5 Tips to Secure Your Laptop

Use passwords. Secure the network by setting strong passwords. Set the ability to remotely lock down or wipe the laptop if the user repeatedly fails to enter the correct password.

Use encryption. Encrypt the data on the laptop so that it cannot be read without the correct key. The encryption should take place on the hard disk in case the hard disk is removed and installed in a different device.

Use security chips. Purchase laptops with embedded security chips that permanently assign unique identifiers to every computer and cannot be changed. When the laptop is booted, the user must log in using a PIN number or, preferably, a more secure system such as a fingerprint reader.

Use education. Educate your colleagues and employees. It's amazing how many users keep their network passwords written on a note taped to their monitors. It's like buying an expensive deadbolt for your front door and then leaving it unlocked.

Use your IT department. Allow your company's IT department to regulate data backup and to wipe the hard drive in case of theft. They can also enable speedy replication of user profiles if a laptop needs to be replaced.

This was in the News....

(AP) Three people have been arrested for trying to sell more than two pounds of an unspecified radioactive material, which officials then seized, police said Wednesday.

Specialists were examining the radioactive material, which the three were trying to sell for $1 million, said police spokesman Martin Korch.

Two of the suspects were arrested in eastern Slovakia, the other in Hungary, he said. They were not identified.

Slovak and Hungarian police have been working together on the case for several months, Korch said.

There have been concerns that Eastern Europe could be a source for radioactive material for a so-called "dirty bomb."

In 2003, police in the neighboring Czech Republic arrested two Slovaks in a sting operation in the city of Brno, after they allegedly sold undercover officers bars of low-enriched uranium for $715,000.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/11/28/world/main3549471.shtml

Higher Risk Getting Breast Cancer, Using???

Many cosmetics contain chemicals known as parabens and phthalates, which recent studies indicate may be linked to cancer development.

Parabens are chemical preservatives that have been identified as estrogenic and disruptive of normal hormone function. (Estrogenic chemicals mimic the function of the naturally occurring hormone estrogen, and exposure to external estrogens has been shown to increase the risk of breast cancer.)
Phthalates are known to cause a broad range of birth defects and lifelong reproductive impairments in laboratory animals that are exposed to these chemicals during pregnancy and after birth. Phthalates are also known to be hormone-mimicking chemicals, many of which disrupt normal hormonal processes, raising concern about their implications for increased breast cancer risk.

YOU KNOW YOUR AN EIGHTIES BABY IF..

I might be showing my age, but you know your an eighties baby if:

