Internet-based therapy shows promise for insomnia

Hey, guys! Have you ever had problems with your dream? Do you know what is insomnia? The next article is for those who know!

CHICAGO — Sleepless people sometimes use the Internet to get through the night. Now a small study shows promising results for insomniacs with nine weeks of Internet-based therapy.

No human therapist is involved. The Internet software gives advice, even specific bedtimes, based on users’ sleep diaries. Patients learn better sleep habits — like avoiding daytime naps — through stories, quizzes and games.

“This is a very interactive, tailored, personalized program,” said study co-author Frances Thorndike of the University of Virginia Health System, who helped design the software, called Sleep Healthy Using the Internet, or SHUTi.

Such software could one day be a low-cost alternative for some patients, Thorndike said. And it could be the only nondrug option for people who live in areas without trained specialists, she said.

Prior research has shown face-to-face cognitive behavioral therapy can have long-lasting results for insomniacs without the side effects of medication. The SHUTi program is based on that style of therapy, which helps patients change thinking patterns that contribute to poor sleep.

In the new study, released recently in Archives of General Psychiatry, the researchers recruited 45 adults with moderate insomnia and randomly assigned 22 of them to try the Internet program.

The group who got the treatment woke up fewer times and spent fewer minutes awake during the night. The control group’s scores didn’t change. Even after six months, the Internet group’s scores remained improved.

The response was “fairly impressive and comparable to what you see with more intensive sorts of interventions,” said Jack Edinger, a sleep disorder specialist, who wasn’t involved in the study.

Participants were highly educated and had no sleep apnea or psychiatric problems. Testing the approach on a larger, more diverse group could determine which patients benefit most, Edinger said.

Shelby Harris, a sleep specialist, said something valuable is lost in an Internet-based approach. A trained therapist can help patients stay motivated and identify anxieties.

“There will certainly be people who prefer the face-to-face contact or do better with that type of therapy,” Thorndike said. “This will free up those limited resources for face-to-face therapy for the people who need it, benefit from it or would prefer it.”

The study was funded by a grant from the National Institute of Mental Health.

High Speed Internet Fax – a Must for Today’s Business

Hello! Wanted to ask you what do you know about the Internet Fax Software? Here I found the note about it, hope it will help you!

Business tools are very important if you want to improve your bottom line, one of these tools is high speed Internet faxing, that lets you reach consumers and providers in easy steps, learn about it and how it can improve your communications. Internet has changed everything, form the way we access information to the way we talk. In the world of businesses the change is the same and only the ones who can keep up with those changes are the ones who will triumph. High speed Internet fax is a reality and a tool that will speed up the work-flow massively. Think about it, today’s all about mobility, and Internet faxing brings you to it.

Everyday we are moving towards a paperless world, something that is great for speed and also on terms of ecology.

It is easy to start in the world of high speed Internet fax. There’s no special knowledge you need to start. First of all you have to know what it’s all about: the faxes are sent through the Internet in a digital form, this way faxes can be received through e-mail attachments and fax machines, but they can also be organized and stored for your convenience.

Other advantages of high speed Internet faxing include

-Lower costs

-Reliability in service.

-Mobility and Accessibility.

-Easy management.

Traditional fax machines brought with them many problems (paper jams, running out of ink, phone line costs, etc) Internet faxing gets rid of all that, while making the transmission much clearer and smoother.

Where to find Internet fax software and services?

Today, you can find all the options you need easily just by searching o the web what you want. The Internet helps you compare, review and check the features that you want in a faxing solution for your business.

Although it is true that you can find some free fax software out there, if you are using it for business it is not recommended that you employ it. Current free fax software is very limited and does not offer the enhanced features paid software has. In the end it can even slow down your communications.

So what are you waiting for? Throw away your old fax machine and prepare to get started int he world of High Speed Internet Fax, I’m sure you”ll love it.

China Delays Rule on Internet Filtering Software

Hey! Surfing the Internet I found out that the message below is met most oftenly than others. So I decided to put it here for you could also write your comments about this situation. So, begin reading!

The Chinese government has postponed implementation of a controversial rule requiring all new personal computers sold in the country come with Internet filtering software.

China’s official Xinhua news agency released a brief report Tuesday citing the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology. The report provided no details on the reasons for the ministry’s decision, which comes one day before the rule was to go into effect.

Chinese Internet users had called for a boycott of online activities on July 1 to express their opposition to the new rule.

