9 Good CD And DVD Burning Tools For Ubuntu/Linux

There is no dearth of good CD/DVD burning tools for Ubuntu. Brasero Disc Burner comes as default in Ubuntu and it is a good enough tool with almost all functionalities you expect from a basic CD/DVD burning application. But what really are the alternatives. Here is a quick listing of very good CD/DVD burning applications available for Linux(in no particular order). Read on.

K3B - KDE Burning Tool

K3B has been my favorite CD/DVD burning tool ever since I started using Ubuntu some 4 years ago. K3B is a Qt based application and it might look a bit out of place in Ubuntu GNOME desktop. But from a functionality point of view K3B is far ahead of all its competitors.

GnomeBaker Burning Tool

GnomeBaker is a free and open source CD/DVD authoring application for Linux. It is based on GNOME desktop environment. GnomeBaker comes equipped with functionalities like: Drag and drop to create data CDs (including drag and drop to and from the Nautilus file manager), Create audio CDs from existing WAV, MP3, FLAC, and Ogg files etc.

Brasero Disc Burner

If you are an Ubuntu user, you don't need any introduction to Brasero Disc Burner since it comes as a default application in Ubuntu. Supports features like on-the-fly burning, multi-session, on-the-fly conversion of music playlists in all formats supported by GStreamer and so on. Brasero is my second favorite Burn tool available for Linux.

Xfburn for Linux

Xfburn is a tool to help burning CDs and DVDs. As the name indicates, Xfburn is better integrated with Xfce desktop though it can be used in any Linux desktop environment.

Nero for Windows, Linux

Yes, Nero indeed has a Linux version of its popular CD/DVD burning application. Nero Linux 4 costs US $19.99 and there is a demo version also, available for free download.

ImgBurn for Windows, Linux(under Wine)

Before getting excited, let me make it clear. ImgBurn is not an open source application and there is no official package for Linux as well. But ImgBurn is among the few applications which runs neatly under Wine and that is exactly why it is included in this official listing of Wine supported applications.

SimpleBurn for Linux

SimpleBurn is a minimalistic application for burning and extracting CDs and DVDs. SimpleBurn was designed to have minimal dependencies. It uses GTK2 libs for the interface for burning it uses CDRTools (cdrecord, cdda2wav, mkisofs) or CDRKit (wodim, icedax, genisoimage).

• Installation in Ubuntu is a bit complicated since there are no DEB packages available AFAIK. You can compile and install SimpleBurn instead. Instructions here.

InfraRecorder for Windows

Although InfraRecorder does not belong to this list since it does not have a Linux version, it is a widely acclaimed open source CD/DVD burning tool for Microsoft Windows licensed under GNU General Public License. In 2007, CNET rated InfraRecorder the best free alternative to commercial DVD burning software.

CDRDAO Command Line Tool

CDRDAO(CD recording Disk At Once) is an open source CD burner application for Windows, Mac and Linux. CDRDAO records audio or data CD-Rs in disk-at-once (DAO) mode based on a textual description of the CD contents. The CDRDAO application is run from the command line and has no graphical user interface. 

Hope you enjoyed the listing. Interested in more such listing of useful applications? Check out this collection of top bit-torrent applications and media-center applications for Linux as well.

Source : http://www.techdrivein.com/2011/03/9-good-cd-and-dvd-burning-tools-for.html

'Bing Wallpapers For Linux' Revived, Works Great On Ubuntu 16.04 LTS

Bing Wallpapers for Linux app brings the gorgeous "Bing Image of the Day" featured wallpapers to Linux. The app itself is pretty straight forward. You can either manually check/update if/when a new wallpaper is available or you could just restart your system and find Bing's latest "featured image" as your desktop wallpaper. And I have to say, they are pretty darn good! By default, the app would check for new wallpapers every 3 hours.

Though I have tested this only on Ubuntu 16.04 LTS, this should work on other Debian based distros such as elementary OS or Linux Mint. Installation is just 3 steps, do the following in Terminal.

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:whizzzkid/bingwallpaper
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install bingwallpaper

Done. As you can infer from the post-installation instructions in Terminal, the Bing Wallpapers for Linux app will automatically set the latest Bing "featured image" as your wallpaper upon reboot. But if you want to see the results immediately, you need to run the following command in Terminal. 

sh /usr/bin/bingwallpaper

Voila! And you have your latest Bing wallpaper up and running in Ubuntu! If you are inclined, all the images will be available at the following directory in Ubuntu: "~/Pictures/Bing/". See project's page on GitHub. Thanks to our reader Evan for sharing this news with us. And thanks for reading!

Source : http://www.techdrivein.com/2016/09/bing-wallpapers-for-linux-ubuntu1604.html

Italian Military's LibreOffice Migration Underway; 100,000+ PCs To Be Migrated

As we reported exactly an year ago, Italian Military's plans to migrate its entire fleet of desktop PCs to LibreOffice is well underway and has reached its first milestone. Since the project got started about an year ago, the Italian military have switched over 8000 PC workstations to LibreOffice.

As they say, well begun is half done. Italian Military's long drawn out plans for migrating its computers from Microsoft Office to LibreOffice is well under way. In the first phase of the project, over 8000 of its PC workstations has been successfully migrated to LibreOffice. And over the next 4 years, LibreDifesa project (as it is officially known) aims to migrate Italian Military's entire 100,000+ systems to LibreOffice. This would make it the largest free software transition involving desktop PCs by a European public administration.


LibreItalia, an an open source advocacy group based out of Italy, is helping Italian Military in this massive endeavour. LibreItalia volunteers are working with the military, training the trainers and the support staff. They also introduce LibreOffice to top officials, and help prepare the communication that explain the motive for the switch. The LibreDifesa project is expected to save EUR 26 to 29 million for the exchequer.