1. You had a crush on one of the New Kids on the Block members.
2. You wanted to be on StarSearch.
3. You ever uttered the word "Radical!"
4. You wore jelly shoes and jelly bracelets
5. You thought "Ghostbusters" was by far the coolest movie
6. You remember watching shows like "Punky Brewster" , "Webster", "You Can't Do That On Television" , "Wild&Crazy Kids" and "Double Dare"
7. You can remember what Michael Jackson looked like before his nose fell off. Or even when he had those freaky eyes in "Thriller" at the end of the video.
8. You wore a banana clip in your hair or one of those slap on wrist bands at some point during your youth.
9. You rolled up the bottoms of your splatter painted jeans.
10. You wore loafers with everything, and you put the laces in those little rolls.
11. You had slouch socks, and puff painted your own shirt at least once.
12. You owned a doll with 'Xavier Roberts' signed on it's butt.
13. You knew what Willis was "talkin' 'bout."
14. You know the profound meaning of "Wax on, Wax off."
15. You can name half of the members of the elite "Brat Pack."
16. You can remember watching Full House and Saved by the Bell for endless hours!
17. You have seen at least 10 episodes of Fraggle Rock.
18. You yearned to be a member of The Babysitters Club, and tried to start a club of your own.
19. You sat on your back porch, playing with your "My Little Pony" , "Rainbow Brite" , and "Strawberry Shortcake" dolls
20. You know that another name for a keyboard is a "Synthesizer."
21. You hold a special place in your heart for "Back to the Future."
22. You know where to go if you "wanna go where everybody knows your name."
23. You thought Molly Ringwald was REALLY cool.
24. You know what "sike" and "not!" mean
25. You fell victim to 80's fashion : big hair, crimped, combed over to the side, big hoop earrings, and possibly the worst:you wore spandex pants.
26. You wanted to be a Goonie, or Elliot from E.T.
27. You owned an extensive collection of Cabbage Patch Kids and trolls.
28. You knew "The Artist" when he was humbly called "Prince."
29. You actually saw Ted Danson as the MacDaddy he played "Sam" to be.
30. You ever wore flourescent -neon if you will clothing....
31. You could breakdance, or wished you could.
32. You know who He-Man and She-Ra are.
33. You remember when ATARI was a state of the art video game system.
34. You know all the words to "Ice Ice Baby".
35. You remember MC hammer well.
36. You can still sing the rap to "Fresh Prince of Belair".
37. You own any cassettes.
38. You were led to believe that in the year 2000 we'd all be living on the moon.
39. You remember and/or own any of the CareBear Glass collection from PizzaHut.
40. Pizza Hut was the coolest place to hang.
41. Poltergeist freaked you out.
42. You carried your lunch to school in a Gremlins or an E.T. lunchbox.
43. You have ever pondered why Smurfette was the ONLY female smurf.
44. You wanted to communicate with some being named Cinergy, or you wanted green hair like that lead singer of the Misfits.
45. You totally LOVED Barbie's cooler, punkier counterpart, "Jem" and her "Rockers"
46. You wanted to have an alien like Alf living in your house.
47. You wore biker shorts underneath a short skirt and felt stylish.
48. You wore tights under shorts and felt stylish.
49. You layered your multi-colored slouch socks, and added suspenders to make your outfit complete.
50. You ever had a Swatch Watch.
51. You actually spent countless hours trying to perfect the care-bear stare.
52. You had a crush on one of the Coreys
53. You remember when Saturday Night Live was funny.
54. You had WonderWoman or Superman underwear.
55. You wanted to be The Hulk for Halloween.
56. You believed that "By the power of Greyskull, you HAD the power"
57. You thought that Transformers were more than meets the eye.
58. Partying "like it's 1999" seemed SO far away!!!!!!!!!!!!!
59. You ever owned or wanted any of the NKOTB action figures or dolls.
60. You remember when Deborah Gibson was "Debbie" Gibson.

SEAN TAYLOR: 1983-2007

"Sean was a great person. I just wish that everyone had the opportunity to get a chance to know him because if you just sit down and you talk to Sean one-on-one, he's a special person, and you know, he's a great person and he had all the intentions of trying to do the right things for people in the community.--REDSKINS QB JASON CAMPBELL

By now I'm sure everyone knows about the murder of Redskins player, Sean Taylor. He was murdered during a robbery in his home. He was shot in the leg, puncturing an artery, which ended up leading to his death. He was only 24 years old and he is the FOURTH NFL player to die this year,the second from gunfire.

Denver Broncos cornerback Darrent Williams was slain while riding in a vehicle early on New Year's Day after leaving a nightclub. Broncos running back Damien Nash died Feb. 24, shortly after collapsing during a charity basketball game. New England Patriots defensive end Marquise Hill drowned May 28 after a jet-skiing accident. All four were 24 years old.

This is so devestating for everyone involved, especially for his family, team and Redskins fan. My heart goes out to them and even though I am a Steelers fan for life, you respect football enough to acknowledge when something is truly a tradgedy

DATING YOUR CO-WORKER--YEA OR NAH?

Ok office dating- this is something that we are all going to have to go through in our lifetime, and maybe some of us already have. Sure, you get a new job and all of a sudden there are like a dozen cuties in your place of work and your overwhelmed and don't know what to do. Or, your like me, get a new job at a car dealership which is over flowing with men and some of them have even tried to talk to me. So you know what you do in this situation? Remember this: NEVER MIX BUSINESS WITH PLEASURE. Sure it might be exciting to go make out in the supply closet on lunch break but that will get old. And what about when your co-workers discover you romance, you are going to be the topic of discussion and everyone is in your BUSINESS!!!! Also, what happens when things go sour and either one of you gets a new flame.. you still have to work with that person and maintain a professional relationship. So inconclusion, this is NOT a good idea and if you MUST date someone in your office buliding, make sure they are on another floor!

