IBGerm

World Cup schedule (all times Eastern)

Windows 7 install discs are edition-specific—if you’ve got a valid license key, you still need the right disc for installation. The ei.cfg Removal Utility, however, lets you create a new, universal installation ISO for Windows 7.

Although your Windows installation disc may say "Home Premium Edition," it still contains the other versions (such as Pro or Ultimate) on the disc—it just has a very small file called ei.cfg that tells the disc what version to install. The ei.cfg Removal Utility creates a new ISO of your install disc that ignores this file, thus letting you choose what edition you want when you start the installer.

While this tool is especially useful for computer technicians who have to install Windows a lot, it’s also nice to have for those of us that tend to lose discs often—especially in this day and age of emailed product keys. Now, if you need to reinstall Windows but can’t find your disc, you can just borrow a friend’s—even if it’s an edition that’s different than yours. You just need let the installer know which edition matches your product key (Note: Your disc still needs to be the same kernel as your key (i.e. 32 or 64-bit).

The ei.cfg Removal Utility is a free download, Windows only, and requires a Windows 7 install disc to use.

Windows 7 ISO Disc Image Utilities [via Technibble]

A new iPhone app lets you nap at work in your cubicle without fear of being caught.

The iNap@Work app makes office-like “productivity noises” so that your co-workers will hear a constant din of activity coming from your space. Even though you may be snoring, your workers will hear sounds like typing, mouse clicks, flipping through papers, stapling, and human sounds such as clearing your throat.

All you do is adjust the settings on the iPhone touch screen to pick the sounds you want to simulate. You can adjust the frequency of sounds to simulate either a light or a hectic work day. You then click on the Start to begin your nap time and Stop when you want to do some real work.

All they need is a way to tap to the 3GS camera for a motion detection device to make sure you wake up if somebody gets close to your cube area, so you don’t get caught.

Everton Football Club has revealed its new look 2009/10 away kit.

All black, it is decorated with pink lightning horizontal stripes to create true standout on the pitch – and has the theme of ‘Flash of Brilliance’. 
Robert Elstone, Everton’s CEO commenting on the new range said, "We wanted to make a real statement with our playing strips this season.   It was our intention to reference the Club’s past along with ensuring the designs had a contemporary modern feel. 

“We have received many favorable comments on the style of the home strip and we are hoping for more of the same with our away kit. (REALLY??!!).  We wanted a much bolder design than previous seasons and our partners have been able to achieve this by integrating the pink into the black shirt design. “Whilst we know it is a move away from our more traditional away kits of recent years, we are expecting this one to be even more popular amongst supporters.”

I don’t have anything further to say about this away kit, hope they don’t lose to many game, otherwise the pink might start to be a joke, oh wait it already is. Maybe they are just trying out the idea for a women’s league there soon.  I know, this is a node back to the 80’s with the neon yellow, pink and all those cool awesome assorted bright colors. Fur Sure Dude!!

Here is another theory, they are just trying to distract you from the ugly home jerseys they are using now.

I hope they were the away jersey for the MLS All-Star game tonight July 29, 2009 at 8 EST

Research at the University of Rochester Medical Centre shows that the dye used to color blue M&Ms can help mend spinal injuries. The compound, known as Brilliant Blue G, blocks a chemical that kills healthy spinal cord cells around the damaged  area.

BBG has shown that it not only reduces the size of the lesion, it speeds recovery times as well. So far, tests on injured rats treated with BBG were able to walk again,although with a slight limp, while those that did not receive the BBG did not.

The only side-effect found so far is the skin temporarily turns bright blue; more tests are being done before human trials can begin. Researchers are hopeful that a treatment for spinal cord injuries will be available in the next few years.

I don’t know about you, but I am think it is time to stock up on these and make it part of my daily vitamin routine.

Coca Cola has begun trialing a new drink starting in New York – Fruit Flavored Carbonated Milk. The $2.50 ,per 8 ounce bottle, carbonated ‘vibrancy’ drink will be called ‘Vio’. Available flavors will be citrus burst, peach mango, tropical colada and very berry.

A spokesman said "The launch of Vio in the US is an exciting development for consumers there 

Critics of the new drink have said "Carbonated milk products are very popular in Asia.  

A reviewer from BevNET offers the following assessment:

The peach and mango flavors pair nicely with the base of sweetened carbonated dairy, delivering something that’s slightly reminiscent of a lassi drink. However, what starts out seeming not so sweet turns almost overwhelming by the time you are half way through the bottle. Otherwise, the combination of milk, carbonated water, sweetener, and flavor is one that is enjoyable, although probably not on a regular basis.

I think the bottle design is very cool and all but would you buy it?

This kids mom installed a 98-inch TV mounted flush inside his bedroom’s ceiling.

The job was not easy: Admirable mom Patti Deni wanted the 98-inch StarGlas60 screen to be aligned straight with the ceiling of her kid’s bedroom. Above the bedroom, Stereo Advantage—an audio/video specialty company in Williamsville, NY—had to place a NEC video projector and projection mirrors. In total, the whole solution weighted more than 300 pounds, so they had to make a new reinforced ceiling frame to support it.

