HTC Velocity 4G Snap Review

The HTC Velocity 4G launched last week by Telstra is the first LTE/4G mobile phone available in Australia. Until now the only device able to use Telstra’s new mobile network has been a 4G USB laptop modem that we tested in late 2011.

When used in Telstra 4G coverage areas the new HTC Velocity 4G smartphone promises theoretical peak speeds of 2-40Mbps down & 1-10Mbps up, with some important caveats.

Besides it’s flagship 4G speed the HTC Velocity 4G features a 4.5” 540x960 screen, speedy 1.5 GHz dual core CPU, 16GB storage onboard expandable with 32GB microSD, 8MP/1.3MP back/front cameras, HD voice support and swappable battery.

Telstra plans to release four 4G phones this year and one tablet so there will not be much 4G mobile handset choice for customers. It is not known whether one of these four phones will be a 4G iPhone.

Optus isn’t launching its 4G network until Q2 2012 and Vodafone has not announced a date yet for its launch.

We tested the Velocity 4G in the Sydney CBD 4G coverage area as well as a 3G coverage area in Sydney’s western suburbs. Potential buyers should be aware of issues that affect all first generation 4G phones – short battery life and patchy coverage.

The Velocity 4G is like a speedway hot rod in that the payoff for smoking 4G data transfer rates means the battery charge depletes very quickly, as soon as 5 hours if used a lot.

The 4.5” screen also uses up the battery faster than a smaller phone so it’s a shame that HTC has equipped the Velocity 4G with an undersized 1620mAh capacity battery as a “fuel tank”.

Telstra 4G coverage is available within 5km of the GPO in each of the 8 capital cities as well as about 80 regional towns and cities.

As well as being Australia’s first 4G phone the Velocity 4G’s less well known capability is that it’s the first Australian phone that’s capable of dual channel (double the standard) 3G data transfer speed when outside 4G zones.

Telstra’s new 4G data network currently has far fewer customers using it than their 3G network so it’s like flying along an empty motorway at 110km/hr. We will judge how it handles a heavier load of users as more customers start using 4G during 2012.

So is the HTC Velocity 4G worth purchasing? This phone can definitely help your mobile workers increase their productivity if they spend a significant amount of time conducting business activities within 4G coverage areas and keep a second charged battery with them.

For business customers the key selling point in our eyes is the huge time saving speed difference (up to 10 times faster in our tests) between 4G and 3G when uploading large files, such as reports or presentations, to email or cloud storage.

Hopefully Telstra’s tendency to take quite some time to test updates is given a kick along so the Velocity 4G’s Android 2.3.7 phone operating system will be updated to Android 4.0 well before the end of Q1 2012.

The HTC Velocity 4G is initially available outright for $876 or to individual customers for free on a $79 plan and business customers on a $90 plan. Both require 24 month contracts that include 2GB of data/month. Extra supplementary data packs can be purchased if required.

It is highly advisable to keep a close eye on how quickly this 2GB gets used as faster 3G/4G speeds mean the amount of data transfers included in your plan will get used in much less time than before. With 4G speeds it’s easy to burn through several 100MB of downloads in the blink of an eye.

Be careful to avoid bill shock because Telstra's business mobile plans do not throttle/shape data usage after it goes over the included quota. Nor is there an opt-in for throttling/shaping - a Telstra spokesperson told us “business doesn’t want to be slowed down”.

Telstra's data usage meter theoretically lags one hour behind reality but call centre staff told us it’s best to assume the figure is 12 hours behind. They suggested customers SMS the word “use” (without quotes) to the number 176 for free to receive an instant SMS back with current data usage.

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Motorola RAZR M at 69.95$ From Telstra

Experience the compact, 4.3" full-screen 4G mobile that fits in the palm of your hand. Web pages, apps, videos — everything’s clearer on the big edge-to-edge screen. Like to Google? The RAZR M has you covered with the Chrome browser and Google Maps™ with turn by turn navigation. Plus, with Voice Actions for Android, there's no need to type.

Add premium material like an aluminium frame, DuPont™ Kevlar® back (on black device only), scratch resistant Corning® Gorilla® Glass with a long-life battery and you've got a smartphone that's built for everyday living.

Features

• Stream videos in seconds and play multiplayer games without the lag in 4G coverage areas
• Stunning 4.3” display that spans edge-to-edge, so everything’s clear and vibrant
• Squeeze more out of every charge with a high capacity battery boosted by SMARTACTIONS™
• Google like never before with the Chrome mobile browser, Google Maps™, Google Play™ and Voice Actions for Android
• Built strong with scratch resistant Corning® Gorilla® Glass, splash-guard coating and DuPont™ Kevlar® protection.

Specifications

• Dimensions: 60.9 x 122.5 x 8.3mm
• Weight: 126 grams
• Main LCD: 4.3" qHD 540 x 960, 16M colour, Super AMOLED Screen
• Talk Time (3G): Up to approx. 14.7 hours (882 minutes)
• Standby Time (3G): Up to approx. 250 hours
• Internal Memory: 8GB memory (4.5GB available to user)
• Expandable Memory: Up to 32GB microSD
• SAR (head): UMTS 2100MHz 0.84W/kg
• SAR (body): GSM 850MHz 0.49W/kg

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Sun Cellular Selects Ceragon Networks 4G LTE

Digitel Mobile Philippines, which operates under the brand name of Sun Cellular and one of the fastest growing mobile telecommunications providers in Philippines, has selected Ceragon Networks, the provider of high-capacity, 4G/LTE-Ready wireless backhaul solutions, for 2G/3G backhaul expansion.

The Philippines-based company will invest an additional $9 million in Ceragon's mobile backhaul network equipment in an ongoing expansion of its 2G/3G cellular services.

Officials with Ceragon said that the newest Digitel order represents just one of numerous follow-on orders for the company, a longtime provider of high-capacity wireless backhaul solutions to Digitel.

Company officials said that the latest order puts more Ceragon gear behind a pair of expansion and upgrade projects for Digitel's 2G/3G metro network.

The operator's Manila-Cebu Alternative Backbone project will now deliver 3G services to the southern part of the country employing native IP over long-haul microwave technology, while its North Luzon Backbone Expansion project will bring additional 2G service capacity to the north.

According to company officials, both projects are part of Digitel's Ceragon-enabled migration to an all-IP Ethernet backhaul network that will better service the range of data, multimedia applications, and voice on the operator's expanded network.

'Microwave is an ideal approach to quickly and easily setting up the most cost-efficient and consistently reliable backhaul network,' said Patrick Lam, senior technical adviser, of Digitel Mobile Philippines Inc., in a statement.

Lam said that the company's Ceragon-based backhaul even withstood last year's devastating typhoon and flooding, making Digitel the only operator able to keep delivering vital telecom services to people in some of the devastated areas of the country.

'Reliably delivering a demanding range of 3G services and IP-based multimedia applications is a great challenge for operators today,' said Ira Palti, president and chief executive officer of Ceragon.

Palti said that with microwave clearly representing the most physically-resilient approach to backhaul, Ceragon looks forward to supporting the high-reliability demands of Digitel's expanding cellular networks for many years to come.

Company officials said that Digitel, which has relied on Ceragon for its backhaul network since 2005, purchased a mix of traditional TDM and IP-based systems from Ceragon, including the TDM-based FibeAir 3200T, a high-capacity wireless system; the TDM-based FibeAir 1500R, high-capacity SDH/SONET wireless system; and the FibeAir IP-10, which combines IP and TDM networking for risk-free migration to IP.

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Adhitz An Alternative To Google Adsense

For those that never heard about it, Adhitz is a pay-per-click (PPC) program like Google Adsense. I’ve been using this program for one of my sites since 3 months ago and I’ll share some of my experience here.

