How to recover files/data on corrupted USB disk

I use by USB thumbdrive almost every day at home and at work.

Today, at work I plugged it in and all the directories/files were corrputed.

Do not use chkdsk /f, as this is useless to recover the damage.

You can use the following two free programs to recover the data:
TestDisk http://www.cgsecurity.org/wiki/TestDisk_Download
or
Recuva http://pcsupport.about.com/od/filerecovery/gr/recuva-review.htm

both have managed to recover alot of the data for me.

Problems with HDMI sync

My stuff:
1) Onkyo A/V receiver TX-SR308 ("Receiver")
2) Panasonic TH-42PV60H plasma television ("Television")
3) Personal Computer with 256MB ATI Radeon HD 3450 video card ("Computer")

A HDMI cable connects from the video card to the Onkyo A/V receiver TX-SR308.
Another HDMI cable connects from the Onkyo A/V receiver TX-SR308 to the Panasonic TH-42PV60H.

The problem:
Sometimes when you turn off the television for a while, but leave the Receiver and the Computer on, and then turn the Television on again, there would be no video on the Television and/or no audio from the speakers connected to the Receiver .

The temporary and annoying solution required you to turn off the Receiver and turn the Receiver on again, and then the HDMI signal would sync again. You would see a quick blink on the Television to indicate that the the HDMI synchronisation was happening. Sometimes the problem would be so bad, that you would need to force a reboot on the Computer.

The Solution:
I bought the "HDMI Detective" made by Gefen. You connect a HDMI cable from the Computer to the HDMI Detective. Then you use another HDMI cable (provided free when you buy the HDMI Detective) from the HDMI Detective to the Receiver. So now there's never a problem again with the HDMI signal synchronising between all three equipment, and you don't need to turn them on in any specific order.

How to Install:
In my setup, these are the steps I needed to take to install the HDMI Detective which different from the installation manual provided.
1) Connect the HDMI output of the HDMI Detective to the TV using a HDMI cable
2) Connect the AC adapter to the HDMI Detective and turn on the power of the AC adapter
3) Turn on the TV. Press and hold the Program button on the HDMI Detective until the green light on the HDMI Detective stops blinking
4) Flick the switch to Read-Only on the HDMI Detective. Remove AC adapter from the HDMI Detective.
5) Connect the HDMI output of the HDMI Detective to a HDMI cable connected to the Receiver
6) Connect the HDMI input of the HDMI Detective to a HDMI cable connected to the computer
7) Turn on the computer, Receiver and television and it should all work.

If it doesn't work, you can first try and connect from the computer -> HDMI Detective -> TV. If this works, then connect computer -> HDMI Detective -> Receiver -> TV, and hopefully it should all work. There's no specific reason for trying this, but my initial install wasn't successful, and once I tried it this way, it worked finally. This is what support at Gefen told me to try as I initially got a display which had purple colour and some weird interference.

How to answer some typical questions in a job interview

Q: Tell me about yourself

A: Are you interested in my work experience, my personal experiences, or both?

Q: How long would you stay with our company?

A: I would expect to have a great career with this company. I'm always looking to learn, and I define success as being ready when an opportunity arises. How long do you think I'd be challenged here?

Q: Talk about a time when you had to overcome major obstacles

Q: What interests you about this position?

A: Reasons are personal (such as a narrative about what spurred them to seek a new job), or it may connect the candidate to the company: her experience with the brand, the mission statement, or the organization's role in the community

Q: Is there intelligent life in outer space?

A: As long as it's not too short or too long, virtually any response is a good one. But pay attention to attitude, the way the candidate approaches the problem, and the ease or difficulty they have in coming up with a response.

Q: What are the seven reasons why manhole covers are round?

A1: Because that's the only shape where the cover won't fall into a circular hole.

A2: Round tubes are the strongest and most material-efficient shape against the compression of the earth around them

A3: It's easier to dig a circular hole and thus the cover is also circular

A4: The bearing surfaces of manhole frames and covers are machined to assure flatness and prevent them from becoming dislodged by traffic. Round castings are much easier to machine using a lathe.

A5: Circular covers do not need to be rotated to align them when covering a circular manhole.

A6: Human beings have a roughly circular cross-section.

A7: A round manhole cover can be more easily moved by being rolled.

A8: Tradition.

A9: Supply. Most manhole covers are made by a few large companies. A different shape would have to be custom made.

Q: Imagine we've just hired you. What's the most important thing on your to-do list on the first day of work?

A: You want to see whether he demonstrates the competencies and priorities that are important to the job.

Q: Why did you get into this line of work?

A: Communicate a sense of their values and motivations. Concepts like values and culture can be subjective and difficult to define, but you should be looking for someone whose work ethic, motivations, and methods match the company's. 

Q: But enough about you. What about us?

A: Commnicate how curious and knowledgeable a candidate is about your company.

Q: If you were a book, what would you're title be.

