Set your own goal in maintaining your English

You know how much time you can dedicate to learning English, but a short time each day will produce better, longer-term results than a full day on the weekend and then nothing for two weeks.

Here are some goals you could set yourself:-

• Join an English course (and attend regularly).
• Do your homework if you have.
• Read a book a month.
• Learn a new word every day.
• Visit an English speaking forum every day.
• Read a news article on the net every day.
• Do 10 minutes listening practice every day.
• Watch an English film at least once a month.
• Watch an English comedy or radio or TV drama.

Good Luck,

A bit about memory cards

A memory card (sometimes called a flash memory card or a storage card) is a small storage medium used to store data such as text, pictures, audio, and video, for use on small, portable or remote computing devices. Most of the current products use memory, although other technologies are being developed. There are a number of memory cards on the market, including the SD card (secure digital card), the CF card (CompactFlash card), the Smart Media card, The Memory Stick , and the MultiMediaCard (MMC). These cards are of varying sizes, and each is available in a range of storage capacities that typically corresponds directly to the price. The CompactFlash card is about the size of a matchbook, while the MultiMediaCard and Secure Digital card are each about the size of a postage stamp. The latter two are expected to reach storage capacities up to 1 gigabyte (GB)by the end of 2002.

Memory cards offer a number of advantages over the hard disk drive, they're much smaller and lighter, extremely portable, completely silent, allow more immediate access, and are less prone to mechanical damage. In comparison, however, the hard disk still offers a compelling advantage: currently, a memory card (for example, CompactFlash) with a 192MB capacity typically costs more than a hard drive with a capacity of 4OGB.
The latest capacity of memory card is 8 GB.

SPAM. What is that ?

Originating from the name of Hormel's canned meat, "spam" now also refers to junk e-mail or irrelevant postings to a newsgroup or bulletin board. The unsolicited e-mail messages you receive about refinancing your home, reversing aging, and losing those extra pounds are all considered to be spam. Spamming other people is definitely not cool and is one of the most notorious violations of Internet etiquette (or "netiquette"). So if you ever get the urge to let thousands of people know about that hot new guaranteed way to make money on the Internet, please reconsider.

What is "IM" ?

Instant messaging, often shortened to simply "IM" or "IMing," is the exchange of text messages through a a software application in real-time. Generally included in the IM software is the ability to easily see whether a chosen friend, co-worker or "buddy" is online and connected through the selected service. Instant messaging differs from ordinary e-mail in the immediacy of the message exchange and also makes a continued exchange simpler than sending e-mail back and forth. Most exchanges are text-only, though popular services, such as AOL, MSN Messenger, Yahoo! Messenger and Apple's iChat now allow voice messaging, file sharing and even video chat when both users have cameras.

For IMing to work, both users must be online at the same time and the intended recipient must be willing to accept instant messages, as it is possible to configure the IM client to reject chat sessions. An attempt to send an IM to someone who is not online, or who is not willing to accept IMs, will result in notification that the transmission cannot be completed. If the online software is set to accept IMs, it alerts the recipient with a distinctive sound, a window that indicates that an IM has arrived and allowing the recipient to accept or reject it, or a window containing the incoming message.

Under most conditions, IMing is truly "instant." It is possible for two or more people to have a real-time online conversation.

Once in a while, a person might receive an IM from someone while already engaged in a chat with someone else, and decide to carry on IM chats with both people independently and concurrently. This requires mental alertness to avoid the embarrassment of sending one IM companion a message intended for the other, though younger "netizens" often pull off this level of multi-tasking as a matter of daily practice.

Developments in mobile cellular phone technology now allow handset users to always be available via IM, through such popular devices as the T-Mobile Sidekick II or other smartphones.

Online English Course ? Why not

Online courses

If you cannot find a suitable taught course in your area and are unable to spare the time to study abroad, you could consider online courses. There are plenty to choose from in a wide range of languages. Many are free but some you have to pay for. Some of the paid ones provide support from tutors via email, chat programs, video conferencing, telephone or even face to face.

Links to many online language courses

One of the ways to keep maintaining our English

One major problem for people who study L2 in their own country that certainly uses L1 is to keep maintaining what they've studied. There is one of so many ways to do it, it's by language exchange.