Adhitz is a quite new company founded in november 2009 and they are starting to become a popular PPC program.

Adhitz works in a similar way of google adsense, you open a publisher account and after inserting the code on your website, ads will be displayed and you’ll start making money when your receive legit clicks from these ads.

Apart from this form advertising, adhitz also offer the option for publishers to sell their “product”, for example, you can sell ads space, text or images for $10.00 per day or week.

Here are some usefull information and some opinions about this PPC system:

• They pay via paypal or alertpay, you’ll receive your payment when you reach $25.00 on your main balance.
• Publishers receive 70% of revenue share, a very good percentage compared to google adsense (68% ad revenue).
• Adhitz offers a flat rate CPC, instead of a bidding system where advertisers pay what they want to have their adverts shown, advertisers will pay a flat rate for each click received.
• The click value is determined by the country where the click is originated, it will start at $0.03 for third world countries and up to $0.12 for countries like USA and $0.10 for Canada or United Kingdon.
• For advertisers this system is very good if you don’t want to pay huge values to show your ads, however you’ll not have fast results, because it doesn’t work using a bid system like other PPC programs.
• Other important point is their support, I had some problems that were always solved very fast and efficiently.
• Most of their ads are related of making money online and internet marketing niche, you’ll hardly see other niches like health for example.
• They are paying for almost 18 months with no problems, a good sign.

AdHitz is a google adsense alternative in terms of earnings for publishers?

If you are expecting to earn 1 dollar per click as a publisher, you’ll be disappointed. However if for some reason you can’t use adsense it’s still a good alternative, especially if you have traffic from countries like United States and Canada, you still can generate a good amount of money.

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Cebu Pacific Launches Daily Flights To Dubai

Almost one year since Cebu Pacific made public their plan to serve long haul flights, the low-cost airline announced today their first. Their destination? The OFW-rich middle east city of Dubai! Yes, Cebu Pacific will now fly directly from Manila to Dubai.

The biggest airline in the country will start flying to Dubai on October 7, 2013 and will operate daily, making them the only Filipino carrier to operate in that destination. In a press release, Cebu Pacific mentioned that they are proud to serve the over 700, 000 Global Filipinos in UAE giving them up to 40% lower fares compared to other airlines.

Data also shows that Filipinos in the middle east takes multiple stops and connecting flights between Manila and Dubai. The direct flight offered by Cebu Pacific is expected to dramatically increase the convenience of flying to the region. Dubai is also second to Saudi in terms of the number of land-based new hires and rehires.

The Manila-Dubai flight will be served using the Airbus 300-330 aircraft with a configuration of 400 all-economy seats.

Dubai is just the first because Cebu Pacific also announced interest in serving other long-haul destinations such as Australia, Europe and United States. Cebu Pacific is reportedly working with US and European authorities to secure their permit to operate in those regions.

Cebu Pacific Offers Discounted Seats to Dubai

To celebrate the milestone in Cebu Pacific capabilities the budget carrier also announced a seat sale promo offering as low as 888 Pesos base fare* to Dubai from October 7, 2013 until January 15, 2014 travel period. The seat sale is open for booking until January 20, 2013.

Cebu Pacific is the largest national flag carrier in the country operating in 32 domestic and 20 international destinations. They have one of the youngest and most modern aircraft fleet in the world. Cebu Pacific stocks are publicly traded in the Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE) under the ticker symbol CEB.

*Base fare does not include taxes, admin fee, fuel surcharge and other miscellaneous fees.

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Link Directory Submission

Bloggers find themselves having problems when it comes to choosing the right directory for placing their websites or blogs. This is because, most of the well known directories like Yahoo don’t accept blogs that are meant for money making/commercial purposes. Others web listings charge some fee for placement.

The following are top 6 online directories that can help you to place your website or blog in their directory. These directories are featured in Google and have a descent PR. Some may have some strict submission guidelines. It is important that you read their policy before deciding on the right directory to place your blog or website.

1. Blogged - a free social network directory like Digg. You need to register and submit your blog for approval. You can follow other blogs and let them follow yours too. There is also the commenting section where you can write your comments.

2. Blogflux - this is an easy to navigate website. You need to register an account before submitting your website.

3. BlogTopList - this is a blog directory that is ranked by score that you receive in a week. One unique vote is similar to score generated by 100 unique visitors. Bloggers are required to place a reciprocal button on their blog. One button is used track the votes from the blog and the other to track amount of unique visitors. The more votes your blog has, the higher your blog ranking in their directory. They will provide you with the information on how to put the button on youe blog.

4. Top Blog Area - a free to register blog directory that gets a thousand of visitors every day. They have good blog tools that you can use to increase ranking of your blog or webpage. It also offer free statistic for your blog. Registration is needed.

5. Blogappedia - a social interaction blog where you can submit your blog and rate others blogs. Registration in required before submitting a blog.

6. Technorati Blog Directory - apart from blog listing, Technorati also offers blog owners an an opportunity to participate and become a Technorati writer or Technorati Media among others. It requires registration.

The above directories are just a few of blog directories that can help you in generating backlinks into your blog or websites. There are many more directories but some of them require payment of annual fee for the registration and placement.

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iWriter vs oDesk Review

When it comes to choosing the best online website for publishing your work or submitting your articles, there are various considerations that need to be put in place. These include things like understanding what field you are really good in and what are the expectations or standards of the website that you choose as your publisher.

iWriter and oDesk remains two best sites for professional writers. This is because all articles submitted to these two websites has to be written within their set standards and advertisers are given a chance to decide which articles they will approve as well as which articles they will reject. I have submitted articles in both websites and here is my personal experience of the two websites.

iWriter

This is the one of the easiest website to join. There is no long process before you become a member of the this website. You register your account as either write article or get article and immediately thereafter, you are given an access for watching a short video that guides you on how to go about in the website.

If you decide to become a writer, you are allowed to browse through different categories of jobs and choose one topic that you feel you are comfortable writing about. The list consist of different categories with each topic having a price tag and some special instructions to follow when writing the article.

You are given a minimum of three (3) hours if your are writing a 500 words article or more depending on the words count of the article. When you are through, the advertiser is given time to check/read through your article which is around 72 hours. The advertiser can either prove it or reject it, if your article is approved, your payment is credited on your account. With time, as your popularity increases, your account can be upgraded to premium or elite and earn more money.

oDesk

This is another site that requires skill testing before you can publish your work. The first thing that you need is register an account, fix your price, post your profile and fill up personal information such as; your past work history or any other relevant information. You are then required to take online skill tests for verifying your skills.

The advertiser check out the profile posted and price and if they are pleased with your profile, they can offer you a job. Here the most important thing is making sure that your profile remains attractive to the advertisers and taking tests enhances your skills and increase your chances of being selected.

Though the website that you choose depends on your expectation, skills, knowledge and what type of clients you are looking forward to work with. I personally suggest iWriter if you are looking to earn money quickly but if you looking for stability and long term gains, then oDesk would probably be much better since if you are able to submit quality work to a client, there is possibilities that you may be hired for more well paying jobs in the future.

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Beejive apk

Requirements: Android 2.1 and up

Overview: Instant message, chat, & IM on AIM, Yahoo, GTalk, MySpace, Jabber, Facebook, MSN

Instant message, chat, & IM on AIM, Yahoo, ICQ, GTalk, MySpace, Jabber, Facebook, MSN (Windows Live Messenger or WLM). BeejiveIM is an IM app that allows you to chat / instant message with all your IM buddies anywhere you go! Chat on AIM, Yahoo, ICQ, GTalk, MySpace, Jabber, Facebook, MSN (Windows Live Messenger or WLM).

