Watch Your cholesterol

Sip green tea or munch on a few nuts to fight bad cholesterol. High blood lipids (cholesterol or triglycerides) requires a combination of diet and exercise as initial treatment. Reducing dietary calories and intake of saturated fat, and consuming a high-fibre diet rich in fresh fruit and vegetables are obvious first steps. Other dietary measures exist, and here is an overview of the most popular ones.

The American heart association (AHA) recommends at least two servings of fatty fish per week to prevent heart disease. The omega – 3 fatty acids in fish lower bad cholesterol and triglycerides. According to the AHA, fish oil supplements, which contain massive amounts of omega – 3 fatty acids, are recommended only in refractory hypertriglyceridemia and are not meant for the general population. Vegetarian sources of omega 3 fatty acids include canola oil, soyabeanoil, flaxseed oil and nuts. Consuming moderate amounts of nuts definitely helps lower cholesterol particularly the bad cholesterol. One study showed that taking 20 percent of daily calories from a PUFA rich source like almonds or walnuts significantly lowered the bad lipids, Green tea and not black tea or oolong tea, has a similar beneficial effect.

Garlic: Something that smells this bad ought to do something good, and garlic indeed has many healthful properties but lowering cholesterol is not one of them. Sorry. And the same goes for soy protein which has only a minor effect on blood cholesterol. Soy protein is a great food but it is not worth having just for the sake of cholesterol.

Guggulipid made from the resin of the mukul myrrh tree, is a controversial product. Indian studies attest to its cholesterol,lowering effect but American research does not bear it out. Moreover, there are questions about the quality of the Indian research that led to the claims of health benefit. Pity.

Red yeast rice: This is a fermented rice dish popular in Chinese cuisine. It contains monacolins, which are substances with HMG COA reductase inhibitor activity similar to that of the statin drugs used to lower blood cholesterol. Unfortunately, not all strains of the rice have the same activity, and extracts of red yeast rice are poorly standardized.

Calcium Supplements improve the composition of blood lipids, and a diet high in calcium is inversely associated with cardiovascular risk. However, in postmenopausal women, who are the chief target of calcium and Vitamin D supplements, there is no reduction of cardiovascular risk with such supplements

Source : The Hindu - Wellness

Digital camera comparison side by side

Finding the best digital camera in price range is difficult task, it needs a extensive research in terms of features and picture quality delivered by the contenders. It is always handy if a side by side feature and specification comparison is available.

One such tool provided by www.dpreview.com. Click on the link http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/sidebyside.asp to find it useful.

Configure SQL Server 2005 to allow remote connections

To configure SQL Server 2005 to allow remote connections, complete all the following steps:

• Enable remote connections on the instance of SQL Server that you want to connect to from a remote computer.
• Turn on the SQL Server Browser service.
• Configure the firewall to allow network traffic that is related to SQL Server and to the SQL Server Browser service.

Detailed steps here http://support.microsoft.com/kb/914277

How to rename a SQL Database

You can not rename a SQL Server database from Enterprise Manager, but you can with the sp_renamedb stored procedure. You must first set the database to singe user.

1. Set the database to Single User by right clicking the database in Enterprise Manager, select Properties, select the Options Tab, check the Restrict Access checkbox, and select Read-Only, then click OK.
2. Close Enterprise Manager (since we can only have 1 user accessing it at a time now).
3. Open Query Analyser.
4. Type: sp_renamedb ,
5. Don't forget to reset the Restrict Access settings on the database that you changed in step 2.

Baking soda and health

• Baking soda is great for an upset stomach, drink a mixture of 1/2 tsp. in three or four oz. tap water.

• Soak toothbrush in baking soda to keep it clean and fresh.
  

• Baking Soda is a great teeth whitener. Sprinkle a little on your toothbrush before the paste goes on.

• Baking soda is also great to use as a toothpaste/mouthwash. Just wet your toothbrush, dip in baking soda and brush. Or dissolve a little in warm water and gargle. NOT FOR EVERYONE, but if you add just a little peroxide to you baking soda and brush with it, it will help whiten teeth.