But saving money isn't just the only concern for the Military. According to open source observatory, "the main motives for the switch include interoperability and long-term accessibility of documents and information. The military are standardising on the Open Document Format (ODF) and are urging its users to use free fonts."

"The switch to LibreOffice is so far posing no real problems for the users", said Sonia Montegiove, who is also the president of the LibreItalia open source advocacy group. She presented the LibreDifesa project last Friday at the FSFE Summit in Berlin.

Apparently, the military is also contemplating the use of Linux for their desktop workstations, and are piloting the Zimbra email, calendaring and collaboration suite. And it's not just the Italian Military. Only recently we learned that big MNCs like Daimler AG has been migrating its critical servers to SUSE Linux. Even cities as large as Toulousein France and Turin in Italy have opted for Ubuntu and other open solutions thereby saving millions of Euros.

Source : http://www.techdrivein.com/2016/09/italian-militarys-libreoffice-migration.html

The Best Way To Get In Shape

Getting in shape is not as hard as it seems. If you tried several weight loss methods and did not get good results, it is time to adopt a healthier lifestyle. Go over the following article to learn more about the best way to get in shape.

You can get great results without using weight loss pills, counting calories or following weight loss programs. Developing your own weight loss method and focusing on adopting healthy habits is actually the best way to lose weight. You should think about the long term and give yourself enough time to get used to your new habits. Do not expect to reach an ideal weight in less than six months but keep in mind that transforming your lifestyle will help you live longer and avoid health problems.



Look for ways to improve your diet. You should read the labels of the foods and beverages you usually buy. Eliminate anything with a high quantity of fat, trans fat, sugar, high fructose corn syrup or sodium. It is best to avoid snacks, processed foods and sugary drinks. If you often eat at fast food restaurants, get rid of this bad habit right away. Giving up the foods you love is not easy, which is why you should work on finding new healthy foods you love.



Adopt a diet that is well balanced. All your meals should have a few foods from each food group. Try introducing more fruits, vegetables, whole grains and fibers to your diet. Try at least one new food a week so you can find healthy foods you love. Give exotic dishes a chance and try a few vegetarian dishes too. You can also adapt your favorite recipes into healthier meals, for instance by replacing pasta with whole grain noodles or by adding some vegetables to the recipe.


If you do not walk for at least thirty minutes a day, you need to organize yourself differently so you have more time to be active. Try going for a long walk every day or find another way to be more active. You could for instance plan sports on the weekends, ride your bike or be more active around the house. Being more active will help you lose a lot of weight and you will soon find that you have more energy than usual.


Working out regularly is a great way to reach an ideal weight. You should start with some very simple exercises to target your midsection. Do plenty of sit ups to work on your abs and you will soon find that your core is much stronger. You can then move on to other exercises designed to tone different parts of your body. Find a good cardio workout to burn plenty of calories and slim down.


These weight loss strategies will help you get the results you always wanted. Use them to develop your own program and you will soon have an ideal silhouette if you are properly motivated.

The Benefits of Tennis for Weight Loss

Playing tennis is a great way to lose a few pounds but there are many other benefits too. Tennis is a terrific and fun way to improve fitness and build co-ordination whilst opening up a whole new fun social scene. Tennis helps you to lose weight, to get fit and to make friends - what could be better than that?

The closest that many of us get to playing tennis is watching one of the Grand Slams on the television. Tennis club membership fees often see an increase immediately following a Grand Slam, particularly if one of the favorites has put up a good showing - unfortunately for many people paying their membership fees is as far as they get and that's won't help you to lose pounds, it'll only help you to lose bucks.

Many people shy away from tennis as part of their fitness program because it looks too darned difficult and they're worried that they'll spend the majority of their court time fetching wayward tennis balls from around the court. The thing to remember is that tennis of any standard is good for you and enjoyable - it really can be as relaxing or as strenuous as you want. The game of tennis requires a combination of physical and mental demands which help to build fitness, lose weight and improve co-ordination.

So how much weight will you lose when playing tennis? Well, that all depends on you and how hard you play. The weight and exertion level is a big factor when you're looking at weight loss and calorie burning on the tennis court but the extra calories burned in a half hour tennis session could be anywhere between 100 and 150 - not counting the fun factor.

The key to really enjoying tennis as part of your weight loss program is to find other players who are of a similar level to yours. Even the most uncompetitive people will soon get fed up of playing someone who is much better at the sport than they are. If you spend the entire half hour collecting balls which have whizzed across the court and past you at an alarming rate it soon gets boring.

Start off slowly with people of a similar standard and just play for twenty minutes or so three times per week until your fitness level improves.  If you gradually build up your tennis time to a couple of hours each week you'll be amazed at how much your game can improve and your weight will fall off.

Don't worry about buying the most expensive tennis gear and kit bag. Unless you plan to keep it up and play regularly there really is no need to spend a lot of money on your tennis gear.

" Shoes are important, they must cradle your feet and provide adequate support

" Tennis rackets cost as much or as little as you are prepared to spend - your local sports store should be able to tell you which rackets offer the best value for money

Tennis and weight loss really is a great combination. You can get fit, lose weight and make a bunch of new friends all at the same time, perfect.

Swimming Benefits for Weight Loss

Swimming has got many great benefits for weight loss.  It can help you to lose excess weight whilst burning off those extra calories without adding any strain or stress on your joints and your body. Swimming is particularly great because it works all of the most important muscle groups whilst helping you to slim down and tone up.

It really doesn't matter whether you are a competitive swimmer or just enjoy doing a few lengths of the local pool a couple of times each week - swimming is good for you. You can set your own pace, swim at your own speed and at the distance you can manage. The distance you can swim will naturally increase as you do the exercise more.

