Scientists track world's data at 295 exabytes

In this information age, we already know there's a lot of data hanging around – but scientists have now quantified this, saying that until 2007 there were 295 exabytes of data exists.

295 exabytes would require rather a lot of hard drives

1 exabyte = a billion gigabytes


and 295 of them equates to more data than it's worth comprehending.

The figure will only have increased since the '07 cut-off date, given that the researchers reckon the storage capacity of the world's computers doubles every month.

Information overload

Researchers Martin Hilbert and Priscila Lopez of the University of Southern California came up with the figure by estimating the amount of information held in books, PCs, DVDs, micro chips, X-ray films and paper adverts, among other things,

The survey looked at the years between 1986 and 2007, and pinpoints 2002 as the year that worldwide digital storage became greater than analog storage.

According to the survey, 94 per cent of memory was in digital form by 2007 but even these great reams of digital memory are dwarfed by the information stored in the DNA of a single human.

And after this long discussions and hectic works the problem of keeping the data secure and safe is standing in front of the eyes of the scientists.

A Canadian in Espoo: Elop Gives Nokia a Chance

Rivals keep eating away at the Finnish giant's markets, but Nokia may get a second wind if its new CEO cozies up with Microsoft

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 Stephen Elop, the Canadian-born former Microsoft executive who was tapped as Nokia's chief executive in September, has seen enough. Elop reportedly sent a candid, companywide memo that sets the stage for significant changes at Nokia, which is watching its dominance— in market share, profit, and mindset—in the handset market rapidly erode. There's no guarantee that Elop can turn the giant Finnish company around, but for the first time I can think of since the 2007 arrival of Apple's iPhone, his words bring hope for fans of Nokia.

Indeed, the memo mirrors several thoughts I've shared here about Nokia's challenges over the past year or two, but the full memo, posted at Engadget, is well worth the read. Essentially, Elop likens Nokia's situation to a person standing on a burning oil platform who can do one of two things: continue to watch everything burn around him or jump to the icy waters below. Neither situation is attractive, but at least one option provides a future. Some key excerpts from the memo tie back to thoughts shared here:
"In 2008, Apple's market share in the $300+ price range was 25 percent; by 2010 it escalated to 61 percent. They are enjoying a tremendous growth trajectory with a 78 percent earnings growth year over year in Q4 2010. Apple demonstrated that if designed well, consumers would buy a high-priced phone with a great experience and developers would build applications. They changed the game, and today, Apple owns the high-end range."

After Apple Comes Google

Whenever I'm critical of Nokia vs. Apple's iPhone, the common and near-immediate response centers on how Nokia handsets outsell iPhones by leaps and bounds. Elop knows that this becomes less true with each passing day, and Apple has quickly become one of the top five mobile-phone sellers in the world. It has done this with a limited line of smartphones while Nokia has continued to create hundreds of models with various features and functions. Of course, Apple dominates the high end, so Nokia fans turn their attention to the midtier market. But Elop knows that's simply a trick of misdirection:
"And then, there is Android. In about two years, Android created a platform that attracts application developers, service providers and hardware manufacturers. Android came in at the high end, they are now winning the mid-range, and quickly they are going downstream to phones under €100. Google has become a gravitational force, drawing much of the industry's innovation to its core."
Google's platform is already outselling products that run Apple's iOS or Research In Motion's BlackBerry here in the U.S., where smartphone adoption is rising quickly.But Elop knows that's only part of the story, because Android sales have recently overtaken Nokia's Symbian platform around the world as well.And today, the Gartner research group confirms an 888.8 percent rise in the sale of devices running Android during 2010, even as the worldwide market share of Symbian devices dropped to 37.6 percent from 46.9 percent the year prior. Nokia's Symbian device sales grew (as fans will surely tell you), but they're growing at a slower rate when compared with the mobile device market. That's a problem.