Beejive's reliable and efficient networking has been tested and proven on multiple platforms. Move from cellular and wifi connections seamlessly. Stay connected after you close the application and be notified when you get a new message through push notifications (OS 2.2+). After being out of coverage BeejiveIM automatically reconnects and picks up where you left off.

BeejiveIM uses your phone's existing data plan or wifi connection, so you can save money by reducing your text messages.

BeejiveIM Key Features:

• BeejiveIM uses your existing data plan: no per-message charges.
• Reliable and efficient networking: be connected 24/7, and it's gentle on your battery.
• Be connected even after you close the application. Get notified instantly when you get a new message with Push Notifications (OS 2.2+).
• Works with multiple IM networks, multiple accounts per network: AIM®/iChat, MSN®, Yahoo!®, GoogleTalk®, Facebook IM, Jabber, and MySpace IM.
• Send and receive files, including pictures and voice notes. View and forward received documents.
• Desktop-like instant messaging with all of your IM buddies from a single intuitive user interface.

Chatting Features:

• Real-time chats: quick switch between multiple simultaneous chats.
• Group chats: chat with multiple buddies on AIM, Yahoo, GTalk, or MSN.
• Full Unicode support, chat in any language supported by your Android device.
• Landscape option, type with a larger keyboard.
• Chat history: Email chat logs to save chat history.
• Hyperlink support, automatically parses links for web pages, YouTube videos, email addresses, twitter usernames, and phone numbers.
• Emoticons support.
• SMS out, chat with your SMS buddies through AIM or Yahoo SMS out.

Account & Buddy Features:

• Manage your buddy-list, including add/remove, nicknames, groups, block, approve/deny requests.
• Sort/group/search your buddy list.
• Control your own availability, set auto-away and custom status messages, be invisible, change privacy controls.
• Configurable alerts, customizable sound, vibrate settings.
• Buddy icon support, view your friends' icons, set your own.

What's in this version:

• brand spanking new design!
• added buddy online alerts (buddy pounce)
• new SMS style text input in chats
• improved viewing of file transfer files
• ton of bug fixes & stability improvements!

Please report any issues on our forum:
http://www.beejive.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?fid=10

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.beejive.im
Download: Released by chathu_ac
http://rapidgator.net/file/31224388/..._v4.0.apk.html
http://sinhro.net/62p5tlqrp8j7/Beeji..._v4.0.apk.html

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Smartphones soon to replaced your wallets

If there are two things that most of us carry with us every waking moment of the day, it's our phones and wallets. So, in the name of convenience, some of the biggest technology companies are hard at work to combine the two. By giving your smartphone the ability to make payments at retail locations, you may never have to fumble with physical cash or credit cards during checkout ever again. So, just how close are we to a world of virtual wallets? Let's take a look.

How it works

The technology powering smartphone payment systems is called "near field communication," or NFC. It is essentially a short-range radio transmission. Devices with NFC capability have a special chip that sends signals to other NFC-equipped devices within an inch or so. The short range helps ensure security and streamlines the digital payment: You just touch your phone or tablet to the payment terminal and voila you’ve paid.

The NFC payment software works just like a built-in smartphone app and can be loaded with multiple debit and credit cards, which allows you flexibility at the register. This payment information is typically stored in the cloud, and can be accessed on any device that uses near-field communication for payments.

Because your information is stored on a server, you have to enter a passcode to access your payment information. This makes the system far more secure than a standard credit card. For instance, if your phone is stolen, the thieves won’t be able to use it to make payments without your passcode.

When tapped against an NFC-enabled payment receiver at a retail store, your credit and debit card information is transmitted securely. Digital wallets save you time at checkout and because your payment information is kept secure behind online firewalls, it can be safer than the tradition of credit cards and cash payments.

When will it get here?

Actually, it's already arrived. Android devices are currently leading the virtual wallet movement, and there are currently a dozen or so smartphones and tablets that offer the feature. Google Wallet has emerged as the frontrunner of NFC software, and has already reached agreements with more than two dozen merchants to carry NFC terminals in their stores. Foot Locker, Old Navy, CVS, RadioShack, and Macy's are just a few of the retailers where you can use your smartphone to make purchases.

However, Google isn't alone, and a number of companies are attempting to carve out a piece of the virtual wallet pie all for themselves. Google Wallet may currently have the most promising — and widespread — approach, but PayPal, Visa, American Express, and even wireless carriers want to offer their own versions of NFC payment software. Verizon even prohibits its customers installing Google Wallet due to the competition between the companies.

The competitive approach to NFC payments isn't helping any of the various companies gain a decent foothold. And while the concept of a virtual wallet can be confusing on its own, having multiple versions to choose from exacerbates the problem further.

Apple's approach

The company's trademark approach to new, unproven technology has always been to sit back and see whether it floats or sinks before making a move, and virtual payment technology is no different. Because of this, Apple has yet to release iPhones with NFC chips.

Apple launched its Passbook app last September, which helps organize coupons, gift cards, and event tickets from select retailers like TicketMaster, Starbucks and more. The information stored in Passbook is scanned instead of transmitted like the NFC system. Because of that, the app can't be used to make payments from debit or credit cards, so the chances of it replacing your wallet are low.

If Apple were to jump in the mobile payment pool with its own NFC model phone, it would not only mean including the technology in a future iPhone in the first place, but also be the launch of something much bigger: Apple's own payment software. Based on its Maps fiasco, it’s clear Apple would not leverage the NFC path forged by competitors like Google.

An uncertain future

At this point, it's difficult to predict whether virtual wallet technology will indeed kill off physical debit and credit cards anytime soon. With so many companies interested in profiting off of their own NFC offerings, it's likely going to be a number of years before a dominant platform emerges.

Until then, make sure you don’t lose your old reliable wallet. - source

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Mexican Pizza Taco Bell Recipe

No amount of bad press and fake taco meat could keep me away from Taco Bell’s Mexican Pizza. I was first introduced to this wonderful thing back in high school when my cousin and I were on yearbook staff together. Taco Bell was cheap and it was close so we would often get food from there before going back to the yearbook office and work long hours.

I’ve been thinking about recreating this for a long time so I decided to do a little research. There were a lot of copycat recipes available online, some were spot on, others used strange toppings like sliced black olives and salsa (c’mon, black olives? What kind of Taco Bell were YOU eating at?). So using some of the knowledge I acquired from other recipes, I divulged my own.

Flour vs. Corn and Toasting vs. Frying

The tortillas Taco Bell uses for their Mexican Pizzas were thin, light, and crispy. So corn tostadas were out. They were too crunchy. It had to be a flour tortilla. Obviously there was some additional cooking involved in preparing the flour tortilla. I’ve toasted them different ways in a pan, varying from dry to lightly oiled. Both options yielded crispy tortillas, but neither offered the same mouthfeel or lightness as Taco Bell’s.

That’s when I came across this recipe that says to fry the flour tortillas in oil. Fry them? The idea of frying a tortilla in oil is about as appealing as frying a piece of toast in oil. I was afraid the resulting product would be oily and unappetizing. I decided to give it a shot. I poured some peanut oil into a lightweight, shallow frying pan (about 1/2″ in depth) and turned the heat up to medium high. I recommend using a lightweight pan because it heats up hotter, faster than a heavy pan and you’re literally only cooking these for mere seconds on both sides.

While your oil is heating, prick each tortilla several times with a fork. This will make it easier to alleviate steam from the tortilla as it’s cooking. Once the oil is hot (you’ll see it shimmering slightly), gently place your tortilla in the oil. If your oil is hot enough, it’ll instantly start sizzling in the oil and will probably puff up within a few seconds. Try your best to keep the tortilla as flat as possible by pressing down on the bubbles and pushing some of the steam out. You want the tortilla to be lightly browned on one side and crispy before turning it over and doing the same thing.