Why would anyone go shopping on black Friday?

I never understood the individuals who woke up before the crack of dawn to go shopping on black Friday. As a retail sales associate I tread going into work the weekend after Thanksgiving. I hate trying to find parking and fight the crowds. Trying to get thought Macy's at Tyson's Corner this weekend made me want to punch everyone in the face me.... and I'm not usually a violent person. Is dealing with the crowds really worth it? Are the deals that amazing?

Tips to avid gaining weight during the Holidays

The average American gains 8 pounds between the holidays of Thanksgiving an New Years. To avoid this frustration I read about 5 tips that can help reduces the amount of weight gained during the holidays:

1. Water - Drinking more water is not only good for you, but will give you the feeling of being full so you won’t eat more than you should.
2. Moderation - With all the good food that all your family and friends will be cooking it’s tempting to want to try it all. If you cant resist then get small portions. This is something to keep in mind especially if you have several stops to make.
3. Fruits - Increasing the amount of fruit that you eat during the holidays will help in several ways. First you will get the nutritional value of the fruit along with the liquid just as if you drank some water and finally satisfying any hunger pangs you may have before dinner.
4. Nuts - Snack on nuts instead of cakes and pies. The protein will go a long way towards your over all health and cut down on sugar withdrawals.
5. Timing - If you don’t normally eat late at night then don’t do it during the holiday season. For sure don’t eat then go to bed.

TIS THE SEASON...MR. HANKY THE CHRISTMAS POO

okay, I know you all know who mr. hanky is and if you don't you better start watching South Park! Mr. Hanky is a Christmas poo and frankly, he fits the season for real. I don't know about you but I am SICK and TIRED of Christmas by the time it gets here. Why, you might ask, because the damn season starts a month before hand!!! No i don't want anymore eggnog, no i don't want any more cookies and NO I AM LISTENING TO ANYMORE CAROLS!!! The retail industry thrives on Christmas shoppers, those blood suckers! They have lost the real meaning of the season. As for me, I don't even shop until a week or two before hand--for what--the prices are jacked up but everyone thinks its a good deal on black friday. Ha- I've worked black friday every year except this year. And i am glad!!

STOP BEYONCE FROM COVERING AALIYAH'S ONE IN A MILLION

There's a movement afoot in the UK, of all places, where online groups have assembled with one common goal: to stop BeYaki from covering Aaliyah's hit single "One in a Million". One group on Facebook called "Stop Beyonce from Covering Aaliyah's One in a Million!!!" is over 6,500 members strong with new members signing up everyday.

These protests will most likely fall on BeYaki's deaf ears because, as you know, BeYaki does what BeYaki wants and ruins classic songs or outright steals songs at will.

Below is a description of the Facebook group and a few of the comments left by members:

Name: Stop Beyonce from Covering Aaliyah's One in a Million!!!
Type: Music - R&B & Soul
Description: I Thought it was a joke at first but it is 100% TRUE!!!

Beyonce wants to cover One in a Million!! I am sorry she is a decent singer but this is Aaliyah's tune everyone knows it

Beyonce WILL RUIN IT!!!

think of this as an online petition everyone knows the power which facebook holds!!

Hopefully we can get enough people against it maybe she will think twice not record it and write something which is not already a CLASSIC!!!

i am not going even name the TUNES which have already been ruined YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE

just face it the original is the best!

Aaliyah's One in A Million was Called that because that's what the album & song was and still is!!

JOIN THIS GROUP PASS IT ON TO YOUR FACEBOOK FRIENDS TELL EVERYONE!!!


Beyonce ......what is wrong with you gurl?

What is Organic food????

Organic foods are produced according to certain production standards. For crops, it means they were grown without the use of conventional pesticides, artificial fertilizers, human waste, or sewage sludge, and that they were processed without ionizing radiation or food additives. For animals, it means they were reared without the routine use of antibiotics and without the use of growth hormones. In most countries, organic produce must not be genetically modified.

I know its good for the body and environment,
but organic food always cost more...

