Microsoft’s Windows 7 Is The Multi-Touch Heaven

Bill Gates and Steve Ballmer amazed us with this new video of the future Windows 7. From the graphics’ point of view, this new exciting version makes Vista look like David in front of Goliat. The main feature of the platform that made us so excited is the touch and multi-touch integration, based mostly on Microsoft’s Surface Table.

Video: Multi-Touch in Windows 7

Among the new features unveiled, we can encounter multi-touch gestures in photo galleries, such as flicking, panning and zooming with two fingers; an OSX-like dock; drawing with ten fingers in a multi-touch paint program; a multi-touch piano application, and a program based on Microsoft’s Live Maps and Microsoft Virtual Earth, that allows in-depth mapping.

Windows 7 seems to be a combination between Vista and the Surface Table, as the other features beside the multi-touch ones look fairly alike the ones from Vista. The new platform is expected to launch in about 18 months.

Via

Asus Released Ares CG6155 Gaming Beast

 

Asus has just released a Gaming Beast, that will please literally every gamer. The Ares CG6150 has first been unveiled at CeBit and features some of the most powerfull components on the market.

What you get is an Intel Core 2 Extreme QX9650 CPU, that you can overclock to 4.0Ghz, a Blu-ray drive, two gigabit Ethernet ports, up to 4TB of disk space, up to 8GB of DDR3 RAM, Nvidia nForce 790i Ultra SLI chipset with three GeForce GTX280 in SLI, two power supplies and a custom liquid cooling system.

Until now, pricing details haven’t been unveiled, but don’t expect them to stay low.

Source

Future ATI Radeon Cards Will Include GDDR5 Memory

6 months after Samsung unveiled their GDDR5 memory, AMD announced that the next generation of ATI Radeon graphics cards will be based on the fore-mentioned technology. AMD will name Qimonda as their new partners to supply them with the GDDR5 modules, which will benefit stream processing and also boost gaming performances.

This announcement comes just weeks before the expected public debut of the new ATI Radeon 4000-series GPUs, and ATI officials say that it will be the first commercial implementation of the Graphics Double Data Rate 5 technology. Both ATI and Nvidia will surely offer better performance with the new core GPU designs.

Via

Computer of the future

Aren’t you tired of your PC? By his ugly shape and the way that it looks? Well, this is exactly what designer Apostol Tnokovski was feeling when he decided to create the smallest PC ever made. It’s not going to be like a PDA, it’s going to be a PC with all conventional components (mouse, keyboard, normal screen).

The concept PC is called E-Ball and it’s shaped like a sphere because in Tnokovski’s opinion this is the best shape in nature and it draws everybody’s attention.

E-Ball will feature a dual core processor, 250-500GB HDD, 2GB of RAM, integrated graphic card and sound card, 2 x 50W speakers, HD-DVD recorder, wireless optical mouse and laser keyboard, LAN and WLAN card, modem, Web cam and integrated LCD projector.

Also, the E-Ball PC supports a paper holder and the paper sheet on the holder could act like a screen where you can watch movies or something. This concept PC will measure 160mm in diameter and it was designed for Microsoft Windows OS, sorry about the others. For the moment there is no word on pricing or when it’s going to be available, however, I am sure that everybody would like to see a small spherical PC like this one.

Transportation Of The Future - The Winglet By Toyota

Toyota thinks about the future once again as they unveiled the “Winglet” which is “a personal transport assistance robot ridden in a standing position.” The robot was created in order to help people to have a safer and more mobile life therefore it could become an everyday transportation mean.

The Winglet is being developed by Toyota Motor Corporation, or TMC, and it’s “still being refined” as it surely needs some improvements. The robot features a body, an electric motor, two wheels and internal sensors (of course), the latter with the purpose of monitoring your position in order to make some adjustments that will increase or decrease power for stability.

“An unique parallel link mechanism” ensures the movement, you can go forward, backward and it’s simple to turn as you’ll only have to shift body weight therefore the Winglet is “safe and useful even in tight spaces or crowded environments.”

In order to fit everybody’s preferences, Toyota developed three version, “L”, “M” and “S”. These models vary between “practical” and “hands-free sporty”.

TMC will begin testing, technical and consumer trials in Autumn at the Central Japan International Airport near Nagoya, and Laguna Gamagori, and then they will see how the Winglet reacts to crowding and other conditions, and they also want to see how regular people acts around the robot and they will test at the Tressa Yokohama shopping complex in Yokohama City in 2009. Check out the video below and tell us what you think about this device.

Press Release via Akihabara News

Elegant lounge chairs made out of old skateboards

The recycling business is looking up! This new wave of recycled furniture, made up of second hand household goods has made quite a splash on today’s market. One of the most interesting perhaps is this recycled skateboard chair. Made from 8 second hand skateboards screwed into the chairs metal frame. Neoprene is then sprayed on top of the skateboards to give it that soft leathery feel. Totally rad, yet maintaining those classy upper-crust looks. The price, unfortunately, has not been included, but I would say $250 would not be a bad price. Perfect for inviting your surfer friends over for cocktails!

Plica Concept Threatens iPhone With Two Touchscreens

 

I know that probably most of you are enjoying your iPhone 3G and you are very satisfied with it, but when you will this concept you might want to reconsider your thoughts. The cellphone is called Plica which means folding of a body part.