There are also lots of swimming pool exercise programs which are great fun and can help you to lose weight. Many swimming pools hold aqua aerobics sessions which are a fabulous way to lose weight, tone up and make friends in the water.

The Benefits of Swimming for Weight Loss

You will turn calories while you swim which is basically how it can help with any weight loss program. Swimming also has many cardiovascular benefits and is especially great for older people who may not be able to take part in other types of cardiovascular exercise.

Swimming also uses just about the entire major muscle groups in the body which really gets the heart and lungs working to provide sufficient oxygen to the muscles. As far as cardiovascular workouts go swimming is hard to beat.

If you get a little out of breath on your swim then don't worry, that's a good thing. Any exercise which makes your breathing heavier is great - it simply means that you and your body are working hard. As your lungs and heart get stronger you will be able to swim further without needing to rest which will help to increase your heart rate whilst resting and lower your blood pressure.

Other Benefits of Swimming

Helping with weight loss is just one of the many benefits of swimming. It is also great for other things;

" Swimming is used by athletes as a means to aid recovery after injury. It is a low impact exercise but is terrific for working the muscles and building endurance. Athletes who have had some sort of accident or become injured in some way can turn to swimming as the first part of the rehabilitation program.

" Swimming is great fun. It isn't only about swimming lengths; there are other ways to lose weight whilst swimming. Treading water is exercise too and can help to burn calories - swimming is great fun for the whole family.

" Swimming is also a terrific way to relax, if you need a little "me time" then go for a swim - the calories burned are just an extra bonus.

A half hour session of swimming will burn anywhere between 100 and 500 extra calories depending upon your weight and how much effort you put into it. Why not make the effort to visit your local pool at least once a week with your family or friends to start you on your way.

Simple Weight Loss Tips For Your Weight Loss Goals

More and more people today are becoming very conscious about their fitness and weight. Setting goals to improve both is becoming more commonplace. Although, trying to reach your weight loss goals can be somewhat challenging, there are simple steps that you can take to help you achieve success.

One of the most important things that you can do is to set a realistic goal for your weight loss. This will help to set you up for success and not for failure. If you set your goal to high, you may tend to give up because it just seems impossible.



If you are realistic, it is very attainable and you will continue on because you feel success. A good goal is to drop between a half to 2 pounds a week.



For some it may be difficult, but try to keep track of everything that you eat. Statistics show that people who do this can lose twice as much as the people that do not.



By writing everything down, there is no denying how much food you are eating in a day, and you can make adjustments and changes as necessary based on the food intake that you see.



Give yourself some motivation by pulling out a pair of pants or jeans that are too tight to wear. Hang them in a prominent spot such as the kitchen so you will see them every day and help yourself to be inspired. Before you know it, you will be wearing them in no time.



Go through your pantry and fridge. Take out all the “sabotage” foods and get rid of them. This is the easiest way to not be tempted. If the food is not there you will not eat it.



Be sure to pay attention to the portions that you take at every meal. Portion size can make a big difference to your weight loss goals. If you are taking bigger portions than necessary, you will still tend to eat everything that is on your plate.



Also, try using smaller plates so the plate looks full and mentally you actually think you are eating more when you are still eating the proper amount.



Try to avoid hunger cravings by eating regular snacks and meals. Including foods that have protein such as tuna, yogurt, and beans will also help you to feel full for a longer period of time.



Keep simple fruits on hand for impulse snacking. Fruits such as small apples, clementines, grapes, pears, and small bananas are simple easy to eat foods without having to do a lot of slicing or cutting. When you have that impulse to snack, you can just grab one of these fruits to quickly and easily satisfy your craving.


Be sure to eliminate your liquid calories. Sugary drinks and soda is one of the biggest culprits in sabotaging your goals. Try drinking water instead and add lime, lemon, mint, or cucumber to spice up the taste.


Following and implementing these simple ideas can help you to be very successful with your goals. Weight loss does not have to be difficult if it is approached with the right mindset.

Quick and Easy Tips For Weight Loss

Many people are finding themselves weighing a bit more than they'd like. But not everyone is sure how they can lose that excess weight. If you're one of those people, then you're lucky. You've managed to stumble upon a wealth of information about how to shed that weight. Keep reading and, with a little bit of luck, you'll be at your dream weight in no time.


The first thing you need to do is make sure you're drinking plenty of water every day. It's recommended that you drink at least eight glasses of water every day, which each glass having eight ounces of water. This has a few different benefits. Drinking water has no calories so it'll keep your body well hydrated without adding calories. Drinking water will raise your metabolism slightly so you'll start burning more calories each day.



Water is also needed to keep your body running at full capacity. As you're exercising, your body is going to need a lot of water to keep itself in top shape and repair the damage you do to your muscles.  So if you want to lose weight, it's important that you keep yourself well hydrated.



You should also cut out soda from your diet completely. Don't just start drinking diet soda or cut the number of sodas back. Get rid of them. They're horrible for your body. Just be drinking water every day and dropping the soda you can lose a good bit of weight. You should also cut out as much sugar from your diet as possible.



If you want to lose weight effectively, you need to make sure you're exercising regularly. Every day you should be getting a minimum of thirty minutes of cardio. This can be anything from walking, to running, to biking, to swimming. Anything that will get you moving and boost your heart rate. The more intense the activity, the better it will be, but at the beginning, even walking for half an hour will do your body a world of good.


In addition to the cardio exercise, every other day you should be doing some strength training. Cardio training may help you lose a couple pounds, but strength training is what's going to help you burn the most fat. Cardio is good for short calorie burning bursts, but the more muscle you build up, the more calories you'll burn at a rest.


It's important that you don't do strength training every day though. When you're lifting weights or do anything that involves muscle building, you're constantly damaging your muscles. When you finish your workout, your body starts repairing those muscles, making them stronger. That's how you build up muscle. It takes around twenty four hours for your body to completely recover. So if you don't let your body rest, then you'll end up seriously injuring yourself.


