Thursday, April 23, 2009

Top Love,Cupid,Dating WebSites

About Christian Dating and LoveAndSeek.com

couple Welcome to LoveAndSeek. If meeting like-minded Christians is important to you, LoveAndSeek makes online dating simple for the faithful. Sharing beliefs are an important foundation to any relationship; LoveAndSeek is intended to bring together Christian single men and Christian single women. Whether you are looking for love, friendship, romance, or marriage, enjoy uplifting Christian relationships.

Our mission is simple: Creating Relationships. Connecting Lives.

Christian dating has never been so easy. LoveAndSeek provides a simple, safe and fun atmosphere which makes it easy to quickly view and contact thousands of Christian singles in your area. Our one of a kind profile system allows members to setup audio, video, photo albums and much more. All the features you need to meet Christian men and Christian women are at your fingertips. Send flirts, send messages, use our live chat, post and browse pictures, and much more. Create your free profile and search our Christian personals for exactly what you want.

If you have never experienced the power of internet dating you are missing out on an incredible opportunity. Beyond typical online dating, LoveAndSeek is a focused community dedicated to Christian dating. No need to bother with any other dating sites. Millions of singles are trying online dating sites but when you join LoveAndSeek.com you know you will find what you are looking for – intelligent, loving, Christian singles who are seeking to share their faith in a relationship. Meet Christian singles in your area, sign up now!

Top 10 Honeymoon Resorts

Top 10 Honeymoon Resorts

Here is a list of some of the best honeymoon resorts in the world. These are chosen for their high quality of service, rooms, dining and location. If you're looking for the best, you can't go wrong with one of these resorts:


Montego Bay Resorts & Private Islands

Located in Montego Bay, Jamaica, this resort features classical Georgian architecture, rich mahogany paneling and manicured grounds that welcome you to a place reminiscent of the grandest British manor houses. Sandals Royal Caribbean Resort transports you to a timeless experience of impeccable service, genteel manners and effortless sophistication, all set against the vivid aquamarine majesty of the Caribbean Sea. And, when you're ready to venture even further afield, our offshore island awaits, burgeoning with the exotic allure of the orient.



Top 10 Wedding Bridal Dresses Designer

HE KNOT Magazine -- Spring | Summer 2009


Check out this season's top trends in the new Spring/Summer 2009 issue of The Knot magazine, where our wedding pros dish on everything from how to find the perfect dress for your shape to planning the ultimate destination wedding. Other hot topics for real brides include:

700+ WEDDING GOWNS Flip through hundreds pages of the latest looks from top designers. Bonus: Our fashion editor narrows down the best dresses under $2,000!

THE NEW WEDDING COLORS Create a reception to remember with this year's most stylish color combos.

HOT HAIR TRENDS Choose the right 'do for you, from loose locks and bohemian braids to sleek ponytails and modern buns.

REAL WEDDINGS Take a peek at some of our favorite weddings from real couples and get inspired for your own big day.

NESTING Follow one couple through their registering process and turn the page to find the must-have items you'll want on your list.

50 BEST HONEYMOONS We've named this year's honeymoon hot spots! Whether you're looking for a romantic getaway, exotic adventure, bargains or beaches, we've got you covered. Dreaming big? See our favorite luxe suites from around the globe.

Top 10 Screensavers

10. Google Photos Screensaver

Another great product from Google!

With Google Photos Screensaver you can set your own pictures as your screensaver. There are several different modes, like cinematic transitions, collage and rss slideshows!

This “make your own screensaver” software is included in the Google Pack. It’s an amazing package of essential software for your PC, and like all Google products, completely free to use!

Top 10 Antivirus 2009

Top 10 Antivirus 2009

Nowadays computer viruses are more sophisticated and more aggressive. So i thought to share reviews of Top 10 Antivirus used by most of the people all around the word. As far as my openion is concerned, Kaspersky is the best Anti-Virus i have ever exprienced.

Kaspersky:

Kaspersky Lab, program used to identify and remove potential risks and malicious programs attempting to corrupt files and data on a computer. Real-time email scanning & automatic hourly updates; Rootkit and keylogger protection.


BitDefender:

The best way to defend your computer against computer viruses, spy ware, hackers and spam is BitDefender 2008. BitDefender 2008 is an exceptional product with a user friendly interface that scans all existing files on your computer as well as all incoming and outgoing emails, IM transfers and all other network traffic.


NOD32:

The NOD32 anti-virus software by ESET is a novel virus program that provides real-time protection against worms, trojans, spyware, malware, phishing and hackers. Nod32 has two different ways to run the program. You can run a simple Nod32 scan or you can spend more time using the control center. Within the control center you can have access to tons of customization feature and different types of scans-DMON, IMON, EMON and more.


AVG Antivirus:

AVG Antivirus has been an up and coming virus scanner for many years. Its free version is one of the most downloaded files on the Internet in the Computer Security sector. The new interface is clean and intuitive while still remaining useful. AVG went through a re-write of their virus scanning engine and included two of their stand alone products with AVG Antivirus as well. AVG Antispyware and AVG Antirootkit were both integrated with the virus scanner. Also revamped is the way AVG Antivirus uses the hardware within your computer. It has been changed to make better use of the multiple cores which are common in todays computers. This should speed up scanning as well as reduce slowdowns.


