5 Reasons Why Babies Cry

Ask any parent of a newborn child and they will tell you through bleary eyes that babies cry. Crying is how infants communicate their need for sleep, hunger, their desire to be held, pain, and more.

But how do parents know what their babies are trying to say when they cry? It can be difficult to understand what they are trying to tell you, especially when they are very young.

Here are some of the reasons that infants cry. If your baby is crying and you can't figure out why, then go down the last and you may find something that will help.

Your Baby is Hungry

Some of the most common signs of hunger will help you to start feeding your baby before he or she begins to cry. These include smacking their lips, putting their hands to their mouths, being fussy, or rooting.

Rooting is a reflex that newborns have. When you stroke their cheek and they turn their head in the direction of your hand your baby is rooting.

Your Baby's Diaper is Dirty

While some babies can deal with a dirty diaper for a long time others will cry right away. This is one of the first things you'll want to check.

Your Baby is Tired

Contrary to what a lot of adults think, babies often have a hard time falling asleep. This is especially true if your baby is over tired. Babies tend to get cranky when they are exhausted. You may try to put your baby to sleep as soon as you see their fist yawn. Or you can just hold your baby close and talk to him softly. Soon your baby may close his eyes and drift off to sleep.

Your Baby Wants to Be Held

Most adults love to be held. Why do you think your baby would be any different? Babies need to be cuddled. They like to hear their parent's voices and look up into their faces. They even like your unique smell.

When a baby cries she may just be telling you that she wants you to hold her close.

And don't worry about spoiling your child. During their first several months of life it's impossible to hold your baby too much.

Your Baby Has Gas

Your baby might have stomach troubles that are associated with colic or gas. When that happens they may seem to be inconsolable. They can cry for hours at a time, and it can go on for several days a week.

If this happens right after he is fed then your baby may be feeling some sort of stomach discomfort or pain.

If you think that it's gas then you can try putting your baby on his back and holding his feet. Then gently move his legs as if he was peddling a bicycle.

If that doesn't work then the best thing to do is to see your doctor. Ask the doctor if you should try gripe water, which is made from sodium bicarbonate and herbs, or over the counter anti-gas drops.

Creative Craft Ideas

Stuck for gift ideas? While it's easy to jump online and buy something at the last minute - there's still something touching about receiving a homemade and personalised gift - and we're not talking about embarrassing Christmas jumpers. If you've got a bit of creative flair, there are a number of great ways to personalise the gifts you give and show someone you care - consider these creative craft ideas:

Scrapbooks and photo albums - relive some of those all important moments. Scrapbooking is a fun group activity to complete and they're the perfect gift idea for weddings, graduations, birthdays or anniversaries - any commemorative event. With digital cameras and photo editing software- it's easy to edit your favourite photos and add captions so you can remember the moment exactly how you want to. Meanwhile, photo printers let you print lab quality photos for the most brilliant scrapbook and photo albums.

Crafts - ceramics, glass work, beading, knitting, embroidery - there are a number of ways to create something beautiful and functional. If you don't consider yourself to be the crafty type, you can still purchase some plain, simple items such as picture frames or boxes and then add your own decorations and a bit of personal flair.

Cards - sometimes, a card really does say it all. With quality inkjet printers , you can make your greeting card stand out and tailor it with a fun personal message. Canon's Creative Park has a number of great greeting card templates, including unique 3D cards and fun envelopes to make the greeting pop - literally!

Digital gifts - do you know your way around Photo Shop or are you a pro with slideshows and presentations? There are number of ways you can turn your graphic and computer skills into a standout gift. Put together a digital slideshow or movie, make an animation or design a fun digital greeting card. Bring back the mix tape - why not put together a personalised music compilation with a designed CD cover and label?

What's your creative craft?

What is the Key to a Successful Life?

An ideal is not the dream that can never be realised, that certain weak-willed individuals like to imagine, if only to provide themselves with an excuse for moaning about life. Nor is it a vague and flimsy speculation in which shallow people want to indulge.

Here I am using the term 'ideal' to incorporate mission, vision, and purpose. I believe that it is indispensable for you to have an ideal, since it is the key to:

A more contented life.

A less stressful life.

A compelling future.

Living longer.

Putting first things first.

Focusing on what most matters in your life.

Preventing you from living in the past.

Allowing you to realise your future vision.

Giving you the reason for doing and being.

Your ideal is:

The overall vision, mission, and purpose for your life.

Very specific and understandable.

Always bigger than you.

Never completely achieved as it usually lasts your lifetime.

The power that determines your goals.

The continuous impulse towards a desire, which, because of gradual progress, gives you the courage to persevere.

The constant effort towards the whole, the partial realisation of which provides you with satisfaction and with encouragement.

Relatively constant even though your goals and values may change.

Not a definite goal as it exists at a much higher level.

Not egocentric.

Not an abstract, vague, hazy, or fanciful aspiration.

Therefore, an ideal is a dominant aspiration which all your efforts strive to achieve. I like to compare the ideal to a chain, of which every link, complete in itself, is added to the one before it to form a durable and constantly lengthening bond.

When you have a purpose your life has more meaning, and your ideal directs your life by becoming your helm, anchor, atlas, compass and inner core.

There is no situation in life, however modest, in which it is not advantageous to have an ideal. The shop-assistant will have thought of becoming the owner of the shop, and he will direct every aspect of his labour to that one end. Of course, an ideal once attained does not cease to exist, but merely changes. Once proprietor of the shop, our shop-assistant¡¦s ideal will be to make himself distinguished among those who are in the same line of business.

And this same aspiration towards better things, while all the time progressing towards a single goal, can find satisfaction in successive victories, each of which is but a step in the right direction towards your goal. Without actually becoming a fantasy, an ideal can approach the realm of fancy as far as the perfection that you wish to reach is concerned. For certain artists this will be a flawless work of art which they continually progress towards, with each successive creation.

As an example, I am listing the various components of my ideal in the hope that it will help you to develop yours. They are as follows:

1. To strive for a better life and value my freedom to live my life as I choose, and without interfering with the freedom of others.