The result should be a slightly puffed, lightly toasted, crispy flour tortilla–exactly like the ones at Taco Bell. Now of course, obviously these won’t be as low-fat as if you’d toasted them in a dry pan with only a little oil, but still, if you want to get as close to the original product, I’d recommend going this route. Drain these well on paper towels before building your pizza.

Recipe: Taco Bell’s Mexican Pizza

Summary: Adapted from Copykat.com

Ingredients

• 4 flour tortilla shells
• 6 oz. ground sirloin
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon powdered onion
• 1/4 teaspoon powdered garlic
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 c refried beans, divided
• 4 tbs Ortega Medium Taco Sauce, divided
• 2 stalks of green onion, thinly sliced

Instructions

1. In a pre-heated saute pan over medium high heat, add ground sirloin and spices. Saute meat until thoroughly cooked. Remove from pan and set aside.
2. In a shallow frying pan, pour in some cooking oil, about 3/4″. Bring up to medium high eat or until shimmering. Pierce flour tortillas with a fork. Place gently in the oil and it should begin to sizzle. Turn frequently and press out any air. Cook until light and crispy. Remove from oil and drain on paper towels. Repeat this step for remaining tortillas.
3. Turn on your oven to the “broil” setting.
4. On a shallow pan or cookie sheet, place 2 of the fried tortillas down. Spread 1/4 cup of refried beans on each tortilla.
5. Sprinkle ground sirloin misture on top of refried bean mixture. Top with remaining tortillas.
6. Spread taco sauce on top of each pizza.
7. Sprinkle with cheese. Place pizzas in the oven for 10 minutes or until cheese is melted.
8. Sprinkle each pizza with green onions. Cut into fourths and serve.

Preparation time: Cooking time: 20 minute(s), Number of servings (yield): 2

This article was written by Kristine Macabare and posted by guest blogger.

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Must Try the Pescetarian Diet

The pescetarian diet is a diet without meat except for seafood. It is an alternative to the vegetarian diet which allows you to get omega 3’s which are healthy for the heart. The name pescetarian comes from the word ‘pesco’ which in Spanish means fish. Pescetarians can enjoy any kind of seafood which includes salmon, flounder, prawns, haddock, crab, mussels, shrimp, tuna and clams, just to name a few.

It is a diet that most people find easy to follow and is considered a very healthy diet. Islanders around the world exist on a predominantly seafood diet, together with fruits, vegetables and low fat dairy products including eggs, the islanders have been found to live longer healthier lives than their counterparts who are predominantly red meat eaters. This article discusses the health benefits of the pescetarian diet, the advantages and disadvantages.

The Health Benefits of the Pescetarian Diet

• Prevents Heart Disease, Heart Attack and Stroke
  
  
  Pescetarians usually easily consume enough omega 3's from eating fish products for optimal health. Omega 3’s help to prevent the build up of fatty plaques on the walls of arteries. These fatty plaques are caused by high levels of bad cholesterol in the blood. Red meat eaters are at high risk of bad cholesterol causing problems. Bad cholesterol in the blood causes high blood pressure due to the heart having to work so much harder to pump blood through the arteries with fatty plaques. Eventually these fatty plaques can occlude the flow of blood through these arteries leading to heart attack and or stroke.

• Prevents Obesity and Aids in Weight Loss
  
  
  People who follow a pescetarian diet over the long term lose weight. The calorie content of fish products, vegetables, fruit and low fat dairy products are generally lower. By avoiding saturated fats, the body uses these healthy, low calorie foods for energy rather than fat storage. Pescetarians need to avoid high carbohydrate rich foods and high sugar content food as well. Sugar and carbohydrates need to be derived from fruits and vegetables rather than processed foods including potato chips, sweets and fast foods for example. Fish products are high in protein which is needed for many body functions. Vitamin and mineral content is easily derived from fruits, vegetables and fish products.

• Lowers the Risk of Type 2 Diabetes
  
  
  Type 2 diabetes is caused by the pancreas no longer being able to release enough insulin to allow sugar molecules in the blood to be absorbed into cells. It can also be caused by cells becoming insensitive to insulin. Insulin is needed to pass sugar molecules in the blood into cells to be used for energy. When insulin no longer provides this effect, sugar molecules cause damage to the lining of blood vessel walls which leads to disease and also causes sugar to be stored as fat rather than be used for energy. Pescetarian diets are low in sugar which helps prevent low insulin levels in the blood, low insulin sensitivity and increased fat storage.

• Lowers the Risk of Cancer
  
  
  The pescetarian diet lowers the risk of cancer as the foods eaten have shown only to be of benefit to health rather than being associated with disease and cancer. By eliminating red meat, poultry, lamb and pork from the diet, cancer risk decreases. Fish, vegetables, fruit and low fat dairy products provide the body with nutrients it needs rather than high saturated fats and the accumulation of toxic waste products that can be harmful to the body, unless completely eliminated from the body. The incidence of cancer diagnosis has been shown to be low in those people who adopt a pescetarian diet.

Disadvantages of the Pescetarian Diet

Many farmed fish products have been shown to have high levels of mercury. Consequently farmed fish products should be avoided as mercury is toxic to the body. Try to buy fish that comes from the wild, rather than farmed produce. Smaller fish species for consumption tend to have lower levels of mercury rather than larger species. Some people on a pescetarian diet may need to supplement with high protein alternatives such as soy products to ensure you are getting enough protein, calcium, vitamin A and D and B vitamins. Including low fat milk or alternative milk products such as soy, almond, rice, oat and hemp beverages can ensure you are getting enough vitamins and minerals. A daily vitamin and mineral supplement may be required also.

In conclusion, the pescetarian diet is flexible compared to the vegan and vegetarian diets. It is considered a healthier diet than one that completely eliminates meats and or dairy products. Don’t expect to see health benefits initially as the body has to adjust to the diet before results can be seen. Fish is always a healthier alternative to red meats, poultry, lamb and pork. By eliminating saturated fats from your diet, you will be well on the way to optimal health and enjoying the new you.

Sources

Huffington Post Chole Spencer 5 Reasons to Become a Pescetarian Retrieved November 6,2012

BBC News Finlo Rohrer The Rise of the Non Veggie Vegetarian Retrieved November 6,2012

Health Theory Liora Hess Why be Pescetarian? Retrieved November 6,2012

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Less Carb Diet for Weight Loss

Anyone who has dieted knows that a low-fat, high-carbohydrate diet produces weight loss only in the short term. The conventionally recommended reduction in fat and protein causes the body’s metabolism to slow and stop weight loss. In dieting circles, this is called the plateau. It is actually the body’s survival response to a period it perceives as famine or possible starvation.

A Naturally Low-Carb Diet Promotes Optimum Weight

The original low-carb diet, (aka the Paleo Diet or Primal Blueprint), is naturally low in carbohydrates without limiting healthy carbs like fruits and vegetables. To lose weight on a low-carb paleo diet, you don't need to count carbohydrates, calories, or fats. You'll improve your overall health simply by eliminating unnatural foods, thus reducing the unhealthy fats and high-glycemic carbohydrates that lead to obesity and other chronic diseases.

The low-carb paleo diet eliminates foods that contribute to the diseases of Syndrome X, including obesity, while promoting foods, including healthy carbs, that prevent those diseases. You'll lose weight while eating all you want from the paleo food groups: meats and organs, fruits and vegetables, and healthy fats, without suffering the hunger and cravings of unnatural, restrictive diets.