Tis the Season... ugh

Don't get me wrong.... I love the holiday season and being able to spend lots of time with my crazy family. But as a retail employee the holidays are my worst nightmare. I've been listening to Christmas music for the last 2 weeks already, wrapping gifts, wearing red, and dealing with confused and rude holiday customers. I wish that everyone would just save their money and focus on the true meaning of the holidays rather then the commercial aspects. By the time the actual holiday get here I'm already completely sick of Christmas and want to just get the traditions over with. And that's just sad.

Getting a Job

So I'm freaking out because I'm graduating in May and my friends and family keep asking me the big question.... "what are you doing after you graduate?" I feel like an idiot every time I respond to the question because I actually have no idea what I'll be doing in 6 months. I am ecstatic to graduate but terrified at the same time. I wish someone who just offer me a job with great benefits, a good salary and vacation time but unfortunately I know I'm going to have to work up the corporate ladder. Hopefully visiting the career center will help me start to make a plan and visualize my future. Any have suggestions about how to find a job?

MTV AND ALICIA KEYS MARKETING CAMPAIGN

I have been an Alicia Keys fan from the moment I heard her sing and her piano skills are amazing. She truly is a talented female which is very rare in this day and age. I thought it was really creative how she has teamed up with MTV to promote her new cd. She is all over MTV. You can see split screen shots of her singing on her front stoop and then a "commerical" about the new episode of Run's House. Or you can see a preview for "The Hills" and hear her singing in the background. I'm telling you- I am known for downloading music off the internet and I actually am willing to pay for this cd, hands down. She even has the mini commerical where she catches this rabbit trying to bootleg her cd's, she stomps on them and then takes the cash out of his hand--LOVE THAT!! This was def. a good marketing campaign and convinced me to purchase, well a future purchase, of the c.d.

Dealing with stress

Sometimes I feel like I'm over my head in work. It's almost a feeling of defeat so when I am stressed out and freaking out I do a couple of activities to help me manage.

1. Take a deep breath
2. recognize what is stressing you out and know your limits
3. don't sweat the little things
4. make a priority list
5. ask for help
6. be healthy (get enough sleep and work out)
7. remove yourslef from the stressful situation
8. accept the things you can not change
9. take time to relax
10. Avoid unnecessary conflict

FUN WITH DICK AND JANE: PRE-ENRON

I don't know how many have you have seen that jim carey movie, "fun with dick and jane". The movie basically goes like this: the day before Globodyne's stock tanks, and its pension fund evaporates, the corporation's CEO and CFO set up middle manager Dick Harper to be the public face of the disaster. Jobless, and with no savings, pension, or home equity, Dick and his wife Jane sink slowly into poverty. He looks for work (as do all former Globodyne executives); he even tries day labor with the relatives of their Mexican nanny. A foreclosure notice sends Dick and Jane over the edge into a life of blue-collar crime. Then, as things finally look up, the report of an looming indictment pushes Dick and Jane toward a denouement with the real criminals, the white-collar guys. Okay so this movie is playing off of Enron and even though it is a comedy, there was nothing funny about the Enron situation. However, after watching that Enron movie in class, I had a better understanding about both Enron and "fun with Dick and Jane"

About the book "Halo Effect"

The main arguments of the book can be summarized in three points:

-Much of our thinking about company performance is shaped by the Halo Effect, which is tendency to make specific evaluations based on a general impression.

-Reliance on contaminated data leads to other errors, the most important of which is the widespread notion that companies can achieve success by following a formula. This is erroneous for a simple but profound reason: in business, performance is inherently relative, not absolute.

-Since performance is relative, not absolute, it follows that companies succeed when they do things differently than rivals, which means making choices under conditions of uncertainty, which in turn involves taking risks.Even good decisions may lead to unfavorable outcomes, but that doesn’t mean the decision was wrong.

