Residents of Bakau Farokono are currently in dire straits after a heavy flood hit the area last Sunday.

The flood led to the destruction of many fences and structures, including some newly constructed buildings in the area as well as the massive loss of properties such as refrigerators, fans, televisions, computers, school uniforms and a number of books.

Abdoulie Sarr, one of the victims who walked into the Daily Observer bare footed, said that the disaster has led to the loss of virtually all his properties. "The rain has washed away all my materials," Mr Sarr lamented.

Pa Modou Gaye alias DJ Eye, who helped the affected families said: “The rules for the gutters are not respected”, a situation which he described as contributing to the situation.

According to him, people keep rubbish in their houses until it rains and then throw them into the gutters. He thus urged the responsible authorities to look into the issue as more rainfall is expected.

Aja Isatou Drammeh, another victim, said that they have been encountering such problems in the previous years but this is the worst that they have ever experienced since they transferred to Farokono ten years ago. She then revealed that she has lost over sixty thousand dalasis as a result of the flood.

She appealed to the management of KMC and others to come to their aid. Alhagie Amadou Camara, Abdourahman Trawally, Aja Tako Jallow and Fatou Joof, all victims of the flood, expressed frustration and called on the government and others to come to their aid.

The Gambia Police Force (GPF) on Wednesday benefited from a donation of eight brand new executive chairs, four computers and a refrigerator from Standard Chartered Bank (SCB).

Speaking at a presentation ceremony held at the Police Headquarters in Banjul, Kumba Semega Janneh, Head of Legal and Compliance at Standard Chartered Bank, said SCB as a Global company operating in The Gambia is adapting to change to its stakeholders changing requirements, adding that SCB have been successfully doing that in Africa for over 114 years.

At SCB, we aim to provide responsive, innovative and creative solutions to all our customers, staff, communities, investors, regulators and the media” she revealed.

According to her, SCB has from 2005 to date, contributed over 17 million dalasis towards the improvement of the health, education and youths sectors in The Gambia. She added that Standard Chartered Bank had contributed towards the renovation of the Fraud Squad Unit of The Gambia Police Force in Banjul.

“The Gambia Police Force in general and the Fraud Squad Unit in particular have been valued partners to SCB in the goal of complementing our regulators’ efforts to eradicate fraud and money laundering in The Gambia,” she remarked.

For his part, Momodou Gaye, deputy Inspector General of Police, described the donation as timely, adding that it was not a surprise to them as they have had a longstanding relationship with Standard Chartered Bank.

Deputy IGP Gaye said the materials will be very useful to the police, especially when the Police Financial Intelligence Unit is established this year. He commended Standard Chartered Bank for their support to the police and assured them that the materials would be used wisely.

The ceremony was attended by senior officials of Standard Chartered Bank and The Gambia Police Force.

Jatta Baldeh, Police Commissioner of Administration, chaired the ceremony.

The internet is here to stay. The internet has become so accessible you don't even need a computer to go online. You can go down to your local library and surf the internet to your hearts desire. I'm always amazed at today’s kids in the elementary school level about their knowledge of the internet. The creation of fun kids’ websites seems to be the order of the day. Kids understand what is going on and are quick to teach parents a thing or two about what you can or cannot do on the internet. If there is a way to show you how to create fun kid websites without a learning curve that will take you through a semester long course at college, would you be interested? If you were interested in knowing how to create fun kid websites quickly, would you be interested?

If you are then you probably would be considered the neatest parent in the neighbourhood that you are able to create fun kid websites that kids and parents can enjoy reading. You would be able to create funny websites, kid's websites, and any type of websites that you want.

This article will show you how to create fun kid websites in record time. You don't need a degree in internet terminology to understand how to do it either. You need to want to create a website with a learning attitude and some time on your hands. Do you have 3 hours to spare to create a website? No, neither do I. How about 2 hours? How about less than 30 minutes? If you can spare 30 minutes in your life online then there is a tool that will help you create fun kid websites at will.

