Oscars Winners 2009 List

Best Picture

Slumdog Millionaire

Dev Patel, Freida Pinto, Madhur Mittal, Anil Kapoor, Irfan Khan

Best Director

Slumdog Millionaire  

Danny Boyle

Best Actor

Milk

Sean Penn

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ISO 4217 currency names and code elements

A hnuaia mite hi ram tam zawkte cheng hman hming leh lam tawite an ni.

Entity	Currency	Alphabetic code	Numeric code
AFGHANISTAN	Afghani	AFN	971
ÅLAND ISLANDS	Euro	EUR	978
ALBANIA	Lek	ALL	008
ALGERIA	Algerian Dinar	DZD	012
AMERICAN SAMOA	US Dollar	USD	840
ANDORRA	Euro	EUR	978
ANGOLA	Kwanza	AOA	973
ANGUILLA	East Caribbean Dollar	XCD	951
ANTARCTICA	No universal currency
ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA	East Caribbean Dollar	XCD	951
ARGENTINA	Argentine Peso	ARS	032
ARMENIA	Armenian Dram	AMD	051
ARUBA	Aruban Guilder	AWG	533
AUSTRALIA	Australian Dollar	AUD	036
AUSTRIA	Euro	EUR	978
AZERBAIJAN	Azerbaijanian Manat	AZN	944
BAHAMAS	Bahamian Dollar	BSD	044
BAHRAIN	Bahraini Dinar	BHD	048
BANGLADESH	Taka	BDT	050
BARBADOS	Barbados Dollar	BBD	052
BELARUS	Belarussian Ruble	BYR	974
BELGIUM	Euro	EUR	978
BELIZE	Belize Dollar	BZD	084
BENIN	CFA Franc BCEAO †	XOF	952
BERMUDA	Bermudian Dollar (customarily known as Bermuda Dollar)	BMD	060
BHUTAN	Indian Rupee Ngultrum	INR BTN	356 064
BOLIVIA	Boliviano Mvdol	BOB BOV	068 984
BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA	Convertible Marks	BAM	977
BOTSWANA	Pula	BWP	072
BOUVET ISLAND	Norwegian Krone	NOK	578
BRAZIL	Brazilian Real	BRL	986
BRITISH INDIAN OCEAN TERRITORY	US Dollar	USD	840
BRUNEI DARUSSALAM	Brunei Dollar	BND	096
BULGARIA	Bulgarian Lev	BGN	975
BURKINA FASO	CFA Franc BCEAO †	XOF	952
BURUNDI	Burundi Franc	BIF	108
CAMBODIA	Riel	KHR	116
CAMEROON	CFA Franc BEAC ‡	XAF	950
CANADA	Canadian Dollar	CAD	124
CAPE VERDE	Cape Verde Escudo	CVE	132
CAYMAN ISLANDS	Cayman Islands Dollar	KYD	136
CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC	CFA Franc BEAC ‡	XAF	950
CHAD	CFA Franc BEAC ‡	XAF	950
CHILE	Chilean Peso Unidades de fomento	CLP CLF	152 990
CHINA	Yuan Renminbi	CNY	156
CHRISTMAS ISLAND	Australian Dollar	AUD	036
COCOS (KEELING) ISLANDS	Australian Dollar	AUD	036
COLOMBIA	Colombian Peso Unidad de Valor Real	COP COU	170 970
COMOROS	Comoro Franc	KMF	174
CONGO	CFA Franc BEAC ‡	XAF	950
CONGO, THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF	Congolese Franc	CDF	976
COOK ISLANDS	New Zealand Dollar	NZD	554
COSTA RICA	Costa Rican Colon	CRC	188
CÔTE D'IVOIRE	CFA Franc BCEAO †	XOF	952
CROATIA	Croatian Kuna	HRK	191
CUBA	Cuban Peso Peso Convertible	CUP CUC	192 931
CYPRUS	Euro	EUR	978
CZECH REPUBLIC	Czech Koruna	CZK	203
DENMARK	Danish Krone	DKK	208
DJIBOUTI	Djibouti Franc	DJF	262
DOMINICA	East Caribbean Dollar	XCD	951
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC	Dominican Peso	DOP	214
ECUADOR	US Dollar	USD	840
EGYPT	Egyptian Pound	EGP	818
EL SALVADOR	El Salvador Colon US Dollar	SVC USD	222 840
EQUATORIAL GUINEA	CFA Franc BEAC ‡	XAF	950
ERITREA	Nakfa	ERN	232
ESTONIA	Kroon	EEK	233
ETHIOPIA	Ethiopian Birr	ETB	230
FALKLAND ISLANDS (MALVINAS)	Falkland Islands Pound	FKP	238
FAROE ISLANDS	Danish Krone	DKK	208
FIJI	Fiji Dollar	FJD	242
FINLAND	Euro	EUR	978
FRANCE	Euro	EUR	978
FRENCH GUIANA	Euro	EUR	978
FRENCH POLYNESIA	CFP Franc	XPF	953
FRENCH SOUTHERN TERRITORIES	Euro	EUR	978
GABON	CFA Franc BEAC ‡	XAF	950
GAMBIA	Dalasi	GMD	270
GEORGIA	Lari	GEL	981
GERMANY	Euro	EUR	978
GHANA	Cedi	GHS	936
GIBRALTAR	Gibraltar Pound	GIP	292
GREECE	Euro	EUR	978
GREENLAND	Danish Krone	DKK	208
GRENADA	East Caribbean Dollar	XCD	951
GUADELOUPE	Euro	EUR	978
GUAM	US Dollar	USD	840
GUATEMALA	Quetzal	GTQ	320
GUERNSEY	Pound Sterling	GBP	826
GUINEA	Guinea Franc	GNF	324
GUINEA-BISSAU	Guinea-Bissau Peso CFA Franc BCEAO †	GWP XOF	624 952
GUYANA	Guyana Dollar	GYD	328
HAITI	Gourde US Dollar	HTG USD	332 840
HEARD ISLAND AND MCDONALD ISLANDS	Australian Dollar	AUD	036
HOLY SEE (VATICAN CITY STATE)	Euro	EUR	978
HONDURAS	Lempira	HNL	340
HONG KONG	Hong Kong Dollar	HKD	344
HUNGARY	Forint	HUF	348
ICELAND	Iceland Krona	ISK	352
INDIA	Indian Rupee	INR	356
INDONESIA	Rupiah	IDR	360
IRAN, ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF	Iranian Rial	IRR	364
IRAQ	Iraqi Dinar	IQD	368
IRELAND	Euro	EUR	978
ISRAEL	New Israeli Sheqel	ILS	376
ITALY	Euro	EUR	978
JAMAICA	Jamaican Dollar	JMD	388
JAPAN	Yen	JPY	392
JERSEY	Pound Sterling	GBP	826
JORDAN	Jordanian Dinar	JOD	400
KAZAKHSTAN	Tenge	KZT	398
KENYA	Kenyan Shilling	KES	404
KIRIBATI	Australian Dollar	AUD	036
KOREA, DEMOCRATIC PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF	North Korean Won	KPW	408