Losing Share in India

Does the high level of U.S. smartphone adoption skew that fact? Probably. But Elop notes, there are examples of Android's growing dominance in regions that have typically been Nokia strongholds. In highly populous countries such as India, where mobile broadband and smartphones are now emerging, $150 Android phones are taking large chunks of Nokia's market share. What was once nearly two-thirds of the market has quickly dissolved to one-third.
"But wait," cry the faithful. "Nokia still owns the low-end market, right?" Elop dismisses that question with a dose of reality: Thanks to system-on-a-chip advances, an inexpensive but functional handset can be built by nearly anyone these days, even at U.S. contract prices of $30 for a cheap Android handset:
"Let's not forget about the low-end price range. In 2008, MediaTek supplied complete reference designs for phone chipsets, which enabled manufacturers in the Shenzhen region of China to produce phones at an unbelievable pace. By some accounts, this ecosystem now produces more than one-third of the phones sold globally—taking share from us in emerging markets."

Too Slow on the Uptake

Elop's memo reiterates much of our Nokia reporting of late: The company is losing ground on all fronts for a variety of reasons, ranging from a lack of internal collaboration to a lack of speed. The latter point bears particular scrutiny because Elop understands a key aspect that Nokia as a company and brand simply don't. I can think of no better example than a post from last week in which I suggested Nokia continue "to move as if the year is 2001, not 2011."
My comment revolved around a Symbian update that took months to produce yet brought little tangible benefit to end users, leaving key functions, such as the browser and input method, less than optimal. Yet the fans decried my thought, saying the update was right on time and the fixes within it were the expected ones. One Nokia employee even suggested I didn't know the difference between a major update and minor one. Such commentary illustrates the problem Elop has seen: Nokia may be on time within its own schedule, but that schedule is far too slow to compete in this fast-changing market. His comment on the speed-to-market challenges exemplify this thought:
"Symbian is proving to be an increasingly difficult environment in which to develop to meet the continuously expanding consumer requirements, leading to slowness in product development and also creating a disadvantage when we seek to take advantage of new hardware platforms. As a result, if we continue like before, we will get further and further behind, while our competitors advance further and further ahead."
How then is Nokia to proceed now that the CEO has taken step No. 1, which is to admit readily to the problem? We'll likely get a good idea of Nokia's future path this Friday, as Elop is expected to outline his strategy, but a glimpse can already be seen from this tidbit in the memo: "[W]e're going to have to decide how we either build, [catalyze] or join an ecosystem."

Benefiting with Microsoft

Although I suggested last July that Nokia consider Android, the better play now may be to extend the company's relationship with Microsoft and use Windows Phone 7 for the platform and ecosystem. Either approach will diminish Nokia's independent brand, but what good is such a brand if consumers are more interested in products from other companies? Nokia makes excellent hardware, and Windows Phone 7 is a fresh take on smartphone software, so there's merit in the partnership.
A year ago, it may have made sense for Nokia to buy Palm and, in turn, the company's webOS platform. Nokia spent a reported $3.9 billion on research and development in 2010; for $1.3 billion, it could have had webOS and still had $2.6 billion left over. But that window has closed, and Microsoft arguably has a stronger ecosystem than HP does for Palm's platform.
Symbian and MeeGo are still on the table, of course, but even Elop doesn't seem to instill confidence in either with his memo. For all the effort on MeeGo, he notes that the company is likely to have only one MeeGo device available for sale in 2011. MeeGo may stay, but progress needs to come faster for Elop to consider saving it.
I suspect this Friday will bring several changes: a greater partnership with Microsoft, a large reduction in the number of future Nokia handset models, and a timeline for MeeGo to prove its worth. Regardless of the path Elop sets for Nokia, it will clearly be a major deviation from the prior path. And it needs to be. Up to now, each time Nokia faced a setback and modified its strategy, competitors were already two more steps ahead.
With an outsider's observation combined with the grave realization of how dire Nokia's current path is, Elop is giving the company at least a fighting chance to compete and grow. Not even the Nokia faithful can argue with that.

HIV virus Prevention | HIV virus Precautions | Awareness for HIV virus | How to tackle an HIV virus infected person

Hello Friends, here i am mentioning some facts for people suffering really hard and still hiding themselves as the society does not accept them, for no reason.....don't be so cruel and rude have some sympathy.
Top 10 Things To Do In Life To Prevent HIV/AIDS

1. Use a condom - It is obvious, a condom can prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS in more than ninety-nine out of every one hundred cases. This is true of latex condoms, but certain other types may not be as effective, and some which are created using lambskin or sheep intestine may allow the virus to slip through.

2. Never share hypodermic needles - Intravenous drug users often share the same hypodermic needles, and this can create a high risk for many infectious disease which can be passed along from one person to another. Hepatitis can also be spread in this fashion.

