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	<title>The Blogaholic &#187; tips and tricks</title>
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	<link>http://theblogaholic.org</link>
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			<item>
		<title>Browsing The Web</title>
		<link>http://theblogaholic.org/2009/09/browsing-the-web/</link>
		<comments>http://theblogaholic.org/2009/09/browsing-the-web/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 30 Sep 2009 05:48:38 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Blog]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Cool Stuff]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Technology]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Top Picks]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Web]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[tips and tricks]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[Internet Secrets: Browsing the Web
Where to get a file- When downloading a popular file like game installers, you’re often presented with a long list of sites. The best site is usually the one closest to you. If there are problems with the site closest to you, try a site in a time zone that’s out [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<h2><strong>Internet Secrets: Browsing the Web</strong></h2>
<p><strong>Where to get a file</strong>- When downloading a popular file like game installers, you’re often presented with a long list of sites. The best site is usually the one closest to you. If there are problems with the site closest to you, try a site in a time zone that’s out of business hours.</p>
<p><strong>Cut Searching and Browsing Time in Half</strong>- Don’t wait for pages to load; run multiple browser windows at the same time. Read a page in one window while a second page is retrieved in the other.</p>
<p><strong>Server Status</strong>- Can’t get to a site and want to know if it’s service is down? Just open a DOS window and type in ping www.site.com, substituting the name of the site you’re trying to reach. If the site is up and running, you’ll get some numbers back. If the traffic is slow or the site is down, ping reports a REQUEST TIMED OUT.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><img class="aligncenter" title="Browsing the Web" src="http://i26.tinypic.com/axi8lx.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="201" /></p>
<p><strong>Take Two</strong>- Believe it or not, you often get better performance when your internet connection is doing two things at once. So just keep surfing while you download or set another large file downloading at the same time. Both downloads take time retrieving data so there’s a less chance of either timing out.</p>
<p><strong>Power Web Research</strong>- Here’s a trick that let’s you consolidate data from many search engines into one place. First, create a search-hits folder on your hard drive then perform your web search and right-click on any returned links that look promising. Choose save link as to save that links destination page to your new folder and give each file a relevant name. Now you’re able to use Windows Find or any search tool to perform full-text searches on all the pages in your folder.</p>
<p><strong>Like Minds</strong>- Alexa.com is a free navigation service that analyzes surfing patterns and then recommends other sites you may be interested in.</p>
<p><strong>Who Am I? – </strong>If you’re not sute of your current IP address, there’s a quick way to find out. While connected, click on START, RUN then type Winipcfg.</p>
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		<title>The top 5 HTTP errors</title>
		<link>http://theblogaholic.org/2009/09/the-top-5-http-errors/</link>
		<comments>http://theblogaholic.org/2009/09/the-top-5-http-errors/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 19 Sep 2009 22:59:25 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Blog]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Cool Stuff]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Technology]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Top Picks]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Web]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[google]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[tips and tricks]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[The top 5 errors, according to Google
Here they are, listed and explained in reverse order, the five most common HTTP errors. Drumroll, please…
5. HTTP error 401 (unauthorized)
This error happens when a website visitor tries to access a restricted web page but isn’t authorized to do so, usually because of a failed login attempt.