KOREA, REPUBLIC OF	Won	KRW	410
KUWAIT	Kuwaiti Dinar	KWD	414
KYRGYZSTAN	Som	KGS	417
LAO PEOPLE'S DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC	Kip	LAK	418
LATVIA	Latvian Lats	LVL	428
LEBANON	Lebanese Pound	LBP	422
LESOTHO	Rand Loti	ZAR LSL	710 426
LIBERIA	Liberian Dollar	LRD	430
LIBYAN ARAB JAMAHIRIYA	Libyan Dinar	LYD	434
LIECHTENSTEIN	Swiss Franc	CHF	756
LITHUANIA	Lithuanian Litas	LTL	440
LUXEMBOURG	Euro	EUR	978
MACAO	Pataca	MOP	446
MACEDONIA, THE FORMER YUGOSLAV REPUBLIC OF	Denar	MKD	807
MADAGASCAR	Malagasy Ariary	MGA	969
MALAWI	Kwacha	MWK	454
MALAYSIA	Malaysian Ringgit	MYR	458
MALDIVES	Rufiyaa	MVR	462
MALI	CFA Franc BCEAO †	XOF	952
MALTA	Euro	EUR	978
MARSHALL ISLANDS	US Dollar	USD	840
MARTINIQUE	Euro	EUR	978
MAURITANIA	Ouguiya	MRO	478
MAURITIUS	Mauritius Rupee	MUR	480
MAYOTTE	Euro	EUR	978
MEXICO	Mexican Peso Mexican Unidad de Inversion (UDI)	MXN MXV	484 979
MICRONESIA, FEDERATED STATES OF	US Dollar	USD	840
MOLDOVA, REPUBLIC OF	Moldovan Leu	MDL	498
MONACO	Euro	EUR	978
MONGOLIA	Tugrik	MNT	496
MONTENEGRO	Euro	EUR	978
MONTSERRAT	East Caribbean Dollar	XCD	951
MOROCCO	Moroccan Dirham	MAD	504
MOZAMBIQUE	Metical	MZN	943
MYANMAR	Kyat	MMK	104
NAMIBIA	Rand Namibia Dollar	ZAR NAD	710 516
NAURU	Australian Dollar	AUD	036
NEPAL	Nepalese Rupee	NPR	524
NETHERLANDS	Euro	EUR	978
NETHERLANDS ANTILLES	Netherlands Antillian Guilder	ANG	532
NEW CALEDONIA	CFP Franc	XPF	953
NEW ZEALAND	New Zealand Dollar	NZD	554
NICARAGUA	Cordoba Oro	NIO	558
NIGER	CFA Franc BCEAO †	XOF	952
NIGERIA	Naira	NGN	566
NIUE	New Zealand Dollar	NZD	554
NORFOLK ISLAND	Australian Dollar	AUD	036
NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS	US Dollar	USD	840
NORWAY	Norwegian Krone	NOK	578
OMAN	Rial Omani	OMR	512
PAKISTAN	Pakistan Rupee	PKR	586
PALAU	US Dollar	USD	840
PANAMA	Balboa US Dollar	PAB USD	590 840
PAPUA NEW GUINEA	Kina	PGK	598
PARAGUAY	Guarani	PYG	600
PERU	Nuevo Sol	PEN	604
PHILIPPINES	Philippine Peso	PHP	608
PITCAIRN	New Zealand Dollar	NZD	554
POLAND	Zloty	PLN	985
PORTUGAL	Euro	EUR	978
PUERTO RICO	US Dollar	USD	840
QATAR	Qatari Rial	QAR	634
RÉUNION	Euro	EUR	978
ROMANIA	New Leu	RON	946
RUSSIAN FEDERATION	Russian Ruble	RUB	643
RWANDA	Rwanda Franc	RWF	646
SAINT-BARTHÉLEMY	Euro	EUR	978
SAINT HELENA	Saint Helena Pound	SHP	654
SAINT KITTS AND NEVIS	East Caribbean Dollar	XCD	951
SAINT LUCIA	East Caribbean Dollar	XCD	951
SAINT MARTIN	Euro	EUR	978
SAINT PIERRE AND MIQUELON	Euro	EUR	978
SAINT VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES	East Caribbean Dollar	XCD	951
SAMOA	Tala	WST	882
SAN MARINO	Euro	EUR	978
SÃO TOME AND PRINCIPE	Dobra	STD	678
SAUDI ARABIA	Saudi Riyal	SAR	682
SENEGAL	CFA Franc BCEAO †	XOF	952
SERBIA	Serbian Dinar	RSD	941
SEYCHELLES	Seychelles Rupee	SCR	690
SIERRA LEONE	Leone	SLL	694
SINGAPORE	Singapore Dollar	SGD	702
SLOVAKIA	Euro	EUR	978
SLOVENIA	Euro	EUR	978
SOLOMON ISLANDS	Solomon Islands Dollar	SBD	090
SOMALIA	Somali Shilling	SOS	706
SOUTH AFRICA	Rand	ZAR	710
SPAIN	Euro	EUR	978
SRI LANKA	Sri Lanka Rupee	LKR	144
SUDAN	Sudanese Pound	SDG	938
SURINAME	Surinam Dollar	SRD	968
SVALBARD AND JAN MAYEN	Norwegian Krone	NOK	578
SWAZILAND	Lilangeni	SZL	748
SWEDEN	Swedish Krona	SEK	752
SWITZERLAND	Swiss Franc WIR Franc WIR Euro	CHF CHW CHE	756 948 947
SYRIAN ARAB REPUBLIC	Syrian Pound	SYP	760
TAIWAN, PROVINCE OF CHINA	New Taiwan Dollar	TWD	901
TAJIKISTAN	Somoni	TJS	972
TANZANIA, UNITED REPUBLIC OF	Tanzanian Shilling	TZS	834
THAILAND	Baht	THB	764
TIMOR-LESTE	US Dollar	USD	840
TOGO	CFA Franc BCEAO †	XOF	952
TOKELAU	New Zealand Dollar	NZD	554
TONGA	Pa'anga	TOP	776
TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO	Trinidad and Tobago Dollar	TTD	780
TUNISIA	Tunisian Dinar	TND	788
TURKEY	Turkish Lira	TRY	949
TURKMENISTAN	Manat	TMT	934
TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS	US Dollar	USD	840
TUVALU	Australian Dollar	AUD	036
UGANDA	Uganda Shilling	UGX	800
UKRAINE	Hryvnia	UAH	980
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES	UAE Dirham	AED	784
UNITED KINGDOM	Pound Sterling	GBP	826
UNITED STATES	US Dollar US Dollar (Same day) US Dollar (Next day)	USD USS USN	840 998 997
UNITED STATES MINOR OUTLYING ISLANDS	US Dollar	USD	840
URUGUAY	Peso Uruguayo Uruguay Peso en Unidades Indexadas	UYU UYI	858 940
UZBEKISTAN	Uzbekistan Sum	UZS	860
VANUATU	Vatu	VUV	548
VENEZUELA	Bolivar Fuerte	VEF	937
VIET NAM	Dong	VND	704
VIRGIN ISLANDS (BRITISH)	US Dollar	USD	840
VIRGIN ISLANDS (U.S.)	US Dollar	USD	840
WALLIS AND FUTUNA	CFP Franc	XPF	953
WESTERN SAHARA	Moroccan Dirham	MAD	504
YEMEN	Yemeni Rial	YER	886
ZAMBIA	Zambian Kwacha	ZMK	894
ZIMBABWE	Zimbabwe Dollar	ZWL	932