• Baking soda, in a warm bath helps the skin. Best for washing your face to take off dead skin and old make-up. Add to your shampoo once in a while to really remove old hair spray and setting gels.

• Baking soda mixed with water and form a paste which can be used for bee and wasp stings. It neutralizes the "sting" and provides relief instantly.

NTDetec1 virus removal

Another name for Ntdetec1.exe is W32.Ceted. W32.Ceted is a worm that copies itself to all shared and removable drives.

Most Common Symptoms Of Ntdetec1.exe Virus are:

1. Task Manager doesn’t open or it is blocked.
   
2. Regedit or registry editing has been disabled.
3. Folder Options are not visible under File Menu --Tools
4. Creates a hidden folder C:\ntdetec1
   

Analysis:

NTdetec1.exe executes itself with the following name list process.

• \ntdetec1\ntdetec1.exe
• \ntdetec1\cmrss.exe
• \ntdetec1\run.exe
• \ntdetec1\shell32.exe

Removal Procedure For Ntdetec1.exe:

1. Open Start >> Run and type cmd and press enter.
2. Type the following commands :
   taskkill /im cmrss.exe
taskkill /im ntdetec1.exe
taskkill /im shell32.exe
attrib ntdetec1 -s -h /s /d
3. Locate the folder ntdetec1 in your operating system root directory and delete it permanently.
4. Type regedit in run window and press enter. This will open registry editor. Locate the key as shown below and delete it.
   HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\policies\Explorer\ Run\"winlogon" = "C:\ntdetec1\run.exe"

How to do Remote desktop on Windows XP?

Remote Desktop, included with Windows XP Professional, enables you to connect to your computer across the Internet from virtually any computer, Pocket PC, or Smartphone. Once connected, Remote Desktop gives you mouse and keyboard control over your computer while showing you everything that's happening on the screen. With Remote Desktop, you can leave your computer at the office without losing access to your files, applications, and e-mail. Your sales force will be able to access the latest pricing sheet from on the road by using Remote Desktop in Windows XP Professional.

Check out the full tutorial on microsoft site http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/mobility/getstarted/remoteintro.mspx

Securing a wi-fi network

Some good tips on securing a wireless network are here from techtree.com

checkout http://www.techtree.com/India/Guides/Securing_your_WiFi_network/551-93219-560-1.html

Microwave cooking tips - Indian food

• Cooking Potatoes Place some 5 potatoes in a micro-safe dish with half water. Cover and cook in High mode for around 9 minutes and then allow it to stand for sometime. Then drain and peel.
• Cooking popcorns Place a handful of corn in a micro-safe dish and cover it. Then cook on high mode for 5 minutes and then transfer it to a paper packet.
• Cooking curry In a micro-safe dish put one tablespoon of oil, one tablespoon of ginger-garlic paste and cook on high mode for 4 minutes. Then add some chopped tomatoes and the required masala for the flavor desired and cook on high mode for another 4 minutes adding some water to the mixture.
• Roasting of nuts Spread the nuts on a ceramic plate adding salt or any other masala to taste and cook high for 3 to 4 minutes. Serve after 5 minutes.
• Cooking custard Mix well one-cup milk, two tablespoons of sugar and two tablespoons of custard powder thoroughly and cook on high mode for 2 minutes and serve after cooled.
• Preparing Pizza topping Place one-tablespoon oil, one-cup tomato puree, one-cup tomato paste, and salt and pepper to taste in a micro-safe dish and cook on High for about 6 minutes.
• Cooking vegetables In a micro safe dish put about 250 grams of vegetables desired with salt tot taste and about two cups water and cook on High for 16 minutes.
• To make bread crumbs Cook bread in the oven on High mode for 2 to 3 minutes and then crush it.
  
• Chappathi Wrap the chapattis in a napkin or in a paper towel and heat on high mode for 2 to 3 minutes.
• To crisp biscuits, etc. Place the biscuits, nuts or chips on a plate and heat on high for 1 minute and allow it to stand for 5 minutes.
• To prepare finger bowl Micro High a small bowl with two tablespoons water and juice of one lemon. It can also be placed in rooms to absorb any strong odours.
• Preparing chicken stock Take two pieces of chicken, one onion, one potato chopped and salt and pepper to taste with two cups water and cook on high for 14 minutes at power level of 60. Drain and keep the stock aside.
  
