HOW TO UPGRADE AND INCREASE YOUR COMPUTER SPEED

It's kind of a law of nature: your computer slows down over time even though nothing seems to have changed.

So how to make your computer faster again without buying a new machine?

Firstly, check how much memory your machine has. Windows always has liked to use lots of memory and modern operating systems like XP and Vista are especially greedy. If your machine has less than 2Gb of RAM memory, it's time to treat it and you to more.

Upgrading your memory to this level will make near enough everything on your computer run faster. If Windows doesn't have enough memory to work with, it will use space on your hard disk as an alternative. But hard disks are lots, lots slower than regular memory.

A memory upgrade is simple enough to do yourself - there are plenty of tutorials online to show you how - or your local computer store will be happy to help you for a small fee. The whole operation should be over quickly - it will probably take you longer to unscrew the screws on the case than it will to upgrade the RAM.

If it's only print jobs that are running slow, do the same treatment for your printer if it's possible. Color lasers especially will appreciate any extra memory you give them and will allow Windows to pass them across more of the printing job, freeing up your machine for other tasks.

If that still doesn't do enough to make your computer faster, there are other things you can try as well.

ADWARE AND SPYWARE

Adware, spyware and computer virus share some similarities, one of which is that all three are major nuisances for computer users. Let's differentiate the three.

Spyware is software that does not intentionally harm your computer. What they do is that they create pathways wherein someone else aside from the computer owner can communicate with the computer. Normally spywares record the various types of web sites you visit which are later used by web advertisers to allow them to send you unwanted emails and pop-ups.

This is why spyware are usually frowned upon and greatly avoided. They are more intrusive than adware. Spyware have their own separate executable programs which allow them to record your keystrokes, scan files on your hard disks and look at other applications that you use including but not limited to chat programs, cookies and Web browser settings.

The spyware then will send the information that it had gathered to the spyware author. The agent will then use this information for advertising and marketing purposes. They even sell the information to advertisers and other parties.

Adware, on the other hand, are more legitimate form of freeware. Similar to spyware, adwares are advertising materials which are packaged into a software or program and are installed automatically once that particular program or software is added into the computer system.

Some forms of adware, on the other hand, download advertising contents as a particular application is being utilized. It is quite unfortunate that most of the adware programs take the form of spywares that is they track and report user information to program authors.

Some signs of spyware infections include pop-up ads that seem to be not related to the site you are viewing. More often than not, spyware pop-ups are advertisements about adult contents. Also if you notice your computer slowing down, there's a big chance that spywares and its other components have found their way in your operating system. When the Windows desktop also takes a longer time to load, its best to scan your computer for possible spyware infections.

Meanwhile, viruses are destructive form of software. They were purely designed and created for one purpose alone: to wreck havoc to your computer. They destroy whatever they come in contact to and will initiate self replication and infect as many components of the computer's operating system or network as possible.

Nowadays, a lot of anti-virus software also provides spyware and adware scanning and removal utilities. Some programs, however, are focused on located and deleting or destroying spyware and adware programs. Whether is an anti-virus software or a anti-spyware dedicated scanner, they both search your computer and identify any spyware and virus installed on your system.

They then remove it as well as their components located in the system registry among other places in your computer. It is therefore, good to regularly update your virus or spyware scanner to ensure that your computer is protected from the thousands of spyware and viruses in the internet. Never be fooled from ads that claim that their products only contain adware.

These adware maybe spyware in disguised and are just waiting to be deployed for them to gather your information. Learn to setup firewall systems and always block pop-up blockers to minimize computer infection and ensure the security of all your computer files.

ADWARE AND SPYWARE

Adware, spyware and computer virus share some similarities, one of which is that all three are major nuisances for computer users. Let's differentiate the three.

Spyware is software that does not intentionally harm your computer. What they do is that they create pathways wherein someone else aside from the computer owner can communicate with the computer. Normally spywares record the various types of web sites you visit which are later used by web advertisers to allow them to send you unwanted emails and pop-ups.