Language exchange

A good way to practice and improve your L2 is to find a language exchange partner. This is someone who speaks your L2 and wants to learn your L1. Language exchange works best when both partners have roughly an intermediate level in their L2.

Language exchange is also a great way to meet people and make new friends.

Links

Sites that help you to find language exchange partners and penpals
http://www.language-exchanges.org
http://www.friendsabroad.com
http://www.sharedtalk.com
http://www.polyglot-learn-language.com
http://www.mylanguageexchange.com
http://www.obbio.com
http://www.languagebuddy.com
http://www.penpalnet.com
http://www.slf.ruhr-uni-bochum.de
http://www.italki.com
http://www.meetup.com
http://www.speakmania.com
http://www.huitalk.com

Now is your turn to help your self. That's all and happy hunting.

Cheers,

Dahlan

Why is the time different in other countries?

The time it takes for the Earth to make one rotation has been divided into 24 parts, known as hours. This division was made to give us a fixed unit of time.

We take as a reference point the moment when the Sun is at its highest point in the sky (when the sun is at its highest point in the sky (when the shade is at its minimum).This is called mid-day, or noon.

However, this does not happen at the same moment on each part of the Earth because the Earth is turning all the time. Therefore, when it is mid-day in London it will be seven o’clock in the morning in some parts of the United States of America. Because the USA is such a large country, there are even time difference between some of the States.

Spy Cameras

Different types of spy cameras

1. Wireless spy cameras
2. Night vision spy cameras
3. Hidden cameras to caught the thief
4. Motion activated spy cameras
5. Peep hole spy cameras

Wireless spy cameras are the most selling spy cameras in the world. It is very convenient due to lack of cables. We can place this spy cameras inside the shelf , on ceiling, inside the toys etc.

Good reasons to read books

Reading helps to feel more confident.
Help to travel around the world in the cheapest way.
Develop your personality.
Provide food for thoughts.
Reading make you laugh and think.
Draw you towards perfection.
Stimulate creativity.
Brings out writing talent.
Helps in communicating.
Clear your vision.
Satisfies your curiosity.
Help you make more choices.
Help you to build literary talent.
Book reading do not require any special device to teach.
Increase your attention span.
Books are fruitful pastime
Books can be used any time anywhere.
Provides entertainment when others fail.
Reading makes you powerful.
Helps you to know the ' whys and hows ' of everything.
Helps you to create and spread fun.
Help you to travel across time intelligently.
Keep you updated with facts and figures.
Spreads love, affection and knowledge.
Make the best of friends.
Take you to intellectual environment.
Helps you to feel the world around you.
Entertain your mind.
Broaden your horizon.
Books bring nature to your doorstep.
Books bring about a personality change.
Increases comprehension.
Books do not require company.
Books are stress busters.
Develop a sense of belonging to people around you.
Provides mental and physical relaxation.
Act as a communication tool.
Books are intellectually satisfying activity.
Provides spiritual experience.
Provide emotional strength.
Build your self esteem.
Encourage your imagination to soar.
Make you smarter and wiser.
Books help you grow.
Takes you to a world of dreams.
Change your life and vision.
Helps in achieving life goals.
Books develop wonderful experience.
Books transform lives.
Books inspire, books motivate, books build nations.

Do you wanna know about english slang ?

Here are some english slang that generally used :

airhead: stupid person.

ace: excellent, great.

Adam and Eve - Rhyming Slang for 'believe'

aggro - short for aggravation or violence

amber fluid : beer

anorak - geek, nerd.

apples and pears - Rhyming Slang for 'stairs'.

armpit: dirty, unappealing place.

arse / ass [slightly offensive] (1): backside.

arse / ass (2): an unworthy person.

arse about/arsing about - to fool around

arse-about-face: something that is in a mess or crooked

arseholed: very drunk

arvo : afternoon

Aussie : Australian

awesome: great and impressive.

backhander (1): a payment given, normally in a secretive fashion.

backhander (2): hit someone.

ball (1): a fun time.

ball [slightly offensive] (2): a testicle.

ballistic - to go mad with rage

bang [slightly offensive](1): to make love

bang (2): a powerful effect.

banged up - to be put in prison.

bangers - another name for sausages.

barbie : barbecue, grill.

barf (1): vomit.

barmy - a foolish person, mad.