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Computer Keyboard Shortcut Keys - 2

Microsoft Excel shortcut keys

Below is a listing of all the major shortcut keys in Microsoft Excel.

Shortcut Keys	Description
F2	Edit the selected cell.
F5	Goto a specific cell. For example, C6.
F7	Spell check selected text and/or document.
F11	Create chart.
Ctrl + Shift + ;	Enter the current time.
Ctrl + ;	Enter the current date.
Alt + Shift + F1	Insert New Worksheet.
Shift + F3	Open the Excel formula window.
Shift + F5	Bring up search box.
Ctrl + A	Select all contents of the worksheet.
Ctrl + B	Bold highlighted selection.
Ctrl + I	Italic highlighted selection.
Ctrl + K	Insert link.
Ctrl + U	Underline highlighted selection.
Ctrl + 5	Strikethrough highlighted selection.
Ctrl + P	Bring up the print dialog box to begin printing.
Ctrl + Z	Undo last action.
Ctrl + F9	Minimize current window.
Ctrl + F10	Maximize currently selected window.
Ctrl + F6	Switch between open workbooks / windows.
Ctrl + Page up	Move between Excel work sheets in the same Excel document.
Ctrl + Page down	Move between Excel work sheets in the same Excel document.
Ctrl + Tab	Move between Two or more open Excel files.
Alt + =	Create a formula to sum all of the above cells
Ctrl + '	Insert the value of the above cell into cell currently selected.
Ctrl + Shift + !	Format number in comma format.
Ctrl + Shift + $	Format number in currency format.
Ctrl + Shift + #	Format number in date format.
Ctrl + Shift + %	Format number in percentage format.
Ctrl + Shift + ^	Format number in scientific format.
Ctrl + Shift + @	Format number in time format.
Ctrl + Arrow key	Move to next section of text.
Ctrl + Space	Select entire column.
Shift + Space	Select entire row.

