Kids Love Spyware - Do Your Know If Your Kids Are In This Group?

So you have a computer which is used by your kids and yourself or try to pay bills or get directions, for most American families a computer purchase is considered to be a great investment because of the many benefits that it brings however, not everyone knows exactly how to take care of it and keep it running smoothly without running into trouble. Most of the time computer problems emerge because of poorly coded software as well as the lack of random access memory, also referred to as RAM.

In a nutshell, the purpose for a computer to have two types of memory (RAM and permanent memory in a hard disk drive) is because it RAM is much faster than a hard drive so all of the applications that you run on a daily basis are loaded into RAM when you first open them for instance, Internet Explorer or Firefox are two popular browsers that when clicked are loaded into RAM memory for fast access, when you have too many programs open you will start to notice a computer gets slower and slower this is due to the fact that when the computer runs out of RAM it starts to use virtual memory which can be placed on the hard drive but since the hard drive is a lot slower than RAM you will notice that there is a lag related to the response times of your applications.

Different computers use and manage RAM in different ways, the main difference is the operating system that it runs. We mention random access memory in order to illustrate the following point, spyware -- adware -- malware, etc. are all applications that tend to use your RAM and make your computer run slow, not only that but they can gather sensitive information in order to take advantage of your browsing habits.

Kids and teenagers who love instant messaging programs such as the MSN messenger, Yahoo IM, etc. are all prime targets of spyware/adware companies such as Zango. This company distributes their spyware programs by masking them in content that will attract a young audience such as smileys or icons for instant messaging applications, kids and teenagers simply love the thought of customizing their messages and conversations through chat applications and they normally end up downloading software that brings a lot more than just cute icons. Another way that this company distributes their deceptive application is by grabbing videos from popular social video sites such as YouTube and syndicating them in their sites, the only difference is that in order for a person to watch those videos that they have syndicated, the user needs to download and install a software which will allow them to watch the video and as you can imagine the software that is downloaded is not very "user friendly"

The worst part is that once your children or anyone who uses your computer have downloaded such spyware/Adware the application is very hard to get rid of and if you try to erase it with and anti-spyware application you run the risk of ending up without an Internet connection because of the fact that such "programs" change your computer system files. If at this point you wanted to use your computer to get some direction from the web you with quickly notice that you have no Internet connection, and the first thing people do is to blame their old computer because it is too slow when the real problem is that spyware companies such as Zango have altered your system files, loaded applications you did not authorized to be loaded and then when someone tried to remove this harmful application from a computer, all of your functionality went out the window.

So the question remains are you and your kids educated about the risks of downloading "cute applications" from the Web? -- remember that your computer (your investment) as well as your personal data is at risk.

World War Two Wrecks of Truk Lagoon

Death and destruction came to the tiny Pacific outpost of Truk Lagoon in February 1944. Operation Hailstone was designed to destroy as much of the Japanese fleet and surrounding island bases as possible over the course of two days and stop the Japanese advance across the Pacific. While many of Japan's larger battleships and destroyers had left for Palau and other regions of the Pacific fearing an imminent attack, the allies still found over 60 ships in the lagoon, sinking over 45 and damaging many others. Of 365 Japanese planes, over 270 were destroyed in the air or on the ground.

In 1970, Truk Lagoon again came to the attention of the world through Jacques Cousteau's survey of the collection of shipwrecks and aircraft on the sea floor. Truk Lagoon is now on every shipwreck enthusiast's bucket list.

World War II Wrecks of the Truk Lagoon by Dan E Bailey is the definitive guide to the build-up to the air strikes, the events of Operation Hailstone and details 52 shipwrecks and 5 aircraft wrecks that are lying on the seabed. The first section of the book deals with the history of Japanese expansion into Truk Lagoon and its development into a naval base. The days of the allied raid are comprehensively covered, with decoded intercepted messages and black and white images included.

The author is an expert on the wrecks of Truk Lagoon, having been diving there since the early 1970s. He has exhaustively researched the wartime records and pieced together information from other Pacific war researchers to compile the information relating to the raid. With over thirty years of diving on the wrecks, he has built a comprehensive guide to each one including background history, wreck description and diving notes complete with colour photographs of the most interesting artifacts.

What's nice about World War II Wrecks of the Truk Lagoon is that you can slip into whatever areas that interest you easily and quickly. It's well laid out and everything is easy to find. If it's just the wreck information that you're after, then the information is complete in itself but the options are there to delve further into the history of each individual ship or get involved in the detail of Operation Hailstone.

I bought this book on my way home from my first trip to Truk. Apart from wishing that I knew of it before I went... it gave me a greater insight into the wrecks that I'd just dived on. Some of these wrecks are so big that there is no chance of see everything in one or two dives - this book will fill you in on the bits you missed and help guide you on your next trip back.