Norton Anti-Virus Software 2009:

Norton, one of the leaders in security software, offers viable antivirus protection. The software is easy to use and has wide-ranging security features to protect your PC from malicious programs. Some of this protection includes instant messaging scanning, script blocking and POP3 and SMTP email protection. But, this software does not provide protection from P2P or file sharing transfers.


The Shield Deluxe:

The Shield Deluxe 2008 combines reactive virus protection and spyware detection methods with the latest proactive technologies to provide your computer with the most effective protection against malicious programs. The product is simple to install and set up, while offering advanced


McAfee:

McAfee is an industry leader in computer protection and VirusScan is their #1 defense against viruses. This software comes with a ScriptStopper, to stop viruses to spread from one computer to another via email, and WormStopper. Some downsides to the program are that it does not offer instant message protection, P2P/file sharing protection or registry startup protection. McAfee offers an 800 number, however it’s going to cost you and good luck finding the number.


F-Secure Anti-Virus:

Does thoroughly scan your PC for viruses, and has a built-in anti-spyware scanner. One or the other or both can be run to cut down on scan times. Moreover, the program scans outgoing and incoming email in real-time, does a great job of shielding your registry against probable hijackers and controls which programs startup automatically. F-Secure has a news section that can be used to sign up for virus alerts and updates of what is going on in the virus world.


TrendMicro - (Pc-Cillin):

Anti-virus has protocols for protecting PCs against viruses, worms and trojan horses as well as spyware, rootkits and malware. It scans incoming files realtime, including emails, downloads and files from portable storage devices. You can also schedule scans, run customized scans or conduct a scan on demand. Trend Micro’s Anti-virus plus Anti-spyware now gives its customers the tools it needs to battle malicious spyware, amongst things like trojans, hackers, worms, and adware.


Panda Antivirus:

Panda Antivirus making protecting your personal computer as easy as possible. Free automatic updates. Powerful blockage from hijackers, keyloggers, intruders, and hackers. Panda’s Antivirus software comes with an virus and spyware protection. Panda allows you to block, delete, clean, and quarantine infected files and does not slow your pc down during virus scans which is helpful to those constantly on your PC



Tattoo

A tattoo is a permanent marking made by inserting ink into the layers of skin to change the pigment for decorative or other reasons. Tattoos on humans are a type of decorative body modification, while tattoos on animals are most commonly used for identification or branding.

Tattooing has been practiced worldwide. The Ainu, the indigenous people of Japan, traditionally wore facial tattoos. Today one can find Berbers of Tamazgha (North Africa) and Maori of New Zealand with facial tattoos. Tattooing was widespread among Polynesian peoples and among certain tribal groups in the Philippines, Borneo, Mentawai Islands, Africa, North America, South America, Mesoamerica, Europe, Japan, Cambodia, New Zealand and Micronesia. Despite some taboos surrounding tattooing, the art continues to be popular in many parts of the world.

Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Top 10 Celebrity Magazines

Top 10 Celebrity Magazines - Editor's Choice


Below is the list of our Editor's favorite Top 10 Celebrity Magazines


In Touch Weekly


Subscribe to In Touch Weekly Now!

52 issues per year

Stay in touch with all the latest celebrity news and gossip! In Touch Weekly provides you with all the photos, scandals and celebrity buzz of what's happening in Hollywood! Focused on celebrities and their lives, In Touch offers you the Fashion, Beauty and Style trends of the Stars.

InStyle


Subscribe to InStyle Now!

12 issues per year

Treat yourself-celebrity style! InStyle invites you to meet celebrities at home to see how they express themselves in fashion, beauty, and lifestyle. Indulge yourself with each monthly issue, as you read about what Hollywood's wearing- and who's designing it, where to get beautiful and much more!

Interview


Subscribe to Interview Now!

12 issues per year

Founded over 25 years ago by pop art pioneer Andy Warhol, Interview remains true to his innovative legacy, offering a perspective like no other. Presenting candid conversations between the pop icons of both today and tomorrow, Interview provides a perspective on the people who make the pop culture.

J-14


Subscribe to J-14 Now!

10 issues per year

The #1 teen celebrity magazine.

Life and Style Weekly


Subscribe to Life and Style Weekly Now!

52 issues per year

The first weekly style magazine. Features the latest Hollywood fashion, beauty, and lifestyle trends merged with celebrity news and shopping information.

OK! Magazine


Subscribe to OK! Magazine Now!

51 issues per year

At last, the world's biggest & brightest celebrity weekly is available in the US. Get the glamour & inside scoop on your favorite starts. Celebrities invite OK! into their homes & on their vacations. OK! takes readers into celebrities' daily lives, from dining & diet, to health, beauty & shopping.

People


Subscribe to People Now!

53 issues per year

People Magazine is a weekly publication with all the latest celebrity and popular culture news. You'll find inside news you crave about the personalities who fascinate you. People is one of the most popular and well known of its kind for credible Hollywood gossip.

Tatler


Subscribe to Tatler Now!

12 issues per year

Tatler Magazine is Britain's most sophisticated social magazine. A vibrant mix of fashion, beauty and sensational features giving insights into the lives of the world's leading and most glamorous celebrities. Tatler presents the social comment of the day with wit, style and irreverence. Britain's most sophisticated social magazine.

US Weekly


Subscribe to US Weekly Now!

52 issues per year

Us Weekly features the latest news and gossip on the hottest celebrities. Filled with photographs and stories telling all the buzz about what's happening in the stars' lives this week, US is a great source for celebrity diets, weddings, divorces, and all the events of the week.