Microsoft Word shortcut keys

Below is a listing of all the major shortcut keys in Microsoft Word.

Shortcut Keys	Description
Ctrl + A	Select all contents of the page.
Ctrl + B	Bold highlighted selection.
Ctrl + C	Copy selected text.
Ctrl + X	Cut selected text.
Ctrl + P	Open the print window.
Ctrl + F	Open find box.
Ctrl + I	Italic highlighted selection.
Ctrl + K	Insert link.
Ctrl + U	Underline highlighted selection.
Ctrl + V	Paste.
Ctrl + Y	Redo the last action performed.
Ctrl + Z	Undo last action.
Ctrl + L	Aligns the line or selected text to the left of the screen.
Ctrl + E	Aligns the line or selected text to the center of the screen.
Ctrl + R	Aligns the line or selected text to the right of the screen.
Ctrl + M	Indent the paragraph.
Ctrl + Shift + F	Change the font.
Ctrl + Shift + >	Increase selected font +1pts up to 12pt and then increases font +2pts.
Ctrl + ]	Increase selected font +1pts.
Ctrl + Shift + <	Decrease selected font -1pts if 12pt or lower, if above 12 decreases font by +2pt.
Ctrl + [	Decrease selected font -1pts.
Ctrl + Shift + *	View or hide non printing characters.
Ctrl + <left arrow>	Moves one word to the left.
Ctrl + <right arrow>	Moves one word to the right.
Ctrl + <up arrow>	Moves to the beginning of the line or paragraph.
Ctrl + <down arrow>	Moves to the end of the paragraph.
Ctrl + Del	Deletes word to right of cursor.
Ctrl + Backspace	Deletes word to left of cursor.
Ctrl + End	Moves the cursor to the end of the document.
Ctrl + Home	Moves the cursor to the beginning of the document.
Ctrl + Spacebar	Reset highlighted text to the default font.
Ctrl + 1	Single-space lines.
Ctrl + 2	Double-space lines.
Ctrl + 5	1.5-line spacing.
Ctrl + Alt + 1	Changes text to heading 1.
Ctrl + Alt + 2	Changes text to heading 2.
Ctrl + Alt + 3	Changes text to heading 3.
Ctrl + F1	Open the Task Pane.
F1	Open Help.
Alt + Ctrl + F2	Open new document.
Ctrl + F2	Display the print preview.
Shift + F3	Change the text in Microsoft Word from upper to lower case or a capital letter at the beginning of every word.
Shift + Insert	Paste.
F4	Repeat the last action performed (Word 2000+)
F5	Open the find, replace, and go to window in Microsoft Word.
Ctrl + Shift + F6	Opens to another open Microsoft Word document.
F7	Spell and grammar check selected text and/or document.
Shift + F7	Runs a Thesaurus check on the word highlighted.
F12	Save as.
Shift + F12	Save.
Ctrl + Shift + F12	Prints the document.
Alt + Shift + D	Insert the current date.
Alt + Shift + T	Insert the current time.

In addition to the above shortcut keys users can also use their mouse as a method of quickly do something commonly performed. Below some are examples of mouse shortcuts.

Mouse shortcuts	Description
Click, hold, and drag	Selects text from where you click and hold to the point you drag and let go.
Double-click	If double-click a word, selects the complete word.
Double-click	Double-clicking on the left, center, or right of a blank line will make the alignment of the text left, center, or right aligned.
Double-click	Double-clicking anywhere after text on a line will set a tab stop.
Triple-click	Selects the line or paragraph of the text the mouse triple-clicked.
Ctrl + Mouse wheel	Zooms in and out of document.

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IDC Predicts Malaysian Businesses

IDC Predicts Malaysian Businesses Will Invest Wisely In ICT To Survive The Economic Downturn In 2009

IDC, in its 2009 Top 10 Predictions of the Malaysian information and communications technology (ICT) industry, believes that opportunities still exist within the industry despite the global economic slowdown. Malaysian businesses are expected to revamp their strategies and invest prudently in ICT to remain competitive and sustain profits. Companies with lean business operations will also be in a stronger position to maximize profits as the economy recovers.

"The global economic meltdown will have a direct effect on the Malaysian ICT sector through 2009. During this period, businesses will look to quickly alter strategic business directions and invest wisely in IT. IDC believes that Malaysian companies will be in search of emerging technologies such as Green IT, Managed Services, Web 2.0 and Virtualization, to help reduce operational cost and maximize profitability; hence, creating pockets of opportunities for ICT companies operating in Malaysia," says Jaygan Fu Ponnudurai, Associate Analyst for Personal Systems at IDC Malaysia.

The following are the top 10 key predictions that IDC believes will shape the Malaysian ICT industry in 2009:

1. IT Spending Will See Light at the End of the Tunnel

Malaysia IT spending is expected to grow between 4% to 5% in 2009, surpassing the US$6 billion mark. This probable scenario is based on the current GDP growth forecast of 3.5% for 2009 by the Malaysia Institute of Economic Research, which led IDC to adjust the 2009 IT spending downwards from its previous 7.6%. Despite the global financial meltdown, IDC still sees growth in the commercial space particularly with the Financial Services Industry investing in new technology to compete globally. IDC foresees the small and medium enterprises (SMEs) segment to be more innovative in business operations, leveraging mobile technology, outsourcing of certain business functions and mail servers, to reduce operating cost.