4. HTTP error [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<h4>The top 5 errors, according to Google</h4>
<p>Here they are, listed and explained in reverse order, the five most common HTTP errors. Drumroll, please…</p>
<h5>5. HTTP error 401 (unauthorized)</h5>
<p>This error happens when a website visitor tries to access a restricted web page but isn’t authorized to do so, usually because of a failed login attempt.</p>
<h5>4. HTTP error 400 (bad request)</h5>
<p>This is basically an error message from the web server telling you that the application you are using (e.g. your web browser) accessed it incorrectly or that the request was somehow corrupted on the way.</p>
<h5>3. HTTP error 403 (forbidden)</h5>
<p>This error is similar to the 401 error, but note the difference between unauthorized and forbidden. In this case no login opportunity was available. This can for example happen if you try to access a (forbidden) directory on a website.</p>
<h5>2. HTTP error 404 (not found)</h5>
<p>Most people are bound to recognize this one. A 404 error happens when you try to access a resource on a web server (usually a web page) that doesn’t exist. Some reasons for this happening can for example be a broken link, a mistyped URL, or that the webmaster has moved the requested page somewhere else (or deleted it). To counter the ill effect of broken links, some websites set up custom pages for them.</p>
<p><em>And the most common HTTP error of all is……….</em></p>
<h5>1. HTTP error 500 (internal server error)</h5>
<p>The description of this error pretty much says it all. It’s a general-purpose error message for when a web server encounters some form of internal error. For example, the web server could be overloaded and therefore unable to handle requests properly.</p>
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		<item>
		<title>Google Tricks</title>
		<link>http://theblogaholic.org/2009/09/google-tricks/</link>
		<comments>http://theblogaholic.org/2009/09/google-tricks/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 10 Sep 2009 07:22:50 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Blog]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Technology]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Web]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[google]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[internet]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://theblogaholic.org/?p=93</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[So much information is on the web, its mind boggling. Thankfully we have search engines to sift through them and catagorize them for us. Unfortunatly, there is still so much info that even with these search engines, its often a painstakingly slow process (something comparable to death for a hacker) to find exactly what you’re [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>So much information is on the web, its mind boggling. Thankfully we have search engines to sift through them and catagorize them for us. Unfortunatly, there is still so much info that even with these search engines, its often a painstakingly slow process (something comparable to death for a hacker) to find exactly what you’re looking for.</p>
<p>Lets get right into it.</p>
<p>I use google.com as my primary search engine because it presently tops the charts as far as the sites that it indexes which means more pertinent info per search.</p>
<p>1. <strong>Page translation</strong>. Just because someone speaks another language doesn’t mean they dont have anything useful to say. I use translation tools like the ones found at</p>
<p><strong>http://babelfish.altavista.com</strong> and</p>
<p><strong>http://world.altavista.com</strong> to translate a few key words I am searching for. Be specific and creative because these tools arent the most accurate things on the planet.</p>
<p>2. <strong>Directories. </strong>These days everything is about $$$. We have to deal/w SEO (search engine optimization) which seems like a good idea on paper until you do a search for toys and get 5 pornsites in the first 10 results. Using a sites directory will eliminate that. You can narrow your search down easily by looking for the info in specific catagories. (PS google DOES have directories, they’re at: directory.google.com)</p>
<p>3. <strong>Here are some tips that google refers to as “advanced”</strong></p>
<p>A. “xxxx” / will look for the exact phrase. (google isnt case sensitive) B. -x / will search for something excluding a certain term C. filetype:xxx / searches for a particular file extention (exe, mp3, etc) D. -filetype:xxx / excludes a particular file extention E. allinurl:x / term in the url F. allintext:x / terms in the text of the page G. allintitle:x / terms in the html title of that page H. allinanchor:x / terms in the links</p>
<p>4. <strong>OR Self explanatory, one or the other… (ie: binder OR joiner)</strong></p>
<p>5.<strong> ~X Synonyms/similar terms (in case you can’t think of any yourself)</strong></p>
<p>6. <strong>Numbers in a range.</strong> Lets say you’re looking for an mp3 player but only want to spend up to $90. Why swim through all the others? MP3 player $0..$90 The 2 periods will set a numeric range to search between. This also works with dates, weights, etc</p>