This is why spyware are usually frowned upon and greatly avoided. They are more intrusive than adware. Spyware have their own separate executable programs which allow them to record your keystrokes, scan files on your hard disks and look at other applications that you use including but not limited to chat programs, cookies and Web browser settings.

The spyware then will send the information that it had gathered to the spyware author. The agent will then use this information for advertising and marketing purposes. They even sell the information to advertisers and other parties.

Adware, on the other hand, are more legitimate form of freeware. Similar to spyware, adwares are advertising materials which are packaged into a software or program and are installed automatically once that particular program or software is added into the computer system.

Some forms of adware, on the other hand, download advertising contents as a particular application is being utilized. It is quite unfortunate that most of the adware programs take the form of spywares that is they track and report user information to program authors.

Some signs of spyware infections include pop-up ads that seem to be not related to the site you are viewing. More often than not, spyware pop-ups are advertisements about adult contents. Also if you notice your computer slowing down, there's a big chance that spywares and its other components have found their way in your operating system. When the Windows desktop also takes a longer time to load, its best to scan your computer for possible spyware infections.

Meanwhile, viruses are destructive form of software. They were purely designed and created for one purpose alone: to wreck havoc to your computer. They destroy whatever they come in contact to and will initiate self replication and infect as many components of the computer's operating system or network as possible.

Nowadays, a lot of anti-virus software also provides spyware and adware scanning and removal utilities. Some programs, however, are focused on located and deleting or destroying spyware and adware programs. Whether is an anti-virus software or a anti-spyware dedicated scanner, they both search your computer and identify any spyware and virus installed on your system.

They then remove it as well as their components located in the system registry among other places in your computer. It is therefore, good to regularly update your virus or spyware scanner to ensure that your computer is protected from the thousands of spyware and viruses in the internet. Never be fooled from ads that claim that their products only contain adware.

These adware maybe spyware in disguised and are just waiting to be deployed for them to gather your information. Learn to setup firewall systems and always block pop-up blockers to minimize computer infection and ensure the security of all your computer files.

20 TIPS FOR ALEXA RANKS

1. Install the Alexa toolbar or Firefox’s SearchStatus extension and set your blog as your homepage. This is the most basic step.

2. Put up an Alexa rank widget on your website. I did this a few days ago and receive a fair amount of clicks every day. According to some, each click counts as a visit even if the toolbar is not used by the visitor.

3. Encourage others to use the Alexa toolbar. This includes friends, fellow webmasters as well as site visitors/blog readers. Be sure to link to Alexa’s full explanation of their toolbar and tracking system so your readers know what installing the toolbar or extension entails.

4. Work in an Office or own a company? Get the Alexa toolbar or SS Firefox extension installed on all computers and set your website as the homepage for all browsers. Perhaps it will be useful to note that this may work only when dynamic or different IPs are used.

5. Get friends to review and rate your Alexa website profile. Not entirely sure of its impact on rankings but it might help in some way.

6. Write or Blog about Alexa. Webmaster and bloggers love to hear about ways to increase their Alexa rank. They’ll link to you and send you targeted traffic (i.e. visitors with the toolbar already installed). This gradually has effects on your Alexa ranking.

7. Flaunt your URL in webmaster forums. Webmasters usually have the toolbar installed. You’ll get webmasters to visit your website and offer useful feedback. It’s also a good way to give back to the community if you have useful articles to share with others.

8. Write content that is related to webmasters. This can fall in the category of domaining and SEO, two fields in which most webmasters will have the Alexa toolbar installed. Promote your content on social networking websites and webmaster forums.

9. Use Alexa redirects on your website URL. Try this: http://redirect.alexa.com/redirect?www.doshdosh.com . Replace doshdosh.com with the URL for your website. Leave this redirected URL in blog comments as well as forum signatures. This redirect will count a unique IP address once a day so clicking it multiple times won’t help. There is no official proof that redirects positively benefit your Alexa Rank, so use with caution.