2. To respect and value the difference between individuals, irrespective of age, race, religion, or gender.

3. To become a positive influence and role model for others' perseverance.

4. To serve as an inspiration and role model for my family, colleagues, and staff by always supporting and encouraging their growth.

5. To remain loyal and dedicated to myself, my wife, my children and grandchildren, my siblings, my friends and my staff.

6. To make every effort to achieve financial independence.

7. To conduct all my commercial transactions with honesty and integrity.

Having established your ideal, you will have a challenging future ahead of you. The next thing that you need to do is the crucial step of goal setting.

Goal setting is about making choices. It is about knowing where you are going and why you are going there. When you define your goals you need to ensure that every goal is:

Specific - to the extent that you know clearly what you are trying to achieve and why.

Measurable - to ensure that you can gauge and quantify your progress.

Achievable - to make sure that you have the production capability to complete it.

Realistic - to make certain that you have reasonable expectations.

Time-based - to guarantee that you complete it within a predefined time constraint.

If you do not apply due diligence and perform goal setting, then you will not realise your dreams because you will have no clue about:

Where you are going.

Why you are going there.

When you should get there.

How you are going to get there.

Past Life Analysis Leads To Happiness

Are you wondering what a past life analysis will do for you? You may imagine that you were a princess, a king or a valiant warrior and you want to explore your past lives in order to find out. You can satisfy your curiosity by finding out what your life was like but a past life analysis will do much more for you than that. A past life regression with self hypnosis will help you discover the root cause of self destructive patterns or irrational fears that you notice. Here are some common threads that you might find relief for:

Irrational fears and phobias. These fears are caused by all kinds of suffering in a past life that are a result of such things as death by fire or drowning.

Disease and chronic pain. Reliving a traumatic injury or death over and over again can cause physical symptoms.

Insecurity. This commonly stems from memories of abandonment such as being orphaned or sold into slavery.

Guilt. This feeling often results from feelings of being at fault for harm or death of another person.

Accidents. Being prone to accidents or having violent tendencies can stem from memories on the battlefield.

Relationship struggles. A tendency from a past life with family members or a mate may be repeated as a pattern today until that difference is settled.

Have you noticed one of these themes in your life? If you do, you will likely benefit from a self hypnosis session in which you explore your past lives. Self hypnosis can take some practice so be patient. You may not get results the first time but keep at it until you do.

Start out with a clear intention of what you want to explore. Search for the earliest moment in time, once you are in a relaxed trance state. Relive the event as realistically as possible and be sure to pay close attention to all the sounds, colors and even the smells. Pay close attention to all the thoughts and feeling that are happening especially if the moment is right before death. At that very instant, what were your thoughts? This is going to be the key to releasing the fear.

These thoughts carry strong emotions and carry on to the next life. For example, Mario discovered that his last thoughts before death were "It's hopeless. There's nothing I can do." He carried this emotional pain around with him leading to depression and low energy. In a past life analysis, he realized the source of his pain and was able to release the pain that he held all of his life.

What is the result from a past life analysis? More energy and happiness! When will you try it?

Personalized Gifts And Clothes For You To Be Remembered

Personalized gifts and clothes are one of the most important things to prepare especially if you are attending children parties. Sometimes it takes a lot of time in choosing the best gifts for them. There are people who just ignore this kind of situation and they just give whatever they find easy. It is very important to prepare a great gift even just for children. Some ideas might be great help for you in preparing your personalized gifts and clothes.

The design of clothes is very important thing to consider even if it is just for a child. There are people who give gifts and didn’t think about its value and there are others who give much time in preparing their gifts. Whatever gifts you want to give it is best that you think about its value. The one who will receive the certain gifts will appreciate it more if you have given it an effort in preparing. It is best to consider the clothes that will stay for long.

There are many things you need to consider in choosing clothes as gifts. The designs of clothes are important because it will affect the way they look. Personalized gifts and clothes are best in so many ways. People will like clothes that have words or saying in it or personalized designs. It is unique in the eyes of people if they see this kind of things. The materials that clothes are made of are also very important thing to consider make sure that it is comfortable enough. Think that children are the most energetic person in the world.

There are many ideas available in the internet that might be a great help for you. It is also best to ask some people who might have idea about children clothing before you prepare your personalized gifts and clothes. Be wise in choosing this thing make sure that who ever gets a presence from you it is best that they will remember you even for a long time. In giving a gifts you want to impress some one but if you are giving an inappropriate gifts it could mean something for them.

Great Gifts For Dad – Make Him Feel Special

Whenever someone asks you about the person you admire the most, the very common answer is your father. Isn't it? Fathers are the role-models for their children. But you hardly get a chance to show your love and affection for your father. Well, you do not actually need any special occasion to praise your father's contribution in structuring your life in a positive way. You must not only wait for Father's Day, but even his birthday can be the best time to cherish him. Several great gifts for Dad are there that you can choose from to convey your message to your beloved father. Presents are the most efficient mediums to express your feelings and emotions for your father. Some of the great gifts for Dad have been mentioned below:

Sports Collectibles: Many fathers are sports fanatics. If your dad belongs to the same category, assembling and presenting the collectibles related to his favorite sports would be the most wonderful and great gifts for Dad. Some of the collectibles may include balls used in actual games, sport products signed by their favorite players, antique baseball cards and many more. These collectibles can be looked for in local stores as well as online shops and auctions.

Event Tickets: Is your father an entertainment lover? If you have noticed any banner containing an advertisement of an event being held in some venue and you think your father would like it, book the tickets. It will be one of the great gifts for Dad. Plan it with full family so that he also gets some quality time to spend with you all. If your father likes comedy, take him to a comedy show, if he loves soft Ghazal music, taking him to such events will do.

Electronic Gadgets: For a techie Dad, electronic gadgets would be the great gifts for Dad. Some of these devices include laptops, MP3 player, Ipod, and many others.

Airline Tickets: If you remember any of the places that your father desires to visit some day, book airline tickets to that place. It will surely be one of the most surprising great gifts for Dad.