On the other hand, consumers will need a stronger push to purchase IT-related products in 2009. The drop in consumer confidence, with ongoing news of downsizing and retrenchments, has led consumers to cut back on non-necessity items like IT products. IDC expects ICT vendors to focus on key range of products supported with heavy promotions rather than engaging in further price wars.

Finally, new services strategies are likely to take the limelight as companies look for alternative solutions to be competitive in the business space. Companies will adopt services solutions such as SaaS and managed services in order to control cost. The two key areas that IDC predicts will take off in Malaysia in 2009 will be managed security services and unified communications.

2. Mini-Notebooks To Revolutionize Traditional Go-To-Market Strategy

IDC predicts new selling strategies for mini-notebooks to materialize in 2009. Vendors will collaborate with wireless service providers (WSPs) and aggressively promote mini-notebooks to end users, moving beyond the hardware price war. The bundling strategy is particularly important in cities outside the metro areas where WSPs are currently expanding their subscriber base. As a result, vendors will need to strengthen their customer services and support or work closely with channel partners to provide these services. Channels are also required to embrace telecommunications services like broadband skill sets as consumers are likely to perceive them as a one stop center.

3. SaaS Will Gain Momentum In 2009

The concept of offering alternative delivery and deployment methods for software has a long-standing history. IDC predicts that Software as a Service (SaaS) in Malaysia will make greater strides in 2009 due to the changing market dynamics. Trying times such as this will be a push factor for organizations to adopt the SaaS model because of its low upfront cost compared with traditional licensing. IDC believes that the SaaS model will address how long an organization is tied down to a vendor as well as the time it takes to deploy the solution. The pull factor for SaaS revolves around the offerings that can be provided by vendors within a SaaS model. Vendors are not only taking notice of the SaaS model but also coming up with solutions that can be deployed. IDC believes the push and pull factors will generate the necessary synergy to start a revolution for an alternative deployment in 2009.

4. Green IT To Walk The Talk In 2009

The past couple of years has seen the term “Green IT” being actively promoted across Malaysia to generate awareness of the concept and the benefits that it can bring. IDC believes that 2009 will finally be the year where companies convert this awareness into execution. The economic situation will be the catalyst of such initiatives and accelerate the adoption of Green IT, driven by companies desperate to save costs, rather than a push by the government. IDC also feels that IT companies will start small in their investment on Green IT, for example, investing in lower cost and energy efficient PCs rather than costlier options like blade servers in the short run. According to IDC’s Asia/Pacific Green Poll 2008, more than 40% of respondents indicated they are willing to make Green IT investment on energy efficient PCs and servers within the next 12 months.

5. Managed Services, as Replacements of Products, Will Boom

Managed services is expected to boom in 2009 and beyond and become a significant alternative to product purchasing in Malaysia. With the current economic conditions, organizations are more likely to opt for the Operating Expenditure (OPEX) model instead of a Capital Expenditure (Capex) model especially in areas such as managed unified communications and managed security services. Managed unified communications adoption is expected to accelerate as vendors develop stronger partnerships with SPs such as Telekom Malaysia and Heitech Padu. Flexible services offered includes site- and network- based services, which enables end users to choose combined functionalities such as unified messaging and video conferencing without large capital outlay.

Despite the low adoption of managed security in Malaysia in 2008, the number of Managed Security Service Providers (MSSP) has increased ranging from IT system integrators, security/networking vendors to telcos. IDC believes the trend to adopt managed services will continue not only by traditional SME customers but also by enterprises in 2009. Managed Security will be realized in 2009 through hybrid approaches by MSSPs which combines the email hygiene benefits of a hosted service with the granular policy enforcement and data loss prevention benefits of a managed environment.

6. Competition Between Wired and Wireless Broadband Service Providers

As emerging Internet SPs embark on a more aggressive roll out of broadband services, 2009 will see the broadband industry engaging in a two-way power struggle between traditional ADSL and new wireless transmissions. Since a variety of wireless technologies including fixed wireless access, hotspots, 3G HSDPA, I-burst and WIMAX, exist in Malaysia, the incumbent SP, Telekom Malaysia (TM), cannot afford to be slow in counter responding to what the wireless SPs have to offer. In fact, TM has recently invested heavily in expanding their hotspot coverage. IDC therefore foresees an all-out war on broadband services, as SPs compete fiercely to gain market share. In order to gain a competitive edge, SPs will intensify their strategic moves which includes service differentiation in terms of service coverage, mobility and innovation of customer premises equipments (CPEs) in sizes and colors. In addition, partnerships will also arise between SPs and hardware vendors through bundling programs.

7. Every Cloud Has A Silver Lining

The current economic situation is pushing companies to look at ways to leverage existing IT-based systems to compete more efficiently and effectively in the business environment. As one of the new, alternative computing models, cloud computing allows existing IT capabilities to be extended or new capabilities added with no or a low upfront fee as it minimizes investments in new infrastructure, training new personnel or licensing of new software. Cloud computing is a usage based model where the customer only pays for what they actually use. In today's economic environment, this makes a lot of sense for the budget-constrained companies. There are opportunities for cloud computing in the government, healthcare and manufacturing industries as these organizations invest heavily in IT systems and infrastructure while at the same time searching for cost savings. The nature of cloud computing also makes it suitable for the budget and resource constrained SMEs, where not requiring in-house teams to deploy and manage the solutions is a huge advantage to this sector. IT vendors will also benefit from cloud computing as it allows them to combine their vertical industry knowledge, IT products and service and support offerings into highly relevant customer solutions and expands their sales portfolio IT systems capabilities, hence resulting in more business opportunities.