Vanity Fair


Subscribe to Vanity Fair Now!

12 issues per year

Intriguing features with all the news you crave about the top popular culture faces, places, issues and disgraces plaster the pages of Vanity Fair. With extraordinary journalism and photography, exceptional personalities are profiled by thebest writers and photographe

The world's top 10 airlines

The world's top 10 airlines


From check-in staff wrangling over luggage limits and long hours spent doubled-up in undersized seats to children crying and running around the aisles and harried flight attendants pushing drink carts into unsuspecting elbows — flying really can be quite a harrowing experience. The good news is, it doesn't have to be. In fact, on some airlines you'll find the flight is as much a part of the holiday experience as the destination itself.

What airline do you prefer to fly and why? Have your say below.

Each year London-based consultancy firm Skytrax (www.airlinequality.com) polls millions of passengers around the world to find out which airlines are the cream of the crop.

According to their most recent survey released in 2007 the winners were:

1. Singapore Airlines
No stranger to awards, Singapore Airlines snatched the overall Airline of the Year title for the quality of both its economy and premium class services. From top-notch food to friendly flight attendants, any long-haul flight on this airline, which flies more passengers every year than the entire population of Singapore, is bound to be a pleasurable experience.

Website: www.singaporeair.com

2. Thai Airways
Jumping up from fourth position in 2006, Thai Airways came in second place overall. Famous for its in-flight service and well-dressed cabin crew, the airline also won the Best First Class Lounge award for its lounge at Bangkok Airport which includes a Royal Spa complete with sauna and yoga classes. Oh to travel first class!

Website: www.thaiair.com

3. Cathay Pacific
A former title winner, Cathay Pacific performed well overall ranking in the top four or five positions in almost every section of the survey. The flagship carrier of Hong Kong is also one of only six airlines worldwide to carry Skytrax's prestigious five-star rating.

Website: www.cathaypacific.com

4. Qatar Airways
A relative newcomer, Doha-based Qatar Airways has drawn plenty of attention for its international service. While economy class passengers are treated to excellent in-flight service, with the airline taking out the Best First Class Airline tag, it's the first class passengers who, as usual, remain king.

Website: www.qatarairways.com

5. Qantas
Long celebrated for its exceptional flight safety record, Qantas has dropped from second place in 2006 to fifth place. Australia's leading airline, however, consistently performs well and its budget domestic carrier, Jetstar, was named the World's Best Low-Cost Airline.

Website: www.qantas.com.au

6. Malaysia Airlines
Moving up three places from the previous year, Kuala Lumpur-based Malaysia Airlines also regained its crown for the world's Best Cabin Staff Award, snatched away by Thai Airways in 2006. Along with Cathy Pacific, it is one of only six airlines worldwide to hold Skytrax's five-star rating.

Website: www.malaysiaairlines.com

7. Air New Zealand
At last, New Zealand's flagship carrier has finally nudged its way into Skytrax's top 10. Long recognised locally for its quality passenger service, it's good to see this Kiwi icon taking on the world's best.

Website: www.airnewzealand.com

8. China Airlines
A surprising addition to this list is state-owned China Airlines, which in fact moved up two places from 2006. With its base in Taiwan not China, because of political tensions, passengers to and from mainland China must fly through a third port.

Website: www.china-airlines.com

9. Emirates
Consistently cited as one of the world's best airlines, Emirates is the largest Middle Eastern Airline. Based in Dubai, most of its flight attendants are recruited from overseas.

Website: www.emirates.com

10. British Airways
Relying too heavily on past reputation, British Airways has slipped from its first place ranking in 2006 all the way down to 10th position. The founding member of the Oneworld travel alliance obviously needs to lift its game if it wants to regain the top spot.

Website: www.britishairways.com

Top Ten PlayStation 3 games

The PlayStation 3 hasn't had the most stellar software showing so far. But by God, that's about to change in a big, big way.

Army of Two
Publisher: Electronic Arts | Developer: Electronic Arts Montreal | Release Date: November

What is it? In the great tradition of Lethal Weapon, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, and Tango and Cash, Army of Two is a shooter centering around a pair of wisecracking mercenaries who take on jobs the legitimate military won't touch.

Why should I care? EA's new(ish) Montreal Studio is taking lots of chances with this game, attempting to develop the kind of crazy-smart AI that no other game has really managed to pull off. Co-op -- whether your partner is human- or computer-controlled -- is the central focus of the game.

What's the prognosis? It looks sharp as hell, but this is one game we'll actually need to play to discover whether the AI works.

Assassin's Creed
Publisher: Ubisoft | Developer: Ubisoft | Release Date: Fall


What is it? Only one of the best damn looking games we've ever seen. You play an assassin during the Third Crusade, using stealth and athletics to get to your target...and then get the hell out.

Why should I care? It's made by the folks who brought you Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time. If that's not reason enough, dig this: You can climb anything in the game. If it has an edge that sticks out at least two inches, your character can scale it. It's the kind of free-roaming world GTA could only dream about.

What's the prognosis? As long as they don't let the Warrior Within team touch it, we'll be happy.

Devil May Cry 4
Publisher: Capcom | Developer: Capcom | Release Date: October


What is it? More hacking, slashing, shooting. More throwing enemies up into the air and keeping them suspended on a platform of bullets. More ludicrous enemies, gorgeous environments, and sweet eye candy.