Designer Watch: If you are fed up of seeing your father using the same watch for years, gift him a new designer watch. With a fascinating look and elegant appearance, this materialistic item would be one of the great gifts for Dad.

Home Brewing System: Your father, being big on beer, would love to receive home brewing system as one of the great gifts for Dad. This will give him a chance to make his own blend. The only thing you need to do is arrange for all the equipments and ingredients that are required to serve his purpose.

Digital Photo Frames: One of the most common, but great gifts for Dad is digital photo frames with preloaded images. This will provide him an opportunity to cherish the loveliest and precious moments of his life.

The above-mentioned items, however, can not only be presented on your father's birthday or Father's Day, but will also serve to be best anniversary gifts ideas for him.

High Heel Problems You Didn't Know

Many people would quickly agree that a women is somehow more attractive when she's wearing a decent pair of high heels. She's taller, her posture is altered somewhat to better accentuate her figure, and she can develop a more sophisticated walk while wearing high heels. There are some downsides, however. High heels are responsible for a host of health problems that can cause significant pain and suffering later in life.

If you frequently wear high heels, then this article is for you. Certainly, it is neither likely or desirable to rid the world of high heels altogether. But it is important to realize and understand the health ramifications of consistent and long term wear. Knowing the dangers can help you to choose more wisely in the future, which can help you to suffer less later in life.

The primary danger to wearing high heels is that the weight of your body is unnaturally and unevenly distributed. There is a lot of extra pressure put on the inside of your knees when wearing high heels. Much more than our bodes were designed for. The knees are an area that is at risk in many women for developing arthritis later in life. If it is over stressed, it may increase the chances of developing arthritis later on.

The second danger is that the calf muscle is at risk of being shortened. While wearing high heels gives shape to your lower legs, this may come at a cost. The cost of a shortened calf muscle is much tighter Achilles tendon, which can cause heal problems later in life. The Achilles tendon attaches the calf muscle to the heel bone, and when damaged can create an enormous amount of pain.

The third area for danger is the incredible amount of pressure put on the smaller toes. With all the weight shifting downward, there is an incredible amount of pressure on the smaller metatarsal bones of the smaller toes. The body can react by increasing the size of the nerves within those toes, which can later cause a great deal of pain later in life. With frequent and extended wear, the smaller toes can be physically contracted, and will be permanently disfigured.

Billions of dollars are spent around the world on fashion every year. Shoes are no small part of this. You don't have to go far to find a shoe store selling the latest fashions. To expect people to simply stop wearing high heels would be unrealistic, and ridiculous. It is realistic, however, to know the risks of wearing high heels. If you wear them too often, the benefits you receive today may be overshadowed by the pain and suffering you'll receive in the future.

Holidays - BE the Child Within Your Heart

I've always loved the lyrics in the song Landslide by Stevie Nicks:

"Oh, mirror in the sky, what is love? Can the child within my heart rise above? Can I sail through the changing ocean tides? Can I handle the seasons of my life?"

I first heard the song when it came out in 1975. I was completely alone; shell shocked from a traumatic childhood. And all alone during the holidays.

Yet even through that dark period I knew there was a light within me. I recognized it as the child I was when I came into the world. I knew I was here to fully express that child in her adult form.

But I felt so disconnected from that spark, that part of me that was snuffed out a long time ago. I was depleted. I thought everyone else on the planet was full of joy except me. What is love?

As I grew older, whenever I was knocked on my ass or felt lost I remembered the line "Can the child within my heart rise above?" In one way or another - not always elegantly - she did. She rose above.

What I learned over the years is children are born with moxie. Bundles of joy and love, they have the confidence and fortitude to fully express who they really are and go after what they really want, no matter what.

If you ever doubted the strong, vibrate passionate pursuit within a child, put a warm gooey chocolate cookie up on a high shelf. A child still in diapers will figure out a way to get that cookie. No matter what.

Until she is told enough times to believe cookies are bad and spinach is what she 'should' want. And starts to turn her pursuits to the spinach she's still forcing herself to like as an adult.

The more you shape-shift the child within your heart to love, embrace and pursue what isn't your heart's desire the more you will feel lost, disconnected and without joy.

If you are blessed to be around children this holiday season, watch how their eyes light up as they put their whole selves into their experience. Notice how they remain curious and curious-er with enthusiasm!

Sometimes they find more delight in the gift wrapping than the gift itself. Put a bow on your nose and a toddler will squeal with delight.

The child within your heart will rise above when you lovingly put your whole self in your everyday experience. When you allow parts of you to be held back - often by your own Inner Critic - you silence the child, gag her expression.

Being the child within your heart is just that - being. You cannot DO the child within your heart. Being is an inside job.

Sailing through the changing ocean tides of life is about how you show up to its events. If you fall flat on your deriere do you use it as an opportunity to learn and grow? Or do you crawl back under the covers, mad at yourself, your circumstance or blame others for your sad state of affairs?

A child is resilient. She will cry for a moment or two, dust herself off, learn something new, and go back to playing within minutes. She rises above. Staying on the ground in misery isn't an option.

Handle this season of your life. Reconnect with and love unconditionally the child within your heart. She will teach you how to rise above. Let your curiosity and wonder prevail. What was once routine or even challenging will soon become play.

Love your self. Give yourself a gift right now. Let your inner heart-centered child come out and shine.

Some Quick Happy Fixes To A Happier Day At Work

It's normal that we tend to get unhappy, tired or simply unmotivated to work every once in a while. As I was browsing the Net lately, I came upon some employees' some quick happy fixes on how to combat a dreary or unmotivated day at the workplace. And here are some of what I found out:

-Have a song for the day and hum it as you leave your house and enter your office. Choose your song of the day and cue it on your Ipod and play it on as you walk your way to work, driving in your car, or riding the elevator up to your office. Work happens best if you start it with a smile.

-Never underestimate the power of chocolates. Eating anything sweet (like chocolates) can help boost your mood. It contains serotonin which is also known as an anti-depressant. So have it on hand when you need a mood-lifter. And don't forget to share some with your workmates and share the happiness in the workplace!