Weight loss isn't something that happens overnight. It's going to take a lot of time and effort to shed those pounds. But if you keep motivated, you won't have any problems reaching your goals.

Portion Sizes – The Secret to Weight Loss

There are actually many things which you need to get right in order to lose weight, it's all about eating the right things and getting enough daily exercise but portion sizes certainly plays a  large part.

People are getting fatter with obesity levels rising across the country and many studies suggest that this is directly proportional to the way that our portion sizes have grown over the last couple of decades.  Whenever we eat calories which we want but don't need they are the ones which cause our waist bands to expand - but if those calories weren't on our plates in the first place we really wouldn't miss them.

There have been a few University studies over the past couple of decades which has all come up with the same sort of criteria - portion sizes have grown significantly in many of the key food groups.

One of the main problems is that whenever we have a plate of food which contains more food than we actually want or need we will usually eat it anyway without even stopping to think about it. Thinking about what you eat and stopping when you feel full is a great tip for weight loss but one which many of us choose to ignore or forget all about. Many of us eat whilst watching television, listening to music or talking to our families and don't stop until we've cleaned our plates.

Not only are we eating bigger portions these days, but many of the food which is already high in calories is now even more calorie laden than ever before. Salty snacks have had an increase of 93 calories in every portion over the last twenty years, French fries by almost 70 calories and the number of calories in a hamburger has been increased by a whopping 97 calories.  Not only are we eating more food than we need but the food which we eat has more calories in them than ever before - that's a real double whammy for anybody who is trying to lose weight.

The trouble is that we now live in the era of "supersize" - every time you walk into a fast food joint you are given the option of "super sizing". Is there any wonder that we are turning into a nation of supersized people?

There are a few sneaky ways in which you can control portion sizes at home without feeling like you are doing without something.

" The first thing to do is to use smaller plates - a small plate which is piled high with food will subconsciously tell your that there is plenty whereas a large plate with just a small amount of food might look like you're not getting enough.

" Reduce the portions of the "naughtier" foods whilst filling up the plate with plenty of other food is another alternative. Instead of a great pile of French fries with your burger just take around one third of the portion and fill the rest of your plate with a nice healthy salad. The plate is still full, you will still feel full when you've eaten it but your calorie intake will have been substantially reduced.

Smaller portion sizes really are a great weight loss tip.

My Personal Struggles With Weight Loss

Growing up I wasn’t a fat kid – I wasn’t a skinny kid, either. However, most of my family was overweight, and had been their entire lives. My mother said it must’ve skipped a generation with me. Then one day, during high school, she met up with me at school, took one look at me and said, “You’re starting to get a little poochy.”



That, my friends, was the beginning of a long struggle with my self-image.



I subscribe that BMI is a crock, and not just because I have always been technically overweight by it. I’m short, but I have high bone density and I am naturally curvy. Not to mention the, er, places on my body that retain a lot of fat. So I was always happy around the 140 range. I considered 130 ideal, although BMI said 115. Trust me, at under 130 my bones start sticking out and there is nothing healthy about it. I’m practically starving myself. So I always maintained my body in the 140 range without thinking about it.


Then I moved abroad.


I don’t know what happened. Maybe it was a perfect storm of a new diet, way more exercise because of my job, and my body naturally aging. But when I was abroad for a year my weight gradually dropped to 130. I came home, weighed myself, and was pleasantly surprised. Then a few months went by. My new career is very sedentary unlike my old job. I also eat American food again, which is naturally high in fat and calories. I gradually gained weight. I thought I would taper off in the 140s again, but I didn’t. It kept climbing higher. When I reached 155 I started watching what I ate and exercised for a half hour every day. Mixed up aerobic workouts with high intensity interval training. Well, I definitely got toned. But I never lost any weight.


It’s been over a year since I moved home now. Since then I’ve bloomed into the 160s and am still climbing, no matter what I do. I’ve tried replicating my lifestyle from abroad to no avail. The weight itself doesn’t bother me as much as the extra fat does. It literally gets in the way of my life as I try to bend over – my flexibility is completely shot, no matter how many stretches I do every day. Not to mention what it’s done to my wardrobe. None of my bottoms fit any more, and the extra fat all over up top means my shirts barely fit either. I have a round face so fat tends to show up there very quickly as well. I can’t afford new clothes.


I don’t know what to do. I’ve sort of stopped thinking about it. I still watch what I eat and exercise regularly, though. I figure if nothing else, it’s probably my body aging and my metabolism dying. As long as I stay healthy and concentrate on toning, I should be fine for a while. But I dread the next trip to the doctor’s office, the almighty shrine of BMI. Looks like I’m finally joining the ranks of my family complaining about their weight.

Making Simple Diet Changes To Lose Weight

Trying to lose weight can seem like a very difficult task. If you’ve tried weight loss before without success, you’ll know just how hard it can be to make changes and stick to them. Many people struggle to balance their weight loss efforts with the things that are going on in their life. If you’re struggling to lose weight, a few simple changes may be able to help you get started on the right path.


Instead of jumping into a full blown weight loss journey, try to make a few small changes that could really make a difference. A good, simple change is to not drink your calories. During the day, many people reach for coffees, teas, or sodas. Instead of adding all of those unneeded calories, switch to drinking more water. Depending on the amount of drinks that you normally drink, you could save over 500 calories each day just by reaching for water. Switching to water can also save you a lot of money as it is normally less expensive than sodas, teas, and coffee.


