BrowserCheck Business Edition

Large companies have IT personnel responsible for tracking software users have on their computers. For the small business, the task generally falls to end-users and one IT person already burdened with a long to-do list. If the user doesn't keep up with updates and IT doesn't notice, that is a security risk. Considering the amount of Web-based threats out there, the free BrowserCheck scanner from Qualys is a quick way to ensure Web browsers and installed plug-ins are up-to-date.

Cyber-criminals have a choice between buying?or creating?attacks targeting either zero-day vulnerabilities or older security flaws. The latter type is much cheaper and readily available. ?Recent research has shown a significant number of computers run outdated software. Targeting older software can be pretty lucrative.

Qualys offers BrowserCheck (three stars) for personal use and BrowserCheck Business Edition, both for free. The personal version scans the end user's computer and generates a security profile right away. BrowserCheck Business Edition collects the scan results from each computer and displays them in a dashboard. At one glance, the administrator can tell what browsers and plug-ins have been installed. For Windows machines, administrators can also check the status of antivirus and firewall protection, as well as the latest security updates via Windows Update. Thanks to automated scanning, BrowserCheck Business Edition allows administrators to schedule future scans to monitor any changes to the computer's software security profile.

Getting Started
I signed up for a BrowserCheck Business Edition on the Qualys site with a non-webmail account, as Qualys does not accept addresses from Web providers such as Gmail, Yahoo and Hotmail. Businesses that don't have their own domain name and rely on these email services are blocked from using the scanner, unless they have some other email address to use instead.

The dashboard's tables and graphs offer a bird's-eye view of how many insecure browsers and plug-ins are in the organization. I viewed detailed scanning results for each system and historic reports, as well as platform statistics, such as the most frequently installed plug-ins and browsers.

BrowserCheck supports server and desktop Windows versions all the way from Windows 2000 to Windows 8, Mac OS X, and Linux. I ran a basic scan using the stock Web browser for Android but not for Firefox, and I didn't test on iOS. Qualys can also analyze alternative Web browsers, such as Maxthon, Seamonkey, and Rockmelt.

BrowserCheck, Administrator
The administrator controls all the BrowserCheck settings, such as scanning all the browsers installed on the computer at the same time, checking if the antivirus, firewall, and Windows Update are turned on (Windows only), looking for missing Microsoft Security Updates (also Windows only), and setting up an automated scheduler.

The administrator can send the customized Quick Scan URL listed under account settings to users. When someone clicks on this link, BrowserCheck scans the computer and saves the results back to the dashboard. The no-install scanner can check the plug-ins and version number for that browser only. This is a nice and simple way for the administrator to see all the results of all the machines in one place. Even so, the BrowserCheck plug-in is the better option.

Administrators can email the link to the plug-in and ask users to install it manually, or push out the MSI agent onto the computers via a software distribution tool or a script. If the organization didn't already have a software distribution tool that can push out files to user computers, administrators would have to rely on users, or take the time to make the rounds and install the plug-in themselves.

BrowserCheck can also be silent, where the user doesn't get to see the results of the scan as it is sent directly to the dashboard.

BrowserCheck, User-Side
All the end-user has to worry about is clicking on the Quick Scan link from IT to run the no-install scanner or downloading and installing the plug-in. The administrator determines what to scan and how often, making the process really simple for the user.

The plug-in-based scanner collects machine information, such as the operating system and the machine name, and associates the scan results with the machine name in the dashboard. The no-install scanner results are saved without any machine-identifying information. It's more helpful to tell the administrator which computer has the outdated Java plug-in, rather than just saying one computer needed to be updated.

If "silent mode" wasn't on, the user would see the results, a list of all installed plug-ins and their statuses. BrowserCheck has 13 different types of statuses, such as Obsolete and Retired. Outdated ones appear first, with red "Insecure Version" and blue "Fix It" buttons, followed by yellow "Update Available" buttons to indicate the updates were non-security related. Up-to-date plug-ins have green buttons, and all the ones BrowserCheck doesn't recognize have gray "Unknown" buttons.