Our need for fruit is responsible for our sweet cravings, so turn to fruit instead of refined sugar products to satisfy those natural cravings.

Protein and Fat are Key to Healthy Weight Loss

Perhaps the most important change you can make to your diet to promote weight loss is to include animal protein with every meal. Animal protein raises your metabolism causing you to burn more calories, it satisfies your appetite so you don’t overeat, and it improves insulin sensitivity.

The combining of plant proteins, in lieu of eating meats, significantly raises our carbohydrate intake. Animal proteins are more efficient for weight loss. All calories are not created equal. Our bodies burn calories from carbs and fats at a much lower rate than those from protein. Vegetarians might consider a Pescetarian Diet.

It is also important to eat adequate healthful fats. Fat provides the fatty acids necessary for proper cellular and brain functioning, and it allows us to metabolize nutrients from other sources. Like protein, fat also causes us to feel full and so helps with appetite control.

Exercise

While following the paleo diet, your weight will normalize over time. Adding exercise and decreasing caloric intake can speed up the process. Regular exercise improves insulin metabolism, increases good cholesterol, lowers blood pressure, strengthens heart and blood vessels, and reduces stress.Make physical exertion a regular part of your life by taking advantage of opportunities to use your body.

Sources:

Cordain, Loren. The Paleo Diet. Wiley, 2010.
Sisson, Mark. The Primal Blueprint. Primal Nutrition, Inc., 2012.

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CRiOS

Cell CRiOS (Custom Real-time intelligent Operating System) is the Operation System (OS) layer which is a proprietary and custom design based on open Linux kernel system version 2.6.x. This OS layer is uniquely with the best technology design to protect against software-based threats, guard the integrity of kernel OS and achieve the best performance.

It can achieve high performance of commodity hardware by eliminating standard Linux kernel bottleneck on receiving and sending network packets in real time basis.

This OS layer has several key technologies. They are Direct Network Cache Access (DNCA) technology, Mac Level Packet Interception Technique, Multi-Core Parallel Processing technology, Traffic Shaping Algorithm Engine (TSAE), and IP Packet Classification engine. They can fully achieve high system performance, optimize CPU utilization and maximize the fast packet processing in our commodity hardware appliance. 

This OS is embedded into hardware appliance which is an open standard industrial-graded PC rack-mounted chassis. It is 100% secure with harden OS and without any hidden cost or high skill set of database or software installation needs. In order to maintain high robust performance for our products deploying in carrier network environments, all the hardware components such as CPU, electronic boards, and power supply are fully be examined and well tested in Cell's test laboratory and other standard test organizations.

Cell Technology turns the innovative technologies into Cell product portfolio with industry standards, best practices, innovative feature-sets and unique applications. Cell network & security solutions provide one-stop business solution to our customers. Our network & security products include Cell IPS (Intrusion Prevention System), Cell Janus (Multi-WAN Service Gateway), Cell TMS (Traffic Management System), Cell Switch, (Network Access Solution) and Cell NetsVision, iCMS (intelligent Cell Management System). These product solutions have widely been deployed in many enterprises networks, government networks and services providers in Asia Pacific. - source

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Health Applications of Echinacea

Echinacea has been used as a medicinal plant for centuries. The Native American Indians used it to treat infections and wounds. European explorers learnt about its uses and brought it back to Europe to be studied for its applications to treat many ailments. More commonly today, Echinacea is used to treat and prevent the common cold although some studies have found that it has little effect.

In America today, Echinacea is one of the most popular supplements taken to treat many ailments. In Germany, Echinacea has been approved by the health authorities to treat wounds, urinary tract infections and upper respiratory tract infections. This article discusses the active properties of Echinacea, the types available, recommended dosages and side effects.

The Chemical and Nutrient Properties of Echinacea

There are three varieties of Echinacea plants used for their medicinal properties. The most commonly used variety and the strongest is Echinacea Purpurea. The other varieties are Echinacea Augustifolia and Echinacea Pallida. Both the root and the above ground parts of the plant are harvested for medicinal use. The chief chemical properties which are believed to be responsible for the plants application to treat many ailments are polysaccharides and alkamides.

It is also the source of the minerals potassium, magnesium, calcium, iron, selenium and zinc. It contains the vitamins C and B1, B2 and B4. It is the source of the phytochemicals beta-carotene, quercetin and rutin. All these unique properties promote its medicinal usages as a powerful antioxidant, antiviral, antifungal, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, antihistamine and immune system boosting potential.

The Health Benefits of Echinacea

• Immune System Booster
  
  
  Echinacea is commonly used to treat infections. Some studies have shown that this supplement stimulates the production of white blood cells called leukocytes. Leukocytes are required to fight off harmful invading organisms in the body. Many people also believe that regularly taking Echinacea helps to prevent, reduce the frequency, reduce the severity and reduce recovery times of the common cough and cold.

• Helps fight Herpes Simplex Virus 1 and 2
  
  
  Some animal studies have found that taking an Echinacea supplement in the form of capsules or as an herbal tea or applied as a tincture directly to the site of a herpes breakout, helps to kill off the herpes virus. Very few clinical studies have been performed on humans therefore it has not been confirmed as a treatment for herpes by health authorities.

• Treatment for Wounds
  
  Echinacea ointment and creams applied directly to wounds has shown to accelerate healing and prevent infection. Some studies have shown that topical treatments of Echinacea help to reduce the amount of scarring post wounds. It is believed that the faster the wound heals the less scarring and wound complications. However, topical treatments of Echinacea to established scarring has shown no scar improvement.

• Treatment for Inflammatory Conditions
  
  Echinacea has been shown to be effective in treating inflammatory conditions such as arthritis, psoriasis, eczema, tonsillitis and inflammatory bowel diseases. It helps to reduce the pain and swelling in these conditions. The polysaccharide components of this supplement help to reduce inflammation and promote tissue regeneration. The polysaccharides and alkamides stimulate the release of hormones from the adrenal cortex which also helps to fight off inflammation.

• A Treatment for Some Types of Cancer
  
  
  Echinacea stimulates one of the immune system cells called macrophages to release a chemical that is toxic to tumor cells. It therefore helps to prevent cancer cells from forming and also helps to reduce the size and growth of cancer cells. It can however interfere with immunosuppressant treatments for cancer and hence is not for everybody undergoing cancer treatments.

• Skin Treatment
  
  
  Echinacea is often a chief ingredient in many commercially available skin products. Its chemicals help to promote strong, healthy connective tissue which results in smooth, glowing skin.

Recommended Dosages

Echinacea as a supplement is available in the forms of tablets, capsules, liquids, ointments, tinctures and as an herbal tea. You should always follow the dosing information on the package as concentrations vary from product to product. Generally an adult can take 1 to 2 grams of dried herb as an herbal tea, three times a day for 10 days. Alternatively an adult can take 2 to 3mls of the herbal extract. Ointments for the treatment of wounds can be applied as required.

Side Effects

Generally Echinacea is well tolerated with few reported side effects. Uncommon side effects can include gastrointestinal disturbances, fever, drowsiness, headache, dizziness and muscular aches and pains. It can also cause an allergic reaction in some sensitive people and may interact with your current medications. Allergies to Echinacea are more common if you are allergic to ragweed, chrysanthemums, marigolds and or daisies. Pregnant and breast feeding mums should not take Echinacea supplements. People who have been diagnosed with autoimmune disorders, HIV, Aids, tuberculosis, white blood cell disorders and or multiple sclerosis should not take this supplement. It is therefore recommended to always talk to your doctor before you commence taking any herbal supplement.