Plica consists of two touchscreens and it looks exactly like a regular cellphone. When the phone is folded in two screens, you will use one as a keyboard and on the other you will be able to see whatever you want to. Also, you can view the images on both screens which means twice the resolution. Plica is very functional kind of like a mini-laptop and it features USB and headphone jacks.

This could really be the iPhone killer as the double touchscreen is really great, the only problem is that this is only a concept. Plica was developed by designer James Piatt and I can’t wait to see this on the market.

VIA LINK

New Xbox 360 Dashboard update gets leaked, shown off

Sure, we've seen the Xbox 360's forthcoming Dashboard update demoed in a polished presentation and detailed in high res press pics, but if you're like us, you don't really get exciting about something until it's leaked out into the wild and shown off blurry cam-style. The particuarly adventurous can apparently even take their chances and install this new "Xbox Experience" update themselves, but the exact details about where to get it and how to install it are understandably a bit hard to come by. If you do go that route, however, you'll need to make sure you have a modded console with an Infectus 2 Chip in the system and, most likely, a second 360 to fall back on in the event the first bursts into flames. The rest of us will just have to make do with the video after the break.

VIA link

How to float a pin on water

 

Do you see that? Do you? It's bloody magic init! If you ever wondered how that Jesus bloke did it, then read on, gentle reader, read on.

First off, stick a bit of bog roll on the top of the water

Drop your pin, or in this case, needle, on top of the bum paper

The paper slowly sinks to the bottom of the glass

Leaving the needle on the surface of the water. Stick 'surface tension' into Wikipedia if you want to understand the messy science. However, it's probably more useful as a "I bet £10 I can balance this pin on the top of your beer" thingie. Or wine, if you're posh or a lady.

Rare Guinness book world record 1978 edition Selling…

I have a rare edition of Guinness book of world record rare edition

if any interested im buying this book…

contact me : fazlerahim@gmail.com  +919795349461

About Jannat (Heaven)

When Mu'min will enter into Jannah, it will be announced
1. You will remain healthy forever, disease will never come.
2. You will remain alive for ever, death will never come.
3. You will remain in bounties which will never be finished.
Jannat is made with
Bricks of Gold and Silver.
Its cement is of perfumed Musk.
Its chips are pearls and Yaqoot.
Its sand is Zafraan.
There are eight doors ofJannah. These are eight grades of Jannat

1. Jannatul Mava
2. Darul Maqaam
3. Darul Salaam
4. Darul Khuld
5. Jannat-ul-Adan
6. Jannat-ul-Naeem
7. Jannat-ul-Kasif
8. Jannat-ul-Firdous
Food of Jannah
They will eat foods and fruits continuously up to 40 years.
Every bowl will have a new taste.
They will take eructation which will digest the food and there will be perfumed sweating for the digestion of water.
There will be no urine and stool.
Place Name
There will be gardens in Jannah.
Every garden will have the length of about 100 year's journey.
The shadow of these gardens will be very dense.
Their plants will be free of thorns.
The size of their leaves will be equal to ears of elephants.
Their fruits will be hanging in rows.
Jannatul Mava is in the lowest,
Jannat-ul-Adan is the middle &
Jannat-ul- Firdous is on the highest.
Those who love each other for the sake of Allahwill get a pillar of Yaqoot,
On which there will be seventy thousand (70,000) rooms.
These will shine for the residents of Jannah as the sun shines for the residents of Duniya.
There will be rooms in Jannah in such a way that every room will have seventy thousand (70,000)dinning sheets.
On every dinning sheet 70,000 types of foods will be served.
For their service 80,000 young boys will be moving around looking like beautiful scattered pearls.
One bunch of dates will be equal to the length of 12 arms.
The size of a date will be equal to the big pitcher.
These will be whiter than milk, sweeter than honey and softer than butter and free
Of seeds.
The stem of these plants will be made up of gold and silver.
There will also be gardens of grapes. The bunches of grapes will be very big.
The size of a single grape will be equal to a big pitcher.
Someone asked, ya Rasulullah (Sallalahu alaihi wasallam):
will it be sufficient for me and my family. It was answered, it will besufficient for you and your whole tribe.The Dresses of Jannat
The dress of Jannah will be very beautiful.
One will wear 70 dresses at a time.
These will be very fine, delicate, weightless, having different colors.
These dresses will be so fine that the body even the heart will be visible.
And the waves of love in the hearts will also be visible.
These dresses will never become old, never be dirty and will never tear.
There will be four canals in every Jannah.
1. Water
2. Milk
3. Honey
4. Sharabun Tahoora.There will also be three fountains in Jannah:
1. Kafoor
2. Zanjabeel
3. Tasneem
Qualities of People of Jannah
In Jannah, height of every Mo 'min, will be equal to the height of
Hazrat Adam (Alaihissalaam) 60 arms (90 feet).
Beauty will be like that of Hazrat Yousuf (Alaihissalaam)
Age of youth will be like that of Hazrat Esa (Alaihissalaam) 30-33 years).
Sweetness of voice will be like that of Hazrat Dawud (Alaihissalaam).
Tolerance will be like that of Hazrat Yaqoob (Alaihissalaam)
Patience will be like that of Hazrat Ayyub (Alaihissalaam.)
Habits will be like that of Sayyaduna Muhammad (Sallalahu alaihi wasallam)

Intel’s profit rises by 25%, notebooks help

ntel Corp said on Tuesday quarterly net income rose 25 percent, helped by strong sales of microprocessors used in notebook computers, and gave a revenue forecast that topped expectations. The world’s biggest chipmaker also reported an improved gross margin for the second quarter, but it was slightly below the midpoint of its own forecast range due to price pressures. For the current quarter, Intel said it expects revenue of $10.0 billion to $10.6 billion, compared with the average analyst forecast of $10.0 billion, according to Reuters Estimates.