Clicking on "Fix It" or "Update Available" buttons downloads the latest versions, but there's no way to automate getting the latest updates.

The scan results page look very similar to Mozilla's own plugin check.?With BrowserCheck, though, I could view the status of the plugins for each browser, along with system-specific data for Windows machines. I was concerned that nearly half of the plug-ins were flagged as "unknown" by BrowserCheck. While great for Windows OS and for common plug-ins, there is quite a lot the scanner doesn't recognize.

BrowserCheck for Security
For small businesses falling behind on patch management and regular software updates, BrowserCheck Business Edition is a great first step. There is nothing worse in security than not doing anything at all, so being able to see which computers have unsafe browsers or are missing security updates is a positive move.

If you just want a quick system that will tell you the state of your browsers and operating systems across your Windows network, BrowserCheck is sufficient. If you don't have a way to automatically deploy the MSI across all the computers, BrowserCheck will not be as effective as you depend on the users to install the plug-in. BrowserCheck Business Edition is the easiest way to ensure browsers and plug-ins within your organization are up-to-date with the latest security patches. If you need a little bit more, such as automated patching, investing in a more robust platform such as Panorama9?may be the way to go.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ziffdavis/pcmag/~3/7Fd-YK4CUfI/0,2817,2417226,00.asp

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Mozilla, Epic Bring Unreal 3 Gaming Engine to the Web - Webmonkey

Mozilla has partnered with Epic Games to bring the Unreal 3 gaming engine to the web. The result is a high-end gaming engine that could change the way you think of web-based games.

The Unreal 3 engine has previously been ported to Flash, but this is the first time a plugin-free (and therefore mobile-friendly) version has been built for the web.

Mozilla is hoping this project will help turn the web into a more serious gaming platform capable of running top-tier console titles.

Combining WebGL, Emscripten, a tool for compiling C++ apps into JavaScript, and the brand new asm.js, Unreal 3 for the web can, according to Mozilla, ?rival native performance.?

While the Unreal 3 port is incredibly cool, there are still some stumbling blocks on the path to the web as a top-tier gaming platform, not the least of which is that load times for most games would be massive. Think hours, not minutes, to stream the complex graphics from a server to your mobile device ? probably not something anyone particularly wants to sit through.

In other words, while Mozilla and Epic have made some impressive progress bringing Unreal 3 to JavaScript, it?s still going to be a while before you?re playing your favorite console games on the web.

However, Mozilla says it is ?working with premium game publishers such as Disney, EA and ZeptoLab who are using the same technology to bring performance optimizations to their top-rated games.? The company is also hoping other browsers will make it possible to run the Unreal engine in their own JavaScript engines. The Chromium project is already discussing just how to do it.

For more on the project and to catch a glimpse of Unreal 3 running in the browser, check out the video below.

Source: http://www.webmonkey.com/2013/03/mozilla-epic-bring-unreal-3-gaming-engine-to-the-web/

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How diabetes drug delays aging in worms

Mar. 28, 2013 ? A widely prescribed type 2 diabetes drug slows down the aging process by mimicking the effects of dieting, according to a study published today using worms to investigate how the drug works.

Following a calorie-restricted diet has been shown to improve health in later life and extend lifespan in a number of animals, ranging from the simple worm to rhesus monkeys. The type 2 diabetes drug metformin has been found to have similar effects in animals but until now it was not clear exactly how the drug delays the aging process.

Researchers supported by the Wellcome Trust and Medical Research Council looked at the effects of metformin on C. elegans worms that were grown in the presence of E. coli bacteria, a relationship similar to that which humans have with the 'healthy' bacteria in our gut. They found that the worms treated with metformin lived longer only when the E. coli strain they were cultured with was sensitive to the drug.