Critics in China say the program, called Green Dam Youth Escort, could be used to spy on Internet users. They have also voiced concerns it could expose computers to security threats and be used to block sites China feels are politically offensive.

China’s Ministry of Industry and Information has said the software is needed to protect children from pornographic and violent images. China says that use of the software will be voluntary, and that owners will be able to un-install the program.

There has also been international concern over the government’s plan. The United States raised its concerns with Beijing about the software’s impact during a recent meeting with Chinese officials.

U.S. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke and Trade Representative Ron Kirk said the software may violate World Trade Organization rules. They say it also appears to have “broad-based censorship implications” and network security issues.

What to tell your kids about the Internet

This information will be very useful for you if you have kids. In nowadays almost everybody use PC and Internet. And do you know what is necessary to explain to your children when they are only on their way to begin using Internet? Here is a some rules you should study before your kids start using Internet:

Your kids probably know more about the Internet than you do.

They will have access to it away from your home PC, so be prepared. Just as with smoking, drugs, and strangers, the earlier you talk to them the better. Also, the more honest you are with them the more they will share with you and in sharing, you will know how to advise them.

Kids are not aware of things that can hurt them. For kids, it is hard to imagine that surfing the Internet is dangerous. The computer games they play have characters that rise after being shot and many “do-overs”. The truth is, the Internet is dangerous but, with proper use,does not have to be. You should know the dangers, the protection, and be able to to convey those things to your kids.

Not all PC problems are caused by peer-to-peer file sharing, or illegal downloads. Yes, those activities will cause a PC to become infected. But, most computers are infected by out of date anti-virus programs, poor Internet security and a lack of an anti-spyware program.

Kids share. Advise your kids not to share PC programs or games. These are vehicles for virus programs and by installing them you will potentially infect your computer. Tell your kids to ask you if they want to try a new game or program. Many games can be rented or you can scan the disk for virus’ before they are installed. Let your kids know you will help them with new things for the computer. Talk to them about software licensing. Programs that are paid for are legal. Sharing software breaks the law. Be an example as well. Don’t install software that you do not have a license for.

Kids want to be part of the group. They want to be able to talk about the same things their peers talk about and not be thought of as weird or nerdy. You can help them to respect the PC at home and to still be able to belong in their peer group if you help them to understand the problems and legal pitfalls of file sharing.

There are safe places to download current music titles for fair prices. Some bands even offer free downloads of some songs. Offer a solution, not just restriction.

Shareware is another way of teaching kids about software downloads at a low cost. Many shareware authors offer their product in a try before you buy system. Some say, if you like it, send me a donation. This process provides quality software for great prices and can be a vehicle for you to allow your kids to express themselves without harm to the family computer.

Teach your kids to clean up behind themselves. Show your child the Internet browser cleanup tool on your computer. Explain to them that this helps to remove Internet junk which slows down the PC. By involving them in this practice, your system stays clean and your kids will realize you trust them on the Internet. After all, any parent that does not teach this to their children is looking to “check up” on them. You want your kids to be able to come to you about their Internet needs.

Microsoft to sell Windows 7 without Internet Explorer in Europe

Hey all of you!
Can you imagine Windows without IE?

Microsoft plans to remove Internet Explorer from the versions of Windows 7 that it ships in Europe.

Reacting to antitrust concerns expressed by European regulators, Microsoft plans to offer a version in Europe that has the browser removed. Computer makers would then have the option to add the browser back in, ship another browser or ship multiple browsers, according to a confidential memo that was sent to PC makers and seen by CNET News.

“To ensure that Microsoft is in compliance with European law, Microsoft will be releasing a separate version of Windows 7 for distribution in Europe that will not include Windows Internet Explorer,” the software maker said in the memo. “Microsoft will offer IE 8 separately and free of charge and will make it easy and convenient for PC manufacturers to preinstall IE 8 on Windows 7 machines in Europe if they so choose. PC manufacturers may choose to install an alternative browser instead of IE 8, and has always been the case, they may install multiple browsers if they wish.”

Microsoft confirmed the authenticity of the document but declined to comment further.

In response, EU regulators said that the move seems a step backward in the retail software arena, but said it could be more positive in the new PC market, which is how 95 per cent of consumers get a new version of Windows.

