industry and market trends. The research conducted by the event organizers reported that though this year seems a little challenging, the situation overall seems optimistic.

This is good news for the industry. There were over 700 meetings industry professionals, from all over the Europe, who participated in the survey.

According to the survey conducted by Reed Travel Exhibitions, the organizers of the event, 40 percent of the respondents organized meetings and events in U.S. And also U.S stood as the fifth famous destination for events, chosen by around 40.3 percent of the European respondents.

Around 20 percent of the respondents said that they will conduct more international events this year, and 35 percent said that they will keep the number same as the previous year.

The EIBTM 2009 will be conducted on December 1st this year.

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Global Travel Industry to Face More Bad Times

The global travel industry has been hit hard by the recession and economic turmoil globally. But this is not going to stop here. There are still bad times ahead for the industry ahead.

According to the travel trends report of ITB world, 2009 will be the year of stagnation for travel industry globally. The bad times which started and are going on for the travel industry are going to stay for at least two more years ahead.

The recovery might take a little time, and also depends upon the region. The ITB report said that for Asian-Pacific and South American regions, the recession may impact only till the end of this year. Europe would might also do well, but not as much as the above two regions.

The nations which are not entirely dependent on travel industry might not bother much about it because it is just some additional income. But for the nations which mostly depend on this industry, it would be tougher times.

Tuesday, January 20, 2009

Email Discounts Adopted By Online Retailers

E-tailers are now desperately looking out for ways to increase their revenues, amid low consumer confidence and low consumer spending. The latest weapon that they are using to lure consumers is Email discount messages.

Recently when I opened my inbox, I saw many emails from retailers with big advertisements on discounts and final sales. Some were really tempting and I couldn’t resist my self from using those offers. But suddenly, I was struck by some thought.

Why are all the retailers providing these offers at same instance? Holiday season is over. There are no major holidays ahead, but I still have these offer-emails fill up my inbox.

And when I looked around on what was happening, I got to know the actual reason behind it.

These emails were good to look at in starting. But I am slowly getting annoyed with the increasing junk mails. I have already opted out of email lists of some major e-tailers, and planning to do with some more.

Thursday, January 15, 2009

The Prevalence of Disability: Stats and Figures

How many disabled people do you know in your world? (Your world represents the number of people you interact almost daily or have been some part of you life sometime).

The number is not big unless you are a part of some charitable trust or similar to that.

The number is big when you compare it with the national wise statistics of the disabled.

According to American Community Survey, around 41.3 million people reported a disability, in 2006.

The disabled population is divided into four categories according to their disability type.

One of them is sensory disability, which accounts for 4.3 percent of the total disabled population.

Another category is the physical disability, which accounts for 9.4 percent of the total disabled population.

Other types are mental disability and self-care disability, which account for 5.8 and 3.0 percents respectively.

Disability is more prevalent among the old aged people (above 65 years) with 41 percent compared to the rates of disability among the disabled aged from 16-64 years (12.3 percent).

Saturday, January 10, 2009

Are Our Immigration Laws So Weak?

It is found that more than 2.3 million foreign born have secured Lawful Permanent Resident Status in US between 1998 and 2007, by marrying a person who is American citizen.

If you are from some nation in Africa and want to settle in US without any lawful issues, all you need is just find some good (doesn’t matter even he/she is bad) American citizen and marry him. This has been the law for immigrants since many years and we don’t know if how many have secured the LPR status with fake marriages.

You know how terrorism is been a peril to US. They are looking for every single chance to mess in US and how safe are our immigration laws during these situations.

You have good set of FBI agents, international level security, worldwide super network; but all that may be in vain due to small mistake in this issue.

It is just an Achilles’ heel to the nation’s security.

Sunday, January 4, 2009

How Does Eating Gold Help You?

Who doesn’t like to have gold?

Well if every body of ours has gold in it (around 2.5 mg in an avg. human being), why look for buying it from another person? Surprised, but it is true. We all have a small amount of gold along with the other such metals.

There is a possibility to eat gold. It doesn’t mean that you can have a gold biscuit along with your evening tea. Leave about affording it, it doesn’t taste good. Believe me.

Gold is used in garnishing food items. There are some companies which sell 24K gold as an edible thing. It doesn’t enter your bloodstream; it doesn’t enter your system. What’s the use of such useless consumption? I would have tried it if I had a gold tree in my backyard.

But Gold has power to cure cancers and certain diseases like arthritis. If you are a regular person, better save it for any recession.