-Have a tea break, have a pause at work. You can buy a glass teapot with an infuser, and you can share your little tea party with colleagues as a way to 'exhale' in between office hours, especially at 3 pm. It's a healthier alternative from a hectic day and it's also a great way to bond with co-workers.

-Take a walk. During your break time, why not get up from your desks and cubicles and take a walk outside your office, in the hallway, or even outside the building? You don't have to linger for long; even a 30-40 minute leisure walk out there can enable you to return to your workstations a renewed and re-energized you!

Free IT Courses - Upskilling for the New Work Environment

Information technology, or IT as its commonly referred to, is defined as the ‘development, installation and implementation of computer systems and applications’. However, in a business sense, this could be further expanded to include the streamlining of business operations, reduction of operating costs and improving bottom line profits through the meaningful application of these technologies.

As technology develops at exponential rates, the rate of advancements, along with the amount of technology in the marketplace, will continue to increase rapidly. One of the first adopters of these technologies is business ... and this is not just large corporations. Nearly every small to medium business now has access to advanced computer systems and software at affordable prices that were not to be seen a decade ago. With the popularity of the home and business computer, advanced software applications that increase workplace productivity and operational efficiency, along with the popularity of websites, databases and online marketing techniques to attract and capture potential customers, the reliance businesses place on technology is unprecedented. Through the use of the available technology, businesses have been able to reach new markets and apply new services to current and potential clients.

However, as systems and software become increasingly complicated, organisations require specialist IT staff to implement and manage such applications effectively. The greatest software in the world will simply be unproductive if not installed and maintained correctly. In response, the demand for qualified and experienced IT staff is booming. This was highlighted by a report released in November 2010 by a leading recruitment agency, illustrating that demand for IT professionals, especially within the retail sector, has increased nearly 50% over the past six months. In the analysis of the data in respect to the business environment and trends in technology, the increase had been correlated with a demand and willingness of businesses and retailers to invest in new or updated computer hardware and software applications. Business owners held a strong belief that the implementation of the latest information technology would give them a competitive edge in the marketplace and better satisfy their customers.

With technology creating massive changes in the workforce, in respect to roles, functions and capabilities, those who have previously relied on IT specialists require a basic understanding of the systems and how they be applied in the workplace. Specialist educational providers, who have recognised the need for this have developed free IT courses for upskilling those who require more confidence in utilising these applications. Furthermore, with the increasing use of IT within the business environment comes with it an increased demand for experienced and qualified IT staff to manage the technology. Whether you are considering your career options or are feeling like a change, a free IT course is a great way to obtain the skills you need to make this transition.

Using The Internet To Do Your Christmas Shopping This Year

It seems like every year the stores start a little bit earlier with their efforts to get Christmas shopping started. You see this all fall and it really kicks into gear the day after Thanksgiving. Many stores now offer sales as early as 4:00 a.m. to get you to come shop with them.

For some people the fun of shopping for Christmas is actually getting out and fighting for parking spaces, and then charging into the mall with a full head of steam. However that is not the case for everyone. More and more people are using the internet to do their Christmas shopping and for good reason.

Let's look at how Christmas shopping and shopping in general is changing. Here are some valuable tips if you prefer to shop at home this year.

One concern is how early to shop. If you are having your gift shopped directly from the online merchant you do not want it to arrive to early. The flip side to that is waiting to long and having to pay additional shipping charges to get it there on time. So tip number one is plan ahead so your gift arrives on time.

Another common problem buying a gift online is that when you see it in person it does not always appear the same as it did in the picture on the internet. To avoid this problem it is better to only buy things online if you are absolutely sure what it looks like.

If you know particular model numbers of a product you can look at it in a store and then go home and order it online. Doing this kind of Christmas shopping is smart because you know exactly what you are getting and it allows you to shop for specials all over the internet to find it.

One last tip is to know who you are shopping from. While it might be tempting to get that unbelievable buy from a store you have not heard of that can cost you more in the long run if you have a problem. Dealing with retailers and websites you have a history with is a better idea during this busy shopping time of the year. If you do have problems you will have less hassle getting them taken care of.

So if you do not cherish the thought of battling the crowds this year try using the internet to do your Christmas shopping this year. You may just find it to be the best shopping experience you have ever had! 

Create Your Own Digital Library

The moment you got your first digital camera, your view of the world has totally changed. You always seem to see something beautiful or artistic in your surroundings, worthy of being captured in pixels. You experiment quite a lot and keep on loading your pictures in your computer. Until one day, you thought of working on a project. You’re sure you have the kind of picture you need – you knew you have it somewhere in your hard disk… in one of those folders… You can’t run a search for it though because you pretty much use generic filenames like Flower1, Flower2, Flower 3 and so on. Uh-oh! Looks like it’s high time for you to organize your digital photos!

Microsoft has something that can help you do that. It’s called the Microsoft Digital Image Suite 9, which actually consists of two imaging applications – MS Digital Image Library 9, which serves as your database of digital images and MS Digital Image Pro 9, which is a photo manipulation program.

A lot of people may like it’s familiar Explorer-like interface – the left pane being the folder pane, while the right side of the window is the image browser, showing thumbnails of your images.

The good thing about Digital Image Library 9 is that you wouldn’t have to transfer your photos from their current location. Instead, it scans your hard disk and locates folders it considers photo folders, afterwhich you may deselect folders that are not appropriate. The images may then be sorted according to date or keywords. From here, you may double-click on a photo to bring it up in a full-screen view and use the basic controls for zoom, fit to screen, rotate and print. You may also select multiple photos for slideshow, the speed of which range from 1 second to 1 minute.

Oftentimes, pictures taken with a digital camera contains metadata. These are information about the photo, such as shutter speed and the date and time the photo was taken. Digital Image Library 9 allows you to add these metadata with captions and keywords to easily categorize and later on identify images. Another nifty feature of this application is that it even allows you to rate your photos! From the preview pane, simply click on how many stars, the highest being five, you wish to assign each photo.