Dr Filipe Cabreiro from the Institute of Healthy aging at UCL, who led the research, explains: "Overall, treatment with metformin adds up to 6 days of life for the worm which is equivalent to around a third of its normal lifespan. It seems to work by altering metabolism in the bacteria that live in the worm, which in turn limits the nutrients that are available to the worm host and has a similar effect to restricting the diet."

Bacteria living in the gut have an important role in helping the host organism to digest and extract nutrition from food. Defects in gut bacteria have been linked to metabolic diseases such as obesity, diabetes, inflammatory bowel disease and cancer. It has also been suggested that gut bacteria may have an impact on the aging process, but this is the first study to suggest a mechanism for how this works.

The team used strains of E. coli with defects in genes that are linked to metabolism and tweaked the levels of nutrients available to tease out which metabolic pathways might be affected by the drug. They found that treatment with metformin disrupted the bacteria's ability to metabolise folate, a type of B-vitamin, and methionine, one of the building blocks of proteins. This limits the nutrients that are available to the worm and mimics the effects of dietary restriction to enable the worms to live longer.

However, when they added an excess of sugar to the diet, the team found that the life-extending effects of metformin were cancelled out. As the drug is used as a treatment for diabetes caused by elevated glucose levels in the blood, this finding is particular relevant for understanding how the drug works in people.

Professor David Gems, who directed the study, said: "We don't know from this study whether metformin has any effect on human aging. The more interesting finding is the suggestion that drugs that alter bacteria in the gut could give us a new way of treating or preventing metabolic diseases like obesity and diabetes."

Metformin is currently one of the most widely prescribed drugs and the findings should help to inform how it is used in patients.

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Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Wellcome Trust, via EurekAlert!, a service of AAAS.

Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.

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Journal Reference:

1. Filipe Cabreiro, Catherine Au, Kit-Yi Leung, Nuria Vergara-Irigaray, Helena?M. Cochem?, Tahereh Noori, David Weinkove, Eugene Schuster, Nicholas?D.E. Greene, David Gems. Metformin Retards Aging in C.?elegans by Altering Microbial Folate and Methionine Metabolism. Cell, 2013; 153 (1): 228 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2013.02.035

Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.

Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/top_news/top_science/~3/tv-92dVqdys/130328125106.htm

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Beavers help contain fuel spill, recover slowly

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) -- Talk about unlikely heroes.

A group of at least six beavers at a Utah bird refuge have emerged as key players in helping contain a fuel leak that left half of them with severe burns. The Chevron Corp. fuel spill leaked about 27,000 gallons of crude oil into soil and marshes at Willard Bay State Park last week after a split in a Salt Lake City-to- Spokane, Wash. pipeline.

The beavers' dam blocked a hefty portion of diesel from rolling onto the bay, though it's uncertain exactly how much, officials said. Three of the beavers were rescued earlier this week, and three more that were rescued Tuesday night are being cared for under a Wildlife Rehabilitation Center of Northern Utah program.

"That dam absolutely saved the bay," said Dalyn Erickson, a wildlife specialist running the program. The dam held fuel in place and kept it from going any further, she said.

The beavers that were part of the group rescued Tuesday night had burns on their skin and eyes, and only patches of fur left on their bodies. Erickson said she worries that some of the newly rescued beavers might not survive the fallout from the spill. It's unknown whether any other beavers might remain near the fuel leak site and have yet to be rescued, officials said.

One of the new beavers, a head-strong mother, is resisting the three-a-day cleanings with Dawn dish soap. So Erickson and other workers had to sedate her. Workers brought in more than 40 large bottles of the soap to scrub the beavers clean during their hour-long baths.

The three animals rescued earlier in the week arrived at the center slicked with fuel but burn-free. They now show signs of recovery, Erickson said. For example, they're rubbing their bellies in an effort to groom themselves. One of them can't stop eating, Erickson says, a sign that he's getting stronger. Another is breathing gustily because the diesel burnt his nostrils. The last one is still exhausted, dozing off during bath time.

