Sad Story of a CAT

Just for LOVE. A cat paid his life for it.
The story started in a warm spring

It's a warm spring

She's so beatiful!

I'm fall in love the first time I met her.

But, she's inseparable with another one.

I harm myself to forget that pain but ... I can't

Someday, I decide to menace him with my gun.

Unfortunately, I shot him and ...

I must hide to avoid catching

But at last, the police caught me!

Now, I'll finish my time behind iron bars ...

(Poor that guy ^^! Sorry for my bad English!)

Vista: Upgrade—Or Trade Up?

By Stephen H. Wildstrom

After all the hype and delays, Windows Vista is finally here. Should you rush out and buy a copy when upgrade versions go on sale on Jan. 30? Probably not, given the odds against a satisfactory upgrade experience. But I'd certainly consider speeding up the purchase of a new computer when pcs loaded with Vista become available in a few more weeks.

The marketing barrage that Microsoft (MSFT ) has prepared will focus on Vista's new look--the first major design overhaul for Windows in more than a decade. Many of the concepts come from Apple Computer's (AAPL ) Mac OS X, but Vista pushes the visual effects much further. Photorealism replaces the garish cartoonishness of Windows XP for everything from program icons to file folders. To cut the confusion that can occur when you have lots of windows open, a thumbnail image pops up when you run your mouse over the program's task-bar icon. Folders look like actual manila folders and show a glimpse of what's inside: a bit of album art for a music folder, a slice of one of your pictures for a photo folder.

All this eye candy is nice, but it's not going to make it any easier to draft a business plan or a budget. And it does come at a price. As is the case with the new version of Microsoft Office, which I wrote about last week, novelty breeds confusion. There are many new ways to display the contents of file windows, for example, including stacking folders that are sorted by size. You won't find the "select all" command on the Edit menu--because the menus have been banished. On the other hand, hitting control-A will still select all the contents of a window, and you can find ways to do everything else you need to do, too. It just takes time to figure it out.

THE MOST IMPORTANT CHANGES IN VISTA are hidden. Microsoft has made some fundamental alterations to fix Windows' notoriously leaky security, as I'll explain next week. But there are other substantive changes that are both visible and useful.

The ability to find things is paramount. Like the Mac's Spotlight search, the new Windows search is accurate and fast. In the best Windows tradition, there are three ways to seek things out, each producing slightly different results. Each window has a search box, and when you enter a search term, Vista brings up matches found in that window's folders. A search box on the start menu searches the entire computer, including program files. And a separate search application lets you specify the scope of desktop search.

The big question is when and how you should move to Vista. Upgrade today? Or just wait and buy an all-new Vista computer down the road?

When Windows XP came out in 2001, I urged people to move quickly to get rid of the hopelessly unreliable Windows 98 and the even worse Windows Me. That meant upgrading to XP, and like all earlier Windows upgrades, the process was as much fun as a root canal. XP, on the other hand, is good enough that you may just want to make do, for now. Based on the troubles I've had in tests, I'd warn against upgrading if you have old accessories, such as printers, or if you run any custom or obscure business software.

If you decide to upgrade anyway, make sure your existing computer has the horsepower to do Vista justice. Any system older than six months or a year may be trouble. Functions could feel sticky or sluggish, and if the graphics on your PC aren't up to snuff, you'll lose the fancy visual effects. You'll need at least a gigabyte of memory. And don't try to pinch pennies. There's a Home Basic version of Vista for $100, but it lacks many features, including the new graphic design; you want the $140 Home Premium.

The big risk of upgrading is that you'll get all the confusion of Vista and the looks of XP. With a new made-for-Vista computer, at least you'll know that everything will work. And Vista is a big step forward; in time, you'll want it.

Source: businessweek.com

Make Your House a Superhouse

The kitchen or bathroom remodeling you're considering is a smart investment, but will you enjoy it as much as a bowling alley, wine cellar, or tree house?
by Douglas MacMillan

Over the past three months BusinessWeek.com has been putting together one monster of a house with our series of articles on "super" enhancements. We consulted designers, homebuilders, appraisers, and various other experts to help us draw up the blueprints on lavish rooms that would add lasting value and one-of-a-kind charm.

If you're looking for smart ways to increase the value of your home, traditional remodeling projects like elegant bathrooms, state-of-the-art wine cellars, and high-design, high-tech media rooms have consistently demonstrated their return on investment—even in today's challenging housing market. But if you want to invest in the fun factor and usability of your home, we'd like to help you brainstorm some unusual ideas you aren't likely to find in any Home Depot (HD).