If you wish to do some retouches on an image, simply click the edit button and Digital Image Pro 9 launches and opens the selected image. This application has a lot of quick-fix features such as the Red Eye tool and the Smart Erase, which caters to novice retouchers and home users who don’t want anything complicated.

Being the all-in-one application that it is, Microsoft Digital Image Suite 9 comes with tons of mats, frames and templates for creating professional photo projects such as scrapbooks, photo albums, calendars and postcards. You may also get Microsoft Photo Story, an add-on to the suite that lets you turn your photos into video. Simply choose which photos to include then add some narration if you have a microphone and add music and zooming effects.

How to Detect and Fix Table Corruption in Oracle?

Oracle is an RDBMS (Relational Database Management System), developed and marketed by Oracle Corporation. It has a major presence in database computing. It stores all your valuable data in the DBF file. The DBF file contains all Oracle database objects, such as tables, reports, forms, macros, views, constraints, triggers, stored procedures, and more. If any of these database objects or the entire database gets damaged, you can not access your valuable data from it. In such circumstances, Oracle Database Recovery software are required to extract data from the database.

In order to overcome DBF corruption, Oracle offers a number of methods to detect and repair data files. These options include:

DBVerify- It is an external command-line utility, which enables you to validate offline data files of Oracle database. In addition to the offline data files, you can also use this utility for checking validity of the backup data files.

ANALYZE .. VALIDATE STRUCTURE- It is used to verify every single data block in the analyzed object. If this tool finds any corruption, rows are added to INVALID_ROWS table.

DB_BLOCK_CHECKING- If DB_BLOCK_CHECKING argument is set as TRUE, Oracle carries out a walk-through of the data in database block for checking whether it's self-consistent or not. This block checking process may add 1 to 10% overhead to server. This settings is recommended only if you can accept the overhead.

DBMS_REPAIR- It enables you to find and fix database corruption. This process needs two administration Oracle database tables for holding the list of damaged blocks and the index keys which point to those damaged blocks.

In case, none of the above methods can repair and restore damaged database table, you need to restore the table from current backup. However, if the backup is either corrupted or not available, you need to Repair Oracle Database using third-party solutions.

You can recover damaged DBF file in a quick and effective way using DBF Recovery software. The applications are incorporated with advanced and powerful scanning techniques to ensure absolute recovery in all cases of DBF file corruption.

You can Repair Oracle Database on your own using these applications, as they have simple and rich graphical user interface. With read-only and non-destructive conduct, these applications preserve integrity of your data.

Oracle Recovery is the most advanced and effective utility that successfully recovers damaged tables of Oracle 9i. The software is compatible with Microsoft Windows 2003 and XP. It restores all DBF file objects, such as tables, table space, views, cluster tables, roles, indexes, sequences, synonyms, and schemas.

Threat of Cyberwar Calls for Treaties, Hotlines

Security expert Bruce Schneier has called for governments to establish "hotlines" between their cyber commands, much like the those between nuclear commands, to help them battle against cyber attacks.

Cyber security is high on the national agenda, and is regarded as a top threat to the UK's security. It is also top a concern for other nationsaround the world. Last month, the EU announced plans to cybercrime centre by 2013, and it agreed with the U.S. to set up a working group on cybersecurity. Meanwhile, NATO also adopted its Strategic Concept Charter, which outlines plans to develop new capabilities to combat cyber attacks on military networks.

Schneier, writing in the Financial Times, said that a hotline between the world's cyber commands would "at least allow governments to talk to each other, rather than guess where an attack came from."

He said that this would be a starting point and that more importantly, governments need to establish cyberwar "treaties."

"These could stipulate a no first-use policy, outlaw unaimed weapon, or mandate weapons that self-destruct at the end of hostilities. The Geneva Conventions need to be updated too," he said.

Another suggestion was to declare that international banking was off-limits, but Schneier added: "Whatever the specifics, such agreements are badly needed."

Although he admitted that enforcing such agreements would be difficult, Schneier said that governments had to at least make an effort to do so.

"It's not too late to reverse the cyber arms race currently under way. Otherwise, it is only a matter of time before something big happens: perhaps by the rash actions of a low level military officer, perhaps by a non-state actor, perhaps by accident," he warned.

Earlier this week, the UK government revealed that selling GCHQ's expertise is one of the options it is considering for bridging the gap between the public and private sectors' intelligence capabilities, in order to strengthen the UK against cyber attacks.

Top Secret! Keep Your E-Mail Private and Secure

E-mail is one of the most widely used forms of communication today. Estimates from May 2009 suggest that around 250 billion--with a "B"--e-mails are sent every day. That equates to more than 2.8 million e-mail messages per second, and some of them are not even spam.

E-mail is faster and cheaper than traditional postal mail, but at least when you seal that envelope and stick a stamp on it, you can have some confidence that only the intended recipient will open it. With e-mail, however, your message could be intercepted midstream, and you might never realize it.Copies and remnants of your message stored on your PC could be compromised as well. You have to take steps to secure and protect your e-mail messages.

Prying Eyes

Your PC provides easy access to your e-mail communications--both for you and for others. Anyone who happens to walk by your system--whether you're in the middle of using it or have stepped away from your desk--could potentially see e-mail messages you are in the process of writing or have already sent, or your incoming e-mail messages. You need to take steps to minimize the opportunity for passing bystanders to snoop on your e-mail.

For starters, don't leave your e-mail client open--or at least not maximized on screen. Whether you use a client application such as Microsoft Outlook, or a Web-based e-mail system like Google Gmail, you should minimize or close the e-mail window when you are not actively using it.

You also need to make sure that snooping eyes can't see what's on your screen when you walk away from your PC for an extended period of time. Many people know to lock or shut down the PC when leaving for the day, and perhaps even when going to lunch, but they might step out to discuss something with a coworker without thinking about it.

As an automatic security measure to protect your e-mail, as well as the PC in general, you should enable a screensaver (go to Control Panel/Appearance and Personalization). Set a delay before the screensaver kicks in--it shouldn't be any less than five minutes because it is not uncommon to go five minutes without touching the mouse or keyboard while reviewing a document or reading a Web page, and having the screensaver come on would be an annoyance. Fifteen minutes is a reasonable timeframe. Make sure you check the box to display the logon screen and require credentials when resuming.