barney - row, violent argument.

beans: money.

beast [offensive] - an ugly woman.

beat: tired.

beemer: a BMW.

bent (1): a 'gay man'

bent (2): 'stolen'.

biggie: something important.

biker: a motorcycle rider.

bikkie : biscuit

bimbo - a young woman considered sexually attractive but of limited intelligence.

bird - woman/girl/girlfriend

bitch [offensive] (1): a very unpleasant woman.

bitch [offensive] (2): complain.

bitchy [slightly offensive]: moody.

bitzer : mongrel dog (bits of this and bits of that!).

bladdered - very drunk

blag - a robbery

bloke - man

blotto - 'very drunk'

blue (1) - XXX; dirty, hot, steamy, pornographic

blue (2): domestic fight or row.

bluey - pornographic film

boat race - Rhyming Slang for 'face'.

bod: body.

bonkers; go bonkers: crazy.

bonzer : great.

booboo: a mistake.

bovver - trouble, usually fighting.

booze: alcohol.

boozer (1): a pub

boozer (2): someone who likes alcohol.

Brahms and Liszt - Rhyming Slang for 'pissed' (drunk).

brass monkeys - cold weather

bread: money.

brew (1): tea or coffee.

brew (2): beer.

brill - short for 'brilliant'.

bull: bullshit; lie.

bullshit [offensive]: lie; dishonesty.

bugger - a mild form of abuse or an exclamation.

bunk-off - to be absent without permission

bunk-up - to make love.

bushed: extremely tired.

butt: the buttocks, bottom.

cabbage - someone who is a bit slow or stupid

cakehole - mouth..

catch some rays: get some sunshine.

char / cha - tea.

cheesy: cheap; lacking in good taste.

chicken: coward.

chook : a chicken

chuck up: vomit

chuck a sickie : take the day off sick from work when you're perfectly healthy.

ciggy - slang for cigarette.

cock and bull story - a rubbish story, nonsense.

(to) cop it - to die, to get into trouble.

cool: excellent; superb.

cooler, the: gaol; jail; prison

couch potato: a person who watches too much television.

cozzie : swimming costume

cranky : in a bad mood, angry.

crap [slightly offensive] (1): something worthless.

crap [offensive] (2): excrement.

crap [slightly offensive] (3): falsehoods and lies.

crikey - an expression of astonishment.

crust - money / wage.

cushy - easy.

dead cert - something that is definite.

deck: to hit someone.

dicey: unpredictable; risky.

dickhead [slightly offensive] - an idiot, fool.

dill : an idiot.

ding-dong - argument or fight.

dipstick - idiot, fool.

dirt: extremely bad person.

dirty: offensive; pornographic.

div/divvy - stupid or slow person.

doodle - something thats easy / no problem.

dodgy - dubious person or thing.

dog [offensive] - an ugly girl.

done over - beaten up

dope - a slow or stupid person.

doobry - a nonsensical word used when you forget the name of something

dorky: strange; peculiar.

dosh - money.

dosser - down-and-out, tramp.

down under : Australia and New Zealand.

Drongo : a dope, stupid person.

dude: a male.

dump [slightly offensive] - to defecate.

dyke [offensive] - lesbian.

dynamite: powerful; excellent.

dinosaur: something out of date or old fashioned.

earbashing : nagging, non-stop chatter.

evil: great; excellent.

eyeball: to stare long and hard at someone or something.

eyepopper: something or someone visibly astounding.

fab: fabulous.

face-off: confrontation.

fag [offensive] (1): homosexual

fag (2): cigarette

family jewels - Rhyming Slang for testicles.

far out - splendid.

fart [offensive] (1): an escape of gas from the bowels.

fart [slightly offensive] (2): an unpleasant person

fat head - an idiot or dull person.

fender-bender: small accident.

filth [offensive] - the police.

fit - sexually attractive.

five finger discount - shoplifting.

flaky: unpredictable.

flashback: sudden memory.

flick (1): film; movie.

flick (2): to give something or somebody the flick is to get rid of it or him/her

floating : intoxicated

floozie - a mistress or girlfriend.

flommox - confuse

flutter - a bet (on horse racing or football)

footie - Abbreviated form for football.

for crying out loud ! - a expression of frustration or anger.

forty winks - a short sleep or nap.

fox: attractive, alluring person.

freebie: something that does not cost money.