*from- http://www.the-halo-effect.com/book/index.html

Stock Market

What does a company have to do to get set up with the options of selling, buying, or trading stocks for their own?

briefly about 'ENRON'

Type: Defunct / Asset-less Shell
Founded: Omaha, Nebraska, 1985
Headquarters: Houston, Texas, USA
Key people: Kenneth Lay, Founder, former Chairman and CEO
Jeffrey Skilling, former CEO and COO
Andrew Fastow, former CFO
Rebecca Mark-Jusbasche, former Vice Chairman, Chairman and CEO of Enron International
Stephen F. Cooper, Interim CEO and CRO
John J. Ray, III, Chairman
Industry: Energy
Revenue: $111 billion (in 2000)
Employees: approx. 300 as of 2007

customer service

Two weeks ago I ordered a bag from a store in Carytown that I wanted monogramed. The sales associate said I should come back Tuesday to pick it up because it will be finished. So like the sales associate said I went today to pick up my new bags and of course it’s not ready. I told the sales associate who was working that when I placed the order they said it would be done by now. Instead of apologizing for the misunderstanding me she scolded me. She said she was short staff and would call me when she got around finishing my bad. Walking out of the store today I decided I will never shop at Occasionally in Carytown again. Bad customer service is one of my biggest pet peeves and will totally turn me off to a store!

Windows vs Mac

For a long time now, Microsoft dominates the market of operating systems among other products. What makes Windows better than Mac? or why are people choosing Windows over Mac. I have heard that Mac systems have better graphics and are more reliable than Windows system. If this is the case, why are people continuing to choose Windows over Mac. Can someone explain this?

Noel A

about Nautica

Nautica was founded in 1983 by David Chu. Nautica has envolved from a collection of men's outerwear to a leading global lifestyle brand with products ranging from men's, women's and children's apparel and accessories to a complete home collection. In 2003 Nautica was sold to VF Corporation for $1 billion. David Chu subsequently launched another designer label called "David Chu".

Later, I want to launch my own label.

Business

I have learned in the past that discrimination in the work place is very common, even today. What can we do about this? How do we try to control it to minimize discrimination? What can potential employers do? Are these employers/business owners following rules, policy, laws, etc.?

Noel A

I hate Telemarketers!

Many companies today use telemarketing as a way to survey their customers in order to improve service and tap into customer needs. But I like most people despise telemarketers. They call at the most inconvenient times and to tell you the honest truth I barley have time to keep in touch with my relative let alone talk to a random telemarketer about their product or service. Since I assume I’m like most normal people and loathe talking to telemarketers I sometimes question who actually talks to them? Pondering this question I realized that the only people who would take the time to talk to telemarketers are people who have nothing better to do with their time; in other words “lonely people.” Realizing that lonely people are the only customers talking to telemarketers you have to wonder if the knowledge they gain from surveying these people is an accurate representation of their entire customer base? I personally don’t think telemarketing is a good way for companies to gain knowledge about your target market and customer. It aggravates their customers and the knowledge actually gained is skewed because it is not an accurate representation of their entire customer base. In conclusion, I think telemarketing is a waste of money and time and therefore is not a good business practice.

Britney Spears Bombs at MTV Awards 2007

MTV Awards+Britney=Bad Business

Ok America- tell me that this was the WORST comeback that you've seen. This was the only reason that I took time to watch the MTV awards, everyone was talking about Brit's major comeback. Ok, so, umm what happened? First of all, where should I begin. MTV made Brit the opening event- which was the first bad business deal right there. I don't know how much time she had to get ready for this event but she looked a hot mess. Apparently she was supposed to get her hair extensions done by Jessica Simpson's stylist Ken but he denied her his services. So maybe that explained her bad extensions...you could tell where her hair began and the tracks started. Me, as a black woman, know many things about hair extensions and I could have glued them in better. Secondly, although she was in better shape than she had previously been, she should not have worn that cropped top. And lastly, what was up with her robotic moves? Her dancers were better than her, she was too stiff! I wonder if MTV even saw her performance before booking her as the main event. Well, the moral of this story is that if your going to make a comeback, make sure you do it right! And if you decide to hire a fallen-off singer as your main event, make sure you know what your getting yourself into so you don't waste your money!

ABOUT OUR COMPANY

Exquisite Events Incorporated was established in 2005 when it was realized that the event planning market lacked a mulitcultural company who could cater events for all occassions. Located in both Washington D.C. and Los Angelos, Exquisite Events plans corporate events, private parties, fashion shows and of course celebrity events. Our company provides its own catering, photography, modeling and staffing services as well as anything else you desire to better suit your event.