3. Eat a healthy diet each day - Proper nutrition can help fight off many different viral infections, by promoting a healthy body and immune system. If the daily diet is lacking in nutrients than the immune system may not work as effectively, leading to a viral infection.

4. Limit the number of sexual partners - HIV/AIDS is spread through sexual contact, so limiting the number of sexual partners can also help minimize the risk of catching this virus. Know the partners chosen very well, including their sexual history and if they were tested for any diseases. Celibacy is the only guaranteed method available to prevent catching a viral infection through sexual transmission, but if this method is not desired then keep the number of sexual partners as small as possible.

5. Avoid casual sexual encounters and one night stands - Casual sexual encounters have become common, but this practice creates a very high risk for infection with STDs because of the short-term relationships and variety of partners within a short time.

6. Don't use drugs or alcohol - Drug or alcohol use greatly increases the risk of unsafe behavior, and this behavior can lead to a disease or infection. These substances lower inhibitions, and can cause an individual to act in uncharacteristic ways and to take risks.

7. Take anti-retroviral treatment if exposed - Anyone who suspects any possible exposure to HIV/AIDS should immediately start treatment with drugs called anti-retrovirals. These medications may prevent the virus from multiplying or causing an initial infection.

8. Avoid high risk occupations - Certain occupations carry a risk of contact with infectious individuals or contaminated bodily fluids. These include doctors, nurses, paramedics, prison guards and correctional officers, police officers, and many other occupations. Public safety employees are frequently needed for accidents and injuries where blood or other body fluids and present, and if the individual is contagious these workers may be infected if precautions are not taken,

9. Male circumcision - Male circumcision has been scientifically shown to prevent the spread of viruses and sexually transmitted infections to men by up to 60%. This has caused many countries to encourage circumcision to minimize the risks of infection. When a male is infected, they frequently pass this along to female partners, so circumcision helps protect both sexes.

10. Avoid touching blood or bodily fluids from others whenever possible - HIV/AIDS is spread through contact with bodily fluids that are infected with the virus responsible. Always use all possible precautions before coming into contact with any body fluids. This can include latex gloves, face masks, and other protections available.
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FDA Announces Safety Concern Regarding Usage Of Anti-HIV Drugs, Invirase And Norvir

According to a recent press release from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), using Invirase (saquinavir) and Norvir (ritonavir) in combination may lead to heart problems in some HIV and AIDS patients.
Invirase is an antiretroviral drug from the class known as protease inhibitors. It is used to treat HIV infection, and is used in combination with Norvir to enhance its effects.
Recently acquired data suggests that using these two drugs together can cause a condition known as torsades de pointes, otherwise known as abnormal heart rhythm. This can also lead to a type of abnormal heart rhythm known as heart block. Symptoms of torsades de pointes include lightheadedness, abnormal heart beats, and fainting. Torsades de pointes may even lead to ventricular fibrillation, a potentially life-threatening and severely abnormal heart rhythm.

Preliminary reviews of the data suggest that patients who use medications that can cause heart disturbances may be at risk for torsades de pointes if they also use Invirase and Norvir.
So far, the FDA has recommended that patients using Invirase talk to their doctors before making any changes to their treatment regimens. Also, patients should report any unusual side effects to the FDA’s MedWatch program.
For more information please see the FDA Web site.
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Study Raises Questions Regarding The Safety and Efficacy Of Interleukin-2 During Early HIV Infection