French kiss : kissing with the tongue.

full monty - 'the whole lot', everything.

full-on - powerful, with maximum effort.

funny farm - mental hospital or institution.

funny money - counterfeit money.

gaff - house or flat.

gander - to look at.

geek: an unattractive person who works too hard.

get it: to understand something.

glitch: flaw.

gobshite [offensive] - someone who talks rubbish all the time.

go bananas: go slightly mad.

good onya : good for you, well done

goof (1): make a mistake.

goof (2): a silly and foolish person.

goof off: waste time.

goof up: make a mistake.

goofy: silly.

Gordon Bennet - an exclamation.

grand: one thousand dollars.

grass: marijuana.

greaser - slang name for a 1950's style man.

grog : alcohol, beer.

grub: food.

grubby: not clean.

grungy: unclean and stinky.

gut: a person's stomach; belly.

guts: courage.

gyno - gynaecologist

hacked off - fed up, annoyed.

hairy: difficult; dangerous.

ham-fisted - clumsy.

hammered - drunk.

handcuffs: an engagement ring or wedding ring

hang a left: make a left turn.

hang a right: make a right turn.

headcase - mad

hep: sensible; informed.

her ('er) indoors - wife, girlfriend.

hickey: a love bite on the skin.

hip: sensible; informed.

hole in the wall - a cashpoint machine or bankomat.

hoo-ha - trouble; commotion.

hooker: prostitute.

horny: in the mood for sex, sexually stimulated;.

hot (1): sexy.

hot (2):popular.

hottie : hot water bottle

huff - bad mood.

humungous: really big.

hump (1) - to have sex.

hump (2) - bad mood.

hyper: overly excited.

icky: unpleasant.

I.D.: identification.

iffy - dubious, doubtful.

I'm outta here: I'm leaving; I'm departing.

in: fashionable.

ivories: teeth.

jack around: waste time.

jam (1): trouble.

jam (2): improvise (musically).

jamming, to be : going well.

jammy - lucky.

jerk: stupid or annoying person.

jock: someone good at sports.

K : a thousand.

keep your hair on - "keep calm".

kick back: relax and enjoy.

kick the bucket: die.

kip - sleep.

knackered - exhausted.

knees up - party.

knock: condemn, criticise.

knockout: beautiful woman; handsome man.

knock back : refusal (noun), refuse (transitive verb)

kook: peculiar person.

kraut [slightly offensive] - German

laid back: relaxed; calm.

lairy - loud, brash.

lame: incompetent.

legless - very drunk.

limp wristed - a gay man.

lip: cheeky talk.

loaded - someone with a lot of money.

loo : toilet

loser: a bungling and worthless person.

lost the plot - crazy/mad.

love handles: excess fat around the waist.

luvverly jubberly - wonderful, great, all is well.

make waves: cause problems.

malarkey - nonsense.

mate - friend

max, to the : maximum.

mega: big.

megabucks: a large amount of money.

mellow: relaxed.

mickey-mouse: unimportant; time-wasting.

minger [offensive] - an unattractive person (usually female).

mongrel : despicable person

moonie [offensive!] - to show one's bottom (arse) to unsuspecting onlookers.

moose [offensive] - an ugly girl.

mozzie : mosquito

mug : a gullible person.

naff - something which is cheap and nasty.

naff off - a milder version off fu*k off.

nancy (nancy boy) - a homosexual.

nark - a police informer.

narked - to be annoyed.

neat: cool; great.

nick - to steal.

nipper - a small child.

no-hoper - somebody who'll never do well

nosh - food.

not cricket - not normal or correct.

not all there - someone who is stupid, not bright intellectually

not half! - cetainly, for sure.

not the full quid - someone who is stupid, not bright intellectually.

nuke (1): nuclear weapon.

nuke (2): destroy; delete.

nuke (3): cook something in the microwave oven.

nut (1): odd or crazy person.

nut (2): someone passionate about something.

nutter - crazy person.

nuts [slightly offensive]: testicles.

nutty - eccentric.

off your face - to be very drunk.

out of your tree - crazy, drunk or stoned.

pad: someone's home.

pants (1) - an exclamation of frustration.

pants (2) - bad or rubbish.