Intel has been benefiting from brisk sales of notebook PCs, which are on track to outpace sales of desktop PCs this year. On Monday, Intel rolled out the latest generation of its Centrino wireless chip after a delay of several months. Shares of Intel ticked higher following the results, after gaining 1.2 percent in regular Nasdaq trading. “I like the revenue outlook and the gross margin outlook,” said Doug Freedman, an analyst with American Technology Research. “The only slight negative is the spending level on marketing and general administration is slightly higher.”

Source : reuters

15 Portable Apps to Help Troubleshoot PC’s

1. Avira UnErase (file recovery)

   

   File Recovery tool for Windows 2000 and XP. Install on a PC, then copy the installation folder to your USB thumb drive. Though it’s no longer officially supported, it’s still available for download, and it still works. Download here.

2. CCleaner (PC optimization)

   

   The popular PC optimization and privacy tool has a Portable Edition that you can download and install on your USB thumb drive. Related tutorial: How to use CCleaner to free up disk space on your Windows PC

3. ClamWin (anti-virus)

   

   Following the instructions found here, you can carry the open-source anti-virus software ClamWin on your USB pen drive. Great for removing viruses when you’re unable to install anti-virus software on the host PC.

4. DBAN (secure disk eraser)

   DBAN is a self-contained boot disk that securely wipes the hard disks of most computers. Download the USB flash drive version from http://dban.sourceforge.net. Related tutorial: How to completely wipe all the data from your hard drive

5. JkDefrag (disk defrag)

   

   JkDefrag is a portable disk defragmenter and optimizer for Windows 2000/2003/XP/Vista/2008/X64. Completely automatic and very easy to use, fast, low overhead, with several optimization strategies, and can handle floppies, USB disks, memory sticks, and anything else that looks like a disk to Windows. And it’s open source.

6. K-MAC (MAC address changer)

   Useful for network troubleshooting. Download here.

7. On-Screen Keyboard (virtual keyboard)

   

   Working on a PC with a broken keyboard? Or one that has keys remapped to the strangest of places? On-Screen Keyboard will come in handy. Note: part of the PortableApps suite.

8. Portable MV RegClean (registery cleaner)

   Registry cleaner for 32 and 64bit Windows. Also allows you to make backups of any registry change made by MV RegClean. Download here.

9. Portable UnInstall Cleaner (software uninstaller/cleaner)

   

   When a program does not properly uninstall or problems occur in the uninstallation, there will be excess entries in the registry. UnInstall Cleaner can delete these entries so that you don’t take the painstaking job of cleaning the the registry manually. Download here.

10. Process Explorer (advanced task manager)

    Hugely improved version of Windows Task Manager. Download here. Related tutorial: How to get detailed information on each running process in Windows

11. Restoration (file recovery)

    Restoration is another file recovery tool, but this one works on Windows 98/ME/2000/XP/Vista. If you’re trying to recover files in 2K or XP, try Avira UnErase (see above) first.

12. Roadkil’s Boot Builder (create custom boot sectors)

    Boot Builder allows you to create your own custom boot sector from scratch. This utility allows you to recreate or restore boot sectors lost due to virus or other damage to a drive. Boot sectors can be imported/exported to a disk or created from a template. This program supports FAT and NTFS boot sector types.

13. SpyBot Search and Destroy (spyware removal)

    

    Download SpyBot Search and Destroy, install it on your PC and then follow the instructions found here to make it portable. Related tutorial: How to remove spyware from your PC

14. System Spec (System Information Utility)

    Find detailed information on the PC you’re troubleshooting. Works in Windows 2000 and XP completely, some info won’t be displayed (though it does work) on Windows 98 and ME. Download here.

15. What Is Transferring (TCP packet sniffer)

    What Is Transferring is a portable packet sniffer for Windows 2000/XP. It can capture and display the TCP/IP packets that pass through a network adapte. Very helpful for determining unwanted connections and then viewing what those connections have sent/recieved.

  Source

Man arrested for taking over San Francisco network

A computer engineer has been arrested and accused of hijacking San Francisco’s FiberWAN (Wide Area Network) computer system, which holds details of city payroll files and confidential law enforcement documents. City prosecutors have charged Terry Childs, a 43-year-old computer network administrator, with four counts of computer tampering on the network. They allege he has locked out all passwords except his own and is refusing to hand it over. “Defendant Childs was arrested on Sunday, July 13, 2008 at his home in Pittsburg, California by members of the San Francisco Police Department and was immediately taken into custody,” said the city’s DA office in a statement.

