Ken Uston - Black Jack Hall Of Fame

Uston burst onto the scene in 1977 with the publication of The Big Player, co-authored with Roger Rapaport. In this book, Uston exposed the secrets of Al Francesco's big player teams. The book caused a falling out between Al and Ken that lasted for years, as Al felt Ken had betrayed his trust as well as his teammates.

But there is no denying that the book caused an upheaval in the world of card counting, changing the ways that professionals looked at the game and attacked it. Three of the most successful international blackjack teams-the Tommy Hyland team, the MIT team, and the Czech team - all were founded in 1978, the year after Uston's book was published.

Al and Ken later patched up their relationship and Uston went on to start many blackjack teams of his own. He was a personality on a grand scale, who legally challenged the casino industry in the courts of both New Jersey and Nevada. His playing career spanned two decades of play at the highest levels, and included card counting, BP teams, hole card techniques, and concealed computer play.

Ken is also the author of Two Books on Blackjack (1979), Million Dollar Blackjack (1981), and Ken Uston on Blackjack (1986).
Uston died in 1987 at the age of fifty-two.

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Registry Optimizer 2008: Prevent Errors and Repair PC Problems!

Is your computer moving too slowly? Do you receive strange messages about errors and want to stop this from happening again? Too much sudden computer crashing is affecting you too? Registry Optimizer will scan the Windows Registry for any obsolete or incorrect data and will let you know how to fix them. By fixing these errors your computer will work better and will have a higher speed. :)
Author: Robert Thomson
Imagine yourself being dropped at some city you have never been to before but you are required to be at a spot inside the city in the quickest possible time... You would make it to the spot a lot tired and exhausted than you would have, if only you had a map.So you understand the importance of some kind of a reference or a guide that could help you around unknown places, showing you shorter and quicker routes and making your journey much easier, right?
Thats exactly how a registry works for a computer, as a map. There are numerous processes that take place in the background and the registry keeps a log of everything thats happening in and around, thus showing the easiest of the paths available. Else its what happens when you are caught in traffic, delayed!
Not just that, but a registry keeps track of everything, literally, be it a software installation, file destruction, new hardware connection, or an application configuration. Ever time one of the above processes happens, entries are made in the registry, thus providing constant support and reference.

The smaller and crispier your registry is, the faster your computer functions. But this does not mean you can go and delete entries making it smaller straight away. That would most certainly create errors because the registry folders, though are split up and stored in separate :( places by the processor , are interlinked and would create as much chaos a broken bridge would.
Your registry should not have too many entries as the "so called" roadways or paths taken would be too long. One way to ensure this is to uninstall softwares that you dont use. This uninstallation process would automatically delete the software's registry entry making it less cluttered.
It may be surprising to know that clever registry edits could tweak up your system's performance, giving you access to a faster and a better work station. I know few people who could read through the registry log like they read a story book and produce interesting cuts here and there. But if you are a newbie, I would certainly not recommend this as one faulty move could lead to a system crash and you will have to reinstall everything from the scratch right from a new operating system.
But if you still want to optimize your registry, we have smart softwares that could do just this. A registry optimizer is one such smartware that reads through your registry, finds points of possible optimisation, backs up your old registry and optimises on your command.
All locks and knots in the registry are broken, all unrelated entries are removed and a new defragmented registry is produced giving you just what you wanted!
About Author
Dennis Semenov is the owner of LongsDigital website. You can find more information about Registry Optimizer 2008 at the Product Features Page.
Article Source: http://www.1888articles.com/author-robert-thomson-5539.html

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5 ways to Take Care of Your Laptop Computer

Now that you have your own laptop computer, you will want to know how to keep it safe right? Our laptops, or any kind of computer, are very important to our lives and for many of us, our work. Because these machines are so important to use we want to do everything in our power to make sure they are protected. If something should happento your laptop there goes everything that you had on it, whether it be pictures ofamily and friends or business documents - you wouldn't want to loose any of it. Here are five ways to make sure you keep your laptop safe.
One: You need to make sure your computer stays properly ventilated to keep from overheating. If your laptop overheats it can cause your CPU and other components to fry leaving you without a computer. You should make sure that you never leave your computer sitting on a soft surface while it is on so the vents will always get the air they need to keep your computer cool.
Two: Do not ever drop your computer. We all know that accidents can happen but one drop and your laptop could be a goner. You should make sure that if you are carrying it from one place to another that it is safely in your laptop bag. Make sure that when you set it on a table that it is level and not near the edge. You wouldn't want someone to walk by nd accidentally knock it over.