8. Mobile Operators To Continue With Strategic 3G Network Expansion In Year 2009

In 2009, mobile operators in Malaysia will continue to invest in 3G-network expansion and infrastructure upgrade projects. DiGi is expected to launch its 3G services in 2009, while other 3G players are already planning their launch strategies. IDC believes 3G mobile operators will take this opportunity to invest in more 3G base stations, despite a weakened economic environment, and benefit from this investment once the economy recovers. Since the second half of 2007,subscribers have been moving from 2G to 3G services. Hence, it is important for 3G mobile operators to provide coverage in green field areas in order to increase their 3G subscriber base. This is also an opportunity for mobile operators to put pressure on vendors to provide cheaper network equipments given the economic situation. Falling prices of 3G mobile phones will also encourage the adoption by potential subscribers.

9. Web 2.0 Blitz Is Key To Customer Links

IDC predicts the enterprise sector in Malaysia to put additional efforts into reaching and understanding their customers better through the use of web 2.0 technology in 2009. Since the rise in Internet usage, effective Internet sites and online support has become a key determinant in deciding which products or services to buy. This trend is expected to grow even further in 2009, where Web 2.0 will play a major part in developing customer loyalty and securing the existing customer base. Networking tools such as Facebook, Linkedin and Friendster among others, will be leveraged to provide potential sales leads. Sales representative can prepare better presentations and provide additional value to clients based on the information available through the sites. Inputs and feedbacks acquired from online discussion forums, social network sites and blogging sites can be utilized to further improve products.

10. Virtualization Will Gain Momentum In The Enterprise Space

The adoption of virtualization technologies is expected to gain traction as companies look for flexibility in utilizing resources, in the face of existing pressure to cut energy cost and maintain high ROIs. IDC predicts the adoption of server virtualization in Malaysia to grow over the course of 2009 as organizations explore virtualization solutions for their businesses. According to IDC’s Asia/Pacific Continuum survey in 2008, 60% of the Malaysian respondents had already deployed some form of virtualization in their x86 server environment. However, only 13% had virtualized more than 50% of their x86 servers. Hence, opportunities for service providers to offer virtualization solutions are readily available.

IDC’s annual Predictions for the ICT market in Malaysia draws upon latest IDC research and a worldwide brainstorming exercise among IDC’s 900+ analysts. This was followed by an extensive regional review to weigh in on key industry events, user trends, vendor strategies and economic measures, that promises to uniquely define the technology trends which would impact and drive the ICT market in Malaysia for 2009. Across the globe, following the release of IDC’s global top ten and IDC’s APEJ top ten, geographic and technology teams will be releasing their own specific predictions in the up coming months.

Source: >> IDC

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NASA telescope will hunt for Earth-like planets

NASA will soon be on the lookout for possible Earths in one faraway corner of the galaxy. A planet-hunting spacecraft, named Kepler after the German 17th -century astrophysicist, is scheduled to rocket away from Cape Canaveral late Friday night. Excellent launch weather is forecast.

The telescope will spend 3 1/2 years staring at roughly 100,000 stars, measuring their brightness and any winks in the light that might signify orbiting planets.

"We certainly won't find E.T., but we might find E.T.'s home by looking at all of these stars," Bill Boruki, Kepler's principal scientist, said Thursday.

Ed Weiler, NASA's associate administrator for science, said Kepler is not just another science mission.

"It very possibly could tell us that Earths are very, very common, that we have lots of neighbors out there, or it could tell us that Earths are really, really, really rare," Weiler said at a press conference.

 

Associated Press

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NASA global warming satellite lands in ocean

 

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. – A rocket carrying a NASAglobal warming satellite splashed into the ocean near Antarctica early Tuesday after a failed launch.

The Taurus XL rocket carrying the Orbiting Carbon Observatory blasted off just before 2 a.m. from California's Vandenberg Air Force Base.

But minutes later, a cover protecting the satellite during launch failed to separate from the rocket, a preliminary investigation found.

The 986-pound satellite was supposed to be placed into an orbit some 400 miles high to track carbon dioxide emissions.

"Certainly for the science community it's a huge disappointment," said John Brunschwyler, Taurus project manager for Orbital Sciences Corp., which built the rocket and satellite. "It's taken so long to get here."

The project was nine years in the making.

The rocket landed in the ocean near Antarctica. A group of environment ministers from more than a dozen countries met on the southern continent this week to get the latest science on global warming.

NASA said it will convene a team of experts to investigate the loss of the satellite.

The observatory was NASA's first satellite dedicated to monitoring carbon dioxide on a global scale. Measurements collected from the $280 million mission were expected to improve climate models and help researchers determine where the greenhouse gas originates and how much is being absorbed by forests and oceans.

Last month, Japan successfully launched the world's first satellite to monitor global warming emissions.

Scientists currently depend on 282 land-based stations — and scattered instrumented aircraft flights — to monitor carbon dioxide at low altitudes.

Carbon dioxide is the leading greenhouse gas and its buildup helps trap heat from the sun, causing potentially dangerous warming of the planet. Carbon dioxide emissions rose 3 percent worldwide from 2006 to 2007, according to international science agencies.