“The felony counts against the defendant were charged the following day by the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office.” City officials are now working on the system to get access and control back and to date Childs is still not helping them. The media are reporting that Childs was facing disciplinary action for poor performance and had set up a software alert if anything changed in his personnel file. He may also have passed password information on to third parties. Childs faces a possible seven years in prison and will be back in court on Thursday.

Google launches Lively, virtual world sim

A really bad news for Second Life: Google is launching a new service today called Lively, a browser based virtual world add-on that lets users create and customize avatars and worlds, interact with other users, and generally have a richer social interaction than is offered by GTalk today. Worlds can be embedded into web pages, although only Windows users on IE or Firefox can view them, after an add-on download and installation. Mac and Linux users will have to wait for now.

Google has created a number of sample rooms that can be copied and altered, or users can start from scratch and build their own world. Furniture and other items can be added and moved around. Avatars can talk to each other, do things like dance and shake hands, and manipulate objects (in a demo, my avatar was able to blow up drums of toxic waste by double clicking on them. Users can also, of course, chat with each other - GTalk is the underlying chat engine. This isn’t yet a full Second Life competitor. There’s no single world, for example, where users can move around. But it’s easy to see Google evolving this into a single online world. And then, of course, selling advertising into it.

Source: Washington Post

Apple opens iPhone App Store

Apple on Thursday launched the App Store for the soon-to-be-released 3G iPhone, making a major push at becoming a key player in what’s expected to be the next generation in computing. The online store coupled with the media player-smart phone hybrid completes the company’s platform for a ubiquitous connection between an ultra-portable computer and the Internet. “The iPhone is not a phone. It’s a connected touch-screen computer that goes into your pocket and just happens to make phone calls,” said Michael Gartenberg, analyst for Jupiter Research. Apple entered the market in a big way by introducing through the App Store about 500 applications for the new iPhone, which goes on sale Friday at 8 a.m. local time. For people with the slower original iPhone, Apple on Thursday released firmware version 2.0, which is the same operating system as in the new device.

For $9.99, people can load the OS in the iPod Touch, which is the iPhone without the phone. People can also access the App Store by downloading version 7.7 of the iTunes software, which also was released on Thursday. The latter makes it possible for iPhone buyers to deploy software from their Macs or PCs. In being able to offer hundreds of applications on the first day the 3G iPhone is available, Apple has shown that developers are onboard. About a quarter of the App Store software is free, with 90% of the paid software available for $9.99 or less. Apple, which must first approve applications before they go on sale, takes 30% of the revenue generated from paid software, but does not charge developers offering free applications. Available software includes games, educational program, mobile commerce, and business productivity tools. A third of the applications are games.

400GB optical disc invented by Pioneer

Got a big archiving project you’ve been itching to do? Pioneer’s latest development could help you keep all your data in one nice, little circular package. The Japanese electronics maker has been working on an optical disc, which, like Blu-ray, can store 25GB of data in a single layer. But Pioneer says it’s one-upped the high-definition format to the sixteenth degree. The company announced today that it has a single disc that contains 16 layers of storage, at 25GB each. That adds up to 400GB of data capable of being stored on a single disc.

Blu-ray comes in single layer (25GB) and dual-layer (50GB) flavors. Pioneer does say that because the lens specification for reading the discs is similar to Blu-ray, “it is possible to maintain compatibility” between its disc and Blu-ray discs. That’s not saying it will be compatible, but it would make sense since Pioneer is one of the original Blu-ray Disc Association members. However, plans for that archiving project will have to be put on pause if you want to use this technology. Pioneer is going to demonstrate it at an industry conference next week, but for now the disc is read-only. Eventually, they’ll add write capability as well.

Source: Cnet

Student Credit Card Info

Technorati Tags: Student Credit card,cards

Student Credit Card Knowledge Is The Key To Success!

The world of credit cards can be scary. It's even scarier than wearing last season's Uggs. Lots of big words, responsibilities, etc. Student card info is especially important because it is meant for those who are just entering this big, scary world. Once you are forced into making sound financial decisions, it will all become more clear. But in order to do so, you need a little background.

The main difference between a student card and a regular credit card is that the former tends to have a lower credit limit, designed to control spending, and lower interest rates. They are both a little added protection for the inexperienced, perhaps less informed, spender. Probably the most common cards used are the student Visa card and the student MasterCard. The difference between the two is most likely negligible, but you'd need to read up on both and choose the best one for you.

The importance of responsible spending with a student credit card is mostly that it has the power to influence your credit rating. Establishing good credit history is vital to your financial future because it is what lenders will look at when deciding to give you a car, house, or any other type of loan. Student credit cards are more limited than regular cards, but can be taken no less seriously for this reason. That is why knowing student card info is necessary. Being well informed about your credit card will help you make more sound financial decisions.

Which Student Credit Card Is Right For You?

The more Student Card Info you possess, the readier you will be to choose wisely. Many opt for Visa student credit cards because their parents have a Visa and are more familiar with it. That is an okay way to assess a credit card company. However, a Visa student credit card may not be right for you just because a visa has worked out for your folks. You need to research the finance charges, interest rates, billing and grace periods, and other information specific to each credit card in order to choose the best one for you. There are many student cards, and I'm sure one has your name on it. Get educated and apply today! The sooner you do, the sooner you can look forward to graduating with credit card debt.