If you’re trying to lose weight, try to avoid eating out. If you frequently grab takeout on your way home from work, a lot of your weight may be caused by that. Many people say that they don’t always have the time to cook a large dinner once they’ve gotten home from work. This can be avoided by planning out your meals well. If there are certain days where you generally arrive home later than usual, have something premade for dinner, such as a salad that you mixed up a few days ago. Not all of your meals need to be five-course dinners.  Take the time at the beginning of each week to create a meal plan that you can stick to.


Changing the way that you prepare food can help you with your weight loss goal. If you’re used to frying your chicken, give baking or grilling a shot. If you’re used to using a lot of butter or cheese on your vegetables, try to find other ways to prepare them. There are many spices that can be added to your veggies to make them taste great without butter or cheese. You should also keep an eye on the amount of salt that you’re adding to your food. Many people reach for the salt anytime something seems bland. Instead of adding extra salt, try to find seasoning and spices that you could add to give your food more flavor. If you’re used to using ground beef for hamburgers or spaghetti, give ground turkey a try. It’s mostly fat free and can taste great when prepared correctly.


Losing weight isn't just about how fast you can get the weight off. It’s about making lifestyle changes that you can stick to. For this reason, many people to make huge diet changes tend to go back to their old way of eating in a short amount of time. By making small changes, you increase your success rate of losing the weight and keeping it off.

Losing Weight Doesn't Have To Be Hard

These days losing weight is on everyone's mind. It seems it's harder and harder to lose the weight as you age. Once you hit 30 years old, your metabolism slows down and it can be more of an uphill battle to control your weight.



We're going to discuss a few different ways that will help you in this effort to slim down and lose a few pounds. If you are healthy and are at your ideal weight, you still might be able to gain valuable insight from this information.



One of the biggest misconceptions about losing weight is that you should limit your calories per day. While it is true that you need to watch her calorie input, you should not starve yourself because that defeats the long-term purpose of losing weight and keeping it off.



The reason why this does not work is because if you starve your body, your body will start to break down muscle tissue along with fat. When the muscle tissue has been lost, your ability to maintain a high metabolism rate goes way down. This will make it easier to gain the weight back in the future. This is why you see people who are on diets always struggling to keep the weight off.



The one thing many people do not want to do is what they know they should do, which is exercise. Exercising is something that many Americans do not do enough of. There is more time spent in front of the TV and computer then moving the body around. That is more of a society problem in this day and age. However don't let this be an excuse!



Not only will you feel better by moving your body, you'll also be able to lose weight and stay healthy as you age. What is it to like about this? Most people agree with these ideas, they know they are correct, but just lack the determination to follow through with them.



Don't let this happen to you! Go and find a gym, by some good sneakers, and start working out! If you can't afford a gym then you can always do some cardio exercises either inside or outside. You can also do situps, push-ups and pull-ups inside your home to build lean muscle. This lean muscle also help increase your metabolism which helps you burn calories day in and day out.


As you can see watching what you eat is only one part of the equation as you are trying to lose weight. You need to be aware that your body is trying to work with you and not against you. And that might be a mental shift that needs to happen in your mind, but when it does happen you'll see the pounds fly off!


So the next time that you see someone on a diet and they're not working out, you might want to let them know that they need to maintain their metabolism rate by increasing their lean muscle.

Lose Weight And Finally Get The Body You Want

The battle for weight loss is one of the toughest people have overcoming. When you decide to lose weight you might manage to shed off a few pounds here and there, but keeping it off is hard. You can literally diet for weeks and then easily fall back into bad habits during a weekend and a lot of your efforts will be for nothing. You have to build a strong mentality and commit to a regular workout regime as well as diet to see a real change.


In order to lose weight you have to first write down your target weight goal. For instance, if you weigh 200 pounds and want to lose 50 pounds then you want to write that down. Have a physical copy of your goal so that it is visible in front of you to see every day. After you write down your goal put it somewhere like your desk at work, car, fridge door, or calendar so that you are constantly reminded of your goal.


Once you have your goal written down devise a plan to reach that goal. Make this plan reasonable so that you can meet your goal within that timeframe. Losing 50 pounds in one month does not seem like a realistic goal. Yet losing 50 pounds over the course of six months is a little more reasonable. When your long-term goal is determined the next step is to devise short-term goals to help you along the way towards reaching your goal. Write your weekly goal to lose a certain amount of pounds each week. While you write this down figure out how you are going to accomplish your goals.



For weight loss you have to workout. In the past if you have not had any luck losing weight by dieting then you need to add exercise into your daily routine. Think about the things that you like to do and perform those types of exercises. Try your best to complete cardio workouts every day of the week. If you want to build a little muscle and tone up then workout about four or five days a week. Let your body rest on weekends. It really doesn't matter what type of workouts you complete. What matters the most is that you sweat a lot during workouts. If you sweat then that means you are losing weight and sweating it out.


Dieting is the most essential part of losing weight. Weight loss is almost impossible if there is no change in your eating habits. Eliminate fast food, foods rich with carbs, and other fattening food choices. All of these contribute towards weight gain. Fill your diet with a lot of protein, water, fruits, vegetables, and other healthy foods. You have to be serious about committing to your diet this time.


Think about your goals and then work towards reaching them every single day. Put your daily and weekly goals on your phone calendar. The next time you feel like slipping from your diet or skipping a workout take out your phone and look at it. Think about all of the efforts you have made and where you will be in a week to motivate yourself. Weight loss can be tough to achieve, but if you commit to following your goals then you can achieve your ideal weight.

Jumping Rope for Weight Loss

If you haven't picked up a jump rope since your school days then you could be in for a bit of a surprise. Skipping is one of the best cardio-respiratory exercises around for weight loss and can burn more calories than many other exercises - it is also great fun.

