LostHawk » Technology

How To Spend Less On Software All At Once

admin — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 01:10:00 +0000

Software for computers these days can get to be very expensive. For some people, this can be the reason that they turn to stealing the software for free. There is a better way though than to resort to illegal activity. It is also mutually beneficial because illegally downloaded software can make it harder to publish projects without getting caught.

One of the best things you can do if you can’t afford the software outright is to see if there is a website from which you can buy software for cheaper than other places. This can help with the costs. If this still hasn’t reduced the cost enough, try buying it one piece at a time. Save up and get one piece at a time. If there are a number of pieces that you need, wait it out and do only projects that need that one or two pieces of software. If you have to use all the pieces of software together, as happens sometimes, use a freeware knockoff to get you started on the ones that you can’t buy yet. these usually won’t have all the features that a fully featured piece of software will have, but using Google docs, for example, when you can’t afford Microsoft word, although it has less features will allow you to have a writing program that is all yours until you can get one with more features.

How To Spend Less On Software All At Once is a post from: LostHawk

Outdoor Refrigerators Help With Food Safety

admin — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 19:39:37 +0000

Many people are grilling outdoors more and more these days. Whenever one is preparing food, especially meat and poultry, it is important to follow safe procedures as far as the preparation, the cooking, the storage and the reheating, as food borne illness is quite common when the weather outside begins to heat up. In an outdoor kitchen, these steps can be followed more closely as the food is not being transported in and out the kitchen door. It is possible to build a gourmet outdoor kitchen, complete with gas grills fixed with side burners, roasters, smokers as well as the very convenient outdoor refrigerators. This is perfect for marinating the food, as food should always be kept in the refrigerator during this step of the preparation of a backyard barbecue, and one can go straight from the refrigerator to the grill without the possibly dangerous steps in between.

When one is grilling outside, particularly for a party, it is easy to become side-tracked…say set the uncooked food down on the counter for a bit, or to not be diligent enough transported the cooked food versus the raw food. However, with the refrigerator right there, these issues become resolved allowing one to bring the food straight from the cold to the heat of the grill. When one chooses to microwave the food, either to thaw it or to pre-cook it in order to reduce grilling time, again, the meat and poultry should go directly from the micro-wave to the hot grill. The problem is that bacteria thrives in medium temperatures, and this is the kind of bacteria that causes some pretty horrible cases of salmonella poisoning.

Food poisoning is a terrible experience to go through and can become quite serious. The thing is, that it is so very easy to prevent. There are minimum temperatures that must reached for each cut of meat in order for that bacteria to be destroyed. It is always wise to have a food thermometer handy, as when grilling the outside may become golden brown very quickly, leaving the inside still not thoroughly cooked. For hamburgers and pork that temperature should be at 160 degrees. And chicken or other poultry should be cooked to a minimum of 165 degrees, while all other cuts of meat including roasts, lamb and steaks should reach 145. And while re-heating all cooked meats, one should make certain that they are heated to 165. The outdoor refrigerators also come in handy for the storage of leftovers, as they should be placed into the fridge directly and not allowed to set on the counter tops, as once they start to cool, the temperature becomes medium leaving it just right for the multiplication of bacteria.

Outdoor Refrigerators Help With Food Safety is a post from: LostHawk

Data Backup Company Carbonite Reaches Out Through Social Networking

admin — Wed, 27 May 2009 15:34:16 +0000

Carbonite, the data backup company with the incredible 15 Petabyte storage capacity, is on several social networking sites, in hopes of reaching out to more potential clients. This makes perfect sense, since most of their potential clientele are web-savvy internet users with more sensitive data to protect than ever. That’s not to say, however, that a less web savvy person wouldn’t benefit from their services. Quite the contrary. It’s just that social networking media allows a business entity to reach out with much more web presence to those who utilize the web most.

The truth is, anyone with a PC can benefit from Carbonite’s data backup system.Though it’s especially true for businesses, data loss prevention affects 43% of PC users, and can be just as devastating. Backing up your personal or business files and database is of paramount importance. These days, all it takes is one strong worm or virus and your data could be forever lost.

Carbonite offers data protection with a 15 Petabyte, providing internet and computer users an indispensable service, at the bargain rate of only mere pennies a day. They also offer a 15-day free trial, which will give you a nice introduction to their services.

Once Carbonite data backup is setup on your computer, it requires little ongoing work on behalf of the user. It reads and stores your data as long as you’re on the internet, and users can also log on to the Carbonite site and access their files.

This is especially welcome news for time-strapped web users who can utilize Carbonite as a kind of offsite server AND file backup system.

You can follow Carbonite on Twitter to get updates and communiques on important data storage issues.