In conclusion, Echinacea has many health promoting benefits. Scientific studies are still being performed on this herb to this day for its applications for health. Millions of people world wide take this supplement daily and swear by its benefits to health. Some people believe it is a weight loss and blood pressure lowering herb also but these attributes have not been scientifically proven. Long term effects of taking Echinacea are not understood, therefore it is recommended to take it for a period of no more than 10 days before discontinuing for at least a month. Given that it has very few reported side effects, it can be considered a safe herbal supplement to include in your daily supplement regime.

Sources

Mayo Clinic Echinacea Retrieved November 9,2012

University of Maryland Medical Center Echinacea Retrieved November 9,2012

ABC Science Maggie Fox Echinacea may prevent colds, says study Retrieved November 9,2012

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Health Applications of Burdock

Burdock (Arctium lappa) is considered a weed by many but to others it offers a range of health promoting benefits. Growing to up to 7 feet tall, it features clustered flowers with spine covered burs. The stems are hardy with a slightly red hue. The leaves are large. The plant is edible with interesting flavors. The leaves can be boiled and exhibits a flavor similar to spinach. The root can also be harvested and exhibits a flavor similar to artichoke.

After flowering, the plant produces numerous tiny brown seed pods; the seeds can be eaten providing a flavorsome crunch. You can also sprout the seeds on a wet napkin and use the sprouts to add to salads or in a sandwich. The root of the plant is often harvested to make an herbal tea and is the most common part of the plant used for medicinal purposes. This article discusses the nutritional properties of burdock, its applications towards promoting health, recommended dosage to treat ailments and any associated side effects.

Nutritional Properties of Burdock

A cup of burdock is only 85 calories and is a source of carbohydrates and small amounts of protein. It has insignificant amounts of fat at only 0.1 grams. It is a healthy source of fibre which can help keep bowel movements regular. It is also a good source of vitamin B6 and a rich source of the minerals manganese, magnesium, iron, thiamine and silicon.

Health Benefits of Burdock Root Tea

• Treatment for Fluid Retention
  
  
  Burdock root tea is a natural diuretic meaning it helps to rid the body of excess fluids via the kidneys. It is useful for treating edema, a condition that causes fluid to pool in many areas of the body. It can also help to lower blood pressure which helps to prevent heart disease and stroke. Loss of excess fluid can lower body weight also but must be noted, this weight loss is water only and not fat loss. If you drink burdock tea regularly it can cause dehydration and hence it is recommended to drink plenty of water throughout the day when taking this supplement.

• Treatment for the Symptoms of Premenstrual Stress
  
  
  Burdock root tea can help ease the symptoms of breast tenderness, bloating, cramps, abdominal pain and mood swings associated with the menstrual cycle. It is recommended to drink up to 3 cups per day for symptom relief.

• Treatment for Eczema, Psoriasis, Acne, Skin Rash and Dermatitis
  
  
  You can make a burdock root tea for topical use to treat many skin conditions. Allow the tea to cool then use a clean cloth soaked in the tea and apply directly as a compress to the irritated skin. It helps to soothe the skin and reduce inflammation. It is also an antibacterial and anti fungal agent helping to heal bacterial and fungal infections.

• Treatment for Stomach Ailments
  
  
  Being a good source of fiber, burdock in all its forms can help improve digestion. It can be taken to relieve the symptoms of chronic indigestion and gallstones. It can also help to prevent and treat flatulence and constipation.

• Treatment for Urinary Tract Infections and Kidney Stones
  
  
  Burdock root tea is a natural antiseptic and antibacterial. It can be taken to help treat bacterial infections of the urinary tract. Being a diuretic also, it helps to flush out the kidneys, breaking up and dislodging small kidney stones and helping to remove bacteria from the urinary tract.

Side Effects of Burdock

Burdock is generally well tolerated but can have the unwanted side effect of dehydration. It can also cause the blood to thin and should not be taken with prescribed blood thinners. It may lower blood sugar levels and hence should not be taken if you are taking prescribed blood glucose lowering medication for diabetes. It may cause an allergic reaction in some sensitive people especially if you are allergic to daisies, ragweed, chrysanthemums and or marigolds. Pregnant and breastfeeding woman should not take this herb.

Recommended Dosages of Burdock

For most ailments it is recommended to take 1 to 2 grams in capsule form three times a day. You can drink the herbal tea up to 3 cups per day. As a topical treatment, apply as required.

In conclusion, burdock is an interesting herb with many applications for health. Considering it is a pesty weed growing freely in America, Asia and Europe, it is easy to grow in your own herbal garden. To make your own herbal tea, simply steep 2 teaspoons of the dried root powder with a cup of boiling water. Allow to stand for 10 minutes before consuming. Most people prefer to add honey, lemon or sugar as has a slight bitter taste.

The fresh root can be used also by removing the root from the ground, cleaning it and chopping it up. Add 2 tablespoons of fresh root to boiled water and let steep before straining and drinking. Young roots are best but older roots can be used after scraping away the outer woody coating. If you are considering using burdock to treat your ailments, it is recommended to consult your physician first.

Sources

University of Maryland Medical Center Burdock Retrieved December 26,2012

Georgetown University Medical Center Burdock Retrieved December 26,2012

New York Time Melissa Clark At the Root of the Weed, a Secret Ingredient Retrieved December 26,2012

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Knee Tendonitis

The inflammation and swelling of any of the tendons around the knee is referred to as knee tendonitis; it is one of the most common causes of knee pain. There are several tendons attaching muscle to bone around the knee joint, including the quadriceps, hamstring, patellar and iliotibial band.

Usually it is one or more of these tendons that are implicated in knee tendonitis; they attach to bone below and inside the knee joint. These tendons assist the muscles in movements of the leg and knee.

The Causes and Risks of Knee Tendonitis

Knee tendonitis usually occurs when there is a sudden twisting action of the knee joint, injuring one or more tendons. As people age, tendons and other tissues in the body weaken and become brittle; this makes tendonitis more common in older people. Middle-aged runners are especially at risk.

People, who play fast-paced sports with rapid changes of direction, are at risk of developing knee tendonitis, as are those who play or exercise on uneven surfaces. Knee tendonitis is more common among runners, skiers, basketball, tennis and netball players and footballers.

The Signs of Knee Tendonitis

The first sign will be a twinge of mild pain in or near the knee joint, usually during activity. If the activity is continued, the pain increases and will be worse when the knee is moved. The actual tendon affected will be painful to the touch. Climbing stairs, standing up from a sitting position and in the evening will be when the pain is increased.

Swelling could be obvious around the tendon and the area might look red and have some heat. This is due to the inflammation of the tendon and the accumulation of fluid.

The Treatment of Knee Tendonitis

The sooner treatment for knee tendonitis is started, the faster the recovery will be. It is not necessary to see a doctor at first as conservative, home treatment strategies will be effective and what a doctor would recommend.

Rest is essential to allow the damaged tissues to heal. It can take several weeks before you are able to return to full sporting activities, so be prepared to be patient. Returning too soon risks further damage and a more serious injury.

Ice will reduce inflammation and help to relieve the pain. Apply an ice pack immediately you feel the pain and continue this every few hours for several days, until the pain eases. Keep the ice pack on your knee for 15 to 20 minutes at a time.

Elevate the affected leg while you are resting; this helps to relieve pain as well as reduce swelling and inflammation. When the symptoms have subsided, return to activity gradually to allow time for the tendon and muscles to strengthen again.

If these home remedies don’t ease the pain, or if you find the knee tendonitis returns, see a doctor for a firm diagnosis and other treatment methods.