Three: When you open your laptop make sure that you do not put too much pressure on the screen. You will also want to avoid touching the screen and playing with the liquid inside. LCD screens are very sensitive and can be very easily damaged. You also do not want to clean it with anything but the cleaners that are specifically designed for LCD screens.
Four: Try to keep drinks and foods away from your laptop unless you absolutely need them there. If you have to have a drink or food near your laptop be very careful not to spill anything. Take this from personal experience, one little drop of liquid in the wrong place can be detrimental. Try to keep your liquids on a different surface than your laptop and when you drink make sure that you are not leaning over your laptop.
Five: Make sure you have anti-virus and anti-spyware software on your computer if you use the Internet. This will keep your computer safe from nasty viruses and prying eyes. There are several very good free anti-virus and anti-spyware software on the market but you can also get good software for a decent price.These are just five of the many ways you can keep your computer safe. Make sure you follow all the precaution as listed above and your computer should be safe. However, as mentioned earlier accidents happen and sometimes we may not be able to control the bad things that can happen to our laptops.
About Author
Looking for new laptop batteries? The author sells a number of brands
such as Dell, Asus, Sony and many others (http://www.power.com.au).
Article Source: http://www.1888articles.com/author-johnxuster-12240.html

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The Right Mouse Button

The Right Mouse Button
By: Scott Hendison

Until Windows 95 came along, the right mouse button was rarely used. In November of 1999 I wrote an article called “Mousing Around”. It explains the basic functions of mouse use, but deals only with using the left mouse button.
The right mouse button offers a variety of options that can save you lots of time when used at the right time. For instance…
To change your screen saver or display options, you can go to the Start button – settings – control panel, and then double click on the display option. A faster way to get there though is to just put the mouse cursor in any blank area of your Windows desktop. Right click once and select “properties”. Same place, less time.
To create a new Microsoft notepad document to type a grocery list or quick memo etc. you can go to the Start button – Programs – Accessories – Notepad. A faster way to get there is to right click again on a blank area of your desktop and select New. From there, you can choose Notepad (or whatever listed program you want). Same place, less time. Windows has an annoying habit of placing your newly installed software at the bottom of your Start – Programs menu. For someone with a lot of software installed, it can take a while tot find the program you want. If you go to the Start – Programs menu, you can right click anywhere on the menu, and select “sort by name”. This will instantly alphabetize your entire Programs menu, allowing you to instantly find whatever you’re looking for.

The right mouse button can also be used to copy and paste information from one document to another. For an example of this, go to any website, or open any e-mail or word processing document. Now select some text to copy. To do this, just place your mouse cursor at the point where you want to start copying. Next, “click and drag” (Left click, holding button down, move the mouse) to the end of the text you want to copy (then let go of button). Notice how the text becomes colorized or “highlighted”? Now RIGHT click anywhere on that highlighted area, and select “copy”. That information that you have “copied” is now on your “clipboard” for use somewhere else. If you create a new e-mail or open a word processor, or even Microsoft Notepad, you can just right click anywhere in the body of the document, and select “paste”. Voila!
The copy and paste function can also be used for entire files as well as for text. For example, open “My Documents”. Pick any document of any kind, right click on it, and select “copy”. Now a copy of that file is on your clipboard and you can “paste” it wherever you want. On your desktop? Easy. Into the body of and e-mail? No problem.
Notice that there is another option on that right click menu besides “copy”, called “cut”. Many times instead of making a copy of the file or text, you will prefer to cut or remove it from its original location instead. This works the same way, placing it on your clipboard for use elsewhere. This is handy for moving files around, or rearranging entire paragraphs in documents like this one.
Just remember that you can only “cut” text or pictures if you are in a local document that you are otherwise able to edit anyway. In other words, you won’t be able to go to CNN’s website and “cut” a news story, to paste into a document. You’ll have to settle for copying.
This is by no means the end of the list of functions that your right mouse button can help you with, but it’s the end of my column for this month. Don’t be afraid to experiment a little. Even I have been amazed at the variety of right click options I’ve discovered over the last few days while writing this article.
Scott Hendison is an computer & internet consultant living in Portland Oregon and works with companies all over the world. His website is http://www.pdxtc.com
Copyright 2001, All Rights Reserve