Protecting other animals and plants is part of the beavers' daily routine, said Phil Douglass, spokesman for the Department of Wildlife Resources. Beavers are natural homemakers, he said, crediting beaver dams, or "lodges," for drawing moose to Utah because moose like still waters for drinking. The dams also keep the water cool for trout and make surrounding areas healthier by inviting more plant growth.

The leak is Chevron's third in Utah in the last three years. In June 2010, a spill involved more than 30,000 gallons of crude oil near Red Butte Gardens in Salt Lake City. And in December 2010, a leak near the same site involved about 21,000 gallons.

John Whitehead of the Division of Water Quality said trace amounts of fuel seeped into the ground, then bled into the bay, but did not flow overtop the water. The state is studying water samples to see how the spill could affect people, animals and birds around the refuge.

Investigators are still working to determine the exact cause of the spill.

The Federal office dealing with pipelines has barred Chevron from reopening the pipeline until it gets government approval.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/beavers-help-contain-fuel-spill-124319171.html

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The Sne Stand Cradles Your iPad In Its Graceful Curve

We've all spent a lifetime staring at TVs several feet away, so it makes sense that man lacks the requisite strength to hold a tablet for prolonged viewing sessions. Resorting to a stand is nothing to be ashamed of, particularly if it's got the graceful curves of the sne. More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/0HcwKkuee4E/the-sne-stand-cradles-your-ipad-in-its-graceful-curve

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How to Write a Screenplay: 7 Starting Tips for Adapting Your Own ...

How to Write a Screenplay: 7 Starting Tips for Adapting Your Own Novel

photo by esotericsean

Plenty of times, writers come up with an idea for a novel that could translate visually to film. The good news is that if you want to see your manuscript converted into a screenplay, there are two different routes that would make an adaptation possible.

Most books that get released by a major publisher or are repped by an established agency get passed to an agent who tries to drum up interest in film/TV rights for a project. This makes total sense. A writer creates a good story, so the obvious goal is to sell it through every means possible ? be that print books, e-books, foreign rights translations, serial excerpts, audio books, and, yes, movies/TV. If your new book-to-film agent (usually brought onboard by your book agent) can generate adaptation interest from producers, your work gets bought/optioned by Hollywood, and you?re off and running. This exact thing happened to my humor book, How to Survive a Garden Gnome Attack. Sony optioned the book and hired a screenwriter to adapt the work.
But what if you want to see your work adapted into a screenplay, but are either indie-publishing it or the work hasn?t sold yet? The obvious option is to ?

ADAPT IT YOURSELF: 7 IMPORTANT TIPS FOR BEGINNERS
You can always just take matters into your own hands and compose the script yourself on spec. But the truth is that writing a screenplay is a completely different monster than tackling a novel or memoir. If your finished product doesn?t fit the usual mold of what a screenplay should look like, then a producer or agent won?t even consider it, and your time was wasted. So with that in mind, I wanted to lay out several simple-yet-important tips on how to write a script for any persons considering adapting their own book into a screenplay. Keeping in mind there is still much more to learn beyond this post, here are 7 basic pieces of advice to get you started if the concept of scriptwriting is new to you.

1. Watch your length.
Just as books have typical word count ranges, screenplays have length requirements, too ? and the recommended length for a beginner?s screenplay is 90-109 pages. Since each page represents one minute of screentime, that sets up your movie to be 90-109 minutes. Most writers go wrong in this arena by trending long.

2. Screenplays thrive on minimalism.
Always be thinking about how to cut, cut, cut. Screenplays rely on brevity. When characters have to say something, the best value you can provide is getting your point across in as few words of dialogue as possible. When you have to describe a scene or explain that a helicopter explodes, the quicker you can properly convey such information, the better you are. Give us information and dialogue in short, quick bursts. A lot of your novel will end up on the cutting room floor throughout the adaptation ? and that?s OK. Plenty of a novel/memoir content does not translate well visually to the screen, so cutting out sections or characters or subplots actually will improve your final script. (If you?re not good at killing your darlings, perhaps screenwriting is not the best arena for you.)