Source

Lung Cancer

Technorati Tags: Lung Cancer,cancer,health,causes,treatment

What is cancer of the lung?

Cancer of the lung, like all cancers, results from an abnormality in the body's basic unit of life, the cell. Normally, the body maintains a system of checks and balances on cell growth so that cells divide to produce new cells only when needed. Disruption of this system of checks and balances on cell growth results in an uncontrolled division and proliferation of cells that eventually forms a mass known as a tumor.

Tumors can be benign or malignant; when we speak of "cancer," we refer to those tumors that are considered malignant. Benign tumors can usually be removed and do not spread to other parts of the body. Malignant tumors, on the other hand, grow aggressively and invade other tissues of the body, allowing entry of tumor cells into the bloodstream or lymphatic system which spread the tumor to other sites in the body. This process of spread is termed metastasis; the areas of tumor growth at these distant sites are called metastases. Since lung cancer tends to spread, or metastasize, very early in its course, it is a very life-threatening cancer and one of the most difficult cancers to treat. While lung cancer can spread to any organ in the body, certain organs—particularly the adrenal glands, liver, brain, and bone—are the most common sites for lung cancer metastasis.

The lung is also a very common site for metastasis from tumors in other parts of the body. Tumor metastases are made up of the same type of cells as the original, or primary, tumor. For example, if prostate cancer spreads via the bloodstream to the lungs, it is metastatic prostate cancer in the lung and is not lung cancer.

Lung Cancer Picture

The principal function of the lungs is the exchange of gases between the air we breathe and the blood. Through the lung, carbon dioxide is removed from the body and oxygen from inspired air enters the bloodstream. The right lung has three lobes, while the left lung is divided into two lobes and a small structure called the lingula that is the equivalent of the middle lobe. The major airways entering the lungs are the bronchi, which arise from the trachea. The bronchi branch into progressively smaller airways called bronchioles that end in tiny sacs known as alveoli, where gas exchange occurs. The lungs and chest wall are covered with a thin layer of tissue called the pleura.

Lung cancers can arise in any part of the lung, and 90%-95% of cancers of the lung are thought to arise from the epithelial, or lining cells of the larger and smaller airways (bronchi and bronchioles); for this reason, lung cancers are sometimes called bronchogenic carcinomas or bronchogenic cancers. Cancers can also arise from the pleura (the thin layer of tissue that surrounds the lungs), called mesotheliomas, or rarely from supporting tissues within the lungs, for example, blood vessels.

How common is lung cancer?

Lung cancer is responsible for the most cancer deaths in both men and women throughout the world. The American Cancer Society estimates that 213,380 new cases of lung cancer in the U.S. will be diagnosed and 160,390 deaths due to lung cancer will occur in 2007. Lung cancer is predominantly a disease of the elderly; almost 70% of people diagnosed with the condition are over 65 years of age, while less than 3% of cases occur in people under age 45.

Lung cancer was not common prior to the 1930s but increased dramatically over the following decades as tobacco smoking increased. In many developing countries, the incidence of lung cancer is beginning to fall following public education about the dangers of cigarette smoking and effective smoking-cessation programs. Nevertheless, lung cancer remains among the most common types of cancers in both men and women worldwide.

Lung cancer has also surpassed breast cancer in causing the most cancer-related deaths in women in the United States.

What causes lung cancer?

Smoking

The incidence of lung cancer is strongly correlated with cigarette smoking, with about 90% of lung cancers arising as a result of tobacco use. The risk of lung cancer increases with the number of cigarettes smoked over time; doctors refer to this risk in terms of pack-years of smoking history (the number of packs of cigarettes smoked per day multiplied by the number of years smoked). For example, a person who has smoked two packs of cigarettes per day for 10 years has a 20 pack-year smoking history. While the risk of lung cancer is increased with even a 10 pack-year smoking history, those with 30 pack-year histories or more are considered to have the greatest risk for the development of lung cancer. Among those who smoke two or more packs of cigarettes per day, one in seven will die of lung cancer.

Pipe and cigar smoking can also cause lung cancer, although the risk is not as high as with cigarette smoking. While someone who smokes one pack of cigarettes per day has a risk for the development of lung cancer that is 25 times higher than a nonsmoker, pipe and cigar smokers have a risk of lung cancer that is about five times that of a nonsmoker.

Tobacco smoke contains over 4,000 chemical compounds, many of which have been shown to be cancer-causing, or carcinogenic. The two primary carcinogens in tobacco smoke are chemicals known as nitrosamines and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. The risk of developing lung cancer decreases each year following smoking cessation as normal cells grow and replace damaged cells in the lung. In former smokers, the risk of developing lung cancer begins to approach that of a nonsmoker about 15 years after cessation of smoking. For more, please read the Smoking and Quitting Smoking article.

Passive smoking

Passive smoking, or the inhalation of tobacco smoke from other smokers sharing living or working quarters, is also an established risk factor for the development of lung cancer. Research has shown that nonsmokers who reside with a smoker have a 24% increase in risk for developing lung cancer when compared with other nonsmokers. An estimated 3,000 lung cancer deaths occur each year in the U.S. that are attributable to passive smoking.