<p>7. <strong>+ Ever type in a search and see something like this</strong>: “The following words are very common and were not included in your search:” Well, what if those common words are important in your search? You can force google to search through even the common terms by putting a + in front of the denied word.</p>
<p>8.<strong> Preferences</strong> It amazes me when I use other peoples PCs that they dont have their google search preferences saved. When you use google as much as I do, who can afford to not have preferences? They’re located on the right of the search box, and have several options, though I only find 2 applicable for myself… A. Open results in new browser B. Display 10-100 results per page. (I currently use 50 per page, but thats a resolution preference, and 5X’s the default)</p>
<p>9<strong>. * Wildcard searches.</strong> Great when applied to a previously mentioned method. If you only know the name of a prog, or are looking for ALL of a particular file (ie. you’re DLing tunes) something like *.mp3 would list every mp3.</p>
<p>10. <strong>Ever see this? </strong>“In order to show you the most relevant results, we have omitted some entries very similar to the X already displayed. If you like, you can repeat the search with the omitted results included.” The answer is YES. yes yes yes. Did I mention yes? I meant to.</p>
<p>11. <strong>Search EVERYWHERE </strong>Use the engine to its fullest. If you dont find your answer in the web section, try the group section. Hell, try a whole different search engine. Dont limit yourself, because sometimes engines seem to intentionally leave results out. ex. use google, yahoo, and altavista. search the same terms… pretty close, right? Now search for disney death. Funny, altavista has plenty of disney, but no death…hmmm.</p>
<p>If you’ve read this far into this tutorial without saying, “Great, a guy that copied a few google help pages and thinks its useful info” then I will show you WHY (besides accuracy, speed, and consistancy finding info on ANYTHING) its nice to know how a search engine works. You combine it/w your knowledge of other protocol.</p>
<p>Example: Want free music? Free games? Free software? Free movies? God bless FTP! Try this search: intitle:”Index of music” “rolling stones” mp3 Substitute rolling stones/w your favorite band. No? Try the song name, or another file format. Play with it. Assuming SOMEONE made an FTP and uploaded it, you’ll find it.</p>
<p>For example….I wanted to find some Sepultura. If you never heard them before, they’re a Brazilian heavy metal band that kicks ass. I started with this: intitle:”Index of music” “Sepultura” mp3 &lt;– nothing intitle:”Index of música” “Sepultura” mp3 &lt;– nothing intitle:”Index of musica” “Sepultura” mp3 &lt;– not good enough intitle:”Index of music” “Sepultura” * &lt;– found great stuff, but not enough Sepultura</p>
<p>At this point it occurs to me that I may be missing something, so I try: intitle:”index of *” “sepultura” mp3 &lt;– BANG! (and thats without searching for spelling errors) Also try inurl:ftp</p>
<p>I find that * works better for me than trying to guess other peoples mis-spellings.</p>
<p>The same method applies for ebooks, games, movies, SW, anything that may be on an FTP site.</p>
<p>I hope you enjoyed this tutorial, and I saw that recently a book and an article was written on the very same topic. I havn’t read them as of yet, but check em out, and get back to me if you feel I missed something important and should include anything else.</p>
<p>intitle:”index of” “google hacks” ebook</p>
<p>Ps. I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again… BE CREATIVE. You’ll be surprised what you can find. -Fry</p>
<p><strong>(from http://wattpad.com)</strong></p>
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		<title>Internet Tricks</title>
		<link>http://theblogaholic.org/2009/09/internet-tricks/</link>
		<comments>http://theblogaholic.org/2009/09/internet-tricks/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 05 Sep 2009 07:16:37 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Cool Stuff]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Technology]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[tips and tricks]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://theblogaholic.org/?p=86</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Increase InterNet Speed Using Notepad
1. Open Notepad.
2. Copy the following code to the Notepad.
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Tcpip\Parameters]
“SackOpts”=dword:00000001
“TcpWindowSize”=dword:0005ae4c
“Tcp1323Opts”=dword:00000003
“DefaultTTL”=dword:00000040
“EnablePMTUBHDetect”=dword:00000000
“EnablePMTUDiscovery”=dword:00000001
“GlobalMaxTcpWindowSize”=dword:0005ae4c
3. Save the file as NetSpeed.reg or what ever name you want but the extension should be .reg.
4. If you run the file means it asks for “Do you want to add the following entry to the registry”
5. Press Yes
6. Reboot your [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Increase InterNet Speed Using Notepad</p>
<p>1. Open Notepad.</p>
<p>2. Copy the following code to the Notepad.<br />