• Preparing vegetable stock Take the vegetables, onion and chopped potato and salt and cook on micro 60 for 12 minutes

W32.USB Worm

It spreads through Pen,USB,Thump disk thats why the name.

It shows messages like

"I DNT HATE MOZILLA BUT USE IE OR ELSE..."

"USE INTERNET EXPLORER U DOPE"

"Orkut is banned you fool, The administrators didnt write this program guess who did?? MUHAHAHA!!"

Use the following procedure for removal.

1. Go to the processes tab in task bar using Ctrl+Alt+Delete

2. Look for svchost.exe under the image name with username as current logged user.

3. Kill those files using delete key or right click and chose 'End Process'. It will give you a warning, Press Yes.

4. Do not kill svchost.exe with system, local service or network service.

5. Now open My Computer

6. In C Drive locate C:\heap41a and delete, it's hidden folder.

7. Now go to Start --> Run and type Regedit

8 Go to the menu Edit --> Find

9. Type "heap41a" here and press enter. You will get something like this "[winlogon] C:\heap41a\svchost.exe C:\heap(some number)\std.txt"

10. Select that and Press DEL. It will ask "Are you sure you wanna delete this value", click Yes

11. Now close the registry editor.

Now the virus is gone. But be sure to delete the autorun.inf file and any folder whose name ends with .exe in the pen drive.

Devnagari support on unix / linux

Devnagari support in unix / linux flavors is a tedious task. The following link discusses how to make it simple on you favorite linux box.

Following stuff is tested on FreeBSD, KDE 3.3, Xorg 6.8.

Try out http://dhoomketu.net.in/node/2

Microsoft Collaboration Data Objects (CDO)

For the programmers (VB / ASP / any MS platform) who are using Microsoft Collaboration Data Objects (CDO) for sending mail messages or coding mail client interface, getting stuck into object reference is common problem. CDOLive.com provides a good knowledge base for the situation, with a comprehensive code base.

Try out http://www.cdolive.com.

How do I know if my PC has USB 2.0?

Open Device Manager in your Windows PC (ME, 2000, XP) and expand the Universal Serial Bus section. If there is an "Enhanced" USB host controller present then you must be having USB 2.0 interface.

Windows 98 may have different name as USB support is not native to Windows 98, but manufacturer specific driver names will be their.

SQL Server replication over internet

SQL Server replication over the internet or across non-trusted domains is usually performed using a virtual private network (VPN), and consequently the configuration is much the same as that used on a LAN. The linked article below outlines what to do if such a VPN is not available.

Try the link http://www.replicationanswers.com/InternetArticle.asp

Linux laptop display switching for presentations

Using linux laptop for presentation get's into a problem sometimes while switching the display modes. I mean, you try to switch the display to LCD projector and display goes blank and nothing gets projected either.

Try out the following document to overcome this problem http://www.astro.umd.edu/~teuben/linux/laptop-display.html

Maintainance Tips for Motorcycle

Here are some good tips for motorcycle maintenance.

1) Clean spark plug regularly. Every 750 km for two stroke bike and every 1,500 km for four-stroke bike. Clean spark points (electrodes) with emery paper and innards with some aluminium wire. After this wash with petrol.

2) Always use correct recommended grade of engine oil as recommended in OWNERS MANUAL.

3) Ensure that the oil is in sufficient quantity as recommended. Check with dipsitck or inspection window or bleed-plug nut.

4) Ensure correct air pressure in tyres as recommended in OWNERS MANUAL

5) Check cables regularly for kinks, bends and frayed ends. Especially check ends. If one or more strands appears broken, replace immediately. Don't try to save money by ignoring it till later time. If cable breaks during journey, OPPORTUNITY LOSS will be far greater than cost of new cable. Also lubricate annular space between cable inner and outer, by holding one end and letting cable hang vertically and letting lubricating oil drip into annular space.