Associated Press

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Google Founders Buy Fighter Jet… to Help NASA

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Five recycling mysteries solved!

Wondering what to do with your stash of old batteries or the cans of unneeded paint taking up space in your garage? You know you shouldn't throw them out, but it really is time to get rid of them.

Resist the temptation to toss them in the trash anyway. The reason: They (and everything on the list below) contain toxic chemicals capable of contaminating the environment if not disposed of properly.

Unlike items that are picked up at the curb, you'll have to make a special effort to unload these ones responsibly. But, with a little advance planning and some good info, you'll see that it's really quite simple to dispose of these seemingly mysterious items. Here's how:

• Batteries. Recycling rechargeable batteries is fairly easy. Home Depot, Staples, Radio Shack, Best Buy, and other retailers take them back free of charge. There are fewer options for single-use batteries, but look for bins at your local Whole Foods Market, Ikea, or library. Otherwise, your best bet is the local household hazardous waste drop-off site. Where is it and what are your closest drop-off options? Search here for answers.
  
• CFLs. These energy-efficient bulbs are becoming easier to get rid of. Just drop old bulbs off at any Home Depot or Ikea for free recycling. Or ask about CFL recycling at your local Ace Hardware or home improvement store. You can search for other nearby solutions.
  
• Electronics. Every retailer that takes back rechargeable batteries also accepts mobile phones, as do most wireless providers. For computers, cameras, televisions, and others it's worthwhile do a little homework because some stores charge fees depending on item and brand. Check out Best Buy, Staples, and Office Depot to see what's the best fit. Some places, like Radio Shack, have trade-in programs where you can receive store credit for your old gadgets.
  
• Motor Oil. In case you need some motivation, consider this factoid from Earth911: Every gallon of used motor oil that's improperly disposed of can contaminate one million gallons of drinking water. Bring it to Wal-Mart, Autozone, Jiffy Lube, or search online for more convenient choices.
  
• Paint. It's among the harder items in this group to dispose of, but it's worth it and totally doable. If the paint is still in good shape, consider donating it. As of now, there aren't any retailers that accept used paint so you'll need to make a special trip. Search Earth911 for a comprehensive list of options.
  Green Yahoo! 

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AUSTRALIA PEOPLE

Population:	21,007,310 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:	0-14 years: 18.8% (male 2,022,151/female 1,919,002) 15-64 years: 67.9% (male 7,233,555/female 7,038,722) 65 years and over: 13.3% (male 1,266,166/female 1,527,714) (2008 est.)
Median age:	total: 37.1 years male: 36.4 years female: 37.9 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:	1.221% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:	12.55 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:	6.68 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:	6.34 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Sex ratio:	at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.83 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2008 est.)

 

Infant mortality rate:	total: 4.82 deaths/1,000 live births male: 5.15 deaths/1,000 live births female: 4.47 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:	total population: 81.53 years male: 79.16 years female: 84.02 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:	1.78 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:	0.1% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:	14,000 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:	fewer than 200 (2003 est.)
Nationality:	noun: Australian(s) adjective: Australian
Ethnic groups:	white 92%, Asian 7%, aboriginal and other 1%
Religions:	Catholic 26.4%, Anglican 20.5%, other Christian 20.5%, Buddhist 1.9%, Muslim 1.5%, other 1.2%, unspecified 12.7%, none 15.3% (2001 Census)
Languages:	English 79.1%, Chinese 2.1%, Italian 1.9%, other 11.1%, unspecified 5.8% (2001 Census)
Literacy:	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% male: 99% female: 99% (2003 est.)

 

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Pet Owners Live A Longer Life

Some says that man's best friend, the dog can be a person's personal fitness trainer. Requiring frequent walks sharing unconditional love with its owner, a dog that matches well with your lifestyle and personality can bring much joy while helping you shed pounds.

 

Scientifically proven

The Hindu newspaperrecently reported pet owners have an edge over others and live a healthier and longer life as compared to those who do not own a pet. The finding is based on a study conducted by the German Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP) funded by the State Ministry of Research and Development (BMBF). Based on the research report, the percentage of people without pet visiting a doctor was 18.5 percent more than pet-owners. The report also mentioned that pet owners who had a pet for more than five years benifited the most in terms of health and general well-being.

Better health and longer life

A recent reported in the British Journal of Health Psychology by Dr. Deborah Wells, a psychologist from Queen's University in Belfast, mentioned that dog owners tend to have lower blood pressure and cholesterol. The discovery was made after she studied over 5000 people at the Baker Medical Researched Institute in Melbourne. It revealed that pet owners had significantly lower systolic blood pressure and harmful blood fats than non-owners. The ability of companion pets to reduce our overall stress level probably accounts for most of their life-extending qualities.

Infact, according to a study of how psychological factors contribute to recovery rates for heart-disease patients, pet ownership ranked highest-even above such factors as a spouse or a supportive family in determining the patient's prognosis for long-term survival. This proves that having a dog as a pet resulted in a fewer medical complaints and there was some evidence that dogs could help their owners' recovery from serious illnesses such heart attacks. Owning a dog or a pet in general, not only contributes to a person's well-being, but also to overall happiness which leads to a longer lifespan.

Get a pet now!

Studies have proven that people who own a pet actually live longer than people who don't have a pet! The reasons are most likely to an array of psychological factors, such as the fact that owning a pet decreases loneliness and depression, encourages laughter and nurturing, and stimulates exercise. These medical studies prove what most of us already know, that life is much better with a favourite animal pal.