10. Post in Asian social networking websites or forums. Some webmasters have suggested that East Asian web users are big Alexa toolbar fans, judging by the presence of several Asia-based websites in the Alexa Top 500. I suggest trying this only if you have the time or capacity to do so.

11. Create a webmaster tools section on your website. This is a magnet for webmasters who will often revisit your website to gain access to the tools. Aaron Wall’s webpage on SEOTools is a very good example.

12. Get Dugg or Stumbled. This usually brings massive numbers of visitors to your website and the sheer amount will have a positive impact on your Alexa Rank. Naturally, you’ll need to develop link worthy material.

13. Use PayperClick Campaigns. Buying advertisements on search engines such as Google or Exact Seek will help bring in Traffic. Doubly useful when your ad is highly relevant to webmasters.

14. Create an Alexa category on your blog and use it to include any articles or news about Alexa. This acts as an easily accessible resource for webmasters or casual search visitors while helping you rank in the search engines.

15. Optimize your popular posts. Got a popular post that consistently receives traffic from the search engines? Include a widget/graph at the bottom of the post, link to your Alexa post or use Alexa redirection on your internal URLs.

16. Buy banners and links for traffic from webmaster forums and websites. A prominent and well displayed ad will drive lots of webmaster traffic to your website, which can significantly boost your rank.

17. Hire forum posters to pimp your website. Either buy signatures in webmaster forums or promote specific articles or material in your website on a regular basis. You can easily find posters for hire in Digital Point and other webmaster forums.

18. Pay Cybercafe owners to install the Alexa toolbar and set your website as the homepage for all their computers. This might be difficult to arrange and isn’t really a viable solution for most. I’m keeping this one in because some have suggested that it does work.

19. Use MySpace . This is a little shady so I don’t recommended it unless you’re really interested in artificially inflating your Alexa Rank. Use visually attractive pictures or banners and link them to your redirected Alexa URL. This will be most effective if your website has content that is actually relevant to the MySpace Crowd.

20. Try Alexa auto-surfs. Do they work? Maybe for brand new sites. I think they are mostly suitable for new websites with a very poor Alexa rank. Note that there be problems when you try to use auto surfs alongside contextual ads like Adsense. They aren’t also long term solutions to improving your Alexa Rank so I suggest using with caution.

KEYBOARD SHOTCUT KEYS THAT A BLGGER MUST KNOW

Here's a collection of 20 Windows keyboard shortcuts that will save you keystrokes every day.

If you already know (and use) these Windows keyboard shortcuts, congratulations and keep up the good work! If these are new to you, you might want to post a copy near your keyboard so you remember to try them out.

1. F3 function key: Opens a window that allows you to search your computer.

2. Shift when you insert a CD or DVD: Prevents the CD or DVD from automatically playing or running.

3. Alt + Tab: Moves one by one through all the open items on your computer.

4. Ctrl + a (lower case): Selects everything in the current window.

5. Ctrl + c (lower case): Copies the selected text to the clipboard.

6. Ctrl + x (lower case): Cuts (deletes) the selected text.

7. Ctrl + v (lower case): Pastes the selected text.

8. Ctrl + z (lower case): Undo (reverses) the previous action.

9. F2 function key: Renames the selected item.

10. Alt + Enter: View the properties of the selected item.

11. Ctrl + left arrow: Moves cursor left one WORD at a time.

12. Ctrl + right arrow: Moves cursor right one WORD at a time.

13. Home key: Moves cursor to the beginning of a line.

14. End key: Moves cursor to the end of a line.

15. Ctrl + End: Moves cursor to the end of a document.

16. Ctrl + up arrow: Moves the cursor to the beginning of the previous paragraph.

17. Ctrl + down arrow: Moves the cursor to the beginning of the next paragraph.

18. Ctrl + Home: Moves cursor to the beginning of a document.

19. Ctrl + End: Moves cursor to the end of a document.

20. Windows key + F1 function key: Opens the Windows help menu.

10 WAYS TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN LIFE

Step 1- Find and Clarify Your Vision of Success:

If you don't yet know what you want to achieve that's okay. There are ways to find out. Ask yourself what you are good at, what you enjoy doing, and what you would be doing if money were no object. Write out an ideal scenario of you having and doing what you dream of.