This should go without saying, but make sure you have a secure password. Using your dog's name, or that of your favorite baseball team, won't provide much protection. In fact, you should never use any word that can be found in a dictionary; guessing or cracking them is trivial.

Protecting Web-Based E-Mail

Web-based e-mail has the advantage of being available virtually anywhere, any time, and from any device that can get on the Web. It also comes with some additional security and privacy concerns, though.

On any PC, but particularly on a shared or public PC--such as one in a hotel or library--make sure you log out of the Web-mail client. Forgetting to actually sign out could allow the next user who comes along to access your e-mail account.

Web browsers maintain a history of visited sites, and a cache of browser data that help them load frequently visited pages more quickly. The history and cache may also inadvertently expose your e-mail messages. When you are done using your Web mail, you can go into the settings for the browser and clear out the cache.

Better yet, use private browsing. The most popular Web browsers--such as Internet Explorer, Firefox, and Chrome--have an option to surf the Web using a private or anonymous mode. When you use the private browsing mode, your entire Web session is more secure, since no data is retained in the history or cache.

Whether on a shared computer or your own PC, another suggestion is to use an alternate browser. For example, if the default browser for the PC is Internet Explorer, use Firefox, Chrome, or some other browser just for your Web mail. That way, if someone else uses the system, they will likely use the default Web browser, so using a different browser will reduce the chances of exposing or compromising your e-mail account.

Encrypt Your E-Mail

No matter how you lock down your PC, or what precautions you take to ensure that nobody can access your e-mail messages locally, the messages still have to travel from point A (the e-mail server) to point B (your PC). As the digital message traverses the Internet, those e-mails could potentially be intercepted by unauthorized users.

You can prevent your messages from being compromised by using encryption. As long as your messages are encrypted, an unauthorized user that intercepts a message would not be able to actually read it. Without the proper decryption, the content of the message would just be digital gibberish.

For Web-based e-mail like Gmail or Yahoo Mail, you can use SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) encryption. Most users recognize SSL-encrypted Web pages by the little padlock icon displayed on the browser page, or by the fact that the URL begins with "https" rather than "http". For example, if you connect with Gmail via SSL, the connection between Google's servers and your PC--and the message traffic over that connection--is encrypted and protected from being intercepted en route.

Microsoft Outlook can also send encrypted e-mail messages, but instead of using SSL, it relies on a system of public and private keys. The message is encrypted using your private key, and only recipients that have the associated public key will be able to view the e-mail. The public key can be shared with any recipient, whether they use Outlook or not.

Guidance on the Microsoft Office site explains, "Sending and viewing encrypted e-mail messages requires both sender and recipient to share their digital ID [digital ID: Contains a private key that stays on the sender's computer and a certificate (with a public key). The certificate is sent with digitally signed messages. Recipients save the certificate and use the public key to encrypt messages to the sender.], or public key certificate. This means you and the recipient each must send the other a digitally signed message, which enables you to add the other person's certificate to your Contacts. Once both parties have shared certificates, sending and viewing encrypted e-mail messages between them is the same as with any other e-mail messages."

After You Hit Send

The precautions described above will help ensure that prying eyes don't view or access the e-mail on your PC, and protect your messages from being intercepted en route, but what about protecting the privacy of your e-mail even after you send it? Perhaps you have something of a sensitive nature to communicate, and you want to make sure that the recipient doesn't forward or share the message.

Microsoft Outlook has information rights management (IRM) features that let you exercise some control over your messages even after you hit Send. When you are composing an e-mail in Outlook 2010, select Options on the menu bar, then click the arrow under Permission, and check the Do Not Forward option. Recipients who are not using an e-mail client that supports Microsoft's IRM must download the Rights Management Add-on for Internet Explorer to view restricted messages.

Some businesses manage the IRM features from their own servers, but for individuals or businesses that don't, Microsoft can manage IRM credentials and authentication for you. The first time that you use the IRM features, Microsoft will automatically prompt you to register to use the service (to see the IRM screen, click the thumbnail image below).

Microsoft's Information Rights Management service.

Selecting the Do Not Forward option for your e-mail message makes the message private between you and the intended recipient. It lets the recipient receive and view the e-mail, but it prevents the message from being forwarded, printed, or copied.

Another way to restrict the use of your e-mail message and protect your privacy is to set the message to expire. You can define an expiration date and time for the message, after which the recipient will no longer be able to open or view it. However, this functionality only works in business settings built around Exchange Server and Group Policy. Setting an expiration for an e-mail sent to an external Yahoo mail account will have no effect.

Be careful never to assume that anything you send digitally is one hundred percent private. There is a saying that you should never say anything in an e-mail--no matter how private you might think it is--that you wouldn't want plastered on a public Website. But, if you follow the guidance outlined here, you can take proactive steps to safeguard your privacy and at least minimize the chances that unauthorized prying eyes will see your messages

Bank Online Safely

There's no perfect guarantee that hackers won't gain access to your accounts, just as there's no perfect guarantee that a pickpocket won't steal your wallet. Even if you never bank or make purchases online, your information can be stolen from a store or restaurant you've done business with.

But following these precautions will significantly lower the risk:

Keep your PC clean. Install effective security software and keep it up to date. See Remove a Virus or Other Malicious Infection, One or Two Anti-Malware Programs, and The Cleanest Malware Scan for recommendations.

Be careful of e-mail. Someone may be phishing. At the same time every month, my bank e-mails me a notice that my statement is available online. Although there is nothing suspicious about that e-mail, I don't click the link it provides. I independently go to my banks' web site.

Don't log on if it's not secure. Make sure the bank's web site is secure before you enter your password. TheURL should begin with https: rather than the more common http:. Both Firefox and Chrome put a green label at the beginning of the address line if the page is secure.