The Prevention of Knee Tendonitis

There are ways you can lessen the risk of knee injuries. Follow these tips for the prevention of knee tendonitis:

• Warm up and cool down when you are involved in exercise or sport. These steps are vital in the prevention of any injury as you need to prepare your joints and soft tissue for the activity to come.
• Stretches are an important part of your warm up and cool down. Doing a few minutes of stretches every day helps to keep your tendons flexible and less at risk of injury. To be effective, a stretch should be held for twenty seconds and a moderate burning sensation should be experienced.
• Strengthen your leg muscles to better cope with the activities you do. Focus on exercises that strengthen all leg muscles as these will also keep tendons strong as well.
• The shoes you wear for your activity must be designed for that type of sport. Shoes to prevent knee tendonitis need to have good ankle and foot support and cushioning for the foot. Wearing the correct shoes will help to keep your knees safe from injury.
• Avoid running on uneven surfaces, which put you at risk of twisting or turning the knee.

After a knee injury, wear a knee brace, or use strapping, while you are actually exercising or playing sport. Gradually reduce the time you wear it as you don’t want your muscles to become dependant on the extra support.

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The Sting in Stinging Nettles

Brushing up against a stinging nettle can produce a painful sting from the tiny hairs that cover its leaves. Although considered a weed in some countries, stinging nettle has been harvested and used as an alternative herbal treatment for centuries. It is native to Europe and also grows in America and now in other countries.

Belonging to the Uritca plant family, the flowering top section of the plant, leaves, stem and root are harvested for their use in herbal teas, tinctures, extracts, creams and as a culinary ingredient. This article discusses the nutritional properties of stinging nettles, health applications, recommended dosages and side effects.

Nutritional Properties of Stinging Nettles

Stinging nettles are low in calories at just 37 calories per cup. They contain insignificant amounts of fat. They are a source of protein and carbohydrates. They are a rich source of iron and calcium. Eating rich iron food is recommended to both prevent and treat anemia, a condition causing fatigue and lethargy. Calcium is needed for strong bones and teeth. They are also an excellent source of vitamin A, C and K.

The Health Benefits of Stinging Nettle

Stinging Nettle is often prescribed by alternate medical practitioners to treat the following ailments.

• Urinary Complaints
  
  
  This herb can be used to prevent and treat urinary problems such as enlarged prostate and urinary tract infections. It is a natural diuretic, meaning it helps rid the body of excess fluid via the kidneys. It has shown to help alleviate the symptoms of enlarged prostate such as improving urine flow, prevent dripping after urination and alleviate the feeling of urge to urinate frequently.

• Treatment for Arthritis, Joint Pain and Muscle Pain
  
  
  Stinging Nettle can help alleviate the symptom of pain caused by inflammation. This herb is a natural anti-inflammatory. By reducing swelling in joints caused by inflammation, pain sensations are reduced and it helps to improve range of motion in arthritic joints.

• Hay fever Relief
  
  
  This herb contains natural antihistamines. Drinking this herbal tea can help reduce the intensity of symptoms such as sneezing and itching associated with hay fever. It helps to reduce the amount of histamine in the blood which is responsible for the symptoms of an allergen response in the body.

• Increased Energy and Vigor
  
  
  Stinging nettle is both high in iron and vitamin C. These two nutrients compliment each other in body function. Vitamin C helps iron to be absorbed into the blood. It is well known that healthy blood iron levels contribute to increased energy levels and reduces fatigue. Women can benefit greatly from drinking this herbal tea as many women suffer with low iron levels due to monthly menstrual cycles. This herb is also believed to stimulate the adrenal glands which also helps to stimulate energy levels in general.

• Treatment for Gout
  
  
  Gout is an extremely painful condition caused by inflammation affecting the joints of the big toes. It is believed to be caused by the build up of uric acid in the bloodstream. Stinging nettle has shown to reduce uric acid levels in the blood and can be used to both prevent and treat gout.

• Treatment for Eczema
  
  
  This herb both applied topically as a cream and drinking it as an herbal tea has shown benefits for eczema suffers. It can help relieve the painful, itchy sensations associated with this disease. It helps by reducing inflammation in the body that is the primary cause of eczema.

Recommended Dosages of Stinging Nettle

Dosages of stinging nettle vary dependent upon what ailment you are treating. Potency of each preparation may vary; hence it is important to follow the dosing information on the package. Generally it is recommended to drink up to 3 cups of herbal tea per day. In capsule form, you can take up to 1300mgs per day. In tincture form it is recommended to take 1 to 4 mls three times a day.

Side Effects of Stinging Nettle Preparations

Stinging nettle can cause side effects which can include rash when applied topically to the skin. It can cause the symptoms of stomach ache, nausea, diarrhea, sweating, fluid retention and dizziness when ingested. It can also cause an allergic reaction in some sensitive people. It is known to lower blood pressure which can cause the symptom of feeling faint. If you experience any of these side effects, stop using the products immediately and consult your physician.

Stinging nettle can also interact with your current medications, most commonly with diabetic medications, blood pressure medications, blood thinners, heart medications and diuretics. Pregnant and breast feeding mothers should not take stinging nettle and neither should children under the age of 12 be given it. The best advice is to talk to your physician before commencing any herbal medicine.

In conclusion, stinging nettle has many powerful health benefits. Stinging nettle leaf teas are readily available in most health food shops. You can make your own herbal teas by drying out the leaves of the plant in the sun to use in your own preparations. Stinging nettles are easy to grow in most climates. Be careful handling the stinging nettle plants, wearing gloves are recommended to prevent irritation to the skin. The plant and its roots can be blanched to serve as an alternate green complimenting any meat dishes. Always talk to your physician before commencing any herbal remedy to treat existing ailments.

Sources

University of Maryland Medical Center Stinging Nettle Retrieved December 24,2012

The Physicians of Saint Louis University Stinging Nettle Retrieved December 24,2012

NYU Langone Medical Center Nettle Retrieved December 24,2012

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Patella Dislocation

You can dislocate your patella (kneecap) by twisting your leg, awkwardly falling to your knees or receiving a blow inside of your knee. Remember from our knee anatomy lesson that movement of kneecap (up and down like an elevator) is controlled by the quadriceps muscles. This means that when you are forcefully twisting your leg your quadriceps muscles are contracting and can force the kneecap to move outside of its normal movement range.

Remember that the kneecap moves up and down along the femoral groove. Patella dislocation happens mostly towards the outside (laterally) of the knee. Both runner’s knee and patella dislocation are more common in females because of their wider angle of the hip joint. This is sometimes referred to as the Q angle and is one of the risk factors that can cause injuries like patella dislocation and patella femoral syndrome.

Another risk factor is a malformed patella or femoral groove which makes the kneecap more prone to dislocate as was the case also with patella femoral syndrome. To explain how the patella or femoral groove can be malformed we can imagine the bottom of the patella as an inverted mountain and the femoral groove as a valley between two mountains. In this case if the mountain is not high enough nor the valley deep enough then the patella can be more easily dislocated.

Symptoms

Most likely your kneecap will move back to its normal position when you straighten your leg. But sometimes it will not return and has to be surgically treated in order to return the kneecap to a normal position. Although the kneecap might have returned to its normal range, this injury may damage the tissues, ligaments of the patella and even the cartilage of the bone. Most likely there will be almost instant swelling of the knee and severe pain. You may also feel that your knee is unstable because lateral dislocation of patella may also cause a tear of the medial patellar ligament.

Treatment

Keep your knee in an elevated position, apply ice and compression to reduce the pain and swelling and rest the injured knee.

Usually surgery is not needed provided the kneecap has returned to its normal position. An Orthopedist will send you for an X-ray and sometimes also for a MRI (magnetic resonance image) to determine the severity of the injury. Most likely your doctor will tell you to rest your knee or sometimes using a knee brace is needed in order to keep the kneecap in a fixed position. From a few weeks to one month is usually enough recovery time needed for damaged tissues and/or torn ligaments to repair. Of course recovery time depends on the extent of the damage caused by a patella dislocation.