This article will show you about the most developed website creation tool that is now being used by webmasters of all levels. Even talking about creating a website sounds like a foreign language to most people but what if creating a website was easy? What if you didn't have to know what html meant? What if you didn't have to know how to ftp your site? Site Rubix is here to save the day.

Site Rubix can be used to create your fun kids websites at will. You can create SEO websites or promotional websites, whatever you want. Once you comprehend and figure out how this neat tool works you will understand how important a tool this will be for you and how fun it can be to create websites in record time.

Site Rubix will allow you to drag and drop graphics to your website page without worry about resizing the graphic image to make sure it fits properly. You will be knowledgeable to fit any type template that you want and upload it to your host. It may sound complicated but it isn't because explaining it may sound complex but this tool is very user friendly.

There are still a lot more features with this tool that I haven't even touched upon because you have to make a decision if you really are interested in creating fun kid websites. If you are then you owe it to yourself to see what all the buzz is about. Be the first on the block to promote your website, show your kid a thing or too and be cool at the same time.

If you know that creating fun kid websites can actually be easy and enjoyable would you want more information? If you ever tried to build a bookcase without a hammer then you can understand how it is to build a website without the proper tools. Site Rubix can help you create any type of website quickly and easily. The decision is up to you.

Article Source: http://www.myarticlemall.com

If you have had a secret desire on how to create websites but either you don't have enough time in the day to learn all that you need to know or it's just plain too hard to do. Then times have progressed, you finally have an opportunity to create fun kid websites easily.

A Greenpeace investigation into hazardous materials in laptop computers shows that manufacturers have phased out use of some of the most toxic materials over the past year but still have a long way to go in eliminating others, such as PVC and brominated flame retardants (BFRs) and phthalates.(1)

Greenpeace purchased 18 laptops representing six different brands in 14 countries in Europe, in North and South America and Asia and sent them for analysis by an independent laboratory in Denmark and at the Greenpeace Research Laboratories at Exeter University, in the UK. (2)

The results of the analysis, contained in the report, “Toxic chemicals in computers – Reloaded”, (1) show bromine being present in over 40 per cent of the components tested, at concentrations of up to 10 per cent by weight. Of the components tested, Sony laptops were found to have the lowest number containing bromine, Dell laptops had the highest number. PVC was found in 44 per cent of all plastic coating of internal wires and external cables that were tested. Phthalates were found in the power cables supplied with all laptops, with the highest levels in those of Acer and HP laptops. (3)

“While levels of certain toxic chemicals in the laptop components tested do not exceed current European standards, other hazardous chemicals found in laptops are not yet covered by European regulations,” said Zeina Alhajj, Greenpeace International toxics campaigner. “Greenpeace’s goal is for computer manufacturers to eliminate the use of toxic materials completely.”  

The new report follows up on a similar Greenpeace investigation into toxics in laptops sold in Europe in 2006, prior to the introduction of European legislation on hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment, known as RoHS (4).

With the implementation of RoHS, computer manufacturers have significantly reduced their use of lead, cadmium, mercury, hexavalent chromium and certain brominated flame retardants. These changes have been implemented by all companies and not only for the European market.

“The results demonstrate that legislation in one region can have an influence even in countries where it does not yet apply. However, even where they do exist, current laws fail to regulate all hazardous chemicals in laptops, or in other electrical equipment, “said Dr. Kevin Brigden from the Greenpeace Research Laboratories who oversaw the sampling analyses and produced the report. “Laws which aim to protect human health and the environment must ultimately address all hazardous substances,” he added.

The analysis shows that, for almost every component found to contain either bromine or plastic PVC, an equivalent component free of these chemicals can be found in another laptop.

“In theory, by combining components from different machines, the industry could already almost produce the first toxic-free computer,” said al-Hajj. “The question is, which company is going to be the first to go the whole way.”

