Driving with a cell phone is a lot less dangerous than driving on prescription drugs

There's a lot of debate today about the safety of using cell phones while driving. Statistics show that those who use cell phones while driving cause a much greater percentage of accidents than those who avoid using their cell phones. And the studies have shown that it's not just the physical coordination required to punch numbers into the cell phone while you're trying to work the vehicle that causes accidents; it's actually the lack of attention resulting from driving and talking on the cell phone at the same time. It seems that when you're distracted, you're more likely to cause accidents.

In terms of public safety, it's probably correct to say that banning cell phones would reduce the number of traffic accidents. But I think, more accurately, it depends on the person. Some people are operating on, shall we say, lower power CPUs in their heads to begin with. They might be zoned out on prescription drugs, and when you add a cell phone to the equation, they do become a danger to the other drivers on the road. But there are individuals who are perfectly capable of talking on the cell phone or operating other non-visual electronic devices while they are driving. For example, I'm recording this article while I'm driving, and I have a perfect driving record.
I think the real test of driver safety should be determined by the reaction time of individuals, not simply noting whether they using a cell phone or other portable electronic device. Some people need to be taken off of the roads just the way they are, even without any distractions, because they have about a two-second reaction time. Those people are a danger to other drivers, regardless of what electronics they might be using. And of course, when they pick up a cell phone, their reaction time might double to four seconds, and then they're more than likely going to hit somebody.

So if we're going to go through the trouble of banning mobile phones in automobiles out of concern for driver safety, I think we should go all the way and just ban drivers with low cognitive function and slow reaction time. Why isn't reaction time one of the tests when you go get your license renewed? When someone sees a red light, shouldn't they be required to respond in one second or less? Isn't someone who takes longer than one second to respond to a red light and apply pressure to the brake pedal a danger to other drivers, and aren't slow people in fact far more dangerous than drivers who carry cell phones? I think they are. I mean, if we're going to get serious about driver safety and ban cell phones, we should ban anyone who's taking a great number of prescription drugs from driving.

I was talking with a traffic control officer here recently who said that as many as 30 to 35 percent of all traffic accidents are caused by people who are dosed up on prescription drugs. Another third or so are caused by people on alcohol or illegal drugs. So prescription drugs are causing just as many accidents as people doped up on cocaine, marijuana and alcohol. And occasionally there are really bad drivers -- people who are taking antidepressant drugs, smoking pot, drinking beer and trying to talk on a cell phone to hook up their next drug deal. They're an accident waiting to happen. But fortunately, that's not what you will normally see on the street.

So should cell phones be banned from the hands of drivers? Should we outlaw the use of portable electronic devices by people who are operating automobiles? I would only support that if we also ban drivers with slow reaction times and actually start testing people for reaction times. It's easy to blame the problem on cell phones, but that's sort of like going to Rwanda, finding out that 800,000 people have been slaughtered by machetes, and then blaming the machetes. It's not a machete problem, and it's not a cell phone problem. It's a problem with reaction times of drivers, and in the case of Rwandans, human decency. I say, stop blaming the electronics, and start holding drivers accountable for their mental states.

And in terms of real dangers to public safety, cell phones don't even come close to the dangers posed by prescription drugs and over-the-counter drugs. Approximately 40% of all drivers are on at least one drug at all times, and if you include nicotine and caffeine, that number goes up to around 70%. The abuse of drugs is the root cause of the vast majority of automobile accidents.

Unlimited Downloads For Your IPhone

The iPhone is becoming very popular and the demand for downloads is growing all the time. There are a number of choices when it comes to getting downloads for your iPhone and many websites are offering free downloads, pay per download or unlimited downloads. So how do you know which one to choose?

Everybody is looking for the free option and there are many websites where you can download free music, ringtones, movies and games. However, the problem with these free websites is that along with downloading the files that you want you will often be downloading viruses also. The download quality with free websites is usually very poor and the security is non-existant. So if you are downloading from free websites then there is really no guarantee that the files are safe or even that they will work on your iPhone. Always beware of free download sites as you really are leaving yourself wide open to malicious viruses that can do a lot of harm to both your PC and your iPhone.