Asbestos fibers

Asbestos fibers are silicate fibers that can persist for a lifetime in lung tissue following exposure to asbestos. The workplace is a common source of exposure to asbestos fibers, as asbestos was widely used in the past for both thermal and acoustic insulation materials. Today, asbestos use is limited or banned in many countries, including the Unites States. Both lung cancer and mesothelioma (a type of cancer of the pleura or of the lining of the abdominal cavity called the peritoneum) are associated with exposure to asbestos. Cigarette smoking drastically increases the chance of developing an asbestos-related lung cancer in exposed workers. Asbestos workers who do not smoke have a fivefold greater risk of developing lung cancer than nonsmokers, and those asbestos workers who smoke have a risk that is 50 to 90 times greater than nonsmokers.

Radon gas

Radon gas is a natural, chemically inert gas that is a natural decay product of uranium. It decays to form products that emit a type of ionizing radiation. Radon gas is a known cause of lung cancer, with an estimated 12% of lung cancer deaths attributable to radon gas, or 15,000 to 22,000 lung cancer-related deaths annually in the U.S., making radon the second leading cause of lung cancer in the U.S. As with asbestos exposure, concomitant smoking greatly increases the risk of lung cancer with radon exposure. Radon gas can travel up through soil and enter homes through gaps in the foundation, pipes, drains, or other openings. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates that one out of every 15 homes in the U.S. contains dangerous levels of radon gas. Radon gas is invisible and odorless, but it can be detected with simple test kits.

Familial predisposition

While the majority of lung cancers are associated with tobacco smoking, the fact that not all smokers eventually develop lung cancer suggests that other factors, such as individual genetic susceptibility, may play a role in the causation of lung cancer. Numerous studies have shown that lung cancer is more likely to occur in both smoking and nonsmoking relatives of those who have had lung cancer than in the general population. Recent research has localized a region on the long (q) arm of the human chromosome number 6 that is likely to contain a gene that confers an increased susceptibility to the development of lung cancer in smokers.

Lung diseases

The presence of certain diseases of the lung, notably chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), is associated with a slightly increased risk (four to six times the risk of a nonsmoker) for the development of lung cancer even after the effects of concomitant cigarette smoking are excluded.

Prior history of lung cancer

Survivors of lung cancer have a greater risk than the general population of developing a second lung cancer. Survivors of non-small cell lung cancers (NSCLCs, see below) have an additive risk of 1%-2% per year for developing a second lung cancer. In survivors of small cell lung cancers (SCLCs), the risk for development of second cancers approaches 6% per year.

Air pollution

Air pollution from vehicles, industry, and power plants can raise the likelihood of developing lung cancer in exposed individuals. Up to 1% of lung cancer deaths are attributable to breathing polluted air, and experts believe that prolonged exposure to highly polluted air can carry a risk similar to that of passive smoking for the development of lung cancer.

See more : Source causes, treatment and more

20 Amazing Facts About Voting in the USA

Did you know....

1.  80% of all votes in America are counted by only two companies:  Diebold and ES&S.

http://www.onlinejournal.com/evoting/042804Landes/042804landes.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diebold

2.  There is no federal agency with regulatory authority or oversight of the U.S. voting machine industry.

http://www.commondreams.org/views02/0916-04.htm

http://www.onlinejournal.com/evoting/042804Landes/042804landes.html

3.  The vice-president of Diebold and the president of ES&S are brothers.

http://www.americanfreepress.net/html/private_company.html

http://www.onlinejournal.com/evoting/042804Landes/042804landes.html

4.  The chairman and CEO of Diebold is a major Bush campaign organizer and donor who wrote in 2003 that he was "committed to helping Ohio deliver its electoral votes to the president next year."

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/07/28/sunday/main632436.shtml

http://www.wishtv.com/Global/story.asp?S=1647886

5.  Republican Senator Chuck Hagel used to be chairman of ES&S.  He became Senator based on votes counted by ES&S machines.

http://www.motherjones.com/commentary/columns/2004/03/03_200.html

http://www.onlinejournal.com/evoting/031004Fitrakis/031004fitrakis.html

6.  Republican Senator Chuck Hagel, long-connected with the Bush family, was recently caught lying about his ownership of ES&S by the Senate Ethics Committee.

http://www.blackboxvoting.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=26

http://www.hillnews.com/news/012903/hagel.aspx

http://www.onlisareinsradar.com/archives/000896.php

7.  Senator Chuck Hagel was on a short list of George W. Bush's vice-presidential candidates.

http://www.businessweek.com/2000/00_28/b3689130.htm

http://theindependent.com/stories/052700/new_hagel27.html

8.  ES&S is the largest voting machine manufacturer in the U.S. and counts almost 60% of all U.S. votes.

http://www.essvote.com/HTML/about/about.html

http://www.onlinejournal.com/evoting/042804Landes/042804landes.html

9.  Diebold's new touch screen voting machines have no paper trail of any votes.  In other words, there is no way to verify that the data coming out of the machine is the same as what was legitimately put in by voters.