Use a strong password. The best passwords are random strings of numbers and letters. Avoid words and names. If your browser asks if you want to save the password, you don't. And don't use the same password for any two Web sites. If you don't think you can remember all those random strings of gobbledygook, get a good, encrypted password manager. I recommend the free and open sourcePassword Safe.

Avoid public networks. Don't visit your online bank, credit card company, or retailer from the public WiFi network at your favorite café or library. Stick with a private home network.

Protect sensitive data. If you keep any financial data on your hard drive, encrypt it.

Indian Banks Introducing Instant Mobile Retail Payments

A new mobile retail payment system backed by some large banks in India will allow fund transfers between different banks and the use of SMS to make transactions from even low-end phones -- features that are expected to make the system popular with consumers.

Because the Interbank Mobile Payment Service (IMPS) from National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) can support transactions from even low-end phones, the service will be accessible to a larger number of Indian consumers, A.P. Hota, managing director and CEO of NPCI, said on Tuesday.

Until now mobile phone banking transactions in India were mainly possible between account holders of the same bank, Hota said. The new service will give a boost to mobile phone banking, as customers will be able to conduct transactions with account holders in other banks, he added.

NPCI is being promoted by 10 banks in India. About seven of these banks are in various stages of offering services around the technology. Another 40 banks, that have been authorized by the central bank, Reserve Bank of India (RBI), to offer mobile banking, are also expected to use the service.

While the person transmitting the funds can use SMS or an application on a mobile phone to send funds, depending on the configuration offered by the bank, the person receiving the funds need not run the application on a phone, according to NPCI.

Transactions that transmit funds using SMS are, however, currently limited by RBI to a daily cap of 1,000 rupees (US$21) because SMS data is not encrypted end-to-end, Hota said.

The IMPS service provides an interoperable infrastructure for the banks to offer real-time money transfers to customers through the mobile channel, according to NPCI. Banks are free to use any mobile banking application of their choice, it added.

RBI issued guidelines in 2008 for banks in India to offer banking transactions using mobile phones. The RBI, however, put a daily cap of 5,000 rupees for fund transfers and 10,000 rupees for the purchase of goods and services using mobile phones.

By December 2009, the RBI raised the daily cap to 50,000 rupees for both fund transfers and purchases.

The use of mobile phones is expected to boost banking transactions as there are currently over 670 million mobile subscribers registered in the country, according to the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India.

Mobile Money Identifiers (MMIDs), which are seven digit random numbers issued by banks, are a key element of the technology from NPCI. The remitter sends an instruction from his mobile phone, through the application provided by the bank or through SMS, specifying the mobile number and MMID of the recipient. The request is routed to the remitter's bank for processing and thereafter to the NPCI backbone which routes it to the recipient's bank. Both banks then send confirmatory SMS messages to their customers, advising them about the completion of the transaction.

John Ribeiro covers outsourcing and general technology breaking news from India for The IDG News Service. Follow John on Twitter at @Johnribeiro. John's e-mail address is john_ribeiro@idg.com

Encryption Won't Protect Your BlackBerry Now

A pair of Russian software developers have teamed on a password-cracking program for the BlackBerry

Did you think your BlackBerry data was safe because it's encrypted on the phone, over the airwaves, and in its backup form? Think again.

Russian software developer ElcomSoft, which, with its Russian competitor AccentSoft, has developed effective password-cracking programs for most common desktop encryption formats, is at it again. Now, it's targeted the BlackBerry with a Phone Password Breaker that was previously limited to Apple mobile devices.

Like all password-cracking programs, this is a double-edged sword. On one hand, it can save your bacon if you really need the data backed up from a phone that's been stolen and remotely wiped. On the other hand, cyber criminals who get their hands on your backup now have a way to read encrypted business data. In addition, government agencies that have a good reason to read your data can dig in.

According to ElcomSoft CEO Vladimir Katalov:

All data transmitted between a BlackBerry Enterprise Server and BlackBerry smartphones is encrypted with a highly secure AES or Triple DES algorithm. Unique private encryption keys are generated in a secure, two-way authenticated environment and are assigned to each BlackBerry smartphone user. Even more, to secure information stored on BlackBerry smartphones, password authentication can be made mandatory through the policies of a BlackBerry Enterprise Server (default, password authentication is limited to ten attempts, after which the smartphone's wiped clean with all its contents erased). Local encryption of all data, including messages, address book and calendar entries, memos and tasks, is also provided, and can be enforced via the IT policy as well. With the supplied Password Keeper, Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) encryption allows password entries to be stored securely on the smartphone, enabling users to keep their online banking passwords, PIN codes, and financial information handy -- and secure. If that's not enough, system administrators can create and send wireless commands to remotely change BlackBerry device passwords, lock or delete information from lost or stolen BlackBerries.

Sounds pretty secure, does it? As always, there is the weakest link. With BlackBerry, the weakest link is its offline backup mechanism.

Katalov goes on to explain that backups are good because, well, they are backups. But he also says they are evil because they create a new instance of information that might be private or sensitive. Then he explains the hole in the BlackBerry backup scheme:

That means that it only takes three days to break a seven-letter mixed-case password -- ouch. It takes a little more time if there are numbers and special characters in the password or the password is longer and much less time if the password is all one case, subject to a dictionary attack, or is partially known

WikiLeaks: Intel Threatened to Move Russian Jobs to India

intel engaged in high-level talks with Russian officials and ultimately said it would pull research and development work from the country unless it could get around Russia's tough encryption import laws, according to a U.S. Department of State cable published by WikiLeaks.

"Intel was able to by-pass the cumbersome licensing process by engaging in high-level lobbying and capitalizing on Russia's desire to become a 'knowledge-based' economy," the cable reads.The Nov. 3, 2009, Moscow Embassy cable describes the intensive lobbying efforts required to get cryptographically secure hardware into the country for use by Intel's 1,000 Russian engineers.

Some countries put a limit on, or even ban, devices entering the country that can store encrypted data, such as laptops and mobile phones. That can make it hard for technology companies with employees working abroad to lock down their intellectual property.