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Tcpip\Parameters]<br />
“SackOpts”=dword:00000001<br />
“TcpWindowSize”=dword:0005ae4c<br />
“Tcp1323Opts”=dword:00000003<br />
“DefaultTTL”=dword:00000040<br />
“EnablePMTUBHDetect”=dword:00000000<br />
“EnablePMTUDiscovery”=dword:00000001<br />
“GlobalMaxTcpWindowSize”=dword:0005ae4c</p>
<p>3. Save the file as NetSpeed.reg or what ever name you want but the extension should be .reg.</p>
<p>4. If you run the file means it asks for “Do you want to add the following entry to the registry”</p>
<p>5. Press Yes</p>
<p>6. Reboot your PC.</p>
<p>7. Feel the difference….</p>
<p>VISIT MY BLOG AT WWW.TECHTRICX.BLOGSPOT.COM</p>
<p>How to Make Firefox Load Faster</p>
<p>Firefox may run quickly but it loads slowly; here’s how to fix it. (This tip is for experienced computer users only.)</p>
<p>You can slash Firefox’s slow load time by compressing the DLLs and executables. There are many choices for compression but I suggest you use UPX which is free, efficient and time proven.</p>
<p>1. Download UPX from http://upx.sourceforge.net/#download</p>
<p>2. Unzip upx.exe into your Firefox installation folder which is normally C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox.</p>
<p>3. Make sure Firefox is not running then shell to a command prompt in the Firefox installation directory.</p>
<p>4. Type in the following command in a single line and hit return:</p>
<p>for %v in (*.exe *.dll components\*.dll plugins\*.dll) do upx “C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\%v”</p>
<p>5. If on some later occasion you want to unpack the files, just type in the command above but add the decompression switch “-d” after “do upx.”</p>
<p>That’s it; enjoy the difference!</p>
<p>VISIT MY BLOG AT WWW.TECHTRICX.BLOGSPOT.COM</p>
<p>How to increase your internet connection speed</p>
<p>If you have Windows XP, try this. Everyone that has tried it says it works, tell us if it works too. You should be logged as Administrator (not even accounts with administrator privileges).</p>
<p>1. Start &#8211; Run &#8211; type gpedit.msc.</p>
<p>2. Expand the Local Computer Policy / Administrative Templates / Network Branch.</p>
<p>3. Highlight the QoS Packet Scheduler in left panel.</p>
<p>4. In right panel double click the Limit reservable bandwidth setting.</p>
<p>5. On setting tab check the Enabled item.</p>
<p>6. Where it says Bandwidth limit % change it to read 0.</p>
<p>The problem is, XP seems to want to reserve 20% of the bandwidth for itself. Even with QoS disabled, even when this item is disabled. So why not use it to your advantage.</p>
<p>To demonstrate the problem with this on stand alone machines start up a big download from a server with an FTP client. Try to find a server that doesn’t max out your bandwidth. In this case you want a slow to medium speed server to demonstrate this. Let it run for a couple of minutes to get stable. The start up another download from the same server with another instance of your FTP client. You will notice that the available bandwidth is now being fought over and one of the clients download will be very slow or both will slow down when they should both be using the available bandwidth. Using this “tweak” both clients will have a fair share of the bandwidth and will not fight over the bandwidth. Try it and tell us if this works.</p>
<p>VISIT MY BLOG AT WWW.TECHTRICX.BLOGSPOT.COM</p>
<p>MOZILLA FIREFOX- Award Winning FASTEST Browser</p>
<p>I love Mozilla Firefox. I surf the net whole day by Mozilla and I dont feel like stopping it.<br />
I want to increase Mozilla Users please download it from side bar , it also reduces use of bandwidth<br />
coz inbuilt google, yahoo, wikipedia, and other search engines which no other browser to offer</p>
<p>you can also disableto show images of a site which is not offered in any other browser . download it and experience it.</p>
<p>VISIT MY BLOG AT WWW.TECHTRICX.BLOGSPOT.COM</p>
<p>Speed up Mozilla FireFox</p>
<p>——————————————————————————–</p>
<p>1. Type “about :config” in the adress field.<br />
2. Set the value of network.http.pipelining to “true”.<br />
3. Set the value of network.http.pipelining.maxrequests to “100″.<br />
4. Set the value of network.http.proxy.pipelining to “true”<br />
5. Set the value of nglayout.initialpaint.delay to “0″</p>
<p>The speed will be increases upto 20%</p>
<p>download MOZILLA FIREFOX eith GOOGLE TOOLBAR from the link above the polls in my blog , it is the most recent and updated version</p>
<p>VISIT MY BLOG AT WWW.TECHTRICX.BLOGSPOT.COM</p>
<p>Above 90% computers all over the world run Windows… and hence another computer trick.</p>
<p>FACT<br />
But do you know that about 20% of your internet bandwidth is reserved by Microsoft.<br />
———————————————————————————————————<br />
Uses of Reserved Bandwidth<br />
** Windows Automatic Updates rely on this reserved bandwidth.<br />
** Fast loading Microsoft Websites<br />
** Sending Error Reports<br />
** Online Help support in Microsoft Office<br />
———————————————————————————————————<br />
But this can be recovered back…<br />
———————————————————————————————————<br />
The Remedy<br />