Pay per download services are just that, you pay every time that you make a download. Although the cost of each download is quite low if you download a lot of files the expense can get quite high. So if you are someone that downloads a lot for your iPhone you would probably be better off with an unlimited download service rather than a pay per download.

Unlimited iPhone download services work on the basis of paying a one off joining fee and that's it. Once you have paid that joining fee you are a member and you can download an unlimited number of files as often as you like. This in the long run really is the least expensive and safe option for downloading files for your iPhone. Your one time fee gives you a life time membership so you can be downloading files years from now all for free after that one payment. The download files using one of these membership sites are safe and are all screened for viruses and are 100% virus free. The quality of the files are also of very high quality so you can download all the music, videos, games and TV shows you want and be assured that you are getting good, safe quality.

The unlimited service is the most popular choice for downloading and often you will receive some bonuses including in your membership including software programs.

Unlimited Downloads For Your IPhone

The iPhone is becoming very popular and the demand for downloads is growing all the time. There are a number of choices when it comes to getting downloads for your iPhone and many websites are offering free downloads, pay per download or unlimited downloads. So how do you know which one to choose?

Everybody is looking for the free option and there are many websites where you can download free music, ringtones, movies and games. However, the problem with these free websites is that along with downloading the files that you want you will often be downloading viruses also. The download quality with free websites is usually very poor and the security is non-existant. So if you are downloading from free websites then there is really no guarantee that the files are safe or even that they will work on your iPhone. Always beware of free download sites as you really are leaving yourself wide open to malicious viruses that can do a lot of harm to both your PC and your iPhone.

Pay per download services are just that, you pay every time that you make a download. Although the cost of each download is quite low if you download a lot of files the expense can get quite high. So if you are someone that downloads a lot for your iPhone you would probably be better off with an unlimited download service rather than a pay per download.

Unlimited iPhone download services work on the basis of paying a one off joining fee and that's it. Once you have paid that joining fee you are a member and you can download an unlimited number of files as often as you like. This in the long run really is the least expensive and safe option for downloading files for your iPhone. Your one time fee gives you a life time membership so you can be downloading files years from now all for free after that one payment. The download files using one of these membership sites are safe and are all screened for viruses and are 100% virus free. The quality of the files are also of very high quality so you can download all the music, videos, games and TV shows you want and be assured that you are getting good, safe quality.

The unlimited service is the most popular choice for downloading and often you will receive some bonuses including in your membership including software programs.

Why Do People Use Cell Phones?

Some people consider mobile phones a very necessary part of life... something they can't live without. It is very common to see people holding this gadget to their ear while giving the impression of talking to themselves. On the train, on a bus, in the car, on the road or just about anywhere, you can see people with their fingers flying over the key pad of a mobile phone.

Even in places where there is a regular phone, these are still used. Why would people use mobile phones when call charges on these are very much higher than those on regular phones? It would be safe to say that the rates are 3 to 4 times higher. Add to that is the fact that there are areas with "bad" signal and conversation therefore is impaired.

There are places where mobile phones are banned. In UK, use of them is banned in certain train carriage. Use of them gives rise to medical issues too. Higher risk of brain cancer could result from extended use of mobile phones.

These downsides of them did not deter people from acquiring one. Proof to this is the continuous launching of new models in the market. A new addition to the Nokia line was launched on November 2007- the Nokia n81. This is not your ordinary mobile phone as apart from the usual features of calling and messaging, this model affords the user ways of entertainment through the digital player and FM radio. When the user tires of listening to music, he can watch videos or play games.

A very noteworthy feature of Nokia n81 is the digital camera. This will be very useful to capture opportunist shots. Think about the chance of having a camera with you all the time. The calling and the messaging will just be a bonus.