Think about it. What other piece of exercise equipment;

" Costs less than $20

" Will fit into a pocket, briefcase, desk drawer, handbag, glove compartment

" You can do it anywhere, all you need is a little space and some sneakers

There are very many benefits of jumping rope for weight loss. Not only does it help to improve the fitness of your heart and lungs (that's what cardio respiratory means) but it also helps to trim the thighs, the butt and the hips, increases co-ordination and flexibility and helps to build bones. How come we all know these things as school children and forget them as we get older - jumping rope is fun, why don't we do more of it?

Weight Loss and Calorie Burning

Exercise can help weight loss because it burns off calories and jumping rope is one of the best calorie burning exercises around. Depending upon your individual weight and how much effort you put into the skipping session you will burn somewhere between 80 and 100 calories in every ten minute skipping session, not a bad return is it?

Getting Back to Basics

Anyone who hasn't jumped rope for some time may need a little practice. It's always best to start off slowly until you get your timing right - you can simply rotate the skipping rope with both handles in one hand slowly and jump every time the rope hits onto the floor. You don't need to jump too high, about an inch from the floor is plenty which helps to reduce the amount of impact on your ankles and knees and helps you to stay injury free.

Jumping rope is strenuous exercise so be careful not to overdo it at first. Warm up by marching on the spot for a few minutes before each session and start off slowly, then you should skip for around 30 seconds and march on the spot for 30 seconds, skip for 30 seconds and march on the spot for 30 seconds - rinse and repeat - until you get fitter.

Once your fitness levels have improved you can do more skipping and less marching! Variety is the spice of life and once you've re-mastered the art of jumping rope there are plenty of different moves you can try to vary your jump rope sessions;

" Jogging on the spot as you skip

" Skip jump involves hopping from one foot to the other and kicking the other leg out to the front

" Hopping from one leg to the other - you can hop twice per leg, three times per leg, whatever you want

" Jack jump - which means that on one jump you land with your feet together, the next time you land with your legs apart

Jumping rope really is a terrific asset to any weight loss program, and it's also great fun.

Is Weight Loss Surgery Right For You?

One of the quickest ways to lose excess pounds is weight loss surgery. However, this option isn’t suitable for everyone. You should be at least eighty pounds overweight to qualify as a potential candidate for weight loss surgery. And perhaps the most important question you should be asking yourself is, do I really want to do this and is weight loss surgery worth it?


The right answer to that depends on several things. There are a number of factors to take into consideration. Initially can you afford it, weight loss surgery doesn’t come cheap and can set you back several thousand dollars. Most insurance companies will not cover weight loss surgery costs as it falls in most cases under the category of cosmetic surgery, unless obesity can be established by your physician to be life and health threatening. You also need to meet the criteria previously mentioned in being over a certain weight.



Many surgeons will refuse to perform weight loss surgery if you don’t fall into the obesity category taking into account your weight and height. Even if you are able to find a surgeon who will make an exception, it doesn’t necessarily follow that weight loss surgery is the best way to go about losing weight.



It’s a good idea to consider all your options before making any final decisions. Do you have the time and willpower to lose weight by dieting and exercising? Even if it takes longer, it is both healthier and more sustainable in the long run then undergoing weight loss surgery. It will also help you develop good exercising and nutrition habits which can be worth their weight in gold, especially as you grow older. Plus you shouldn’t overlook the saving to your wallet in not having to pay for surgery.



Whilst it is acknowledged that weight loss surgery will enable you to lose surplus pounds virtually instantly there are some downsides, the first being that your food intake will be much reduced; in fact very limited initially. If you are one of those people who enjoy a big meal having to cut back on what you eat will take some adjustment. Worse, if you ignore the doctor’s instructions, you risk not only putting the weight back on, but also endangering your health.



However it is undeniable that weight loss surgery has proven to be a life saver for many overweight people, who would not have been able to lose weight if left to themselves. If you are considering having weight loss surgery it is important that you look at both the advantages and disadvantages before making any commitment. Apart from the initial surgery there may also be a need to remove surplus sagging skin after you have had your procedure, resulting in further medical costs.


Look at all the options and talk to your physician and get their advice and suggestions as to exactly what is best for you. Any type of surgery has a certain risk factor attached, so you need to be fully confident that you know exactly what you are letting yourself in for.

How Weight Loss Can Provide an Individual a Healthier Lifestyle

Losing weight can be a challenge for many men and women, especially as they age. Weight loss is typically an indicator of increased exercise, and a lower consumption of calories. Many individuals attempt to lose weight by fad diets, or excessive exercise as a way to burn off extra calories. Weight loss is often a critical component to help maximize an individual’s health. It is also used a way to enhance self-esteem, and develop an aesthetically pleasing appearance.



There are specific types of weight loss that are both unintentional and intentional. Losing weight might be an unintentional event that is a result of poorly managed conditions, or untreated health issues including diabetes. Some people want to lose weight intentionally, and plan weight reduction through exercise programs and diets that are designed specifically to reduce the amount of calories consumed, or energy burned.



Stress is often a factor that can cause individuals to lose weight when they do not intend to. This is often a result of increased depression, or high levels of anxiety where it is simply too challenging to consume food to generate energy that the body requires.



Weight Loss Benefits



For any individual that is overweight, losing unwanted pounds and inches can provide significant benefits. Not only does it make the person feel better, but they can actually add many more years to their life. Sometimes losing weight can reverse significant health issues including high blood pressure, heart disease and especially diabetes. Even specific types of cancers can be reduced, or eliminated, by losing weight.



Excessive body fat, especially when found around the abdomen, has the ability to increase the inflammation of the body’s blood vessels which often can increase the potential for heart disease. There is a direct link between obesity and specific types of cancer that may be due to the release of hormones in fat cells. Minimal physical activity and poor eating habits often produce a negative impact on the body.