Why should I care? While the second game stumbled a bit, the Devil May Cry series has, overall, been one hell of a lot of ridiculously over-the-top action fun. The addition of new characters with new abilities (like Nero's God Hand-like arm of power) might even add a layer of (gasp!) depth.

What's the prognosis? Sure, it's not going to revolutionize the genre. But does it look sharp? Does it play well? That's all we ask.

Grand Theft Auto IV
Publisher: Rockstar | Developer: Rockstar | Release Date: October


What is it? That's a very good question, since at this point the only thing Rockstar has confirmed is that the game exists and it's coming out in October. We may be going out on a limb here, but we're expecting free-roaming gangster gameplay of one sort or another.

Why should I care? While plenty of folks have legitimately claimed that the series is getting a bit stale, the fact remains that each new GTA includes enough in the way of new features to make it worth your time (if only just).

What's the prognosis? A new batch of systems (this one's releasing simultaneously on 360) should prompt the Rockstar folks to make some much-needed changes to the formula -- or else risk an overwhelming wave of been-there-done-that apathy.

Lair
Publisher: Sony CEA | Developer: Factor 5 | Release Date: Spring


What is it? The PS3's first big-name, motion control-centric game features big-ass dragons spitting burning stuff at each other. Like Factor Five's Rogue Squadron III, Lair also throws in some ground-level combat to really emphasize the size of those big scaly bastards.

Why should I care? Controlling a dragon by manipulating your controller like a pair of reins is pretty satisfying. As is toasting the hell out of big swarms of ground troops.

What's the prognosis? When last we played Lair, it had problems similar to Rogue Squadron III's: namely, a pretty sharp drop in quality (graphical and otherwise) when going to ground level. But otherwise, damn the game looks pretty.

Mercenaries 2: World in Flames
Publisher: Electronic Arts | Developer: Pandemic | Release Date: September


What is it? Another opportunity to blow the living hell out of everything in your environment.

Why should I care? Fire. Fire! FIRE!! While the previous game offered plenty of destructible crap, World in Flames ups the ante with a detailed, realistic fire system. Considering the game's set in populated areas of Venezuela, that means plenty of realistic stuff to burn. But that's not all; the game now supports multiple levels of damage to buildings, vehicles, and such -- so you'll get to watch buildings slowly degrade as you pump rockets into them.

What's the prognosis? There's a chance that, like its predecessor, World in Flames could end up big on technological niceties and small on compelling gameplay. But it's hard not to be excited about a game that lets you play with fire.

Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots
Publisher: Konami | Developer: Konami | Release Date: October


What is it? If you own a PS3 and you don't know what this game is, we'd like to have a chat with you.

Why should I care? Kojima and friends have made each new Metal Gear title a major event, and with good reason. This team does things with games that other folks just don't think about, and whether you like these innovations or not, you can't deny that playing an MGS game is an experience like no other. On top of all that, these folks know their hardware; you can expect MGS4 to be a real showcase game for the system.

What's the prognosis? Very, very good. The only risk of failure: MGS games sure have gotten talky. If Kojima can rein in the chatty-chat and the too-convoluted plot devices, this could be one for the ages.

MotorStorm
Publisher: SCEA | Developer: Evolution Studios | Release Date: March


What is it? Insanely detailed, hyper-realistic off-road racing.

Why should I care? Everything is modeled with ridiculous detail, and we're not just talking about graphics here. Yes, the environments look amazing, and the vehicles undergo pretty realistic degradation as they take damage. But what's really interesting is the variety of terrain: Moving from rock to sand to dirt to mud, you really feel the difference in driving surface. And since the vehicles have a real sense of weight, there's a constant feeling of keeping things barely under control.

What's the prognosis? With the whole game set in Monument Valley, things could get a bit monotonous. We're also not real thrilled about the load times we've experienced so far. But if you like off-road racers, it looks like it's going to be hard to top this one.

Stranglehold
Publisher: Midway | Developer: Midway | Release Date: Summer


What is it? A collaboration between the team who brought you Psi-Ops, legendary action director John Woo, and Hard-Boiled star Chow Yun-Fat

Why should I care? What, that's not enough? How about this: In Stranglehold, the vast majority of what you see is fully destructable...and the rest allows for ridiculous acrobatic antics. Flop on a cart and roll down the hall, guns blazing, or race up the spine of a T. Rex skeleton to reach a balcony. Add in some of Woo's signature artsy melodrama and you've got an interesting mix.

What's the prognosis? Good. When last we played this game it was plenty fun, but the controls needed a bit of tightening to achieve that "I am such a badass" feeling that Psi-Ops delivered.

Warhawk
Publisher: Sony CEA | Developer: Incognito | Release Date: Fall


What is it? A dramatic re-imagining of one of the PS1's first classics, now featuring ground combat in a massive, free-roaming world.

Why should I care? The game is one of the few designed with the motion-sensing capabilities of the Sixaxis in mind, and tilt-based flying works much better than you'd think it would. What's even more surprising is that the ground battle seems to work just as well...even if it doesn't look quite as slick.

What's the prognosis? Though the focus has changed from a single player experience into a multiplayer one, the game's spirit seems to remain. If they can effectively balance the air and ground combat (by no means a certainty at this point) this has the potential to be an instant online classic

Top 10 Hollywood Actress

1. Nicole Kidman

Nicole Kidman, makes $16 mil-$17 mil. What she should be earning: -$1 mil. That's right, I'm saying that Nicole should be paying film companies to hire her, not the other way around. That's because she's poison at the box office, the female equivalent of Sean Penn. Women dislike her, men don't think she's sexy, and those Chanel ads induce nausea. My guess is Nicole's rate dates back to Sony Pictures overpaying her for that bomb Bewitched. Since then, she's been doing smaller films, but is signing for studio projects right now. Note to majors: save your $$$ and hire Reese or Angelina.