It's hardcover and over 500 pages long so it's not a book easily carried with you but if you're planning a dive trip to Truk, you've just been or you're a Pacific war enthusiast then you need this book on your coffee table or bookshelf.

Nutrition Plan That Builds Muscle and Burns Fat

Ok, you have your workout regimen planned out now all you have to do is figure out what to eat and when to eat. Your nutrition plan is the single most important aspect of getting in shape whether you're looking to lose weight or build muscle. Without a proper diet plan, you can forget about seeing any real results from your workouts.

Before we begin let us clear up something right away: Diets don't work! Most people think of a diet as a temporary change in their eating habits. This is a sure path to failure. When I refer to diet I mean what you eat from day to day. Not a torturous meal plan that you can't wait to quit someday. To truly lose weight and keep it off- you have to commit to changing your eating habits for life. Does that mean a strict boring diet? No. There are plenty of foods out there to choose from, you just have to be willing to try new foods and new variations.

One important tool to have when creating a solid nutrition plan is a food journal. A food journal will help track what you're eating, calories and frequency; this way you can make adjustments quickly and easily to your meal plans to tweak your fat burning - muscle building process.

To build muscle and burn fat, your calorie intake per day should fall between the 2400-3000 ranges, broken up into six meals: 400 to 500 calories per meal. On workout days, you can and should increase your calories slightly. If you're looking to shed excess fat while building muscle, your calorie breakdown should look something like this: 60% Protein - 20% Carbs - 20% Fat. If you're already on the thin side but want to build some muscle and gain weight, your breakdown should look more like this: 40% Protein - 40% Carbs - 20% Fat. If you're really on the thin side and have trouble gaining any weight, you may want to increase your calories to 3500 calories per day. This can easily be done by adding a protein shake to a few of your meals.

Quick tips:

Eat five to six small meals per day - very important when combating hunger and overeating. Drink plenty of water - at least 6-8 12oz servings per day. Drinking plenty of water can help curb your appetite. Daily protein intake should be 1-1.5 grams per pound of body weight. Example: if you weigh 150lbs you should be consuming between 150-225 grams of protein per day. One supplement recommendation- protein powder. A quick way to add quality protein without the excess calories. Avoid excessive fatty foods. Remember your fat intake per day should stay within the 20% range. If you're feeling excessively tired during your workout, you may want to move your pre-workout meal within 30-60 minutes prior to your workout. Extra carbs can be your friend if you have low energy during workouts. A post workout shake is critical to building muscle. Preferably something with high-glycemic carbohydrates to promote glycogen replenishment, a fast-acting protein to enhance nitrogen balance and amino acids to enhance recovery. My favorite: MyoZene by BioQuest. Get some sleep- at least 8 hours per night. If you're a hard gainer, consider drinking a protein shake before bed if you want to build muscle and help with recovery.

When eating 5-6 small meals, keep in mind that each meal doesn't have to be the same amount of calories and macro-nutrients, as long as your daily totals fall between your caloric ranges and macro-nutrient percentages; usually this works out to 3 larger meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner with three snacks in between.

Healthy snacks:

· Peanut Butter (2 tbsp.)

· Greek Yogurt (6 oz.)

· Protein powder / protein bar

· Hard Boiled Egg (1)

· Whole Grain breads

· Rye bread

· Fruits ( Bananas, Apples, Berries, Grapefruit) 1 serving

· Nuts ( Almonds, Peanuts, Walnuts, Pecans) 1 serving

· Bite-Size Vegetables (Broccoli, Mushrooms, Tomatoes, Peppers, Green Beans) 1 serving

One great tip that I use all the time: have at least one cheat day per week. Eat whatever you want for 1-2 meals, but don't go crazy and eat a dozen donuts or half gallon of ice cream. Over time you won't need the cheat day but at first it does help.

The right nutrition and exercise plan can have dramatic results in a short period of time but you have to be disciplined and determined to make a change. The right mental attitude for getting in shape and achieving the body of your dreams is critical for success. That will be the next topic of discussion: The right mindset to get results and achieve your goals.

Things You Won't Have to Worry About by Getting a Degree Online

You are debating about taking your classes online or going to a traditional school and have a lot of things to consider. More than likely you already know what classes you want to take, what degree you would like to get, and how you plan to pay for it, so at least you don't have to worry about those things anymore. However, now you need to consider what experience you will get by taking your classes online versus going to classes on campus and what you will need to worry about.

If you take your classes online you don't have to worry about getting rained on. Going to classes on campus you will have to worry about the elements. Even though you have watched the news before leaving the house, and believe you are prepared for the bright dry sunny day, you get to campus and find it starts to drizzle. When you have watched the weather man, believe it will be sunny, only to find out he was wrong and it is actually raining all day long, walking around campus is not going to be fun. If you take your classes online, you know you will never have to worry about getting caught in the rain and spending the rest of the day with wet socks and shoes.