Step 2- Define your Goals Clearly:

From your ideal scenario of your Vision of Success identify concrete goals. Define them clearly and write them down. Writing your goals down is very important and gives them more power than just thinking or imagining your success.

Step 3- Visualize Yourself Achieving Your Goals:

Before setting off on the path to success you must first be able to see yourself achieving your success. You must believe that you can do it. Your imagination is a powerful creative tool. Once we can vividly imagine something, it often opens the door to manifesting it (Gawain, 1997).

Step 4- Uncover Psychological Blocks to Success:

If you have difficulty with steps one and two you may have internal obstacles preventing you from having or keeping what you want. On some level you may feel undeserving of success and happiness and this may be reflected in a lack of achievement. To uncover these obstacles ask yourself how you truly feel about having what you desire. Is there any guilt attached to this? One way to uncover any blocks here is to write down why you deserve to be successful. This can reveal any feelings to the contrary. Examine where your attitudes about success came from. Write out all you fears and fantasies associated with being successful.

Step 5- Remove Psychological Blocks to Success:

Often just the awareness of negative attitudes and beliefs about success begins the process of letting them go. You can't force change, but there are different tools and techniques that may be helpful. Some of these include: positive affirmations, therapy, success coaching, support groups such as Visions Anonymous, and rituals to rid yourself of the negative beliefs e.g. write them down then burn/tear them up.

Step 6- Make a Clear Plan With a Timeline:

Consider creating a plan that breaks your goals down into 5-year goals, 1-year goals, 6-months, 3-months and 1-month achievements. After completing this plan you can do weekly goals that will put you on schedule for all of the other goal milestones. Be realistic here so you don't get discouraged.

Step 7- Chart your Progress:

It is important to assess your progress at regular intervals. Pick a day once a week or once a month, read your plan and see if you are on schedule. Reward yourself for achieving milestones. If you need to adjust your plan be realistic and do so. Also, be honest with yourself. Visions and goals can change. If you find that you no longer really want this Vision do not be afraid to change your plan.

Step 8- Enjoy Your Success!

Once you have achieved your goals and your Vision of Success it is very important to acknowledge this. Reward yourself, give yourself credit and allow yourself to feel the attendant good feelings. Don't just rush off to your next goal as if you take your success for granted.

Step 9- Cultivate Gratitude:

Having gratitude is important once you achieve your visions. Literally "count your blessings", give thanks, allow yourself to enjoy them, and relish the experience of the success you already have. This increases success by attracting more of what you currently possess. One simple way to do this is to write a gratitude list (listing everything that you feel grateful for).

Step 10- Give it Away:

Out-flowing (giving away our material gifts and talents) makes room for more to flow to us. When out of feelings of fear or insecurity, we cling to what we have, we cut this flow off. You must not only express gratitude for achieving success, you must share this success with others. Share your resources, time and talents. You are also giving it away when you tell your story to others so that they might be encouraged.

FIGHTING OBESITY

It's fast becoming a problem in many corners of the world, and perhaps most notably in the U.K.: Obesity. The numbers are staggering. According to the BBC, almost a quarter of the adults in the United Kingdom are obese, a fifty percent increase over the last decade.

But, it doesn't stop there. One out of every six children, between the ages of two and fifteen, are obese in the United Kingdom compared to one in ten children a decade ago. The bad news is obesity has been linked to such diseases and illnesses as diabetes, hypertension, heart problems, and blood clots. Studies have even found that obesity can lead to a shortened life span.

The good news is you can fight obesity and learn to control your weight if you're willing to commit yourself to it. Following are several ways you can effectively control your weight:

1. Set goals: What do you want to accomplish? Do you want to add physical activity to your schedule? Do you want to cut out the fatty and sugary foods? Set your goals for losing weight before you do anything else.