6) Ensure chain tightening. There is a chain tensioner on both sides of the rear axle having graduations. Ensure that the matching marks are equal on both sides. You have to loosen the axle nut before tightening or loosening the chain. Keep chain play at @ 12 mm (you can do this by moving chain up & down with a long nosed pliers thru inspection window in chain cover), or as recommended in OWNERS MANUAL.

7) Check all bulbs. Replace fused ones.

8) Check wiring for worn insulation and loose connections.

9) Check brake liners. If the brake tightening nut has gone up to the maximum threads, or the brake makes a metallic sound then it means that the liners are worn out. Replace them.

10) Ensure that front fork is not leaking. If it is, replace oil seals.

11) Keep carburettor clean. Every 1500 km, clean out the carburettor float chamber and other parts. Clean jets by forcing compressed air thru them.Ensure that float is not punctured and float-pin is not jamming. There should be free play of the float around its hinge in the chamber.

12) Clean the drive chain from time to time. To do this remove the chain and soak it in a tin can full of kerosene oil. Then take an old used tooth-brush and clean the chain. Then wash it again with fresh kerosene (or diesel) and hang it to dry for a few hours (overnight). After dry, soak it for 10 minutes in the thickest oil you can find (fresh oil), such as SAE 50 or even more thick, and agitate it while immersed in the oil. Now again hang the chain again vertically for a few hours and then fit back.

13) Check whether spokes are tight. If loose, tighten. Also check if any of the spokes are bent. If bent, fit new spoke. Do not try to straighten old spoke. It does not work.

14) Check tyres for wear and tear and cracks. Replace if worn. Also replace if there are cracks. This is most important in rainy season. It can save your life.

15) A lot of people complain about "average". The most common reason for poor average is leaking fuel cock or cracked fuel pipe (plastic or rubber one). If cock is leaking, replace fibre washer in it (costs only a few paise). If pipe is cracked, fit new one. The thick black rubber pipe used in Indo-Jap bikes is best.

16) Check entire fuel line, right from where it comes out of the tank, the fitting of the fuel cock, fuel filter, the plastic or rubber pipes etc. touch each spot with your clean, dry fingers. If there is any leak, it will show on your fingers. Also smell your fingers. If you can get petrol smell, then there is a leak.

17) On the fuel tank cap there is a small hole called a breather hole. Make sure that hole is open always. If choked, it can be made open by poking with a needle.

18) Ensure that there is split pin always on the front and rear axle bolts.

19) Keep both brakes properly spaced. Keeping them too tight (too urgent), or too loose (too late) is dangerous. Each person has a distinct style of braking. Ensure that brakes are tightened as per YOUR personal style and requirement.

20) Always ensure that your tax is paid and Insurance cover (Insurance policy) is within validity period. Keep Tax Receipt and Insurance policy at home and keep xerox copy in bike.

Orkut in Hindi, Marathi or your regional language

Viewing the orkut site in Hindi, Bengali, Marathi, Tamil or Telugu (or any one of our other 12 languages) is easy.

1. Click the settings button under your profile photo (or click the blue settings link at the top of any page).
2. On the general tab, choose your preferred display language from the drop-down menu at the top of the page.
3. Click save changes.

Keeping the food fresh naturally

• Spread some cloves on and around the marble surface of your kitchen, and also spread some cloves under the sink to keep ants away
• Place some bay leaves inside your bags of dough, rice and the rest of the packs that insects prefer. Bay leaves keep insects and other such lice away from food products. By placing bay leaves inside the packets, we ensure that insects do not reside there. But please remember to change the bay leaves once every three months.
• Place half a potato in the refrigerator. If there is any kind of bad smell from food or cooked items, the half potato will absorb it. To make sure that this works, remember to exchange the potato every three days.
• Store eggs with the pointed side down. Storing eggs with the pointed side down keeps them fresh for a longer period.
• Place a few cubes of sugar in the jar where you store American cheese. When you place two or three cubes of sugar with the American cheese in an air tight jar, the sugar absorbs the moisture and prevents the cheese from getting bad.
• Do not store tomatoes and cucumbers in the same draw. Tomatoes give out gases that cause cucumbers to rot faster so make sure that you keep these two apart.
• Do not store apples along with the rest of the fruits and vegetables. Apples give out certain gases that cause fruits and vegetables to rot.
• Place slices of apples or raw potatoes in the bread compartment or jar. By adding a few slices of raw potatoes or apples with the bread, you ensure that the bread remains fresh for longer than usual.
• Store radish in a vessel along with some water. You should store radish in a vessel along with water because water will keep the radish fresh and crisp for a long time. For the same reason, if the radishes have shriveled, place them in a jar of cold water. Water will restore the radish to its previous splendor.