And speaking of minimalism, it?s your job to write, not direct. That means you should never include any camera notes such as ?Dolly in? or ?Close up.? Avoid these directorial cues on every page.
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Source: http://beattiesbookblog.blogspot.com/2013/03/how-to-write-screenplay-7-starting-tips.html

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Planning & Preparing For Your Big Island Family Vacation

Royal Kona Resort on Hawaii wants all its visitors to have a safe and happy time, which is why it is publishing several articles on its website for present and future visitors. The articles will offer a checklist and a number of sensible suggestions from Royal Kona management and staff about planning and enjoying a Hawaii family vacation.

The first article concerns the preparation stage, and contains a list of must-bring items that prospective tourists and vacationers will sorely miss if they forget to pack them. Vacationers are encouraged to bring plenty of beach clothes such as swimsuits, shorts and tank tops, as well as a hat to protect them from the intense tropical sun. Sunscreen is a must, lest one wakes up one sunny breezy morning with one's skin on fire and a very large down-draft to any further joy and mobility.

Counter-intuitively, it can also be useful to pack a warm coat, jacket and other well-insulated clothes - these will come in useful if you are interested in visiting Mauna Kea. The mountain tops out at almost 14,000 feet above sea level, and it can get rather chilly at even half that altitude.

Visitors are also urged to make copies of credit card information, as well as identification and other important documents. With the mainland thousands of miles away, the loss of a wallet can be a rather significant inconvenience; while local authorities are competent and friendly, having back-ups of as much paperwork as possible will ensure a much easier time for you if anything happens to your ID or payment methods.

The article also discusses when it's appropriate to rent a car for increased mobility on the Big Island. True to its name, it's a fairly sizable place, and if you'd like to go afield of Kailua-Kona and are interested in exploring some of the island's far-flung wonders, a rental vehicle will give you much more flexibility and cost far less than a taxi service. It may be a good idea to inquire about availability and make reservations in advance, rather than hoping to find a car on arrival - Hawaii is always a happening place, and you're not always guaranteed to find a vehicle.

There is a number of other suggestions in the article - on good places to find food, such as Royal Kona's famous Don the Beachcomber restaurant; places to get the signature Hawaiian drink Mai Tai, transportation to the nearest shopping district and many more.

The staff of Royal Kona is happy to help everyone plan a great Hawaii family vacation that will go off without a hitch and leave every visitor with a smile and a bevy of glowing memories.

Source: http://www.articlesnatch.com/Article/Planning---Preparing-For-Your-Big-Island-Family-Vacation/4505789

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Enjoy now for greatest entertainment at home tonight!

EliteFitness.com Discussion Boards Message

Dear friend and fellow athlete, Thank you for visiting the Elite Fitness Discussion Boards. You have read more than allowed quota for non-member visitors and need to register if you want to look at more. Do not worry, registration is FREE and it only takes 7 seconds (we timed it)! You'll also get a free weekly copy our Elite Fitness News e-Magazine. It's filled with free articles on underground bodybuilding, new features of the EliteFitness.com site and special promotions! Please register now and become a member to remove the message quota and read as many messages as you like on our boards! You'll also be able to post too. If you are not a board member yet, please register as a new member now. If you are already a member, please visit forum page and login to the site to remove the message quota. Yours in sport, George Spellwin

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Make A Difference With These Affiliate Marketing Tips - AdvSecret.com

By Kazuki Marsell

An affiliate marketing program can be a great way to earn an extra income through your website! In order for affiliate marketing to be successful for both you and the affiliates you work with, there are some things you must know. The following tips have been used by many experienced affiliate companies to make their programs more successful.