According to this laudable woman, her son spends a lot of time playing and editing his own videos, which now will include a YouTube time lapse of him progressively getting fatter and fatter while he plays in bed, and his brain liquefies into a puddle of green goo. [Electronic House]

I think this might effect their A/C bill if they did this in Texas, course if you have the time and money to do this for your kid, I am thinking the A/C bill isn’t a worry for you!!

Today I made an email mistake that I think is a very common issue. I went to forward on an email to somebody and thought all was great, but when I looked in my sent bin, I see the email was forwarded to a completely different person. This occurred because the names of these two were really close. So, to prevent me from doing this stupid mistake again I removed all the auto complete names. See below for several ways on how to make sure this doesn’t happen to you!!

Delete an Address from the Outlook Auto-Complete List

To remove a name or email address from Outlook’s auto-complete list:

• Create a new email message in Outlook.
• Start typing the name or address you want to remove.
• Use the down arrow key to highlight the desired (undesired) entry.
• Press Del.

Prevent Outlook Address Auto-Completion Altogether

You can also stop Outlook from suggesting email addresses as you type:

• Select Tools | Options… from the menu.
• Go to the Preferences tab.
• Click E-mail Options….
• Now click Advanced E-mail Options….
• Make sure Suggest names while completing To, Cc, and Bcc fields is not checked.
• Click OK.
• Click OK again.
• Click OK once more.

Reset the Outlook nickname cache for Microsoft Windows XP.

1. Quit Outlook.
2. Click Start, and then click Search.
3. In the Search Companion left-side panel, click All files or folders.
4. In the All or part of the file name: box, type *.NK2.
5. In the Look In box, click to select your local hard disk.
6. Click More advanced options, click to select Search hidden files and folders check box.
7. Click Search.
8. Right-click the .NK2 file with the name of the profile that you want to reset, and then click Rename.
9. Rename the file to profilename.bak, and then press ENTER.
10. Quit Windows Explorer.
11. Restart Outlook.

Outlook will generate a new nickname cache.

Reset the Outlook nickname cache for both Microsoft Windows 2000 and Microsoft Windows Millennium Edition (Me).

1. Quit Outlook.
2. Start Windows Explorer.
3. On the Tools menu, click Folder Options, and then click the View tab.
4. Under Advanced Settings, click to select the Show hidden files and folders check box.
5. Click OK.
6. Click Start, point to Search, and then click For Files or Folders.
7. In the Search for Files and Folders box, type *.NK2 in the Search for files or folders named box.
8. In the Look In box, click to select your local hard disk.
9. Click Search Now.
10. Right-click the .NK2 file with the name of the profile that you want to reset, and then click Rename.
11. Rename the file to profilename.bak, and then press ENTER.
12. Quit Windows Explorer.
13. Restart Outlook.

Outlook will generate a new nickname cache.

BLACKSBURG, Va. (AP) — Texting while driving increases the risk of a crash much more than previous studies have concluded with motorists taking their eyes off the road longer than they do when talking or listening on their cell phones, a safety research institute said Monday.

The Virginia Tech Transportation Institute used cameras to continuously observe light vehicle drivers and truckers for more than 6 million miles. It found that when drivers of heavy trucks texted, their collision risk was 23 times greater than when not texting.

Dialing a cell phone and using or reaching for an electronic device increased risk of collision about 6 times in cars and trucks.

Recent research using driving simulators suggested that talking and listening were as dangerous as texting, but the "naturalistic driving studies clearly indicate that this is not the case," a news release from the institute said. The risks of texting generally applied to all drivers, not just truckers, the researchers said. Complete results were expected to be released Tuesday.

Right before a crash or near collision, drivers spent nearly five seconds looking at their devices, which was enough time at 55 mph to cover more than the length of a football field.

"Talking/listening to a cell phone allowed drivers to maintain eyes on the road and were not associated with an increased safety risk to nearly the same degree," the institute said. "These results show conclusively that a real key to significantly improving safety is keeping your eyes on the road."

The institute recommended that texting should be banned for all drivers and all cell phone use should be prohibited for newly licensed teen drivers. Fourteen states do ban texting while driving.

The study also concluded that headset cell phone use is not substantially safer than hand-held because the primary risks associated with both are answering, dialing, and other tasks that take drivers’ eyes off the road.

Voice activated systems are less risky if they are designed well enough so drivers do not have to take their eyes off the road often or for long periods.

NEW YORK (Reuters) – The electrical smell that caused a Southwest Airlines Co flight to make an unexpected landing Sunday was caused by a coffee maker in the back of the aircraft, a company spokesman said on Monday.

The coffee maker was in the back galley of the Boeing 737 plane. The aircraft was examined and put back into service by 12:30 p.m. EDT (1630 GMT) Sunday, said Southwest spokesman Chris Mainz.

"Anything that might have touched the burner might have caused the electrical smell," Mainz said. He added that the problem was "fairly unusual," although it was not the first time it has happened.

Flight 693 bound for Orlando, Florida, departed from Bradley International Airport in Connecticut at 7:21 a.m. EDT Sunday. The plane, which held 131 passengers and 5 crew members, landed at Long Island Islip MacArthur Airport shortly before 8 a.m.