Choosing a digital camera

Planning to buy a digital camera and can not decide on a specific model? Try cnet.com tool in the link below, which helps you by asking some questions on line.

It is indeed difficult to keep track of the development in digital camera market. The few dependable brands like Sony, Canon, Nikon, Olympus, Fuji, HP, Samsung, and Panasonic have 1000s of models on offering and they keep on updating very fast. Prices keep crashing on weekly basis. Then it is difficult to understand the features they offer unless you are a professional snapper.

cnet.com has provided a good tool to help you out of this jargon by narrowing the list models for your needs.

Try it out here http://reviews.cnet.com/4249-6501_7-3-0.html

Enabling logon success, failer audit on Windows

Audit of logon success and failers is a security need. If you feel such a audit required on your windows desktop. You can set it up as below

• run secpol.msc from Start menu
• select Security Settings-Local Policy-Audit Policy
• Click on Audit Account Logon Events
• From the open dialog select checkboxes for Success & Failers
• Click OK

Henceforth your system will audit the logon events and can be checked from event viewer security log.

Induction cooking pros & cons

Before going for Induction stove / cooker please go through the following article, which discusses pro and cons with comparison to using gas for cooking.

Here is the link http://theinductionsite.com/proandcon.shtml

More about induction stoves here http://www.creativecookware.com/new_page_40.htm

How induction cooking works here http://theinductionsite.com/how-induction-works.shtml

More info http://www.induction-cooktop.com/

Save Energy with Refrigerator

• Avoid opening the refrigerator frequently
• Defrost and clean inside the refrigerator and freezer periodically
• Check the door fittings for tightness
• Keep the refrigerator in a place of good air circulation and cool place
• Make sure to cover the foods before keeping in the refrigerator
• Do not keep hot food in the fridge immediately

Save energy with Geysers

• Use geysers with thermostat and timer control for energy saving. Members of the family can take bath in quick succession
• Geyser and piping system should be maintained properly without any leakages
• Turn off the geyser when you go on vacation

Save energy while cloth washing & drying

• Use washing machine to full capacity
• Dry your clothes in the sun instead of using the washing machine

Save Energy with Electrical Appliances

• Switch off electrical appliances, computers, televisions etc, at the switch point when they are not used
• Use pressure cookers for economical cooking. Avoid using electrical appliances
• Avoid ironing one or two cloths. Iron in bulk at a stretch
• Avoid opening the oven door unnecessarily during cooking

Save Energy with Lights & Fans

• Use natural light and air always. Avoid switching on lights and fans during day time
• Use sunlight to the maximum possible
• Switch off lights and fans when you leave the room
• Use fluorescent or compact fluorescent lights (CFLs) wherever lights are required to be switched on for more than 4 hours a day
• Clean lights, light reflectors and regulators for better illumination
• Use slim tube lights for better light and electricity saving
• Maintain fans and regulators properly
• Open windows for better ventilation and air circulation
• Use table lamps instead of overhead lights when reading
• Houses can be designed to achieve maximum sunlight and ventilation
• Check wiring periodically for leakages, if any
• Light-colored walls reflect light better. So, needs less wattage lamps
• Dimmers can be used wherever possible

Getting IP address of client browser

Recording IP address of client browser is necessity from security point of view. It helps in filtering unwanted or malicious access from a particular location.

Active Server Pages (Microsoft's ASP) has a built-in object called ServerVariables. This object holds useful information on Environmental Variables of the client browser. One the variable is "REMOTE_ADDR" which holds the IP address of the visitor.