A Healthy Time Frame



For individuals that are attempting to lose significant amounts of weight, the process is a simple one. Every 3500 calories that are consume, produce 1 pound of unwanted body fat. To reduce that amount, requires eliminating 3500 calories over time, which can play a significant role in losing one pound of weight. However, it needs to be done in a healthy environment. Simply cutting out 350 calories each day from the diet can help the individual lose one pound of weight every 10 days. This is a healthy time frame that can produce positive results.



Exercise


Performing some type of routine exercise can play a significant role in the positive effects of a weight loss plan. Exercise will help increase the body’s metabolism, and burn significantly more calories than just sleeping or sitting. It will also help to increase the level of energy. Simply walking, or participating in a sport, instead of watching TV or other sedentary activity, can help enhance an individual’s lifestyle, help them lose weight, feel better about themselves, and maintain better health.

Budget 2017 - Sri lanka

Budget 2017

Spoil sprouts: How little greens can make you sick

Sprouts may sound cute, but the tiny greens have sickened more than 2,500 people and caused 186 hospitalizations and three deaths in the past two decades, a new report finds.

"Sprout contamination continues to pose a serious public health concern," the researchers from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) wrote in their report. The arm of the FDA that wrote the new report focuses on investigating outbreaks and finding ways to prevent them. The findings on sprouts were presented on Oct. 28 at IDWeek 2016, a meeting in New Orleans of several organizations focused on infectious diseases. The report on sprouts has not been published in a peer-reviewed journal.

From 1996 to August 2016, 48 outbreaks of illness were associated with sprouts, the researchers found.

Alfalfa sprouts were the most common culprit during the study period, with 30 outbreaks. There were seven outbreaks linked to clover sprouts, six outbreaks linked to mung bean sprouts, two outbreaks linked to unspecified sprouts, two outbreaks linked to multiple sprout types and one outbreak linked to a food ingredient called sprouted chia powder, the FDA found.

Sprouts carried a number of different types of bacteria, the researchers found. Salmonella was implicated in the greatest number of outbreaks, at 35, followed by Escherichia coli (11 outbreaks) and Listeria monocytogenes (two outbreaks), according to the report.

Of the three sprout-related deaths during the study period, two were attributed to Salmonella and one to Listeria.

Sprouts "certainly rank up there" among types of produce that have been linked to outbreaks, said Dr. Kathleen Gensheimer, the director of the FDA's Coordinated Outbreak Response and Evaluation Network and the lead author of the study.

Sprouts' propensity to harbor dangerous bacteria has to do with how they are grown, Gensheimer told Live Science. To grow sprouts, seeds are placed in water in a warm, humid environment that is ideal for rapid bacterial growth, she said.

That means that if a seed is contaminated with bacteria before the sprouts are grown, the problem gets worse during the sprouting process, because the bacteria will multiply, Gensheimer said. Indeed, in most sprout outbreaks, the outbreak stemmed from seeds that had been contaminated with bacteria before the sprouting process began, she said. Bacteria can get on a seed when it's being harvested and can survive for months in the dry conditions in which the seeds are stored, she said.

Alfalfa sprouts, the most common source of an outbreak in the study, are the most popular type of green seed sprouts that are typically eaten raw, Gensheimer said. Sprouts that come from green seeds, including alfalfa sprouts, clover sprouts and radish sprouts, typically aren't cooked before they are eaten, and so they are more commonly associated with outbreaks. In contrast, sprouts that come from beans, such as mung bean sprouts and soy bean sprouts, typically are cooked, she added.

Thoroughly cooking sprouts can reduce a person's risk of getting sick, because cooking can kill the harmful bacteria, Gensheimer said.

But sprouts can be a "stealth ingredient," Gensheimer added. They're the type of ingredient that may be added to sandwich or a salad in a restaurant or deli without being mentioned, she said.

Currently, the U.S. government says that people who are the most at-risk for infectious diseases should avoid eating raw or lightly cooked sprouts of any kind, Gensheimer said. This includes children, the elderly, pregnant women and people with weakened immune systems, she said.

Originally published on Live Science.

foxnews

Trump on potential conflicts of interest: 'The law is totally on my side'

President-elect Donald Trump is facing more potential conflicts of interest than any other Oval Office occupant in U.S. history. And the billionaire businessman’s response is: So what?

Trump shrugged off any hypothetical entanglements that could occur due to his worldwide real estate enterprise and asserted the law stood with him during a meeting with The New York Times on Tuesday.

“I mean, I know that from the standpoint, the law is totally on my side, meaning, the president can’t have a conflict of interest,” Trump said. “…And I understand why the president can’t have a conflict of interest now, because everything a president does in some ways is like a conflict of interest.”

TRUMP REVERSES COURSE ON CLINTON, DEFENDS BANNON

According to a Congressional Research Service report issued in October, Trump is right.

“Because of concerns regarding interference with the exercise of constitutional duties, Congress had not applied [criminal penalties for conflicts of interest] to the President,” the report stated. “Consequently, there is no current legal requirement that would compel the President to relinquish financial interests because of a conflict of interest.”

The present model assumes the president will be tried in the court of public opinion before he takes office.

“In other words, the current regulatory scheme suggests that any potential conflicts will be addressed by the electorate at the ballot box,” the report stated.

The majority of previous presidents – Lyndon Johnson, Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton and George W. Bush – have voluntarily “divested” any financial assets. President Obama did not, however, because his assets were tied up in Treasury notes and mutual funds he did not control, according to the report.

Trump told The Times he is beginning to take steps to separate a President Trump from the Trump organization. He noted that he’s “greatly reduced” signing checks and meetings with contractors and other interested parties. But Trump is acutely aware that he has no legal obligation to build a metaphorical wall between himself and his business.

“In theory, I could run my business perfectly, and then run the country perfectly,” he said. “…But I would like to do something. I would like to try and formalize something, because I don’t care about my business.”