Unlocked Cell Phones

Many novice cellular users who have attempted to change service providers have found themselves frustrated when trying to change service providers. The majority of cell phones are locked by the company who issues the phones by using a special Subscriber Identification Module (SIM) card to encode their proprietary access code.

A locked cell phone has a code embedded into the SIM card that locks it to a specific provider. The owner of the cell phone does not have access to modify this software setting on the SIM card, thus the subscriber becomes tied to the phone service carrier. Many people find it incredibly difficult to change their locking feature. The biggest advantage of an unlocked cell phone is that it allows you to switch providers on the fly by simply inserting a new SIM card. Some people have the ability to unlock their current cell phone and generally all that's needed is a computer, their phone handy, and internet access. You can unlock them if it has that ability by contacting your service provider and for a small fee they will give you the access code. There are also software programs that will unlock your phone for you. You can find many online by doing a search.

These cellular phones can be used with various GSM-compatible carriers worldwide. The majority of cell phones can be used within the US with carriers such as T-Mobile, Cingular/AT&T, and other providers and many other GSM service providers around the world. GSM which leads the world as the fastest growing advanced digital technology available today. Utilizing the cutting edge technology of GSM, they provide integrated voice mail, high-speed data, fax paging, and short message services capabilities. Users can call home, across town, across the continent, or around the world provided there is cellular coverage available. Many of the popular manufacturers are Nokia, Motorola, Sony Ericsson, Samsung, LG, and Alcatel.

There are many different types of unlocked cell phones that can fit any individual user's need. Nokia, Motorola, and Sony Ericsson have some of the most popular diverse unlocked cell phones. Nokia which is one of the leading manufacturers in music, navigation, video, television, imaging, games, and business mobility through cellular devices releases new models nearly every quarter.

The Nokia N95 8GB cellular phone which starts at the price of $689.99 from most retailers is a wonderful phone from the Nokia line. If you love to play games and music on your cell phone than you should consider a Nokia N81 8GB cell phone. Nokia E65 Quadband GSM cell phone is the perfect for cellular users in need of mobile business capabilities. It features an array of radiant colors for someone wanting a colorful phone. The Nokia E61i GSM Smartphone has incredible email features that any user addicted to their email must have. Nokia 7390 L'Amour cell phone is designed to fit the more classic cellular user with an elegant fold design incorporated. Wireless communications pioneer Motorola's top phones are designed to fit any individual needs, for example the Motorola W375 Triband GSM model, or the Motorola V31 RaZR GSM. The Motorola A1200 Quadband Smartphone and the Motorola KRZR K1 Quad band cell phone which all retails between $130 and $328. Sony Ericsson who are known for their excellence in imaging and design created the Sony Ericsson z-558i Triband with touch screen hand writing recognition features. The Sony Ericsson z-710i Quadband is an amazing value with 3-click music download features, and Bluetooth all in the $200-$350 price range at retailers.

How to Design a Website without a Graphics Designer

I wish I took some more graphics design courses while in school.

Now, how many of you webmasters out there are saying to yourselves the exact same thing? Yet, many of you are the ones who had to take involuntary art classes, dreading every minute of them.

To many people, graphics design does not come easy. That's why larger businesses and corporations hire professional graphics designers to do that work instead of the webmasters or application programmers. If you are not part of a larger corporation, but instead part of a small company or someone creating an entire website by yourself, then you probably will not have the luxury of relying on someone with excellent graphics design skills.

This, unfortunately, is why most websites look, how can I politely say this, less than great. Too many websites splatter huge graphics all over the place, not caring about how they are positioned or how the graphics relate to each other. If webmasters followed a few simple rules, however, then many websites would probably look, though not completely professional, at least a lot better than they are now.

(Disclaimer: No, I am not a professional graphics designer myself [If you couldn't tell, that's quite flattering]. Anyone, though, can use these tips).