** Start &gt;&gt; Run<br />
** Type gpedit.msc<br />
** This opens the Policy Editor<br />
** Now, Local Computer Policy &gt;&gt; Computer Configuration<br />
** Then, Administrative Templates &gt;&gt; Network<br />
** Now, click on QOS Packet Scheduler<br />
** Now, on Right hand side<br />
** Double Click Limit reservable bandwidth<br />
** Now in Setting Tab</p>
<p>***************************************************<br />
It says : Not Configured<br />
Reality : The Explain Tab says “By default, the Packet Scheduler limits the system to 20 percent of the bandwidth of a connection”</p>
<p>***************************************************</p>
<p>** So, on Setting Tab select Enabled<br />
** Now, change Bandwidth limit (%) to 0 (Zero)<br />
** Click OK !!!</p>
<p>That’s All !!!</p>
<p>VISIT MY BLOG AT WWW.TECHTRICX.BLOGSPOT.COM</p>
<p>Speed Up Browsing</p>
<p>When you connect to a web site your computer sends information back and forth. Some of this<br />
information deals with resolving the site name to an IP address, the stuff that TCP/IP really<br />
deals with, not words. This is DNS information and is used so that you will not need to ask for<br />
the site location each and every time you visit the site. Although Windows XP and Windows XP have<br />
a pretty efficient DNS cache, you can increase its overall performance by increasing its size. You<br />
can do this with the registry entries below:</p>
<p>Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00<br />
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Dnscache\Parameters]<br />
“CacheHashTableBucketSize”=dword:00000001<br />
“CacheHashTableSize”=dword:00000180<br />
“MaxCacheEntryTtlLimit”=dword:0000fa00<br />
“MaxSOACacheEntryTtlLimit”=dword:0000012d</p>
<p>Make a new text file and rename it to dnscache.reg. Then copy and paste the above into it and save</p>
<p>it. Merge it into the registry.</p>
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		<title>Effective Email</title>
		<link>http://theblogaholic.org/2009/09/effective-email/</link>
		<comments>http://theblogaholic.org/2009/09/effective-email/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 01 Sep 2009 07:14:04 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Cool Stuff]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[tips and tricks]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://theblogaholic.org/?p=84</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Think before you write. Just because you can send information faster than ever before, it doesn’t mean that you should send it. Analyze your readers to make certain that you are sending a message that will be both clear and useful.
Remember that you can always deny that you said it. But if you write it, [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img src="file:///C:/DOCUME%7E1/client/LOCALS%7E1/Temp/moz-screenshot.jpg" alt="" /><img src="file:///C:/DOCUME%7E1/client/LOCALS%7E1/Temp/moz-screenshot-1.jpg" alt="" />Think before you write. Just because you can send information faster than ever before, it doesn’t mean that you should send it. Analyze your readers to make certain that you are sending a message that will be both clear and useful.</p>
<p>Remember that you can always deny that you said it. But if you write it, you may be held accountable for many many moons. You may be surprised to find where your message may end up. (As an example of “What Not To Do” in Ellen Dowling’s Writing Strategies class?)</p>
<p>Keep your message concise. Remember that the view screen in most e-mail programs shows only approximately one half of a hard-copy page. Save longer messages and formal reports for attachments. On the other hand, do not keep your message so short that the reader has no idea what you’re talking about. Include at least a summary (action or information?) in the first paragraph of your message.</p>
<p>Remember that e-mail is not necessarily confidential. Some companies will retain the right to monitor employees’ messages. (Refer to #1 and #2, above.) Don’t send anything you wouldn’t be comfortable seeing published in your company’s newsletter (or your community’s newspaper).</p>
<p>Don’t attempt to “discipline” your readers. It’s unprofessional to lose control in person-to do so in writing usually just makes the situation worse.</p>
<p>Don’t “spam” your readers. Don’t send them unnecessary or frivolous messages. Soon, they’ll quit opening any message from you.</p>
<p>DON’T TYPE IN ALL CAPS! IT LOOKS LIKE YOU’RE YELLING AT THE READERS! Remember, if you emphasize everything, you will have emphasized nothing.</p>
<p>don’t type in all lower case. (unless you’re e.e. cummings.) if you violate the rules of english grammar and usage, you make it difficult for the reader to read.</p>
<p>Use the “Subject” line to get the readers’ attention. Replace vague lines (”Information on XYZ Project,” or “Status Report Q1″) with better “hooks”: “Need your input on Tralfamadore Project,” or “Analysis of recent problems with the new Veeblefetzer.”</p>
<p>Take the time to poofread your document before you sent it. Rub the document thru the spell checker and/or the grammer checker. Even simpl tipos will make you look sloppie and damage you’re proffessional credubility.</p>