Though he’s been president-elect for fewer than three weeks, already several controversies involving potential conflicts have bubbled up – and mostly petered out.

Trump met last week with three Indian real-estate executives who are involved in building a Trump apartment complex in Mumbai. Trump said it was merely a congratulatory meeting and the men simply took a photo.

During a Nov. 12 conversation with UKIP leader Nigel Farage, Trump allegedly brought up the topic of wind farms, the building of which Trump had previously tried to stop because the structures obstructed the view at one of his Scottish golf courses.

“I might have brought it up,” said Trump, who then detailed his long-time opposition to windfarms due to their effect on the bird population and because he said most are manufactured in Germany or Japan.

After Trump spoke with the President of Argentina by phone after the Nov. 8 election, a report emerged from the country saying Trump brought up the topic of obtaining permits for an Argentinian office complex he’s been trying to build. Both Trump and President Mauricio Macri denied the report and the source of the rumor later said he was joking.

The Trump International Hotel which opened in October in Washington, D.C. is, Trump admits, “a hotter brand than it was before.”

“I can’t help that, but I don’t care,” he told The Times.

What will truly serve as a check on any potential conflicts, Trump said, is the chance he has to serve the nation and govern effectively.

“I don’t care about my company. It doesn’t matter. My kids run it…” Trump said. “The only thing that matters to me is running our country.”

Foxnews

5 Easy Ways To Download YouTube Videos In Ubuntu

Be it Ubuntu or any other platform, one thing I learned over the years is the fact that people like to download their favorite YouTube videos and would want to keep a local copy of it no matter how hard it is. Luckily, there are plenty of tools to do this in Ubuntu without any hassles. Here, we'll explore 5 of the most capable YouTube video downloading tools for Ubuntu.

Minitube: When it comes to "conventional" YouTube video streaming and downloading in Ubuntu, nothing beats Minitube. You can type any keyword, and Minitube will give you an endless stream of videos to watch, as simple as that. Minitube does not use the Flash Player either, which means lesser CPU consumption. And of course you can download videos in the quality you choose with the click of a button. What more, Minitube is available for download in default Ubuntu repositories (Edit: Ubuntu 16.04 LTS supported). Click the link above.

Youtube-dl: Command line tools are a big no-no to many. But I would argue otherwise. Youtube-dl is the best and easiest way to download YouTube videos in Ubuntu. It is fast and obviously nimble. And make no mistake, it has quite a wide range of functionalities. But if all you need is to download the best quality version of a particular video, open up the Terminal and type "youtube-dl". Does that look complicated? A more detailed installation and how-to-use instructions can be found in our previous post on Youtube-dl. 

Gmediafinder: A good Minitube alternative loaded with YouTube streaming and downloading capabilities. In my experience, Minitube has been more stable and a little bit more easier to use when compared Gmediafinder. But it gets the job done. To install it though, you have to add the following PPA and it is not readily available in Ubuntu Software Center (Ubuntu 12.04, Ubuntu 12.10 and Ubuntu 13.04 supported). Just do the following in Terminal.

Movegrab: Yet another command-line tool for downloading YouTube videos in Ubuntu. Somehow, I am finding it difficult to download YouTube specific videos using Movgrab at the moment, even though I didn't had any problem with sites like Dailymotion. Many consider Movgrab to be a superior alternative to my favorite Youtube-dl. More details and how-to-use instructions on Movgrab at WebUpd8. Do the following in Terminal to install Movgrab. 

YouTube Downloader Script: Here's a simple cross-browser script that will add a download button to the YouTube page, literally. It will let you download your favorite videos in MP4 format (HD, Full HD and even 4K supported). See installation instructions below,

For Firefox: You need to download Greasemonkey extension for Firefox first. Afterwards, simply visit the script download page and install it.
For Chrome/Chromium: Install Tampermonkey extension first. And then, like before, visit the script download page and hit Install button on top.

Make no mistake, almost all the tools featured above (except the cross-browser script) does support other popular sites like Dailymotion, Vimeo, Metacafe, Liveleak, Blip.tv etc. apart from YouTube. Try them out and let us know your feedback. Thanks for reading. 

Source : http://www.techdrivein.com/2013/10/5-ways-to-download-youtube-videos-ubuntu-linux.html

An Open Source Self-Driving Car? Udacity Is Planning To Build Just That!

Open Source is not alien to self-driving car technology. We know for fact that Google's self-driving cars are using'lightly customised Ubuntu' at its core, and we have spotted Ubuntu on Mercedes-Benz driverless research car. But what Sebastian Thrun and Udacity is proposing is something radically different.



Not many here must have heard about Udacity. They are a for-profit online education startup who recently created a self-driving car engineering Nanodegree program to cater the burgeoning autonomous car industry. The company is partnering with Mercedes-Benz Research & Development North America, Didi, Otto, and Nvidia on this nanodegree program for self-driving cars.

During the TechCrunch Disrupt event, Udacity co-founder, Sebastian Thrun revealed that the company intends to build its own self-driving car as part of its self-driving car engineering Nanodegree program, and that it also intends to open source the technology that results, so that "anyone" can try to build their own self-driving vehicle.

Consulting firm BCG believes the market for partially and fully autonomous vehicles will be at $22 billion by 2025. And Udacity intends to fill some of that gap for skilled engineers with its new Nanodegree program. The open-sourcing of resulting tech could help the eco-system grow even faster. The crowdsourced autonomous vehicle plans will ultimately be created in service of the school, rather than as an end-product. More on Udacity's attempts to create the first fully open-source self-driving car here.

Source : http://www.techdrivein.com/2016/09/open-source-self-driving-car-udacity.html

SanDisk Cruzer 8GB Mini Nano USB 2.0 for $5.85 - WOW

                                                   SanDisk Cruzer 8GB Mini Nano USB 2.0