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Main Causes of Data Loss

Main Causes of Data Loss

Data loss can be explained as the inability to access and/ or retrieve information from a computer media device due to physical or human error. The biggest advantage of using a computer media is that an innumerable amount of data can be easily stored in small storage devices. It makes life simpler and much more convenient.
All regular computer users dread the possibility of facing data loss. Everyone who uses computers has some time or the other undergone the traumatic experience of data loss in varying degrees. Whether one is a student or a pro, all have ventured into this dreaded territory.
There are professional records like accounting records, client databases, marketing strategy, new inventions and there are personal records of emotional value like photographs, video clippings, :(emails that have been lost due to various reasons. Data loss affects everyone in varying degrees. It can upset a user and, in extreme cases, even put big corporations out of business.:)
Information loss is directly converted into financial loss. In today’s world of digital technology, information is an important asset and time spent in retrieving it is equalent to monetary loss. Nowadays everything learnt, developed, invented and planned is stored in digital form and any damage to this information can bring lives to a standstill and businesses to a close.

It is not only important to use technology to its optimum capacity but to be equally aware of all potential failures arising out of our complete dependency on it. In order to use technology efficiently, it is imperative to identify potential data loss situations and take necessary precautions to either prevent them or mitigate their impact.
There are many reasons for data loss. Some of the important ones being:
1. Hardware or System Failure: These include hard drive crash which is the main storage media for the computer. It can also be electrical failure, read/ write head crash, controller failure and so on. To prevent these hardware problems one needs to protect electrical components by using computers in a dry shaded area. It is important to protect against power surges using a UPS. Do not shake or remove the covers on the hard drives or tapes and make sure that your hard drive is in a secure dust-free environment, away from any potential dangers.

2. Human error: User error is also one of the major causes of data loss. These include accidental deletion of files or drive format and emptying of recycle bin thereafter. Also, there is physical damage or trauma resulting from a drop or a fall, server configuration error or network failure. These can be avoided by not attempting any installations or repair without proper knowledge or experience. Avoid moving a computer while it’s on. Maintain security on your personal files and folders and maintain systematic and timely backup.
3. Software Error: These include corruption by diagnostic or repair tools, failed backups and configuration problems. Database corruption also falls under software errors. These can be avoided by maintaining proper backup, using diagnostic utilities carefully, updating security software and programs and ensuring data integrity and backup prior to any software upgradation.
4. Computer Viruses: They can establish themselves in your system and create havoc. These infect files, emails and the whole databases leading to glitches and errors and unpredictable behaviour. They can destroy or overwrite any existing data making access impossible. These can be prevented by using a good quality anti-virus program from a reputable company which should be run on regular intervals to scan all incoming data and software. Be extra cautious when using any external media like floppy disks and CDs.
5. Natural Disasters: These cause the least amount of damage in terms of percentage but can wipe out data storage completely when they strike. These include natural calamities like floods, earthquakes, lightning, fire and so on and can be guarded against by maintaining an ‘off-site’ backup of your data.
6. Vandalism: These include malicious acts of unknown hackers who either destroy or steal information or of disgruntled employees trying to get even. Even competitors can sabotage important data from company’s account leading to corruption, erasure or loss of vital information. These can be prevented by putting up security systems and firewalls by reputed companies. Also, a good and regularly updated data backup free of virus ensures that data recovery is easier. One can also employ data forensics to investigate and find the guilty or the methodology to prevent any recurrence of similar episodes.
The crux of the matter is that data loss is today’s reality and the most important safeguard against it is a well-maintained data backup.
About Author
James Walsh is a freelance writer and copy editor. If you are concerned about data loss and would like more information on Data Recovery see http://www.fields-data-recovery.co.uk
Article Source: http://www.1888articles.com/author-james-walsh-2417.html

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