party: celebrate.

party animal: someone that loves parties.

paws: hands.

peanuts: very little money.

pee: to urinate.

pickled: drunk.

pig out: eat too much.

pigs ear: to make a mistake with something.

piss [slightly offensive] - to urinate.

pissed - drunk.

pissed (off): angry; upset.

piss-head - a habitual drinker or alcoholic.

piss-up - a big drinking session.

plank - an idiot.

plastered: drunk.

plonker - an idiot

pad: someone's home.

plonk (1) : cheap wine

plonk (2): sit down - as in "plonk your arse down there".

poop [offensive]: defecation; shit.

poop out: get tired and quit.

postie : postman

pot: marijuana.

prezzy : present, gift

pro - someone who's good at something; professional.

psycho: crazy person.

puke: vomit.

pumped (up): excited.

queer [slightly offensive] - a homosexual.

rabbit - talk.

racket (1): noise.

racket (2): an occupation.

racket (3): something that's dishonest or deceptive.

rat: a despicable person.

rat-arsed - drunk.

rear (end): buttocks.

(a) riot - something or someone very funny.

rip off (1): stealing.

rip off (2): fraud.

ripper : great, fantastic

rocking: great; excellent.

roll up - a hand rolled cigarette.

rosie lee - tea

rubbish: nonsense; not true.

ruck - a fight.

rug - wig, toupee.

rug rat: a child.

rum - odd, strange.

runs, the: diarrhoea.

scoff: to eat.

screw up: to make a mistake.

screw-up: a person who makes a mistake.

scum (offensive] - a despicable individual.

shades - sunglasses.

shag [slightly offensive] - to make love.

shagged-out - to feel tired.

shed-load - a huge amount.

shite - milder variation of the word shit.

shitfaced [slightly offensive] - very drunk.

shithead [slightly offensive]: a stupid, impolite person.

skint - to have no money

skosh - a little bit.

slapper [offensive] - a loose or easy woman.

smeghead - an idiot.

snog - to kiss

snookered: cheated, stuck.

solid (1): really good; cool.

solid (2): consecutive.

specs: eyeglasses.

split: to leave.

spunk [offensive] (1): semen

spunk (2): spirit.

spunk (3): an attractive man.

stoned: drunk from drugs or alcohol.

stunner - a very good looking woman.

street smart: knowledgeable about city life.

strewth : exclamation

(I'll be) stuffed : expression of surprise

suck: to be bad and unacceptable.

sunnies : sunglasses

swagman : tramp

sweet - excellent, cool.

ta - thanks.

tacky - something of poor taste or style.

tanked (up) - to get very drunk.

tea leaf - Rhyming Slang for thief.

telly - television.

thick as shit [offensive]- very stupid.

thick as two short planks [offensive] - very stupid.

thingo : Wadjamacallit, thingummy, whatsit, something you don't know the name of!

thou: thousand.

threads: clothing.

ticker (1): the heart.

ticker (2): a watch.

tiddly - slightly drunk.

toss-pot [slightly offensive] - idiot.

totally: really; completely.

to the max: maximum.

troll - an ugly girl.

(the) trots - diarrhoea.

trouble and strife - Rhyming Slang for 'wife'.

trout [offensive] - unattractive woman

turkey (1): failure; flop.

turkey (2): dumb person.

turn-off: something that repulses a person.

umpteen: many; countless.

up for it - to be willing to have a good time.

up the duff - to be pregnant.

Uncle Tom Cobley and all - a phrase meaning 'everyone'.

uptight: nervous; anxious.

veg out : relax in front of the TV (like a vegetable)

wad: a lot of money.

wanker - an idiot or an unpleasant person.

wasted: killed.

weed (1): marijuana.

weed (2): someone who is weak.

wheels: car; motorcycle.

whiz: someone who shows a special talent for something.

wicked - excellent, cool.

wimp: weak; feeble.

wimpy: weak.

wind up - to tease.

winks: sleep.

wuss : coward

x-rated - pornographic.

yabber : talk (a lot)

Yank: an American.

yob - a horrible or uncouth young man.

zeds - sleep.

zero - an unimportant person.

zilch - nothing

zip (1) -nothing.

zip (2) - energy; vigor.

zip it - shut up.

zit: pimple; acne.