<p>(some of these tips are also applicable boards like this)</p>
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		<title>How To Start A Conversation</title>
		<link>http://theblogaholic.org/2009/08/how-to-start-a-conversation/</link>
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		<pubDate>Sat, 15 Aug 2009 07:41:38 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
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		<description><![CDATA[Start with a hello, and simply tell the new person your name then ask them theirs. Offer your hand to shake, upon hisher responding to you. (If you go to other countries, greet the person in tune with the particular culture, e.g. in Spanish-speaking countries greet the person with Buenos dias or Hola, como esta). [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Start with a hello, and simply tell the new person your name then ask them theirs. Offer your hand to shake, upon hisher responding to you. (If you go to other countries, greet the person in tune with the particular culture, e.g. in Spanish-speaking countries greet the person with Buenos dias or Hola, como esta). If you already know the person, skip this step and proceed to step 2.<br />
Look around. See if there is anything worth pointing out. Sure, talking about the weather is a cliche, but if there&#8217;s something unusual about it&#8211;shablam!&#8211;you&#8217;ve got a great topic of conversation.<br />
Offer a compliment. Don&#8217;t lie and say you love someone&#8217;s hair when you think it&#8217;s revolting, but if you like his or her shoes, or a handbag, say so. A sincere compliment is a wonderful way to get someone to warm up to you. But be careful not to say something so personal that you scare the person off or make him or her feel uncomfortable. It is best not to compliment a person&#8217;s looks or body.<br />
Ask questions! Most people love to talk about themselves &#8212; get them going. What classes are you taking this year but don&#8217;t talk about yourself too much that makes you seem full of yourself. Have you seen (Insert-Something-Here) What did you think of it Ask open ended questions that will get them talking. For example, a good question would be, That&#8217;s a nice handbag, where did you get it and then they can talk about the day that they went shopping and all this funny stuff happened, as opposed to, I like your handbag. Thank you. and then its over. Again, keep the questions light and not invasive. Do not ask too many questions if he or she is not responsive to them.<br />
Jump on any conversation-starters he or she might offer; take something he or she has said and run with it. Agree, disagree, ask a question about it, or offer an opinion, just don&#8217;t let it go by without notice.<br />
Look your new found friend in the eye, it engenders trust (but don&#8217;t stare). Also, use the person&#8217;s name a time or two during the conversation; it will help you remember the name, and will draw the person&#8217;s attention to what you are talking about. Smile a lot, and laugh when any quip is made by the other person.<br />
Don&#8217;t forget to smile and have fun with your conversation!<br />
So, you should just be yourself and ask the question that you would think be the right thing to say but, give yourself some time to think about what you say before you say it.</p>
<p>[edit]Tips<br />
Just relax. Chances are that whatever small-talk you&#8217;re making isn&#8217;t going to stick out in anyone&#8217;s mind a few months from now. Just say whatever comes into your head, so long as it&#8217;s not offensive or really weird. (Unless, of course, the person you&#8217;re attempting to converse with is into weird stuff.)<br />
Remember, if you think of something in your head while you&#8217;re talking, it&#8217;s probably related.<br />
It will help if you watch some TV, listen to radio shows, andor read a lot &#8212; newspapers, magazines, andor books. You need to have some idea of what is going on in the world. Also remember and plan to share anything you like, think is funny, or find intriguing. This is building up your own library of things that might be helpful to another person during a conversation someday. It will be amazing how you thread these interesting things when you least expect it, and make conversation an adventure instead of a dreadful task. If you take it to the next step and say things that you want the person to think of as adding value, and keep to yourself things that the person might not, you are actually honing your own personality to be appealing to the other person, and what is a greater act of kindness than that.<br />
If you are shy, it will be helpful to have thought about a topic or two that you could talk about.<br />
Follow the lead that your listener is expressing. If he or she appears interested, then continue. If he or she is looking at a clock or watch, or worse, looking for an escape strategy, then you have been going on for too long.<br />
Interesting and funny quotes or facts can lighten things up, and make way for things to talk about. You could also use a set of conversation starter question cards for inspiration.<br />