Over the past few years, I have been very interested in new technology and the future advancements it may bring to business owners & their industries. The most surprising project I have come across is from a technology group located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. This ‘technology think-tank’ group, known as Fireseed, collaborating with other techs in the Wisconsin area, plans to build a Supercomputer. In fact, this Supercomputer will be one of the top 500 in the world. Its conceptual name is the FS3 Obsidian, which sounds rather cool.

The FS3 Obsidian project will offer the business industries much, in terms of being able to do research involving complicated mathematical computations and simulations that can not be done by conventional means. What that means to us is faster, safer, newer, and better technology to be used for such things as important medical breakthroughs, nuclear physics, or even film studios. Who wouldn’t want to see a faster cure for cancer or the ultimate connection speed for internet use?

The neat thing is that this Supercomputer will use GPUs, which to those of us who are not tech savy, are graphics cards. This allows the Supercomputer to become much more powerful for a fraction of the price. Conventional computers all use CPUs. Think about the power of your home computer times a thousand. That’s the processing power of just one of these cards!

The premise of the FS3 Obsidian project is that the power of the Supercomputer will be available not only to businesses, for the obvious advantages, but also to University students who want to excel in the direction where new technology is going. They will be trained and educated in the use and benefits of the Supercomputer.

The FS3 project resulted from discussions about needed high performance computing resources among tech community members in Wisconsin, primarily the Milwaukee area. One of the main projects which require the supercomputer resources is a nuclear fusion reactor simulator project being worked on by a Milwaukee member of the Fireseed group.

The project’s short term goal is to finalize the hardware design of the streaming supercomputer, assemble it and develop the programming needed to use the FS3 for its initial computational work. That work is targeted to be completed within twelve months of receiving project funding. The FS3 Obsidian project will be managed by a non-profit organization.

I, along with numerous other I.T. professionals know what tremendous potential a Supercomputer of this magnitude can do to usher businesses into the next era in future technology. If important research can be done in 3 days versus 60 days, think of the advantages this Supercomputer could bring to fields like the medical community. I, for one cannot wait to see the end results.

Some of the companies working towards this goal are Fireseed: http://fireseedgroup.net/ , Mydigitechnician: http://mydigitechnician.com , & Elite IT: http://www.eliteitpc.com - you can find additional resources at these sites.

About the author:
I am a computer professional interested in new technology, new innovations, and great ideas

Parents are constantly struggling with ways to keep their children safe online. The Internet has a global reach and at this point no bounds, or limitations. Outside of installing filtering software children should be educated in order to protect themselves to this virtual monster. We've put together a collection of ten tips that should be observed while surfing online. At the very least these tips will prompt family discussions regarding safety.

1.) When on the internet personal information should be kept private. Just because someone asks doesn't mean you need to tell them. When someone asks for personal information, consider how they might use that information and whether it is necessary for them to have it.

2.) If you are conversing with someone online, don't assume that they are being honest with you. Just because they say they're 16 doesn't mean they are.

3.) Do not release your password to anyone, even if they say they are from your online provider.

4.) Overall it is best not to respond to unsolicited e-mail (SPAM), if there is something flagrant or inappropriate in the e-mail, consider reporting the sender to their Internet Service Provider (ISP).

5.) Do not give out or post identifying information, including address or telephone numbers.

6.) You may want to create a nickname for a screen name in chat rooms.

7.) Keep in mind when posting in chat rooms or newsgroups, that there may be lurkers (people who read but do not post). Your information can be read and seen by all.

8.) Keep an open dialogue with children surfing the Internet, remember if they come to you with a problem, your first reaction should not be to take away the Internet. Applaud child's confidence in confiding in you and work together to find a solution.

9.) Overall it is not a good idea to post or exchange pictures over the Internet

10.) Try to keep in mind the Internet is global and is *not* governed by any entity. This means that there are no limitations or checks on the information posted and accessible to Internet users.

Additional Resources: The following resources will assist in staying safe online.