 

If you want to enjoy a longer and healthier life,go get a pet now!

 

Source:ezyhealth & beauty Magazine

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For Gents

Supercharge your testosterone

 

Use these food to augment your manly essence and you'll get more muscle, lose more fat and improve your sex drive.

 

1. Eggs

Eggs are rich in healthy cholesterol, an important building block needed for your body to manufacture testosterone, found studies in the Journal Of Urology. They are also crammed with more protein than any other food and are loaded with testosterone-increasing zinc. The chicken breast is also a good protein-rich substitute.

 

2. Peanut Butter

Research in the International Journal Of Sport Medicine found that man who ate diet rich in monounsaturated fat - the kind found in peanuts - had the highest testosterone levels. Don't limit yourself to peanut; crack on to all varieties of nuts.

 

 

 

 

3. Plain yoghurt

Yoghurt offers a three-way attack against low testosterone by giving you the benifits of protein, zinc and fat. Research publish in the American Journal Of Clinical Nutrition found that when men had low zinc levels, they had decreased semen and testosterone levels. Other good source of zinc are oysters, beef, pumkin seeds and chicken liver.

 

 

 

4. Broccoli

Giving your man juices a lift can be as simple as swapping peas and carrots for broccoli and sprouts. Cruciferous veggies like these reduce oestrogen levels and make testosterone more prevalent in your body, found research in the journal Metabolism.

 

 

5. Whey protein

Protein is vital for the manufacture of testosterone, found a study in the Journal Of Clinical Endocrinology And Metabolism. You'll absorb 93 per cent in an egg, 85 per cent of the protein in whey protein, but only 74 per cent of the protein in a steak. Whey is also proven to help you lose body and build more muscle.

 

6. Cabbage

It's rammed with IC3, a phyto-chemical that increases your testosterone levels. A study at Rockefeller University Hospital, USA found that when men were given doses of IC3, their oestrogen (your female hormone) levels dropped by 50, while testosterone levels were boosted.

 

 

 7. Garlic

Eating more garlic will get you more sex. Garlic's active ingredient, allicin, enhances testosterone production, found a study in the Journal Of Nuteition.

 

 

 

 

 8. Oats

Oats produce chemicals that free more testosterone, which allows more of it to surge through your blood stream and and get to work to make you manliner. Research at the San Francisco Institute for Advanced Study of Human Sexuality found that including oats in your diet improved men's libidos (can indicator of high testosterone) in just eight weeks.

 

9. Sunflower seeds

This rabbit food is a nutritional powerhouse of vitamin E. Research in the Journal Of Plant Foods For Human Nutrition found that vitamin E has a positive effect on your testosterone levels. Just 28g will give you 84 per cent of your RDA, making them the richest source you can eat.

 

 

10. Avocado

If you're going to consciously eat one food to increase your testosterone, choose an avocado. This is what you'll get: vitamins A,B,C,D,E and K, folic acid, potassium (which are all essencial for your testosterone gland to function efficiently), and helping of fats and fibre along with a small serving of zinc and protein.

 

 

 

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5 Ways to live longer

        Who doesn't want to live aripe old age? Of course, there are certain things such as genetics that will influence our lifespan, but there are also other ways to add years. Here are some of them:

 

1. Don't worry, Be happy

               Worrywarts may shorten their lives with their "habit". According to a Purdue University study, the added stress load carried by exercise worriers places them at a 50 percent risk of early from all causes compared to relaxed people. Yale University researchers also found that an optimistic outlook increases life span by at lease seven years. So the next time you dwell on the negative, stop and think happy thoughts.

 

2. Floss Daily

                Cleaning between your teeth not only hleps get rid of and prevent gum disease-causing plague, but also a range of other problems including heart disease, stroke and premature births. Studies have shown that the same bacteria that causes periodontal disease like gingivitis also trigger and immune response, which causes the swelling of the arteries and constricts blood flow- thus increasing the risk of cardiovascular disease. So start flossing now.

 

3. Get Moving

                 According to the Framingham Heart Study, walking just half an hour a day can lengthen your life. And if you're leading a sedentary lifestyle, just 10 minutes of moderate activity daily will boost fitness to extend your life, adds Louisiana State University exercise researchers. Working out regularly can also help you maintain a healthy weight, which can ward off ailments such as type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure. Better still, add weight training to the mix to strengthen your muscles and bones, and to keep you from developing disease like asteoporosis, says Dr Michael Roizen, co-author of " You: Staying Young. "

 

4. Stub It Out

                 Because the damage caused by smoking is cumulative, the longer a person smoke, the greater his risk of developing lung cancer or heart disease. Those who quit by age 35 live an average of six to eight years longer than those who continue to light up. Just after a yearof quitting, the risk of heart attack falls to about half that of smoker; within 10 years, the risk of lung cancer falls to about half that of smoker; and after 15 years, the risk of death falls to almost the same level as someone who has never smoke.

 

5. Eat Smart

                  One reason the town of Okinawa in Japan has more centenarians than anywhere else on earth is the residents' antioxdant-rich diet of fish, touful and vegetables. Researchers say this type of diet affords protection against heart disease, cancer and stroke. The source of antioxidants is crucial. A Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health study found that taking vitamin C or E or beta-carotene pills had no significant effect on mortality, but eating fruits and vegetables helped prevent cancer and heart disease. Go for deep-coloured options such as spinach, sweet potatoes and strawberries.

 

 

The Malaysia Women's Weekly Magazine, September 2008

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