“As for retail sales, which amount to less than 5 per cent of total sales, the Commission had suggested to Microsoft that consumers be provided with a choice of Web browsers,” the Commission said. “Instead Microsoft has apparently decided to supply retail consumers with a version of Windows without a Web browser at all. Rather than more choice, Microsoft seems to have chosen to provide less.”

European regulators had said in January that the inclusion of a browser in Windows — something Microsoft has done for more than a decade — was probably a violation of European antitrust law. Microsoft disclosed in an SEC filing earlier this year that it believed the EU might seek to force Microsoft to distribute rival browsers or take other action.

Microsoft’s decision to offer Windows 7 in Europe without IE appears to be an effort to head off such action as well as to ensure that it can ship Windows 7 in Europe at the same time it does so elsewhere. It comes at an interesting time, though, as Microsoft faces its strongest browser competition in years, with Mozilla, Apple and Google all gaining ground.

“The whole thing is pretty silly,” said Forrester Research analyst JP Gownder. “Since Microsoft first took on Netscape years ago there has never been more competition in the browser market.”

Firefox is particularly strong in Europe. According to AT Internet Institute (formerly XitiMonitor), IE had a 59.5 per cent share in Europe as of November, compared with 31.1 per cent for Firefox. Opera had about 5 per cent, and Safari half of that. Microsoft lost a full 5 percentage points of market share from April to November 2008.

Microsoft’s decision, though, is also interesting, given that the company argued in its long antitrust battle that the browser was an integral part of the operating system that could not easily be stripped from Windows.

The browser-less versions, dubbed Windows 7 ‘E’, will be distributed in all member states of the European Economic Area, as well as Croatia and Switzerland. In addition, Microsoft will strip the browser from the Europe-only ‘N’ versions of Windows 7, which also removes the Windows Media Player from the operating system and is the result of another move by Europe’s antitrust authorities.

In contrast with the N version, though, Microsoft will not also sell a full-featured version of Windows that includes the browser.

“Microsoft will not offer for distribution in the European territory the Windows 7 product versions that contain IE, which are intended for distribution in the rest of the world,” Microsoft said in the memo. “This will apply to both OEM and retail versions of Windows 7 products.”

For computer makers that want it, Microsoft will offer a free “IE 8 pack” that allows them to add the browser back in. It’s a little more complicated for consumers who buy a retail copy of Windows 7. Because the operating system lacks a browser, there’s no direct way to go to Microsoft’s Web site to download one. Microsoft aims to make it as easy as possible for us Europeans to get the browser, though, and plans to offer it via CD, FTP and retail channels, according to a person familiar with the situation.

“Microsoft is focused on ensuring that Windows 7 is a successful worldwide release available to the broadest number of consumers, including those in Europe,” The software maker said in the memo. “We believe that we need to release these E versions to address the preliminary legal views communicated to us in the EU. We are informing OEMs of these plans now so we can work together to meet our shared goal to have Windows 7 broadly available for a holiday launch.”

The software maker says in the memo that it’s only stripping the browser from Windows 7 and won’t do the same with older operating systems, or with the virtualised version of Windows XP that is part of the free “XP mode” download.

“This announcement impacts Windows 7 products only,” the software maker said in the memo. “Microsoft has no plans at this time to release versions of Windows Vista or Windows XP products without Internet Explorer. This announcement does not impact Windows XP mode for Windows 7 Ultimate and Windows 7 Professional.”

RingCentral 2009 Webware 100 Award Winner

Hello!!!

Great news for all RingCentral users!

RingCentral announced that it has received a 2009 Webware 100 award for Communication by Webware, a CNET site. The Web 2.0 user community cast more than 630,000 votes in an online voting poll which ultimately selected the winners. Finalists for the 2009 Webware 100 Awards were selected by the editors of Webware.

“We thank the readership community and editors at CNET for naming RingCentral a winner; we are delighted to have won in the Communication category,” said Vlad Shmunis, CEO of RingCentral. “This award underscores our commitment to leveling the playing field for our small business customers by providing them all the power of an expensive business phone system – without the hassle and expense.”

According to the Website, the 2009 Webware 100 Awards recognize the best Web 2.0 sites, services, and applications that are leading the next wave of innovation. Webware editors received and reviewed thousands of entries. A complete list of the winners can be found at.

RingCentral offers a complete “PBX in the Cloud” business phone and Internet fax system with no contracts and zero setup costs and the service is instantly provisioned and activated within minutes.