Collection of Internet Access and Filtering Software - http://www.monitoring-software.net/access-monitoring.htm Contract for Safe Surfing - http://www.911paging.com/internetsafety/internetcontract.htm

About the Author : Sharon Housley manages marketing for NotePage, Inc. http://www.notepage.net a company specializing in alphanumeric paging, SMS and wireless messaging software solutions. Other sites by Sharon can be found at http://www.softwaremarketingresource.com . Additional articles can be found at http://www.small-business-software.net/free-website-content.htm

From a small local business in a town to a big industry playing on an international platform, marketing has been a prime tool for any company or business to succeed. People started with using tools like write-ups, references, pamphlets and much more to convey their means or advertise themselves among a group. But now is a time where everything happens just on the click of your finger. And in this time is required marketing at the speed of light, marketing with niche concepts that are applied even before a common man would think.

With the time we are moving from a physical world to a virtual world. Companies started building up their websites to have a presence in the virtual world. But likewise there are billions of websites. What would be your identity then? In this age of Internet and Technology, getting your business visible to your customer segment is more important and this is where the Search Engine Optimization comes into picture.

Building up a website is like making a saw and optimizing your website is like sharpening that saw to use. And it is quite logical that you cannot take optimum use of your saw without sharpening it.

Search Engines are a system through which one gets the information the later wants. Search engine optimization (SEO) is the process of improving the volume and quality of traffic to a web site from search engines through search results. Usually, the earlier a site is presented in the search results, or the higher it "ranks", the more searchers will visit that site. In simple words, Search engine optimization (SEO) just means your site is as accessible as possible to the search engines to improve the chances that they will serve it up when your potential customers type in specific search terms (called keywords). The more easily search engines find your site, the higher up it appears on their results pages.

In this world, SEO is definitely a smart move for any business.

But getting your site ranked for your keywords, there are many aspects that play a key role: a proper site structure, clean coding and necessary keywords, to name a few. This requires the every page of your website to be optimized. Every page should have a proper title, genuine keywords and a perfect description that matches the page. These title, keywords and description have to be relevant for every individual page. Search engines "crawl" the Web looking for the keywords that their users enter, so putting those keywords throughout your site means your pages will be picked up during searches by the search engine. Hence you have to put your foot into your customer’s shoe to understand what keywords your customer would use to search for a particular product or service. You have to learn your customers’ mind and this will give you the best of Title and meta (Keywords and description) to optimize your website. Also, optimizing your content is equally important as that plays an important role. You may optimize your content with putting keywords in your content, giving the Heading tags to titles, giving bold effects wherever necessary, giving links (to phrases in the content) to internal pages wherever appropriate.

Also, other activities to rank up your website in search engines are submitting your website URL into more and more search engines, adding your website URL into online directories, building up links with other relevant business sites, submitting rich articles into article sites, submitting your blog pages into various blog sites, submitting Press Releases into various Press Release sites. This will both increase the traffic overall to your site and enhance your search engine rankings, since the search engines pick up on the number of times people link to and from your site and rank your website higher accordingly.

People try many techniques to boost up their website ranking in these search engines for the specific keywords. People make researches to add-on their skills to make this task easier, faster and more genuine.

There are companies that provide services for SEO to other companies. We at Semaphore Software ( www.semaphore-software.com ) have a dedicated team that researches on the SEO and SEM (Search Engine Marketing) activities and undertake projects to upgrade the website ranking for our clients from different businesses.

It has become very important to move ahead with the fast pace if you wish to survive your business in this global competition.

About the Author : Ghanshyam Shah is working as Research Analyst & Project Coordinator in offshore software development company Semaphore InfoTech
www.semaphore-software.com
Ghanshyam_shah@semaphore-software.com

Warmeh Internet service Provider, WIP, on Friday donated 20 desktop computers and ten billboards to Gampost.

Speaking at a ceremony organized to present the items, the General Manager of WIP, Mr. Niver Anderson, highlighted that the donation was part of his outfit’s contribution towards the socio-economic advancement of the country.

He expressed his company’s willingness to improve the quality of life for the Gambian people and urged the beneficiaries to put the items to proper use.