2. Reese Witherspoon

Reese Witherspoon, $15 mil. What she should be earning: $25 mil. Reese can do no wrong. Women love her, men love her, the camera loves her. And she's smart: when she was looking for a new agency, she lamented not owning her Legally Blonde character because it'll be Broadway bound. Which doesn't mean all her films are great, but she's always great in them. She opens a movie. 'Nuff said.

3. Renee Zellweger

Renee Zellweger, $15 mil. What she should be earning: $5 mil. Renee doesn't open movies, unless the material is Bridget Jones-cloned. She's fine as the wife or girlfriend, but then her price needs to be cut by a third. Worse, audiences are getting sick of her changing hair color whenever she changes parts. That's a dye job, not an acting job. Sadly, she's lost her once winning girl-next-door quality; now she's trying to be a fashion diva. Ugh.

4. Drew Barrymore


Drew Barrymore, $15 mil. What she should be asking: $3 mil. Drew has never been able to open a movie, and she never will. That doesn't mean she isn't sweet onscreen, but lately her roles have been too saccharine. If only she'd bring back that Poison Ivy edginess she once had. Women like her but they don't want to be her (or even briefly married to Tom Green), whereas men don't think she's hot anymore. Drew's price should go up when she grows up.

5. Cameron Diaz

Cameron Diaz, $15 mil. What she should be asking: $7 mil. Put her in a bikini, and she's worth it. Put her in a chick flick (In Her Shoes, The Holiday), and she's not. Everyone finds her sexy, but women don't like her. (It's jealousy. And not just because of Justin.) Plus, she simply doesn't have much range as an actress from the neck up.

6. Halle Berry

Halle Berry, $14 mil. What she should be asking: $5 mil. Once she lost her shot at launching a new franchise as 007's Jinx, she lost what should have been her biggest paydays. Alas, she's now the wrong side of 40, and Hollywood is cruel that way.

7. Charlize Theron

Charlize Theron, $10 mil. What she should be asking: $10 mil. A smart actress, surrounded by smart people, doing smart roles. Just don't fuck it up with too many vanity projects like North Country.

8. Angelina Jolie

Angelina Jolie, $10 mil. What she should be asking: $25 mil. There's no one hotter and cooler right now than Angelina onscreen and off (just ask the stalkarazzi), but that could change if she starts auditioning for sainthood by making too many message movies. Let's hope she's too bad-ass for that.

9. Kirsten Dunst

Kirsten Dunst, $8 mil-$10 mil. What she should be asking: $1 mil. Eventually, the Spider-Man franchise will end. Marie Antoinette dying in theaters didn't help her price. She was an idiot not to star in Bring It On sequels for big bucks. She's not sexy enough and she won't age well with audiences. This is a career about to end.

10. Jennifer Aniston

Jennifer Aniston, $8 mil. What she should be asking: $1 mil. She's not a movie star. She's a TV star. Big difference. Most of all, she's not an interesting actress. She can't open a movie, and her choice of material is abysmal. Sure, The Break-Up did okay business, but that was because of Vince and in spite of her. Soon she'll be lucky to score the next Lifetime movie.

Top 10 Hollywood Movies

1. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (Warner Bros)
2. X-Men Origins: Wolverine (Fox)
3. Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (Paramount)
4. Public Enemies (Universal)
5. Angels & Demons (Sony)
6. Night at the Museum 2: Battle of the Smithsonian (Fox)
7. The Informant (Warner Bros)
8. Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs (Fox)
9. The Day the Earth Stood Still (Fox)
10. The Taking of Pelham 123 (Sony)

Top 10 universities

Rank University
1 Harvard University, USA
2 Yale University, USA
3 University of Cambridge UK
4 University of Oxford, UK
5 California Institute of Technology, USA
6 Imperial College London, UK
7 University College London, UK
8 The University of Chicago, USA
9 Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA
10 Columbia University, USA

Scientists discover a nearly Earth-sized planet

By JENNIFER QUINN, Associated Press Writer Jennifer Quinn, Associated Press Writer – Tue Apr 21, 6:17 pm ET

HATFIELD, England – In the search for Earth-like planets, astronomers zeroed in Tuesday on two places that look awfully familiar to home. One is close to the right size. The other is in the right place. European researchers said they not only found the smallest exoplanet ever, called Gliese 581 e, but realized that a neighboring planet discovered earlier, Gliese 581 d, was in the prime habitable zone for potential life.

"The Holy Grail of current exoplanet research is the detection of a rocky, Earth-like planet in the 'habitable zone,'" said Michel Mayor, an astrophysicist at Geneva University in Switzerland.

An American expert called the discovery of the tiny planet "extraordinary."

Gliese 581 e is only 1.9 times the size of Earth — while previous planets found outside our solar system are closer to the size of massive Jupiter, which NASA says could swallow more than 1,000 Earths.

Gliese 581 e sits close to the nearest star, making it too hot to support life. Still, Mayor said its discovery in a solar system 20 1/2 light years away from Earth is a "good example that we are progressing in the detection of Earth-like planets."

Scientists also discovered that the orbit of planet Gliese 581 d, which was found in 2007, was located within the "habitable zone" — a region around a sun-like star that would allow water to be liquid on the planet's surface, Mayor said.