According to the State Department cable, the issue was a deal-breaker for Intel, which told Russian officials that unless it could quickly import encrypted development kit hardware, it would have to lay off more than 200 engineers and move R&D work to India or China.

"This high-level lobbying secured Intel a meeting with key FSB (Federal Security Service) officials," the cable states. "Intel was able to demonstrate the reasonableness of its request and, as a result, by-passed the current extensive licensing requirement."

The waiver may have been good news for Intel, but because the underlying regulations remained in place it did not "appear to represent a breakthrough in the importation of commercial products with cryptographic content," the cable states.

Former Intel Chairman and CEO Craig Barrett met with Russian Federation President Dmitry Medvedev to discuss "this and other issues," said Intel spokesman Chuck Mulloy in an e-mail. "We didn't threaten anyone," he said. " We lobbied and negotiated with the Russian government on behalf of ourselves and OEMs and distributors to make it easier. This is all routine stuff when it comes to dealing with governments around the world."

Both the FSB -- Russia's state police service -- and the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade must sign off on encryption import licenses -- a six-month process that involves laboratory analysis. Russia agreed to streamline the process in 2006 but had not done much to fix the problem, the cable states.

Robert McMillan covers computer security and general technology breaking news for The IDG News Service. Follow Robert on Twitter at @bobmcmillan. Robert's e-mail address isrobert_mcmillan@idg.com

Top Security Predictions for 2011

Aside from the festivities of the holidays, one thing that always makes December special is the combination of reflecting on the year gone by, and looking ahead to what the next year might hold. It is filled with top 10 lists and predictions on every imaginable topic.

Precision Attacks

In that spirit, I decided that it's a good time for me to contribute to the annual onslaught of prognostications with a look at what 2011 holds in store for security--with a little help from some outside sources.

Malware attacks in general have already evolved over the years from a napalm, carpet-bombing approach designed for maximum disruption and notoriety to attacks focused on remaining undetected and stealing money or identity information (in order to steal money in most cases). That evolution is continuing, though, with even more precise attacks.

A MessageLabs blog post explains, "One of the most threatening advances in malware during 2010 broadened the range of targets beyond PCs and servers when the Stuxnet Trojan attacked programmable logic controllers. This specialized malware written to exploit physical infrastructures will continue in 2011 driven by the huge sums of money available to criminal enterprises at low risk of prosecution."

2010 saw the Stuxnet worm--apparently developed specifically with the goal of compromisingIranian nuclear reactor functionality, and the attack launched against Google (and a number of other companies)--seemingly orchestrated by the government of China if the WikiLeaks documents are accurate. Malware attacks are now a tool for both corporate and state-sponsored espionage, giving IT admins one more thing to worry about.

Ripped from the Headlines

Social engineering is all about catching users off guard and luring them into clicking on malicious links or sharing sensitive information. It is common for attackers to exploit breaking news as malware bait. Events like the World Cup tournament, or the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico are popular topics that generate broad interest. Headline news often becomes the bait for malicious spam and phishing attacks, duping unsuspecting victims.

Attackers have a new way to exploit current events, though, and that trend will continue in 2011. Malware developers have figured out how to game search engines to get malicious links featured prominently in search results. MessageLabs suggests that in 2011, "Rather than just promoting compromised websites through search engine optimization they will proactively identify websites likely to see higher than normal levels of traffic based on current events or hot topics on the internet."

Beware the Web

Attackers figured out long ago that the Web is the easiest way into most networks. Firewalls are designed to restrict unauthorized traffic, and generally block network activity on virtually all ports--except port 80. The Web is so commonly used that attacks traveling through port 80 are much less likely to be detected.

Now, the Web is not only commonly used as the Web, but increasingly it is becoming the everything. Web-based e-mail and productivity applications, and cloud storage are part of the mainstream now, making the Web an even more attractive target.

A spokesperson from Palo Alto Networks describes how current trends increase the security concern. "Consolidation of various messaging platforms (chat, social media, email) into Web services (Gmail, Facebook, Yahoo Mail, etc.) will increase--making it an attractive target for hackers who want to break into the corporate network."

Low-Hanging Fruit

Why bother banging your head against the wall trying to figure out how to blast through a locked steel door if the window is open? That about sums up the mentality of malware developers and attackers when it comes to breaking into PCs.

Palo Alto Networks explains, "Hackers will prefer to break-in through the back door or side window instead of a full frontal attack on the front door of Facebook and other social media sites."

That is true for PCs and mobile devices as well. IT admins will still have to monitor and protect the primary platforms--be it Windows, Facebook, an Android smartphone, etc.--but will also have to scramble to ensure that the various networks and applications those platforms are connected to don't leave a window open for attackers.

Mobile Computing

Aside from the threat posed by insecure network partners and poorly-coded third-party applications, the general trend from users sitting at fixed locations safely tucked inside an office building inside of the "network perimeter" poses an increased risk.

Laptops--whether notebooks or netbooks--are becoming the norm and replacing desktops as the standard issue hardware in many organizations. Combined with the explosion of smartphones and tablets, users are now connecting to e-mail, files, and other network resources from virtually anywhere.

While setting up office from a neighborhood coffee shop or hotel lobby while on the go is obviously convenient, it is a security nightmare. Public wireless networks are prone to snooping, and just accessing sensitive information in a public area can unwittingly expose it.

IT admins can guard against those threats by requiring a secure VPN connection to connect with company resources, and by implementing policies preventing users from conducting work in public areas. However, dealing with the sensitive data stored on the mobile devices is a more difficult issue.

The same small size and portability that makes mobile computing devices like netbooks, tablets, and smartphones so convenient also makes them easily lost or stolen. These devices commonly have gigabytes upon gigabytes of storage capacity, and may hold sensitive data. Attackers know this, and mobile devices will be a common target for theft--both casual theft for the value of the device itself, as well as more targeted attacks aimed at mobile devices of executive managers or key personnel.

There you have it. What are your predictions for 2011? Feel free to share your thoughts on what 2011 holds in store for security in the comments. Let's meet back here in December of 2011 and see how accurate our predictions were.