Offering prizes and contests on your site is a great affiliate marketing technique. You will find this to be a great method of generating repeat visitors and helping those individuals communicate information about the incentive to others if they find it particularly appealing.

If a company is offering 100% commission, it is not necessarily a scam. Read any fine print you find, no matter how large the urge to reject it right away. Some companies will pay you 100 percent on the first sale, but retain the rights to subsequent purchases. This can really pad your pocket, so be on the lookout for it.

Once you have established yourself, you should ask the program you?re affiliated with for more money. If you are generating enough sales, the marketing program you joined will be eager to keep you.

If you use the product you are marketing, it instills an overall sense of trust in the product. Write reviews and articles about your own experience with the product so that people know they can trust your judgment. Discussing your personal experience with the products in forums can help attract potential customers. Always include a link so you will never miss an opportunity to make a sale.

If you?re just starting out with affiliate marketing, you should look for affiliates that are offering the services or products that you?re interested in selling. Getting agreements executed with several affiliate companies gives you a wide variety of products and services to sell, bringing you many income streams. Do your research before choosing an affiliate, you need to know who you are getting involved with.

In order to help you with affiliate marketing you?re going to want to make small every day goals for yourself. You can have a task bar that will give you what you need to do.

Get to know your audience when you are setting goals to become a successful affiliate marketer. You need to find what your audience needs and work hard to meet those needs. Determine why they are visiting your website. What are your visitors reading on your site?

Specialty goods can help you make higher profits. You may actually see higher revenue from these markets than with more popular sites.

This is a process that is vulnerable to abuse, which you and the affiliates your work with must avoid. This can be an annoyance to visitors. Worse yet, it can compromise tracking chains, or facilitate the spread of computer viruses.

Use positive language to help market your product. Wording that has negative connotations (for example g.

You should always be honest with your readers if you wish to be an affiliate marketing success. Your audience will appreciate complete transparency, which will encourage loyalty. Alienate your audience and they might bypass you altogether.

Consider a personal touch such as handwritten notes that can be scanned and uploaded to your website. Doing as such can help the customer feel more connected to the person selling the product, resulting in increased sales. Hire a freelancer to compose the advertisement if your longhand is illegible.

A few less than reputable vendors may try to talk you into using their tracking system for self-serving purposes. Do your own homework and use a tracking system that has a strong reputation behind it.

To be an affiliate marketing success, you should keep up with the latest trends in the industry. Stay current with what your affiliate programs offer. New things are always introduced that make things more user-friendly and appealing to users.

A hot tip for those new to affiliate marketing promotions is to locate an affilaite company that keeps releasing new products. Such a company with a great product stream will make your business prosper in turn. Lots of good, reliable products will lead to more commissions for you. Stay away from short-term fad products that won?t be around tomorrow.

This article provides you with tips and advice that you can use to help you establish and improve your affiliate marketing endeavor. By spending some time and effort researching affiliate marketing, your business is sure to thrive.

If you want to make money online you should take a look at this money sites review or maybe this small business ideas for women

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Source: http://www.advsecret.com/make-a-difference-with-these-affiliate-marketing-tips/

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Television section

For the week of Feb. 18-24

1. "The Oscars," ABC, 40.38 million.

2. "Oscars Red Carpet Live" (Sunday, 8 p.m.), ABC, 25.53 million.

3. "NCIS," CBS, 21.08 million.

4. "The Big Bang Theory," CBS, 17.62 million.

5. "Oscars Red Carpet Live" (Sunday, 7:30 p.m.), ABC, 16.5 million.

6. "NCIS: Los Angeles," CBS, 16.27 million.

7. "American Idol" (Wednesday), Fox, 14.37 million.

8. "Person of Interest," CBS, 14.23 million.

9. "American Idol" (Thursday), Fox, 13.66 million.

10. "Two and a Half Men," CBS, 13.41 million.

Source: http://www.today.com/id/3032450/ns/today-entertainment/

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