He spoke at a news conference Tuesday at the University of Hertfordshire during the European Week of Astronomy and Space Science.

Gliese 581 d is probably too large to be made only of rocky material, fellow astronomer and team member Stephane Udry said, adding it was possible the planet had a "large and deep" ocean.

"It is the first serious 'water-world' candidate," Udry said.

Mayor's main planet-hunting competitor, Geoff Marcy of the University of California, Berkeley, praised the find of Gliese 581 e as "the most exciting discovery" so far of exoplanets — planets outside our solar system.

"This discovery is absolutely extraordinary," Marcy told The Associated Press by e-mail, calling the discoveries a significant step in the search for Earth-like planets.

While Gliese 581 e is too hot for life "it shows that nature makes such small planets, probably in large numbers," Marcy commented. "Surely the galaxy contains tens of billions of planets like the small, Earth-mass one announced here."

Nearly 350 planets have been found outside our solar system, but so far nearly every one of them was found to be extremely unlikely to harbor life.

Most were too close or too far from their sun, making them too hot or too cold for life. Others were too big and likely to be uninhabitable gas giants like Jupiter. Those that are too small are highly difficult to detect in the first place.

Both Gliese 581 d and Gliese 581 e are located in constellation Libra and orbit around Gliese 581.

Like other planets circling that star — scientists have discovered four so far — Gliese 581 e was found using the European Southern Observatory's telescope in La Silla, Chile.

The telescope has a special instrument which splits light to find wobbles in different wavelengths. Those wobbles can reveal the existence of other worlds.

"It is great work and shows the potential of this detection method," said Lisa Kaltenegger, an astronomer at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics.

Tuesday, April 21, 2009

Rating: Submit Review Bookmark this page! Show/Hide Hidden Files and Folders using Registry

The instructions below would help you to:

* Show (or hide) hidden files and folders using the Registry Editor.

Showing all files and folders is good in certain ways. Windows, by default, disables this option to keep the users from accidently deleting files. It is a good practice to hide those files and folders if you don't want to mess with them. They have been created that way for some good reasons. However, to many of us, specially the software programmers, it might be more convenient to work with files/folders when we have them all displayed.

IMPORTANT This article contains information about registry modification. Modifying the registry incorrectly might cause critical problems to your computer. Make sure you understand the registry and back it up before modifying it.

If you just want an easy way to show/hide the hidden files and folder without messing up with the registry editor, see this article here.

Use this trick at your own risks

Here's how to enable/disable hidden files/folders using the "Registry Editor"

1. Open the "Registry Editor" ("Start" >> "Run", then type "regedit" and Enter).
2. Expand to the following key:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\
CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced
3. If the value "Hidden" exists, double-click on it to edit its value to (1 = show hidden, 2 = do not show)
4. If the value "Hidden" does not exist, create it as follows
Name: Hidden
Type: DWORD
Value: 1
(1: show hidden, 2: do not show)

Free Astrological Articles

These astrological articles are here to help you learn new astrological concepts and learn more about astrology. Many of the articles were written in response to questions about astrology that I received, especially in cases when there weren’t many comparable articles on the topic. Please enjoy, and let me know what you think!

The History of Astrology – What is astrology, and why is it the way it is today?

Anatomy of a Horoscope – What goes into the making of a horoscope, astronomically speaking.

Zodiac Signs – The twelve signs of the zodiac; their rulerships and meanings.

Aries – the sign of the Ram
Taurus – the sign of the Bull
Gemini – the sign of the Twins
Cancer – the sign of the Crab
Leo – the sign of the Lion
Virgo – the sign of the Virgin
Libra – the sign of the Scales
Scorpio – the sign of the Scorpion
Sagittarius – the sign of the Archer
Capricorn – the sign of the Goat
Aquarius – the sign of the Water Bearer
Pisces – the sign of the Fish

Planets in Astrology – The meanings and rulerships of the seven classical planets.

Saturn – the “Great Malefic”
Jupiter – the “Great Benefic”
Mars – the “Lesser Malefic”
Sun – the day luminary
Venus – the “Lesser Benefic”
Mercury – the messenger
Moon – the night luminary

Electional Astrology – astrological articles on choosing the right moment to start your venture. Find the best time for your wedding, conception, start of your business, haircuts, and more!

The Horoscope of Baghdad – Did you know that the founding of Baghdad was astrologically elected? Read about what makes Baghdad “unconquerable”.

Best Times to Cut Your Hair in 2007 – Your hair responds to astrological influences. We help you find the best time for your next haircut, depending on your goals.

Long-term Weather Forecast for Spain – Plan your vacation in Spain around the weather...a year in advance.

Best Time to Conceive – Find your most fertile times, and best times to have a boy or girl.

Horary Astrology – articles on answering specific questions using the horary chart. Includes examples of horary astrology in action!

Natal Astrology – articles about birth horoscopes, sign compatibility, and other aspects of your natal chart.

Astrology of Compatibility – Why you get along with some people, and not with others. How to tell whether you will have a good relationship with someone.

The Seven Ages of Man – a glimpse of astrology in Shakespeare's time, through his poetry.

Mundane Astrology – articles on the effects of astrology on important global and national events. Includes information about the astrology of weather, astrology and the full moon, and eclipses.

Astrology of the Full Moon – Learn about the importance of the Full Moon to predicting events on Earth.