1. If you don't have the skills, try finding clip-art instead of drawing something yourself.

There are TONS of photographs and clip-art graphics available for use. You can find hundreds of disks and CDs packed with graphics, or you can venture on the web to services that provide hundreds of thousands of images for use. If you don't have the time or the talent, don't try drawing that complex picture yourself - find something that is already done.

(It goes without saying that you shouldn't steal artwork. Only take artwork that is in the public domain, and credit the originator. Or, purchase graphics or a graphic delivery service and carefully read the license agreements before usage.)

2. Choose your graphics carefully.

Try to use images that directly reflect the message you are trying to convey. Think about the icons on your screen or in your software. The best icons are the ones which do not require a text caption underneath; you just know that clicking on one of those icons performs a specific action. You know that if you click on a printer, you want to print something or at least access printer-related functions. Don't always design your text around the graphics that you have - design or find your graphics around the text that you have.

3. Don't use too many pictures on a page.

With millions of clip-art and photographic images available, it can be very easy to go overboard. There are two great reasons on why you should not use too many graphics on a page, one of the reasons being aesthetic, one being technical.

Aesthetically, too many graphics on a page can make a page look cluttered. A page overdone with graphics can look extremely amateurish unless you know all of the graphics design 'tricks of the trade,' which I'm going to assume you don't or you probably wouldn't be reading this text. Keep to just a few graphics on a page that really are important, and your website will look much cleaner.

Technically, too many graphics on a page can cause your page to take forever when loading. This happens on two levels. First, a large number of graphics means that the web server must transfer more information to the clients whenever they access the page. Second, with many graphics, the web server must access each individual graphic whenever it is being accessed. The server has to access the hard drive, read in each graphic, and output each graphic to the clients. For many web servers that can cache information, this second reason may not be a problem, but the first reason is something you should definitely consider since most people are accessing the web with slow modems.

4. Try to 'theme' the graphics on your pages

This can be hard to describe, but think about this for a moment. A well-designed advertisement, magazine cover, or book cover may contain several graphics, but they tend to work well together. Unless it is the intent of the graphics designer, one graphic or graphical element does not usually 'jump out' at the viewer. The graphics may be of the same type (line-art, cartoonist, or photographic), the graphics may contain the same colors, they may be around the same size, etc. Now, when designing your website, see if you can do the same with your choice of graphics. It's true that when you use a lot of clip-art, you may not be able to get images from differing sources to visually 'fit' on a page, so now is a good time to learn a few operations on that graphics editor that you have laying around. Just knowing how to resize images, tint them, or how to use an eraser or brush can make the difference from having your page look like it was done by an amateur to one that looks like it was done by - well, a webmaster that knows some about graphics design.

Remember, the goal is not to achieve perfection, and you can spend hours or days just tinkering with individual graphics. Just try to make your page look acceptable. A few minutes here and there can make all of the difference

If you are interested in acquiring some clip art for your pages, here are two links you can check out for professional quality images.

Information for you about USB Flash Drives

A good few years ago now, I wrote the first Click article to focus on USB Flash Drives and in it I rather optimistically sounded the death knell of the floppy disc which at the time was still very popular. Of course, I also thought the end was in sight when we were introduced to the rewritable CD, the Zip Drive and the 120Mb Floppy, but let's not dwell on these points too much. The important thing to remember is that this time my prediction was accurate and this is down, in no small part ,to the remarkable success of the USB Flash Drive.

Despite the widespread use of Flash Drives, I often still find myself giving a crash course as many computer users as still unaware to what these devices are and their potential benefits. A Flash Drive, or Pen Drive as they're often called, essentially consists of a memory chip encased in a small piece of plastic with a USB connector on the front so that it can be plugged in to pretty much any computer manufactured in the last decade. All Windows Operating Systems after Millennium Edition have the necessary drivers installed as part of the Operating System so you simply plug the device in to a spare USB port and immediately you will be able to view all the stored files using Windows Explorer.

There are many reasons why Flash Drives have become so popular of late and these include, but are not limited to, their speed of operation, small size, relatively low cost, high reliability and the amount of data that they can store.