If talking over the phone, keep the person involved in the conversation at all costs. If you can&#8217;t come up with a good topic, try the questions game. Just keep asking them questions; random questions work just fine as long as they are appropriate. This technique can save a phone conversation. The questions should be open ended questions that do not require a yes or no answer. For example How do you know the hosts This way you can ask questions about what they just said or follow up with how you know the hosts (for example) instead of acting as if the conversation is an interrogation.<br />
Half of an effective conversation is the way you non-verbally communicate, and not necessarily what you say. Practice better non-verbal skills that are friendly and confident.<br />
Take a mental note of some amusing things that you saw or heard througout the day. For example, something funny someone said, a fun activity you did with your friends, or anything interesting. This can give way to future conversation.<br />
Watch some stand-up comedians or comedy shows to get an idea of how to start a conversation humorously. Usually, the leads you find will be funny, and you will not need much in common to talk about them.<br />
Remember, whoever you are talking to, you always have something in common. We all experience the weather, like good food, and enjoy a good laugh. When in doubt, just talk to them about what they are there for. For example, if you meet them at a bus stop, ask them where they are going. If they are from out of town, ask them about their life at home.<br />
Remember, feel comfortable and look neat, no one wants to talk to a slob.<br />
One last thing, it is important to practice getting conversations started. You may feel a little clumsy at first, but with practice it can become easy to start good conversations.</p>
<p>[edit]Warnings<br />
Don&#8217;t be overly invasive with questions.<br />
Don&#8217;t use tons of fillers like umm or soo. It might make the person you&#8217;re talking to feel awkward or obligated to say something. Instead talk slowly and pause. This will create a little tension and make your newly found friend more invested in your conversation.<br />
Don&#8217;t desperately ask personal questions.<br />
Keep eye-contact<br />
Don&#8217;t ever comment negatively on the person or someone else&#8217;s looks&#8230; you never know if they have a personal attachment to it or if they are friends with the person you are criticizing<br />
Never swear, insult, disrespect, use racial, religious, sexual orientation, and gender slurs in front of others (Unless you know who they are and if they have the same views on things as you.)<br />
Never act arrogantly and pretend to be a Know It All when dealing with people<br />
Do not speak, behave or dress immaturely<br />
Never ever interrupt a conversation between one or more people. Wait for the conversation to stop and then say something. Common courtesy goes a long way.<br />
Always say please, may I, thank you, could you when someone is nice to you and when you want something. Being polite shows maturity and intelligence<br />
Respect those around you<br />
Be neat, well dressed and groomed. Sloppiness, bad breath and body odor will get you nowhere.<br />
Sometimes when you start a conversation, the person you&#8217;re talking with might think you&#8217;re boring. But, it&#8217;s okay! Head onto someone else, because sometimes you can pick the wrong person.<br />
If you are talking to someone you have a crush on do not talk about their girlfriendboyfriend or anything related to you liking them. Stick to what you know about them if they are into sports talk about the most recent big game.</p>
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		<title>Windows Shortcuts</title>
		<link>http://theblogaholic.org/2009/07/windows-shortcuts/</link>
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		<pubDate>Sat, 25 Jul 2009 07:29:24 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
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		<description><![CDATA[Windows keyboard shortcuts overviewUse shortcut keys as an alternative to the mouse when working in Windows. You can open, close, and navigate the Start menu, desktop, menus, dialog boxes, and Web pages using keyboard shortcuts. Keyboard shortcuts may also make it easier for you to interact with your computer.
Click a heading, or press TAB to [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Windows keyboard shortcuts overviewUse shortcut keys as an alternative to the mouse when working in Windows. You can open, close, and navigate the Start menu, desktop, menus, dialog boxes, and Web pages using keyboard shortcuts. Keyboard shortcuts may also make it easier for you to interact with your computer.<br />
Click a heading, or press TAB to highlight a heading, and then press ENTER.</p>
<p>General keyboard shortcuts</p>
<p>Press To<br />
CTRL+C Copy.<br />
CTRL+X Cut.<br />
CTRL+V Paste.<br />
CTRL+Z Undo.<br />
DELETE Delete.<br />
SHIFT+DELETE Delete selected item permanently without placing the item in the Recycle Bin.<br />
CTRL while dragging an item Copy selected item.<br />
CTRL+SHIFT while dragging an item Create shortcut to selected item.<br />