To request the IP address of host machine, use the following code in the ASP page:

Client IP is <%= Request.ServerVariables("REMOTE_ADDR") %>





Setting up Automated System Recovery for Windows XP

A good tutorial on how to make an Automated System Recovery (ASR). ASR provides a framework for saving and recovering the Windows XP operating state, in the event of a catastrophic system or hardware failure. Windows XP ASR recovers the target system in a two-step process. The first step, termed the boot recovery process, requires a new copy of Windows XP to be temporarily installed on the target system using the original distribution media. The second step, called the OS restore process, restores the files of a previously saved Windows XP installation using a backup-and-restore application.

Check it out here http://www.helpwithwindows.com/WindowsXP/howto-18.html

Building an Windows XP SP2 recovery disk

Crashing windows for some reason or other is very common, as such it is always necessary to keep a recovery disk handy to restore the system.

A good tutorial on building a Windows XP SP2 recovery disk. A must have for every windows XP user. Check out it here at PCMag link http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2704,1747010,00.asp

Indian Railway online tickets

No need of agents now, no ques at railway ticket booking counters. Get the hassle free Indian Railway tickets online.

Try Indian Railway Catering and Tourism corporations website at http://www.irctc.co.in. You need a credit card or online banking accounts that's all. Very well designed web site for planning your travel and keeping track of your tickets.

You can either go for e-ticket(couriered next day) or i-ticket (taken a print out at your home or office). For i-tickets you need to give a identity card number like PAN Card while booking for a person which is validated at the time of traveling by the ticket checker.

Tips for improving memory

The article in the link below discusses techniques about memory improvements, I have not tried it myself, but request you to try it out and give feedback about its authenticity.

http://www.studyhall.com/MEM/memory.html

How to read stocks ?

Check out the following collection of pages to help you about reading the stock information for investment.

• Wikipedia: Stock ticker
• Investopedia: Price to Earnings Ratio - P/E Ratio | How to Read A Stock Table/Quote
• Investopedia: Why do some stock symbols have three letters while others have four?
• Investopedia: Understanding The Ticker Tape
• StockReflex: StockReflex Manual
• eHow: How to Read a Stock Quote
• Yahoo! Finance: What does all this data mean? | Dividend/Yield
• Young Money: Understanding Stock Prices: Bid, Ask, Spread
• AmexTrader: Amex Symbol Suffixes
• Stockwatch: Nasdaq Equity Symbols
• The Investment FAQ: Exchanges - Ticker Tape Terminology
• USLegal: Preferred Stock Law & Legal Definition
• New York Times: When It Comes to Yield, How High Is Too High?

Reliance India Mobile Network coverage check

Reliance Mobile Customers can now find out RIM Network coverage is available at a particular location by sending a SMS.

Method : SMS "Coverage (space) location" and send to 51234

Example : Coverage Ratnagiri and send to 51234

Reply message : Network Coverage available at Ratnagiri, Stay connected on Reliance Mobile No.1 network in India.

It lists all the towns / villages with similar name in India

Ubuntu installation guide

Check here a good Ubuntu installation guide here https://help.ubuntu.com/6.10/ubuntu/installation-guide/i386/index.html

Copy MS SQL table with Data

It is always a necessity to keep original table structure an data before modifying the table structure. Easiest way is to copy the table into another table and keep the backup, which can be restored when required.

To copy MS SQL table with data use following SQL command

SELECT * INTO newtable FROM oldtable

Choose and compare your linux distro

With the number of linux distros on scene, it becomes difficult to choose a flavor for our needs. The most popular one by downloads doesn't mean best distro as far as our needs are concerned. Polishlinux.com provides a great page to help us in choosing and comparing linux distributions.

Although the page is bit old, but still very relevant, hope they are updating the features and information about distros.

You can choose from Ubuntu, PCLinuxOS, Mandriva, OpenSuse, Debian, Fedora, Slackware, Gentoo, MEPIS, Arch, PLD, KateOS, Yoper, Xandros, Pardus, Zenwalk, Freespire. Hope that is enough.

Check out it here http://polishlinux.org/choose/

Fedora Core 8 Installation guide

Here is a good installation guide for Fedora Core 8

click here http://www.mjmwired.net/resources/mjm-fedora-f8.html#installmedia