Astrology of Eclipses – Eclipses are hugely important in mundane astrology. Learn why!

Astrology 101: Free Astrology Online Course – astrology lessons specifically for those new to the subject, or for readers who need a quick refresher. Frequently updated with new astrology lessons.

Astrologers - articles about those who practice this ancient art. Read about famous astrologers in history, as well as modern practitioners of the art.

What Makes a Good Astrologer? – What to look for when choosing an astrologer.

What Makes a Bad Astrologer? – Things to avoid when looking for astrology advice.

The Zodiac Signs: Astrology of the Signs

The Meaning of the Signs of the Zodiac

The names of the 12 signs of the zodiac are based on the constellations. But the signs through which the planets travel are actually a division of the sky into 12 equal segments of 30 degrees each. The meanings of the zodiac signs in astrology are detailed below, with a discussion of each of the signs’ ruling planets.

The Twelve Zodiac Signs

The astrological zodiac signs are as follows. The exact dates when the Sun passes through each sign varies slightly year to year, but here are the dates for 2007/2008, set for Greenwich Mean Time:

  • Aries (March 22 - April 20)
  • Taurus (April 21 - May 21)
  • Gemini (May 22 - June 21)
  • Cancer (June 22 - July 23)
  • Leo (July 24 - August 23)
  • Virgo (August 24 - September 23)
  • Libra (September 24 - October 23)
  • Scorpio (October 24 - November 22)
  • Sagittarius (November 23 - December 22)
  • Capricorn (December 23 - January 20)
  • Aquarius (January 21 - February 19)
  • Pisces (February 20 - March 21)

The Meaning of the Zodiac Signs

There is much more to astrology than just Sun signs, but every sign has its own “personality,” due to the signs’ planetary rulership. Here is the meaning of each sign:

  1. Aries (the Ram) – ruled by Mars, the God of War. Cardinal fire sign. Aggression, leadership, enterprise, warfare, anger, beginnings (Aries is the first sign of the zodiac), impulse, passion, inspiration, rapid movement, vengeance.
  2. Taurus (the Bull) – ruled by Venus, the Goddess of Love. Fixed earth sign. Stability/stagnation, beauty, pleasure, material things, love, debauchery, money, prosperity, maintenance of status quo, real estate, stubborness.
  3. Gemini (the Twins) – ruled by Mercury, the Trickster/Messenger God. Mutable air sign. Communication, cleverness, trickery, commerce, analysis, reason, dispersal, intellect, dispute, changeability.
  4. Cancer (the Crab) - ruled by the Moon, the lesser luminary. Cardinal water sign. Intense emotion, rapid movement, changeability, love of travel, need for variety, oracles and divination, adaptability, hidden things, beginnings (Cancer is a cardinal sign).
  5. Leo (the Lion) – ruled by the Sun, the greater luminary. Fixed fire sign. Royalty, nobility, stability/stagnation, inspiration, passion, leadership, maintenance of status quo, stubborness.
  6. Virgo (the Virgin) – ruled by Mercury, the Trickster/Messenger God. Mutable earth sign. Communication, material things, tangible reality, intellect, analysis, cleverness, trickery, commerce, real estate, changeability.
  7. Libra (the Scales) - ruled by Venus, the Goddess of Love. Cardinal air sign. Beauty, pleasure, intellect, communication, aesthetic senses, love, debauchery, analysis, reason, beginnings.
  8. Scorpio (the Scorpion) - ruled by Mars, the God of War. Fixed water sign. Warfare, aggression, intense emotion, hidden things, maintenance of status quo, vengeance, stubborness.
  9. Sagittarius (the Archer) – ruled by Jupiter, the Greater Benefic. Mutable fire sign. Expansion, learning, changeability, passion, inspiration, foreign countries, religion.
  10. Capricorn (the Water Goat) – ruled by Saturn, the Greater Malefic. Cardinal earth sign. Leadership, restriction, limitation, rapid movement, material things, tangible reality, real estate, beginnings.
  11. Aquarius (the Water Bearer) – ruled by Saturn, the Greater Malefic. Fixed air sign. Stability/stagnation, maintenance of the status quo, stubborness, restriction, limitation, intellect, analysis, communication, cleverness.
  12. Pisces (the Fish) – ruled by Jupiter, the Greater Benefic. Mutable water sign. Religion, expansion, learning, changeability, intense emotion, hidden things, endings (Pisces is the last sign of the zodiac).

Planets’ Strength and Weakness in the Signs of the Zodiac

Each planet prefers to be in certain zodiacal signs, and similarly, each planet will strongly dislike being in other signs! Example: if you can’t swim, would you rather be in an earth sign or a water sign?

Saturn - very strong in Capricorn and Aquarius (the zodiac signs ruled by Saturn), strong in Libra (the sign where Saturn is exalted). Very weak in Cancer and Leo (the opposite signs from Saturn's signs), weak in Aries (the sign opposite the place of Saturn's exaltation).

Jupiter - very strong in Sagittarius and Pisces (the zodiac signs ruled by Jupiter), strong in Cancer (the sign where Jupiter is exalted). Very weak in Gemini and Virgo (the opposite signs from Jupiter's signs), weak in Capricorn (the sign opposite the place of Jupiter's exaltation).

Mars - very strong in Aries and Scorpio (the zodiac signs ruled by Mars), strong in Capricorn (the sign where Mars is exalted). Very weak in Libra and Taurus (the opposite signs from Mars's signs), weak in Cancer (the sign opposite the place of Mars's exaltation).