F2 Rename selected item.<br />
CTRL+RIGHT ARROW Move the insertion point to the beginning of the next word.<br />
CTRL+LEFT ARROW Move the insertion point to the beginning of the previous word.<br />
CTRL+DOWN ARROW Move the insertion point to the beginning of the next paragraph.<br />
CTRL+UP ARROW Move the insertion point to the beginning of the previous paragraph.<br />
CTRL+SHIFT with any of the arrow keys Highlight a block of text.<br />
SHIFT with any of the arrow keys Select more than one item in a window or on the desktop, or select text within a document.<br />
CTRL+A Select all.<br />
F3 Search for a file or folder.<br />
ALT+ENTER View properties for the selected item.<br />
ALT+F4 Close the active item, or quit the active program.<br />
ALT+Enter Displays the properties of the selected object.<br />
ALT+SPACEBAR Opens the shortcut menu for the active window.<br />
CTRL+F4 Close the active document in programs that allow you to have multiple documents open simultaneously.<br />
ALT+TAB Switch between open items.<br />
ALT+ESC Cycle through items in the order they were opened.<br />
F6 Cycle through screen elements in a window or on the desktop.<br />
F4 Display the Address bar list in My Computer or Windows Explorer.<br />
SHIFT+F10 Display the shortcut menu for the selected item.<br />
ALT+SPACEBAR Display the System menu for the active window.<br />
CTRL+ESC Display the Start menu.<br />
ALT+Underlined letter in a menu name Display the corresponding menu.<br />
Underlined letter in a command name on an open menu Carry out the corresponding command.<br />
F10 Activate the menu bar in the active program.<br />
RIGHT ARROW Open the next menu to the right, or open a submenu.<br />
LEFT ARROW Open the next menu to the left, or close a submenu.<br />
F5 Refresh the active window.<br />
BACKSPACE View the folder one level up in My Computer or Windows Explorer.<br />
ESC Cancel the current task.<br />
SHIFT when you insert a CD into the CD-ROM drive Prevent the CD from automatically playing.</p>
<p>Dialog box keyboard shortcuts</p>
<p>Press To<br />
CTRL+TAB Move forward through tabs.<br />
CTRL+SHIFT+TAB Move backward through tabs.<br />
TAB Move forward through options.<br />
SHIFT+TAB Move backward through options.<br />
ALT+Underlined letter Carry out the corresponding command or select the corresponding option.<br />
ENTER Carry out the command for the active option or button.<br />
SPACEBAR Select or clear the check box if the active option is a check box.<br />
Arrow keys Select a button if the active option is a group of option buttons.<br />
F1 Display Help.<br />
F4 Display the items in the active list.<br />
BACKSPACE Open a folder one level up if a folder is selected in the Save As or Open dialog box.</p>
<p>Natural keyboard shortcuts</p>
<p>You can use the following keyboard shortcuts with a Microsoft Natural Keyboard or any other compatible keyboard that includes the Windows logo key () and the Application key ().</p>
<p>Press To<br />
Display or hide the Start menu.<br />
+BREAK Display the System Properties dialog box.<br />
+D Show the desktop.<br />
+M Minimize all windows.<br />
+Shift+M Restores minimized windows.<br />
+E Open My Computer.<br />
+F Search for a file or folder.<br />
CTRL+  +F Search for computers.<br />
+F1 Display Windows Help.<br />
+ L Lock your computer if you are connected to a network domain, or switch users if you are not connected to a network domain.<br />
+R Open the Run dialog box.<br />
Display the shortcut menu for the selected item.<br />
+U Open Utility Manager.</p>
<p>Accessibility keyboard shortcuts</p>
<p>Press To<br />
Right SHIFT for eight seconds Switch FilterKeys on and off.<br />
Left ALT +left SHIFT +PRINT SCREEN Switch High Contrast on and off.<br />
Left ALT +left SHIFT +NUM LOCK Switch MouseKeys on and off.<br />
SHIFT five times Switch StickyKeys on and off.<br />
NUM LOCK for five seconds Switch ToggleKeys on and off.<br />
+U Open Utility Manager.</p>
<p>Windows Explorer keyboard shortcuts</p>
<p>Press To<br />
END Display the bottom of the active window.<br />
HOME Display the top of the active window.<br />
NUM LOCK+ASTERISK on numeric keypad (*) Display all subfolders under the selected folder.<br />
NUM LOCK+PLUS SIGN on numeric keypad (+) Display the contents of the selected folder.<br />
NUM LOCK+MINUS SIGN on numeric keypad (-) Collapse the selected folder.<br />
LEFT ARROW Collapse current selection if it’s expanded, or select parent folder.<br />
RIGHT ARROW Display current selection if it’s collapsed, or select first subfolder.</p>
<p>Notes</p>
<p>You must associate a password with your user account to secure it from unauthorized access. If you do not have a password associated with your user account, pressing the +L will not prevent other users from accessing your account information.<br />
Some keyboard shortcuts may not work if StickyKeys is turned on in Accessibility Options.<br />
If you are connected to Windows through Microsoft Terminal Services Client, some shortcuts have changed. For more information, see the online documentation for Terminal Services Client.</p>
<p>by Arun Jose P</p>
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