Whereas the humble floppy disc can store a maximum of 1.44Mb the latest USB Flash drives on the market will store 16GB of data which works out as the equivalent of 11500 floppy discs being stored on a device that weighs less than one single floppy. Additionally they are a great deal faster and more reliable than their floppy counterparts and entry level capacities of around a gigabyte will give you a couple of quid change from a tanner.

Another reason for their success may be because they don't need any hardware other than a spare USB port, system manufacturers were given the perfect excuse to avoid having to install floppy drives in to every machine they produced without limiting the potential for external storage. I've had customers come in to our store, purchase a pack of floppy discs and then return just half an hour later having found that their machine doesn't include a floppy drive - invariably they then purchase a USB Flash Drive.

Windows Vista now also presents a new incentive to those who were thinking about buying a USB Flash Drive. To explain the benefits we first have to look at a system known as Virtual Memory which is a technique used by Windows in order to increase the amount of system memory available to applications. Ever since Windows 3.0 which was released back in 1990, the hard drive has been used in order to store any temporary files which exceed the storage capacity of the system memory. This means that the amount of memory available for the computer to use during operation is practically unlimited. Unfortunately the hard disk is still a relatively slow device because, unlike most other components that make up a computer, it still relies on moving parts. A Flash Drive doesn't have such a constraint so if you plug one in to your machine whilst running Vista it will volunteer to use any of the free space available as Virtual Memory whilst still allowing you to use the device in the intended fashion of a removable storage medium. This will allow you to squeeze a little extra performance out of your machine without having to invest in any additional hardware.

A Flash Drive is certainly a worthwhile investment and they are available from all good computer stores including, of course, Refresh Cartridges.

Data Recovery...How to do?

Data recovery. Let's hope you are never, ever, ever faced with the task of serious data recovery. If you are, it probably means your hard drive is blasted and you precious computer folders and files are nowhere to be found. Your passwords, your photographs, your secret musings, or even worse, your critical business files, bank statements, invoices, and tax records are all being held hostage in a foreign sector of cyberspace, waiting for your data recovery operation to begin.

And it didn't have to happen. Data recovery is necessary because you just never had the time to unwrap a CD, insert it in your D: drive, and back up all those personally cherished and professionally essential files. So here you are, wondering exactly how to begin the process of data recovery.

You can start by finding the name and number of some data recovery specialists. If you have access to a functional computer with an Internet connection, just run a search on data recovery specialists and try to find one in your area. Data recovery is big business, and there are data recovery specialists everywhere there are personal computers.

When you've located a specialist, you can extract your fired hard drive from your PC and either take, or ship it, to the data recovery center. At the center, a data recovery specialist will examine your hard drive's memory to determine how much of your data is recoverable, and call you with the results and the estimated cost of getting it retrieved.

The data recovery process isn't cheap, because it requires your hard drive to be worked on in a clean room, which has to be kept completely dust free. And the data recovery specialist has to use extremely precise instruments with meticulous care to salvage as much of your data as possible, so data recovery is a slow, tedious process.

Some masters of the data recovery process have been known to salvage the files from computers which have been tire food for heavy equipment or dropped into water. Hopefully your hard drive has not been subjected to that sort of abuse, and you will have a relatively"normal" data recovery process.

Of course, the words "data recovery" may not yet apply to you. If you've been lucky enough to dodge that particular Information Age bullet, consider yourself lucky. Then break out that shiny new CD, insert it in your D: drive, select all the folders and files that matter to you, and start copying.

Recovery specialists are professionals in getting your beloved files back to you safe and sound. They take your hard drive apart piece by piece in a clean room and recover each and every file they can from your drive. A skilled data recover specialist can even work such magic on computers that have been accidentally submerged in water or run over by heavy equipment. No matter how much information you have on your drives, a data recovery service can help you get it all back to you in one piece - confidentially and securely.
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