Untreated patella dislocation will most likely lead to repetitive dislocation of patella, which in turn will increase the risk of developing osteoarthritis of the knee joint. Therefore it is extremely important to follow your doctor’s orders and let your injured knee recover before returning to your previous level of activity. In case the medial patellar ligament is torn, surgery is sometimes needed in order to prevent future dislocations. In conclusion, a patella dislocation is a serious injury and must always be treated.

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Ubuntu on $199 Acer's C7 Chromebook

Maybe you think the price of Acer's new $199 C7 Chromebook is appealing and that the hardware doesn't look bad, but you're a little worried about using Chrome OS to get your work done. Or maybe you're looking for a small, cheap laptop to run Ubuntu, and you're not really interested in buying a computer running a Windows license you'll never use. If either of those sentences describe you and you aren't afraid of the command line, it's actually pretty easy to convert the cheapest Chromebook yet into a nice little Linux laptop.

Because Chromebooks use a special BIOS and bootloader that is distinct from the ones used in standard Windows laptops, you can't use them to boot just any operating system. This is where ChrUbuntu comes in—it's a version of Ubuntu 12.04 LTS modified to work with Chrome OS hardware. Once it's installed you should be able to use the C7 to do just about everything you could do with a standard laptop running Ubuntu, and the Chrome OS partition is left on the disk so you can still boot into it and use it if you're so inclined.

These instructions should technically work with any Chromebook, but of all the ones on sale today, the C7 is perhaps best-suited to run alternate operating systems. It comes with a roomy (if slow) hard drive out of the box, and can easily be upgraded with more RAM and an SSD to speed it up. The recent Samsung Chromebooks, by comparison, take a less upgrade-friendly approach.

Preparing the Chromebook

Our first step toward getting ChrUbuntu on the C7 is to put it in developer mode. This is a multi-step process: first, turn your Chromebook off, and then press the power button while holding the Refresh (F3) and Esc keys simultaneously. This will boot the Chromebook into Recovery mode (which you'll also need to use to reload Chrome OS if you replace the hard drive—Google's instructions for creating Chrome OS recovery media are here).

If you booted into Recovery mode properly, you should see a screen telling you to insert recovery media. Instead, you'll want to press Crtl+D to toggle developer mode. This will prompt a reboot and a wait of several minutes while your Chromebook is reset. This will also erase any data on your drive, so proceed with caution if you've got anything you want to keep stored on the Chromebook itself.

After entering developer mode, your Chromebook will boot to a scary screen telling you that OS verification has been disabled. You can either wait until this screen disappears, at which point the laptop will boot into Chrome OS, or you can press Ctrl+D again to bypass it. After loading in developer mode, connect to a wired or wireless network, but don't log in—you still have to install the developer mode BIOS before you can install an alternate OS.

At the login screen, press Ctrl+Alt and the Forward (F2) button to bring up the Developer Console command prompt. At the "localhost login" prompt, enter chronos and press Enter. Type sudo bash and press enter, and then chromeos-firmwareupdate --mode=todev. If you see a message telling you that you can press Ctrl+U to run your own self-signed OS kernels, you're ready to install ChrUbuntu!

Installing ChrUbuntu

Type exit to take a step back to the chronos user command prompt. Now, we'll need to download and install the ChrUbuntu files. As of this writing, you'll need to type wget http://goo.gl/i817v; sudo bash i817v and press enter to initiate the setup process, but you may want to check the ChrUbuntu blog to make sure a newer version hasn't been released.

The installer will check to make sure you're running a developer BIOS and show you a message about using an unofficial Chromium OS kernel to enable 64-bit functionality. You won't need to worry about any of this, so just press Enter to continue.

You'll now need to decide what size to make your Ubuntu partition, which will depend on whether you've replaced the built-in hard drive with an SSD. I'm still using the stock 320GB hard drive, so the maximum size recommended by the installer was 292GB; I entered 290GB just to give Chrome OS a little extra breathing room.

Press Enter and the system will partition your disk, reboot, and begin running through Chrome OS's first-time setup process again. You'll have to repeat a few of the steps from above—connect to a network, and press Crtl+Alt+F2 again without logging in. Type chronos to login, and then wget http://goo.gl/i817v; sudo bash i817v to start the ChrUbuntu installer again. Now that you've partitioned your disk, the OS files will begin downloading—the complete size of the download is about 1GB, so it will take some time.

Once the install is completed, the computer will reboot into a fully functional Ubuntu install with a default username and password that are both set to "user." These should probably be changed or deleted.

If you reboot your Chromebook, by default it will continue to boot into Chrome OS, which lives on in its own dedicated partition. If you'd like ChrUbuntu to be the default, open up the Terminal in ChrUbuntu (or the Developer Console command prompt in Chrome OS) and enter sudo cgpt add -i 6 -P 5 -S 1 /dev/sda to change the default boot partition. Changing it back to Chrome OS is as easy as disabling developer mode when you boot the Chromebook, or entering sudo cgpt add -i 6 -P 0 -S 1 /dev/sda at the terminal.

How does it do?

Once you've got Ubuntu running on the C7, it works just as a standard laptop running Ubuntu would. You can install and run anything from the Ubuntu Software Center or other sources and you have full access to the filesystem, making the C7 a much more versatile computer than it is with just Chrome OS installed.

Happily, all of the major hardware—Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, audio, the webcam, and the GPU—appears to be working normally, and the Chromebook's function keys also perform as they do in Chrome OS. This means that games and video content should play normally, and the laptop goes into and out of sleep mode without a hitch.

The trackpad is a bit problematic, however: tap-to-click works fine but two-finger scrolling doesn't. You'll also probably run into some edge cases where things don't work perfectly. Video out over HDMI works, for example, and Ubuntu has multi-monitor and extended desktop support, but audio over HDMI doesn't appear to work as intended. Battery life also continues to be a weak point for the C7—in our testing it gets a little under four hours in Chrome OS, and while we didn't have time to perform extensive scientific testing under Ubuntu, the numbers should be similar or perhaps slightly worse.

The ChrUbuntu blog put out a call for C7 testers a few weeks ago—if you're using ChrUbuntu on the C7 and are experiencing problems, that's the place to report them.

Whither Windows?

We noted in the original review that the C7 Chromebook was just a lightly modified version of one of Acer's Windows laptops, the Aspire One 756. Using some BIOS files intended for that model, I spent some time trying to replace the Chromebook BIOS with the standard one to allow for booting of Windows and other operating systems not supported by the Chromebooks' boot loader.

Unfortunately, such an operation is more complicated than it seems. Standard Acer laptops have a "crisis boot" mode that allows for emergency re-flashing of the BIOS, but that doesn't work on a Chromebook. The Linux flashrom utility used in Chrome OS doesn't support flashing the BIOS ROMs you can download from Acer's support site.

Finally, even if you could find a BIOS file compatible with flashrom, the C7's BIOS appears to be hardware-locked, which is standard for Chromebooks. The original Cr-48 Chromebook prototype had BIOS protection that could be bypassed by applying some electrical tape to the motherboard, but the C7 doesn't have any such quick fix that I could find. It's probable that more enterprising minds will be able to figure out how to convert the C7 into a cheap run-anything laptop, but in the hours I spent trying to unlock the laptop I was unable to do so easily. If you'd like to run Windows apps on the C7, the most feasible solution is probably going to be a virtualization program like VirtualBox, which installs and runs without issue on the C7 once Ubuntu is up and running. - source

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