Using a combination of encryption techniques, similar to those used by banks, to safeguard your data. Files are encrypted twice before they leave your computer and remain encrypted on our servers, making it virtually impossible for anyone to access your files without your secret password. Users are also given the option to manage their own encryption key.

Should your computer get stolen or crash, you can recover lost files to another computer by visiting Carbonite’s website. Recovering small amounts of data – a few files here or there – will probably take only seconds or minutes. Restoring all of your data will take longer and depends not only on how much data you have, but also the speed of your Internet connection. Most DSL services will allow you to download about 600-800 MB per hour, or roughly 14-18GB per day. For the average user, complete data restoration is likely to take at most a day or two.

The Carbonite client always looks for new data on your PC once you’re online. When you add or modify files, Carbonite starts backing them up immediately. It backs up about 2GB per day over broadband. Carbonite’s backup solution works by placing colored dots on your files and folders. Different colors represent different “file states”: 1) If the file has been backed up, 2) will be backed up, or 3) will not be backed up.

Data Backup Company Carbonite Reaches Out Through Social Networking is a post from: LostHawk

Once a Year Shopping Festival in Dubai

admin — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 11:42:23 +0000

One, of the many, aspects of Dubai that attracts visitors and tourists to the city is that there is no sales tax. One can find bargain prices in Dubai throughout the year on fine jewelry, gold, and electronic equipment. Every year, from the middle of January to the middle of February, the city hosts a giant festival in shopping. International tourists literally flood the city in search of good deals. This has proven to be a boost for all the businesses of the city and those surrounding, including the regular tourist attractions, the restaurants, and each and every luxury hotel, Dubai becomes the shoppers paradise. A perfect time to visit as well, as the climate is mild in the first quarter of the year, just right for wondering around the many outdoor markets and booths.

Traffic, which is already and issue, becomes a nightmare, the hotels are full of those just escaping the heat of their own countries such as Australia, however the bargains just never get better as prices are cut. There are promotions and daily lottery drawings with prizes such as cars and bricks of gold, and so the congestion of the city does not keep people away. The theme of the most recent festival in 2009, was the bringing together of the world. All cultures standing on one stage together. One mall, the Global Village, brings in shops from more than sixty countries and puts them under the same roof. Aside from the variety of goods available for purchase, international dance companies perform, there are concert stages set up around the city, outdoor theater, and restaurants from around the world. It has become and international festival in every way. The Dubai Jazz fest runs concurrently, so many shop til they drop, then drop in for some cool jazz and a relaxing finish to the day. Organizers expect that in the coming years the Shopping Festival will grow, as the city itself is becoming a hot spot, and has so much to offer.

Once a Year Shopping Festival in Dubai is a post from: LostHawk

Dubai to Host DPI Summit

admin — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 00:01:19 +0000

-The Middle East Digital Print and Imaging Summit for 2009 will be held in Dubai, UAE on May 11th and 12th. Organized by Aspire Events, the summit will be held in the Madinat Jumeirah and is expected to attract participation from across the region.

This inaugural event will feature one-on-one interactions between buyers and vendors. It is designed to bring together analysts and techonolgy vendors with the key decision makers from large and medium enterprises from across the Middle East. The idea is to provide new ideas for redesigning “print and imagining workflow requirements” while helping companies “achieve tangible return on their investments.”

With many companies struggling to survive in the current global economy, organizers hope the event will expose companies to “solutions and technologies that promise to help them slash those excess costs” and “show proof of tangilbe returns on investment in technology.”

Events such as this summit bring together business leaders from around the region. In addition to providing vital information on the digital print and imaging sector, the conference will give visitors the chance to experience and explore Dubai itself. The city has become a popular destination for conferences and exhibitions with modern business hotels Dubai, large conference centers, and incidental attractions such as world-class restaurants, retail centers, and entertainment venues.

The digital summit is the first of its kind in the region. Advance registrations are currently being accepted through April 30th.

Dubai to Host DPI Summit is a post from: LostHawk

Energy Saving Procedures on the Island of Mallorca

admin — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 15:31:41 +0000

Almost one year ago, a diver off the coast of the island of Mallorca, spotted a monk seal. What is amazing about this, is that the species was thought to be extinct in the Mediterranean. The monk seal is on the top ten most endangered species of the world. Mallorca is a very popular destination for travelers coming from all over the world to experience the beauty and tranquility of the island, and to have fun in the sun. Jet skis, and power boats fill the waters surrounding the island. Government officials considered a program that would increase and in insure the existence of the seal, however the traffic created by these water sports may provide too much for such a program to be successful. Species entering extinction is just one of the environmental concerns of the the Island and the county of Spain as a whole. In response, Spain has become a world leader, not only in population growth and the economy of tourism in such areas as resorts, spas and 5 star Mallorca hotels, but also in the technology and practice of the use of alternative energy.