You also won't have to worry about some guy who side swiped your car in the parking lot. Fighting the parking lot battle is not something you will have to deal with when taking your classes online. Getting stuck in traffic, and then having to circle around the school in order to find a parking space that is more than likely still a mile from your class is pretty normal at most traditional institutions. By getting your degree online, probably the most traffic you will have to deal with is finding a spot on the couch or local coffee shop.

Sometimes going to a traditional class is nice because you get to meet other people, have fun by joking and talking (not while the professor is talking of course). However, there is always that one person who continues to clear their throat, sniff, cough, click their pen, tap their foot, and annoy you in more ways than one. This is a great reason why you should get your degree online, if someone is doing these things, just pick up your stuff and do the class at a later time. Another type of person to look out for in a normal class room is the "questioner" and "last-word" person. These are the people that will ask questions constantly that make you wonder "will they ever stop? Oh no, was that another question?" Or, they are the ones who think it is appropriate to argue with the teacher about a subject. Online, most questions are sent directly to the teacher, so you don't need to worry about the constant questions.

Last thing that can be a worry about attending classes on a campus: meals. If you are taking classes in the middle of the day or in the evening, at some point you are going to need to eat. Campus food can get quite expensive if someone buys it every day. You only have so many choices of where you want to eat while taking traditional classes, and you are also in a time crunch to get to your next class. If you are getting your degree online and you have a snack attack, you just have to go to the kitchen. Or, depending on the time frame of whatever the assignment is you are working on, you can stop it for right then, go eat, and pick back where you left off later.

Taking your classes online gives you the freedom to take your classes when it is convenient for you and earn your degree at your own pace. You also won't have to deal with the little annoyances that come with campus classes. There are so many different degrees and programs that can be taken online, and is a great choice for anyone with a full time job or other conflicts.

Is Home Inspection a Good Idea When Buying a Home?

To avoid purchasing a home that has hidden damage home buyers are seeking the services of a home inspection service. In some areas buyers are opting out of the home inspection. Is this a good idea?

To Inspect or Not To Inspect

It is almost certain that if two offers were presented to a seller and one required a home inspection while the other did not, that the seller, provided the offers were equal would choose the one without the home inspection. In this case the home inspection requirement can put the buyer at a disadvantage. What if the purchase a home that has foundation problems which are later expensive to repair? What if the plumbing is bad? What if the repairs could add up to excessive dollar amounts?

One way around this is to provide a clause in your offer that requests a home inspection done for informational purposes only. This allows the seller to know that the purchase is not determined by the condition of the property when determined through the inspection. There is no option to have the seller make repairs prior to its sale nor would you be able to void the proposal even when serious problems are uncovered. However, should the property inspection discover serious problems the seller will know that the deal is in jeopardy as the property was not presented properly.

Another option is a sub rosa inspection. Should you happen to have a friend in the engineering or construction field then ask them to walk through the property with you. They should be able to alert you to any red flags.

If nothing of great concern is discovered then you can securely write the contract offer without contingencies. These are the best deals for the sellers, as they love them. You still have the assurance that there is nothing wrong with the home and you get the house that you want.

The answer to home inspection or not is that there is no right or wrong answer. It all depends on the risk that the buyer is willing to take. Also, if you are the only person presenting an offer, then obviously, a home inspection should occur. If you are one of many potential buyers, then the decision is up to you...but be comfortable with it. This is the best answer that is available. Your level of comfort is the priority and what will make the difference.

You Can Find Your Dream House Using Real Estate Web Sites

Looking for a new home can be a tad difficult, especially if you don't know where to begin. Nowadays, you can start in the privacy of your own home. All you have to do is hop on to your PC and check out some real estate web sites.

You will get an idea of the costs, locations, and home styles by doing this. It's sensible to do proper research before making any important decisions. Purchasing a new house is a major investment or commitment, so it pays to go about it slowly.

Since I am also in the market for a home of my own, I checked out a few interesting real estate web sites a few days ago. Real estate web sites come in handy during the time in your life when you want to find an ideal location and just stay there.

I am not only looking for a quality home that contains certain amenities, but also for the right piece of land in the right location. Real estate agents pay a great deal of attention on location because it really matters.

You have to consider the crime rates and school systems when you are looking for a home. These factors are more important than the home's aesthetic qualities if you have children. I know that you want to find a house that suits your personal preferences, but don't forget that you can fix it up later on.

Remember that the location you choose to dwell in will not change to meet your personal preferences. You should get the clear scoop on lots and homes from real estate web sites and avoid making any drastic decisions.

You will not find it very difficult to pinpoint that home of your dreams with the help of real estate web sites that are available to anyone with Internet access. Buying a new home basically comes down to a few essential factors.

First, you have to know where you want to live, and then you should get a clear idea about the size of the home you want. You can punch in your specifications when you check out some real estate web sites. Remember to punch in your price range. You will be very disappointed if you find a perfect home, only to find out that you can't afford it.