The Closet Comes Out

While it may seem like an obvious project, many home remodelers tend to forget about the closet. Upgrading your closet will make your wardrobe look and feel better, shave valuable minutes off your morning routine, and bring appreciable charm to your master suite. In homes across the country, closets are becoming bigger, more organized, and stocked from floor to ceiling with lavish amenities (see BusinessWeek.com, 11/8/06, "A $40,000 Home for Your Clothes").

"Well-appointed closets are very popular and something sought after by many homeowners. After they have spruced up their kitchens, bathrooms, and rec rooms, homeowners are wanting to spruce up their closets as well," says Helen Kuhl, editor of Closets magazine.

Many existing homeowners looking for a new closet turn to the leading franchise in the industry, privately held California Closets, a $300-million-a-year business with 104 franchises in 31 states. "The closet used to be the last place in the world you would show your guests, now it's the first stop on the tour," says Anthony Vidergauz, the company president.

Bowling Night

While rec rooms tend to call to mind overturned bins of Lego toys and long nights of Parcheesi and Monopoly, with the right makeover a rec room will become the fun center of your home. Home basketball courts, bowling lanes, and climbing walls are just a few of the unique home improvements vying to turn family fun night into an adrenaline-pumping, sweat-dripping affair (see BusinessWeek.com, 11/3/06, "Beyond the Billiard Room").

Some games are just more fun when you can enjoy them in the privacy and comfort of your own home and in the company of good friends. Private bowling lanes have long been a feature of the most luxurious properties, but they're now becoming an affordable option for enthusiasts who hate the ritual of renting shoes and competing with raucous league nights at the local alley.

The contractors of United Bowling in Yulee, Fla., will install a customized bowling lane in your new or existing home for a fee of $19,000 to more than $110,000, depending on size and amenities. Founder Doyle Claxton says a majority of his residential projects are still done for high-profile residential clients (such as football player Laveranues Coles and actress Sandra Bullock, a current client), but that home bowling alleys have started to become a more substantial part of his business in recent years.

Stock Up on Wine
...
(Read More...)

Mesothelioma Cancer: Early Warning Signs and Causes

By Craig Whitley

What is Mesothelioma?

Chances are you may never have heard of mesothelioma cancer unless you or a relative have the disease. Still considered as a rare cancer, it has been popularized by its linkage to asbestos.

Exactly what is mesothelioma cancer or malignant mesothelioma? Malignant mesothelioma is a deadly cancer of the mesothelium, or lining of the lung and chest cavity. However, it sometimes can be a deadly cancer of the peritoneum (the lining of the abdomen). It is almost always caused by exposure to asbestos, and is slow forming – often taking between 20-50 years to develop after exposure to asbestos.

Malignant Mesothelioma Symptoms

Symptoms of malignant mesothelioma in the lung and chest cavity are as follows:

- Shortness of breath
- Cough
- Weight Loss
- Chest Pain

Symptoms of malignant mesothelioma in the abdomen are as follows:


- Abdominal swelling and pain
- Weight Loss

Wondering How You Could Have Gotten Mesothelioma Cancer?

Several diseases are associated with exposure to asbestos. They include: malignant mesothelioma, asbestosis, pleural effusion, pleural plaques and thickening, and lung cancer.

Prior to 1975 asbestos fibers were commonly used. You could have been exposed to asbestos while working at any number of different industries. Chief among the possibilities would be jobs at asbestos mining and milling plants, shipyards, fireproofing and heating, construction, automotive repair, insulation, pipefitting and boilermaking.

If you did not work in one of these industries or another that used asbestos, it is also possible that you could have been exposed if someone in your household worked with asbestos and carried asbestos fibers home on his or her clothing, hair or body. You may also have been exposed indirectly by living near asbestos mines.

Although it is true that most patients with malignant mesothelioma, lung cancer or other asbestos-related diseases likely had prolonged exposure to asbestos over a long period of time, it is also possible for one to develop one of these diseases from a brief exposure to asbestos.

The odds of developing lung cancer from smoking also increases significantly from exposure to asbestos. Although most people with lung cancer are told that their lung cancer was caused from smoking, if you or someone you know has lung cancer and also worked in an environment that gave you exposure to asbestos, it is highly recommended that you contact an attorney that specializes in handling mesothelioma and lung cancer cases caused by exposure to asbestos. The justice system has been very generous in its rewards to people who suffer diseases caused by asbestos exposure.

To learn more about mesothelioma cancer I recommend you visit Mesothelioma Cancer Online when searching for web resources covering mesothelioma cancer. Mesothelioma-Cancer-Online.com is an excellent resource center that offers recommendations and directory listings for numerous websites related to mesothelioma cancer, along with articles and books about mesothelioma cancer.

Source: ezinearticles.com