The government of Spain has subsidized the building and the operation of energy generating wind plants for just about ten years. The power generated by the wind mills in Spain has just one rival, the country of Germany. The wind plants actually provide a profit every year, and because of this, and the advancing technology allowing the plants to run more efficiently, the government has decided to cut the funding. However the results of such plants and the fact that they actually make money, insures that more plants will continue to be built in the future. At a conference a few months ago, while it was announced that this funding would be cut, the funds available for soar power research and development will increase by more than half.

The capital city, La Palma, of Mallorca became the first city to install energy saving bulbs in their traffic lights. This started ten years ago and to this date, the city is the first to have all the traffic lights so powered. One result this has is that there will now be just about 2,000 less tons of carbon dioxide released back into the environment. And since the lights burn brighter at night, the added beneficial effect has been a reduction in the number of traffic accidents. La Palma has become an example for the rest of the world in that they are a growing community, a very busy tourist destination and they’ve discovered how to operate in a more green way, and made a profit doing just that.

Energy Saving Procedures on the Island of Mallorca is a post from: LostHawk

Professional Development Leads to Leadership

admin — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 21:39:53 +0000

Many corporations do not provide professional development for the management staff. There is a team building program that is right for every company. These courses range in topic from learning effective presentation skills to leadership skills training.

It does not matter what area your team needs development in. The important thing is that it is provided for them. When you provide professional development programs, you will see who enrolled and took advantage of this and who did not think it was necessary.

In addition to observing who is ambitious, you will discover new qualities in your employees that you did not see before but the appropriate training brought out.

Professional Development Leads to Leadership is a post from: LostHawk

Google Gives the Web Chrome

Amie — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 23:47:26 +0000

Officially entering the browser wars, Google has unleashed Chrome to the masses, whether they want/need it or not. The browser wars haven’t really seemed to show room for another player. Mozilla Firefox has done well to attract a decent audience, but it’s usage is still less than rival Microsoft’s Internet Explorer. Some cite IE’s pre-installed inclusion with Windows as the primary reason for the browser’s dominance.

After checking it out, Chrome looks neat and clean – which makes browsing the web all the more enjoyable. The tabs have a great visual feel, less clunky than those found in IE and more stylish than those in Firefox. However, the biggest downside is that the browser doesn’t always function properly – the bugs still need to be shaken out of the product. And until then, I’m content to stick with Firefox 3.

Even though it’s still brand new, Google’s plans for the new Chrome browser extend into the mobile world, too, as the Internet giant is going to integrate Chrome into its future Android product. The only thing we can safely say for now is that the future of web browsing is finally being pushed into the new century.

Google Gives the Web Chrome is a post from: LostHawk

The Value of Old Maps

admin — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 21:14:08 +0000

When you live with a pack rat, things can get a bit tricky. Over the years I’ve learned to pick my battles wisely. I put up with boxes and tubs full of computer and television cables because the payoff is that our computers are always running perfectly and we have amazing picture and sound on our hi-def TV. I even put up with the crates full of vinyl records, because they are neatly stacked and indexed and it can be fun to listen to my favorite albums from high school when I’m feeling nostalgic.

However, the stacks of papers that inhabit my house periodically get out of control and I have to put my foot down. Aside from being a fire and pest hazard, they are just useless. When will we ever need a 1994 calendar again? Or stacks of old magazines that weren’t read when they arrived, let alone five years later?

This weekend, I decided to deal with the map problem. While I understand that we may, in fact, need a road atlas for our next trip and it’s good to have a few reference maps around, I don’t understand the need for twenty-five different Florida maps. Especially given that we’ve never been to Florida! I didn’t even bother to count the number of US maps I found shoved in various drawers and files. I just put my foot down and said, “You can keep two maps per state or country – the rest go in the recycle bin.” AND I made sure that the ones that stayed were organized and put away in a file drawer. Maybe next month I’ll tackle the greeting card problem.

The Value of Old Maps is a post from: LostHawk

Total Eclipse of the Sun on Friday

admin — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 01:04:08 +0000

Skywatchers around the globe can see a total eclipse of the Sun on Friday.

A dark shadow will sweep across the surface of the planet in a broad arc as the Moon passes directly between the Earth and our star.

The eclipse begins in Canada’s high Arctic and ends in northern China’s Silk Road region.

Parts of northern Russia will go dark for two minutes, 27 seconds from 1021 GMT – but Britain will only experience a partial eclipse around 1016 BST.

That partial eclipse will be seen across most of Europe, Asia and north-eastern North America.

As is always the case with eclipses, tourists and amateur and professional astronomers have been flooding towns in the best viewing locations – along the path of totality. Read more…

Total Eclipse of the Sun on Friday is a post from: LostHawk