Its Internet fax feature is a complete fax service that lets you send and receive faxes using e-mail or RingCentral’s online interface. Send faxes directly from Word, Excel, Outlook and other desktop programs.

RingCentral’s Internet Fax includes a toll-free or local number and best of all is that you’ll never have to wait for a fax to arrive or send, and your callers will never get a busy signal! The service also includes free Internet fax software to electronically sign and edit faxes, and to create custom cover pages.

As for the annual listing of the Webware 100 Awards, according to Rafe Needleman, editor at Webware and CNET “has become an essential resource for people who want to learn more about Web 2.0 and the many ways it can help them stay connected. The Web 2.0 community and our editors ultimately selected the very best sites, services and applications that have made a lasting impression.”

RingCentral offers, in addition to Internet faxing, a hosted business phone service that combines a toll-free or local number with an auto-receptionist, advanced call management, multiple extensions, multiple voicemail boxes and Internet fax. The service enables customers to automatically screen calls, use call forwarding, place calls, listen to voicemail and send and receive faxes.

About RingCentral

Found some information about the company, whose services I use. Maybe some of you will be interested in it.SAN MATEO, Calif.-ric Godfrey is the owner and founder of Starz Entertainment, one of Arizona’s largest and most reputable DJ Services for over 1,000 events a year.
To efficiently manage phone communications with demanding clients and distributed and mobile staff, Godfrey found the perfect mix of innovative technology and high-touch customer service in RingCentral’s “cloud” -based business phone service. Godfrey implemented RingCentral to enable more effective communication between his employees and customers.
Godfrey needed a business phone service that ensured his staff was always available to his customers, whether working at an event or creating a great mix of music. He found RingCentral’s service online, self customized the service for his business and starting using it in less than an hour.
RingCentral provides more services than legacy office phone systems, at a fraction of the cost. Delivering the power of a sophisticated multi-extension phone system without expensive hardware to buy or maintain, RingCentral offers a complete, business phone and Internet fax service with no long-term contracts and zero setup costs. The service is instantly provisioned and activated within minutes.
Key features of RingCentral include:
- An auto-receptionist that professionally answers, greets and directs callers to the right person. – Multiple extensions and answering rules that are configured to automatically route calls to the right person at their home office or mobile phones, based on time of day, date and the continuously changing availability of each team member.
- Multiple mailboxes voicemail ensure that everyone has secure access to all their voicemail via email, phone or computer.
- Call logs that register all inbound calls, enabling the firm to track the time spent with each client. Internet fax capabilitiesthat convert incoming faxes to PDFs, and make them immediately available to distributed team members to view, forward and file them electronically.
RingCentral provides cloud computing based phone systems for small business. With top industry honors, including PC Magazine’s Editor’s Choice Award and Small Business Computing’s Excellence in Technology, RingCentral offers full-access to core small business phone services and helps improve productivity for tens of thousands of customers worldwide. Headquartered in San Mateo, California, RingCentral is privately held with backing from Sequoia Capital, Khosla Ventures and DAG Ventures.

Not paperless, but less paper

Have you ever heard about less-paper-office movement? Have not? That’s the article for you!

Paper clips and staples? That’s so last century.
Well, not entirely. The vision of the “paperless office” hasn’t exactly panned out, but a trend toward the “less-paper office” seems to keep gaining in popularity.
The Nassau County Clerk’s Office is one of the latest joining the movement, embracing electronic recording and stepping away from stamps and couriers. The office held a kickoff meeting Wednesday to introduce the new service to the public.
It’s costing the county nothing, said Shannon Crow, a representative with the clerk’s office.
The office has partnered with Simplifile, a national company specializing in e-recording services, so that title companies, abstractors, attorneys, banks and others can submit land record documents, such as deeds and mortgages, from their own offices.
“Think of it as Fed-Ex through your computers,” said Richard Jackman, a Simplifile representative.
Nassau County businesses that want to submit documents via the Internet will set up an account with Simplifile through its Web site. It is generally about $395 to gain access to the Internet service, Jackman said, then $5 per document transmitted, regardless of page length. If the business wants, Simplifile will send someone to provide training.
By saving time and increasing efficiency, e-recording will save the county money, Crow said, but it’s “hard to put a dollar amount on.” She added that the intent is for e-recording to also save businesses money.

I use RingCentral Services. The work since 1999 and have already made a lot of lives easier. Mine too.