The Managing Director of Gampost, Mr. Modou B. Ceesay, thanked WIP for their intervention, adding that the donated items would help immensely in lessening some of the constraints faced by Gampost.

He called on others to emulate WIP.

It is exciting to look into the future of technology. In an age of continuous innovation and invention, when the discovery of today loses its sheen tomorrow, it is not easy to pinpoint technologies that will transform our future.

Engineering and technical developments are everyone's concern, as they will not be confined to industry, university classrooms, and R&D labs. Instead, they will make a tremendous difference in our day-to-day lives. Here I will attempt to identify some of the technologies that will revolutionize our lives and our values in the coming years.

1. Quantum Computers
Unlike current PCs, quantum computers will have switches that can be in an on or off state simultaneously. The mechanism that will make this possible is known as superposition, and the switches are referred to as quantum bits. The system will make quantum computers operate very fast. A basic quantum computer is likely to be operational by 2020.

2. Programmable Matter
Scientists are in the midst of creating a substance that can take a specific shape to perform a specific task. The substance is known as claytronics, and it consists of catoms. Individual catoms are programmed to move in three dimensions and position themselves so that they assume different shapes. This technology is likely to have numerous applications ranging from medical use to 3D physical rendering. It may take around two decades to become a reality.

3. Terascale Computing
Techies are working on a project that would make our PCs able to contain tens to hundreds of parallel working cores. The device will have the capability to process huge amounts of information. To create this technology, Intel is exploring the possibility of using nanotechnology and allowing for billions of transistors.

4. Repliee Robots
Repliee is one of the most advanced life-like robots ever created. Repliee, an android, is covered with a substance which is very similar to human skin. Sensors placed inside the robot control its movements and enable it to respond to its environment. Astonishingly, the robot can flutter its eyelids and replicate breathing. Repliee operates best in a static condition.

5. Organic Computers
To further advance the computing realm, techies need to create a hybrid CPU that is silicon based but contains organic parts as well. The most promising progress in information processing concerns a neurochip that places organic neurons onto a network of silicon or other materials. Future computers will be able to bridge the silicon and organic spheres to utilize processors that incorporate both of these elements.

6. "Spray-On" Nanocomputers
The "spray-on" nanocomputer would consist of particles that can be sprayed onto a patient. It would monitor the patient's medical condition and communicate wirelessly to other machines.

7. Carrier Ethernet
Carrier Ethernet is a business service/access technology. It can serve as a transport method for both business and residential service. Ethernet will dominate the metro space in the future and will slowly displace SONET/SDH over the next 10 to 20 years.

Development sustains life. However, techies cannot afford to forget that technological advancement will remain inadequate in the absence of contributions from all branches of knowledge and will not flourish if it does not benefit society.

Engineering Jobs

Eighteen students from Quantum Associates were on Friday certified after successfully completing a three-month summer training on Information Technology (IT), at a ceremony held at its Head Office in Kanifing.

Speaking at the ceremony, Gibril Jibi Chorr, Managing Director of Quantum Associates, said his association has always been convinced that the development of human capital from a very young age is the foundation of national development and all efforts must be made to continue to nurture young and brilliant minds like the graduates to better prepare them to take over the reins of leadership.

He then urged the graduates to make good use of the knowledge gained from the training.

“You graduate today, not only as a testimony of youth competence in computers, but also as new members of the Quantum family. I would like to congratulate you for your efforts and success. I am confident that you will put your new knowledge into good use and share it with your colleagues”, he said.

For his part, Yunusa Bah, Deputy Managing Director, Quantum Associates reminded the graduates of several challenges ahead of them, saying “there is a lot more ahead and it is not only this”. 

He then revealed that the students came at a time when they were not able to do anything, but they had managed to do their level best to teach them the best.

At the end of the ceremony, the students were awarded certificates.

Sirah Jobarteh and Abigail Janet gave the vote of thanks, whilst Binta Touray chaired the ceremony.