2. Exercise regularly. The fact is only 40 percent of men in the United Kingdom and 28 percent of women exercise a minimum of a half an hour each week. Exercise is essential to weight loss and to maintaining your ideal weight. Exercising can be as simple as walking instead of taking the bus. Talk with your physician to devise an exercise regiment that is best for your needs.

A word of caution: Before you adjust your diet or begin a regular exercise regiment, be sure that you consult your physician first to determine how many calories a day you should intake and to ensure that you are healthy enough to begin exercising.

3. Drink plenty of water. Cut out the sugary drinks and those drinks that contain caffeine - both also contain plenty of fat. The general rule of thumb is to drink eight glasses of water a day.

4. Create a meal plan. Some medical experts advise, rather than eating three meals a day, eating small meals throughout the day. Talk with your doctor to determine what is best for your individual needs.

5. Surround yourself by those who support you. Combating obesity and losing weight isn't easy, and it's essential that you have a strong support system. In addition to friends and family who support you, you may also want to consider finding a support group in your local community. Support groups are an excellent means of sharing the ups and downs of weight loss with others who are going through the same thing.

6. Keep a daily journal documenting how you've dealt with food each day: For example, write down what you ate, how you felt before you ate, and how you felt after you ate. A daily journal will help you identify behaviours you want to avoid (i.e. overeating because you're upset) and will ensure you remain focused on your goals.

7. Diet Correctly. The word diet strikes fear in the heart of many of us, but diet doesn't have to be a bad word. Learning how to eat healthy is a diet habit that we can do for the rest of our lives.

Most people think of diet as being something that you do until your lose a certain amount of weight, and then you go back to regular eating. This is the precise reason why most diets fail; they are impossible to sustain in the long run.

Learning how to diet right will help you get to a healthy weight and stay there. Staying away from fad diets is vital to losing weight successfully. Low carbohydrate diets are a good example of this.

Millions of people swear by the latest low carb craze, but how many of us know a friend or co-worker who had lost a shocking amount of weight in a short period of time, only to gain it back in an even shorter period? Carbohydrates are an important part of a complete and healthy diet, so they certainly can't be omitted forever. While your body may lose weight while on the diet, you're bound to gain it back when you start eating carbs again.

Everyone knows that too much fat is a bad thing. While certain fats are very good for us, many people on low carb diets are getting too much of the bad fats, i.e. animal fats. It is a shame that people are so concerned with losing weight that they lose sight of the fact that their wonder diet may actually be doing their body harm.

Losing weight can be a struggle, but you don't have to go through it alone. Follow the preceding tips, and you'll be well on your way to a new, healthier you. Remember, in the end, losing weight is all about you becoming healthier: It's not about becoming thinner.

THE 10 COMMANDMENT OF GOAL SETTING

1. Be Passionate

Be passionate about your goals so that you are motivated to achieve them. Scratch off any goals on your list that you are not willing to do anything it takes to accomplish them.

2. Be Realistic

When you choose goals for yourself, it is okay to dream, but you want to be as realistic as possible. You do not want to become discouraged when you don't achieve a specific goal. Choose time frames that are reasonable and goals that are a stretch from where you are today.

3. Write your goals down

Writing your goals down will lead to an increased chance of achieving them. Write them all down and then prioritise them in order of personal importance.

4. Be Detailed

Every goal should have a time frame and amount assigned to them. For example, "I would like to increase sales by 10% by the end of the year"; instead of, "I would like to increase sales for my business".

5. Be Accountable

To become successful at achieving your goals, you will need to hold yourself accountable by scheduling regular check points for progress review.

6. Ask for Help

Mentors and other professionals are valuable tools to help you in achieving your goals.

7. Have Integrity

Do what you say that you are going to do.

8. Be Persistent

Keep going until you reach your goals. Don't give up prematurely.

9. Be Prepared for Failure

If you fail, set a new goal and keep going. Most successful people fail at some point, and most business owners will tell you that they have failed numerous times on the way to becoming successful.

10. Reward Yourself

Choose a reward for each goal that will encourage you to work hard to achieve them. You are more likely to work hard when there is a reward at the end of the process.