A recent study showed that interleukin-2 (IL-2), a signaling molecule that stimulates growth of disease-fighting blood cells in the immune system, induces a significant increase in the number of CD4 immune cells during early HIV infection of patients.
However, IL-2 therapy was associated with a higher rate of opportunistic infections, which take advantage of weaknesses in the immune system, and death compared to no treatment. The study was published in the journal PLoS One.
The addition of short courses of antiretroviral therapy (ART) to the IL-2 treatment did not further increase the number of CD4 cells compared to IL-2 alone.
ART, a combination of at least three antiviral drugs, is designed to suppress and stop the progression of HIV infection. However, it does not completely eradicate the HIV virus, and once started, the treatment must be continued for life, since interruptions or discontinuation can increase risk of disease progression or death.
The purpose of the study, known as STALWART, was to investigate whether IL-2 alone or in combination with short courses of ART would enhance immunologic response without the adverse effects of continuous ART.
The study evaluated the safety and efficacy of IL-2 in 267 patients not yet ready for continuous ART.
Participants received either no treatment, IL-2 for five consecutive days every eight weeks for three cycles, or the same IL-2 regimen with the addition of ten days of ART administered around each IL-2 cycle.
At week 32 of the study, the mean change in CD4 cells in participants not receiving treatment was -22 cells/mm³ compared to a change of +114 for IL-2 recipients. Participants receiving IL-2 plus ART showed a similar increase in CD4 cells to those receiving IL-2 alone.
Increased CD4 counts in IL-2 patients delayed the start of continuous ART. However, the amount of HIV virus in the blood stream was unaffected by treatment with IL-2.
Despite the potential benefits of IL-2, treatment with the drug was associated with increased side effects, opportunistic infections, and progression to AIDS or death, which calls into question the potential of IL-2-induced CD4 cells to fight disease.
Patients receiving IL-2 were more than twice as likely to develop moderate or severe side effects as patients receiving no therapy, and those receiving ART in addition to IL-2 were more than four times as likely. Common side effects included fever, nausea, muscle pain, and rash.
Overall, researchers believe that IL-2 might be an effective strategy to complement ART, rather than to replace it.
They also concluded that CD4 counts might not be the best way of measuring immune function in IL-2 recipients, since the efficacy of IL-2 induced CD4 cells is uncertain. Instead, researchers suggest it might be useful to differentiate IL-2 induced cells to more accurately measure disease progression in patients who have received IL-2.
To extend safety evaluations, participants in the study will be offered an additional two years of clinical follow-up.
Two other studies (ESPRIT and SILCAAT), designed to evaluate the clinical efficacy of intermittent IL-2 plus continuous ART compared to ART alone, also concluded that the addition of IL-2 did not slow disease progression or prevent death compared to ART alone, despite increased CD4 cells.
Another clinical trial (ANRS 119) compared IL-2 therapy alone to no intervention and found that IL-2 recipients delayed ART initiation compared to controls and did not experience increased clinical events.
“We currently have no plans to carry out new studies with IL-2. However, other [signaling molecules] like IL-7, which are better tolerated, might be more interesting to assess,” said Jean-Michel Molina, principle investigator of the ANRS 119 study.
For more information regarding the STALWART study, please see the article in PLoS One.

When good job references go bad -- and how to fight them

In an interview, past run-ins with office politics may come back to haunt you, but there's a way to hit back first

I've been doing software development professionally for 40 years. I'm nearing retirement. I've never paid much never mind to office gossip, and I'm guessing that is part of my downfall.

Here's my situation: I was recently laid off when a new head of application development joined the company. He interviewed all the programmers when he started. He made it clear from the start he didn't like the project to which I was assigned, and 10 minutes of discussion didn't change anything. I was gone the next day.

Now the problem: Since then, I've been to a half-dozen interviews where everything seemed to be going very well. The follow-up calls were enthusiastic, and I gave them good references. But in the end, I wasn't a "fit" in any of them.

After six of these, one person was kind enough to explain what really happened. They had their own sources in the company I worked for prior to the last one -- where I actually have my best references. They had other names. They used these "other names," who apparently said I didn't get along with my coworkers and managers.

OK, some more background: Someone there during my first few years at this company behaved toward me in a friendly manner. He was one of the principal programmers, and I considered him a friend. It turned out he was bad-mouthing me to everyone, and nobody let me in on what he was doing. I'd have moved on, but times were tough and opportunities few in the '06-to-'10 time frame. Besides, I was doing my job and making the people I directly worked with seemingly happy.

Then this thing happened. A junior person insisted that I implement something that flat-out would not work. I tried very patiently to explain why it wouldn't. I didn't follow her instructions. Later, the boss got involved and reassigned the task to her. She eventually did some research and found out she had been wrong.

But that didn't matter. They put a written notice in my personnel file. It was followed by an episode where I didn't follow the correct template -- which had never been identified as the formal template and wasn't shown to me until after I'd finished the job assigned to me.

Outcome: I was not doing my job and was fired. No severance. Nothing. Go away. Now, somehow, that has caused me to be blackballed.

Now, what? Seems to me I'm screwed. Have any suggestions?