Sun - very strong in Leo (the zodiac sign ruled by the Sun), strong in Aries (the sign where the Sun is exalted). Very weak in Aquarius (the opposite sign from the Sun's sign), weak in Libra (the sign opposite the place of Sun's exaltation).

Venus - very strong in Taurus and Libra (the zodiac signs ruled by Venus), strong in Pisces (the sign where Venus is exalted). Very weak in Aries and Scorpio (the opposite sign from Venus's signs), weak in Virgo (the sign opposite the place of Venus's exaltation).

Mercury - very strong in Gemini and Virgo (the zodiac signs ruled by Mercury), especially strong in Virgo, where Mercury both rules and is exalted. Very weak in Sagittarius and Pisces (the opposite sign from Mercury's signs), especially weak in Pisces (the sign opposite the place of Mercury's sign and exaltation).

Moon - very strong in Cancer (the zodiac sign ruled by the Moon), strong in Taurus (the sign of the Moon's exaltation). Very weak in Capricorn (the opposite sign from the Moon's sign), weak in Scorpio (the sign opposite the place of the Moon's exaltation).

On Philosophy

July 9, 2007

The word knowledge is used with two different meanings, one weak and one strong. In a weak sense knowledge means basically the same thing as “justified belief” (or better yet: beliefs we should have given our epistemic position), which means that the things we know may very well turn out to be false. In a strong sense knowledge refers only to warranted true beliefs, where warrant is simply a label for whatever is needed to be added to a true belief to make it knowledge (note: warrant is not the same as justification, it can be shown that warrant is necessarily stronger than justification). The strong sense of knowledge is felt by many to be the more intuitive understanding. But already there seems to be something absurd about the strong definition. Specifically from our point of view knowledge, so defined, seems simply to be a label to hang on whatever we believe to be true. Since we are rational people believing something to be true is basically equivalent to believing that we know it. And moreover it becomes hard to see how the concept of strong knowledge is a valuable tool in addition to our concept of truth; since strong knowledge requires the belief to be true a procedure to separate true beliefs from false beliefs must be a necessary part of any procedure to determine when we have knowledge, since only true beliefs can be knowledge. But with such a procedure we no longer have any need for knowledge, since we already have truth. And if we can’t devise a procedure to sort the true beliefs from false beliefs then we can’t devise a procedure to determine when we have knowledge. So either way strong knowledge seems superfluous.

But the absurdity of strong knowledge doesn’t stop there. Recently Michael Blome-Tillmann has written a paper entitled “The folly of trying to define knowledge” where he expands on Trenton Merricks’ work to show a surprising fact about warrant. Merricks’ argument shows that warrant, whatever it is, entails truth. Consider: if a belief can be warranted and false then it can be warranted and accidentally true (to be accidentally true is when some fact unrelated to the warrant makes the belief true). But a belief cannot be warranted and accidentally true, because that would make that belief knowledge, by definition, and there are several thought experiments which imply that strong knowledge requires that the truth of the belief be connected to its warrant. And thus a belief cannot be warranted and false. And so by this argument if a belief is warranted then it is true. And Blome-Tillmann has expanded this argument to show that this also holds for belief, because if it is possible for someone to be warranted to believe some fact and not actually believe it then it is possible for them to be warranted to believe it and believe it accidentally, which makes it an accidentally true belief. And so by the same reasoning warrant must entail belief. Blome-Tillmann thus concludes that if warrant implies a true belief then warrant implies knowledge. And obviously knowledge implies warrant. So knowledge is not distinct from warrant, rather warrant is simply another name for knowledge.

Now obviously if warrant implies truth and belief it must be fairly strong itself. One candidate for warrant is justification from true premises. Another is belief for reasons that are actually reasons for the belief being true. Warrant then is probably as strong as knowledge in its strongest sense. Which means that the earlier problem I posed for strong knowledge, namely its being a basically redundant label for truth, can’t be solved by an appeal to warrant. By an appeal to warrant I refer to the idea that maybe a study of knowledge (specifically a study of the warrant component of knowledge) can improve our epistemic situation in a way that a study of truth cannot. If warrant didn’t imply truth we might reason that while a procedure for determining when we had warrant wasn’t as good as one for determining when we had truth, but perhaps it could give us some clue as to which of our beliefs are more likely to be true. But, given that warrant entails truth, a procedure for determining truth is necessarily simpler than one for determining when we have warrant (or at least not more complex).

Another possibility for saving strong knowledge might be to throw in justification (or something similar) as an additional component of knowledge. But it is hard to defend this move, since given the strength of warrant justification is redundant. Since having warrant necessarily entails truth then having a warrant is justification, and so adding justification to this is pointless. A better move might be to break warrant itself into components, and then look for a way to determine when we have some of those components, making the possibility that we have warrant more certain. But there are problems with this move as well. Since warrant entails truth together the components of warrant must entail truth. Perhaps it is just my lack of imagination, but I can’t see any way to construct warrant that doesn’t slip in truth in some form. For example, if warrant is justification from true premises then obviously knowing when we have true premises requires us to be able to determine what is true. In general to guarantee truth about claims in a domain we need to start with some true claims in that domain (for example, in mathematics we start with axioms). Of course we can still study whatever else makes up warrant. But then aren’t we just studying weak knowledge? Why pretend that we are trying to understand strong knowledge when it is only weak knowledge that we are really after a better understanding of?