http://www.commondreams.org/views04/0225-05.htm

http://www.itworld.com/Tech/2987/041020evotestates/pfindex.html

10.  Diebold also makes ATMs, checkout scanners, and ticket machines, all of which log each transaction and can generate a paper trail.

http://www.commondreams.org/views04/0225-05.htm

http://www.diebold.com/solutions/default.htm

11.  Diebold is based in Ohio.

http://www.diebold.com/aboutus/ataglance/default.htm

12.  Diebold employed 5 convicted felons as consultants and developers to help write the central compiler computer code that counted 50% of the votes in 30 states.

http://www.wired.com/news/evote/0,2645,61640,00.html

http://portland.indymedia.org/en/2004/10/301469.shtml

13.  Jeff Dean was Senior Vice-President of Global Election Systems when it was bought by Diebold.  Even though he had been convicted of 23 counts of felony theft in the first degree, Jeff Dean was retained as a consultant by Diebold and was largely responsible for programming the optical scanning software now used in most of the United States.

http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0312/S00191.htm
http://www.chuckherrin.com/HackthevoteFAQ.htm#how

http://www.blackboxvoting.org/bbv_chapter-8.pdf

14.  Diebold consultant Jeff Dean was convicted of planting back doors in his software and using a "high degree of sophistication" to evade detection over a period of 2 years.

http://www.chuckherrin.com/HackthevoteFAQ.htm#how

http://www.blackboxvoting.org/bbv_chapter-8.pdf

15.  None of the international election observers were allowed in the polls in Ohio.

http://www.globalexchange.org/update/press/2638.html

http://www.enquirer.com/editions/2004/10/26/loc_elexoh.html

16.  California banned the use of Diebold machines because the security was so bad.  Despite Diebold's claims that the audit logs could not be hacked, a chimpanzee was able to do it!  (See the movie here:  http://www.bbvdocs.org/videos/baxterVPR.mov.)

http://wired.com/news/evote/0,2645,63298,00.html

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4874190

17.  30% of all U.S. votes are carried out on unverifiable touch screen voting machines with no paper trail.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/07/28/sunday/main632436.shtml

18.  All -- not some -- but all the voting machine errors detected and reported in Florida went in favor of Bush or Republican candidates.

http://www.wired.com/news/evote/0,2645,65757,00.html

http://www.yuricareport.com/ElectionAftermath04/ThreeResearchStudiesBushIsOut.htm

http://www.rise4news.net/extravotes.html

http://www.ilcaonline.org/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=950

http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0411/S00227.htm

19.  The governor of the state of Florida, Jeb Bush, is the President's brother.

http://www.tallahassee.com/mld/tallahassee/news/local/7628725.htm

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A10544-2004Oct29.html

20.  Serious voting anomalies in Florida -- again always favoring Bush -- have been mathematically demonstrated and experts are recommending further investigation.

http://www.yuricareport.com/ElectionAftermath04/ThreeResearchStudiesBushIsOut.htm

http://www.computerworld.com/governmenttopics/government/policy/story/0,10801,97614,00.html

http://www.americanfreepress.net/html/tens_of_thousands.html

http://www.commondreams.org/headlines04/1106-30.htm

http://www.consortiumnews.com/2004/110904.html

http://uscountvotes.org/

NOTE: Some of the data are outdated but much of it is still true.  But don't take my word for it.
Do your own research and discover the truth for yourselves.  You may freely copy and distribute this copy as long as credit is noted.

Apple’s super MAC OS X menubar items

 

access web services

icon
name
description
cost

Amua ★
Control Last.fm radio streams; an alternative to the official player.
free; open source

BloglinesMenu
Display the number of unread items in your Bloglines subscriptions.
free; open source

Delibar
Quickly access your del.icio.us bookmarks.
free

DiggUpdate
View a drop-down list of front page stories on Digg.
free

dotMac Menu
Quickly access parts of your .Mac account and iDisk.
free

FMenu ★
Display Facebook notifications and quickly access parts of the site.
free; open source

Gmail Notifier
Display the number of unread messages in your Gmail inbox.
free

iScrobbler
Automatically send recent iTunes track information to Last.fm.
free

iSeek
Search the Web using various search engines.
unlimited trial; $15

MacBiff
Display if (and in which folders) your IMAP server has new mail.
free; open source

MailCountX
Display the number of unread messages in Apple Mail.
free

MailTicker
Automatically see whether POP3 accounts have new messages.
free

Monocle
Search the web, Spotlight-like, using various engines.
free

MUMenu
View a list of new software on MacUpdate (checked periodically).
free

NetD
Look up word translations between English, Japanese, and Korean.
free

Reader Notifier ★
Display the recent unread items in your Google Reader account.
free; open source

RSS Menu
Be notified of new entries in RSS and Atom feeds.
free

WoW Status
Display the current status of World of Warcraft servers.
unlimited trial; $8

wStock
Display a scrolling stock ticker in your menubar.
free

YMail
Check whether your Yahoo Mail inbox has new messages.
free; open source

launch things

icon
name
description

HimmelBar
Launch applications, organized by folder.
free

MoofMenu
Launch applications, files, folders, and urls.
limited trial; $5

TigerLaunch
Launch selected applications (automatically adds new ones).
free; open source

manage information

icon
name
description

BlogAssist
Format text in the clipboard, especially to help markup blog entries.
unlimited trial; $10