- Tarred

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Dear Tarred ...

This is a tough one. I have no easy, surefire answer that will address the issue.

I can see two possible courses of action, and I'd encourage you to try either one or the other -- but not both -- in every future interview situation. Both fall into the category of pre-emptive strikes.

The first, and more graceful, alternative is to carefully prep your good references inside your former employer. Relate the short version of what you told me and ask them, as part of their response, to tell prospective employers that while you were, in fact, an excellent employee, a few backstabbers decided to take aim at you. You never responded in kind, but the backstabbing ended up hurting your reputation among those who didn't know you personally. (Use words to that effect -- you don't want different references to sound scripted.)

Assuming a prospective employer contacts your references first and their contacts second, this pre-emptive strike should help. It's uncertain, though, because in a surprising number of cases, prospective employers don't interview the references provided at all.

(Truth in packaging department: Nick Corcodilos covered a similar situation recently and recommended this as the best approach available under the circumstances.)

That leaves alternative No. 2: Deliver the message yourself. This is a tough one. The unwritten rules of interviewing etiquette state that you never say anything at all negative about a former employer or your experience there. (Stray thought: "I see here that you used to work for the Russian Mafia. What was the toughest decision you had to make while you were there?" Answer: "Tough decision? Not at all ... everything that happened there was wonderful, and they'll shoot anyone who says differently.")

Back to business: Somewhere in your future interviews, you explain that the reason you left your former employer was that somehow or other you ran afoul of a couple of office politicians who badly damaged your reputation in the company. As a result, if they inquire with someone who didn't work with you personally, they might hear unfortunate perspectives about you and your work.

If you decide to take this route, you should probably acknowledge that this isn't what you're supposed to say in an interview; it could even damage your chances of getting the job more than the risk that the next hiring manager might decide to talk to other people in the company. I don't recommend it unless alternative No. 1 isn't available.

Impacts of Social Networking Sites: How minors suffer

A 54-year-old man is in police custody after allegedly having sex with a 13-year-old girl he had ‘wed’ in an online game.

John W Phillips of Fitchburg, Massachussetts, is accused of having sex with the teenage girl on at least three occasions last year after they formed a relationship in the RuneScape multiplayer game.

Facing jail: John W Phillips allegedly had sex with a 13-year-old Detroit girl he had met in an online role-playing game

A 54-year-old man is in police custody

Phillips and the Detroit girl ‘married’ in the online role-playing platform and after he hand delivered a mobile phone to her in February last year, they had sex at a motel, in his van and at her home, police say.

After being arrested in New York last month, Phillips has been charged with 11 felonies including sexual assault, using a computer to communicate with another person to commit a crime, accosting a child for immoral purposes and child sexually abusive activity.

Several law enforcement agencies cooperated to arrange his extradition to Michigan and he will appear at a pretrial hearing on Thursday, with maximum sentences for the charges ranging from four to 20 years in prison.

According to Wayne County Sheriff’s Corporal Ray Johnson, Phillips and the girl took part in a RuneScape marriage ceremony last year.

Police discovered the pair’s relationship after the girl’s mother found her exchanging text messages, even though she was not permitted to own a mobile phone.

Wayne County Sheriff Benny Napoleon said Phillips had tried to post a phone to the girl and then brought it to her Detroit home in February last year.

They allegedly had sex at a motel in Eastpointe and at two other occasions, Sheriff Napoleon added.

The alleged victim is undergoing counselling, Sheriff Napoleon said, adding: ‘This has been traumatic for her.’


Police say Phillips does not have a criminal record, and believe his only source of income is through the sale of Magic: The Gathering gaming cards.


Michigan State Police Lt. Tom Kish said parents should be concerned about their children’s internet usage, with more online predators using video games as a means of contacting vulnerable youngsters.

[READ MORE......]

Increase in Non-communicable Diseases in South Asian Countries

A recent World Bank report has issued a warning about the drastic rise in Non-communicable diseases in India and other South Asian countries, almost on the brink of a health crisis.

According to the report, heart disease is the leading cause of death in adults aged 15-69. Comparing with other groups worldwide, heart attack seems to strike almost 6 years earlier in South Asians.

It is time the South Asian countries work to reduce the burden of NCD’s  to improve health of citizens as well as  their GDP.