Check Off
Make simple to-do lists and check them off.
free; open source

ClipboardSharing
Share clipboards across your local network.
free

Hallon
Create bookmarks (with notes and due dates) in several applications.
free; open source

High Priority
Create, edit, and delete iCal To Do items.
unlimited trial; $6

Jumpcut
Save and access your clipboard history.
free; open source

Library Books
Display the list of books you have checked out from your library.
free

URLwell
Easily save and access URLs from a drop-down list.
free

VoiceNoteMenu
Record and access voice notes.
limited trial; $12

time and weather

icon
name
description

Alarm Clock ★
Set alarms (with optional music), timers, and stopwatches.
free

Cosmic Debris
Display the probability of an Aurora Borealis event in your area.
free; open source

Countdown Clock
Display the amount of time remaining until a point in the future.
free

FuzzyClock
Display the current time in a “fuzzy”, idiomatic style.
free

JetClock
Display the current time in four different cities around the world.
free

MenuCalendarClock
View a compact monthly calendar.
unlimited trial; $20

Meteo
Display customizable weather forecasts for United States cities.
free; open source

MoonMenu
Display the current phase of the moon.
unlimited trial; $12

PowerController
Set an alarm clock; optionally play an MP3 as the alert.
limited trial; $10

QuakeBar
List recent earthquakes around the world.
free

TinyAlarm
Set a simple alarm clock for the near future.
free

WeatherBug Lite ★
Display the current local temperature and any weather alerts.
free

interface helpers

icon
name
description

Amnesty
Select Dashboard widgets and display them on your desktop.
limited trial; $20

ASM
Switch applications, Classic-style.
unlimited trial; $15

Caffeine ★
Stop your Mac from going to sleep or displaying the screensaver.
free

CoconutWiFi ★
Indicate the existence of any open wireless networks in range.
free

DeskShade
Manage your desktop pictures, lock your desktop, and more.
limited trial; $13

Desktopple
Easily hide all of the icons on your Desktop.
limited trial; $17

Ejector
Eject any or all disks (iPod, CD, USB drive, .dmg file, etc.).
free

IC-Switch
Change your default email, FTP, news, RSS, and web apps.
free

iDiskMenu
Mount and unmount iDisk, WebDAV, and FTP servers.
free; open source

Lab Tick ★
Control your backlit keyboard with a slider.
free

MainMenu ★
Run a variety of maintenance tasks from your menubar.
free

MenuPrefs
Access specific System Preference Panes.
unlimited trial; $5

ProcessWizard
Control the priority of each currently running process.
free

ScreenSaverMenu
Change your screen saver or lock your screen.
limited trial; $5

SharingMenu
Access and modify your Sharing preferences.
free

SoundSource
Switch between audio input and output devices.
free

SpiritedAway
Automatically hide applications after a period of inactivity.
free

SSHKeychain ★
Manage your SSH keys (integrates with Keychain) and forward ports.
free; open source

SwitchResX ★
Extensively manage the resolutions of all your monitors.
limited trial; €14

WindowFinder
Switch between open windows via an itemized list.
limited trial; $10

iTunes

icon
name
description

Barquee
Display customizable iTunes information and control iTunes.
limited trial; $10

ByteController
Control iTunes with customizable buttons and hotkeys.
free

iTunes Doodad
Basic drop-down iTunes controller.
free

M-Beat
Control iTunes with a variety of features.
limited trial; $10

Menuet ★
Control iTunes, rate songs, display artwork, submit tracks to Last.fm, etc.
free

Synergy
Control iTunes and display album artwork.
limited trial; $10

watch your system

icon
name
description

App Stop
Pause CPU usage and set priorities for running applications.
limited trial; $15

Cee Pee You
Display CPU load as a percentage in your menubar.
free

IPMenu
View your current internal and external IP addresses.
free

MemoryCell
Display how much memory the current application is using.
free

MenuMeters
Monitor CPU, memory, disk, and network statistics.
free; open source

Mouse Position Menu
Display your mouse-position coordinates.
limited trial; €15

Server Siren ★
Monitor your web servers and get alerts if they go down.
limited trial; $15

SlimBatteryMonitor
Monitor battery power in a variety of styles.
free

SMARTReporter
Display the “health” status of your hard drive.
free; open source

Temperature Monitor
Display your current processor temperature, where possible.
free

UptimeInMenuBar
Display the amount of time since you booted your computer.
free

other stuff

icon
name
description

BluePhoneElite
Extend your Bluetooth phone with call alerts and other features.
limited trial; $20

Deviant
Link your desktop to any folder, effectively switching the items on it.
free

DropCopy
Easily send files across a LAN by dragging and dropping.
free

Menulator
Calculate a variety of things from your menubar.
free; open source

Mp3Bar
Play MP3s (light CPU load, unlike iTunes).
free; open source

Pinki
Easily create thumbnail icons for image files.
free

Sidekick
Create new Appleworks documents and access recent ones.
limited trial; $10

SkypeMenuX
View and change your Skype user status, launch/quit Skype, and more.
free; open source