A: 

Q: If you were a condiment on a burger which would you be?

A:

Q: If you could be any item in the supermarket, what would you be?

A: A paper towel because it can clean up a lot of messes.

Q: What do you want written on your tombstone? 

A: Nothing, don't plan on having one, I don't want to take up 6 feet of ground for eternity

Do not bad mouth your previous employers.

Investment strategy with property in Australia

Primary place of residence

Do not pay any interest on a home loan on your primary place of residence. i.e. either pay off the entire mortgage, or fully offset the principal in a 100% offset loan. The benefit of using the offset account rather than having no mortgage is that it provides you with flexibility and quick access to funds if you need to take advantage of an investment opportunity.

Never have an interest only loan on your primary place of residence.

There is no capital gains tax on your primary place of residence. Therefore, sell when the market is high and move into an existing investment property temporarily. Then buy the next primary place of residence when the market cycle is low.

Investments

Use a margin loan to buy share indexes. Interest on the margin loan is tax deductible.

Use investment property loans to buy investment properties. Target 2 bedroom CBD apartments less than $600K. Select 100% offset interest only loans. Interest is tax deductible. Costs to inspect your property are tax deductible (flights to Australia, transportation, etc).

Historical individual income tax rates in Australia

1959-70
$32,00 and over - $12,153 + 68.3675% for each $1 over $32,000

1975
65%

1976
65%

1977
65%

1978
65%

1979
61.5%

1980
60%

1981
60%

1982
$4,041 - Tax Free Threshold
$34,479 and over - $12,153 + 60% for each $1 over $34,479

1983–84
$4,594 - Tax Free Threshold
$35,788 and over - $11,963.88 + 60% for each $1 over $35,788

1984–85
$4,594 - Tax Free Threshold
$35,788 and over - $11,867.36 + 60% for each $1 over $35,788

1985–86
$4,594 - Tax Free Threshold
$35,000 and over - $11,346.25 + 60% for each $1 over $35,000

1986–87
$4,889 - Tax Free Threshold
$35,000 and over - $10,954.19 + 57.08% for each $1 over $35,000

1987–88
$5,100 - Tax Free Threshold
$35,001 and over - $10,001 + 49% for each $1 over $35,000

1988–89
$5,100 - Tax Free Threshold
$35,001 and over - $10,001 + 49% for each $1 over $35,000

1989–90
$5,099 - Tax Free Threshold
$50,000 and over - $16,157 + 48% for each $1 over $50,000

1990-91
$5,249 - Tax Free Threshold
$50,000 and over - $15,734.75 + 47% for each $1 over $50,000

1991-93
$5,400 - Tax Free Threshold
$50,001 and over - $15,314 + 47% for each $1 over $50,000

1993-94
$5,400 - Tax Free Threshold
$50,001 and over - $14,556.50 + 47% for each $1 over $50,000

1994–2000
$5,400 - Tax Free Threshold
$50,001 and over - $14,102 + 47% for each $1 over $50,000

2000-03
$6,000 - Tax Free Threshold
$60,001 and over - $15,580 + 47% for each $1 over $60,000

2003–04
$6,000 - Tax Free Threshold
$62,501 and over - $16,182 + 47% for each $1 over $62,500

2004–05
$6,000 - Tax Free Threshold
$70,001 and over - $18,612 + 47% for each $1 over $70,000

2005–06
$6,000 - Tax Free Threshold
$95,001 and over - $28,200 + 47% for each $1 over $95,000

2006–07
$6,000 - Tax Free Threshold
$150,001 and over - $47,850 + 45% for each $1 over $150,000

2007–08
$6,000 - Tax Free Threshold
$150,001 and over - $47,100 + 45% for each $1 over $150,000

2008–09
$6,000 - Tax Free Threshold
$180,001 and over - $58,000 + 45% for each $1 over $180,000

2009–10
$6,000 - Tax Free Threshold
$180,001 and over - $55,850 + 45% for each $1 over $180,000

2010–11
$6,000 - Tax Free Threshold
$180,001 and over - $54,550 + 45% for each $1 over $180,000


Around 10% of Australian taxpayers pay the top marginal income tax rate.

Future investment trends

Making money using the Internet The main goal with the Internet is to bring in site traffic. This traffic is monetised through running advertisements (e.g. Google Ads). A metaphor would be a heavily used road (your web site), and the passing traffic is monetised through the use of signboards/billboards (Google Ads). Therefore, the guidelines are: 

1) A website that is free to use by visitors 

2) A website that is convenient 

3) A website that requires frequent visits by the same users (daily, weekly, etc) 

4) A website that can be transformed into a mobile app (iPhone App, Android App) to broaden the user base to include mobile phone users 

5) Sending a push email to subscribers with a "preview" headline, so that users click and re-directed to your website for the full article 

 The growth area is to identify business models that: 

1) Use geo-location by leveraging the GPS functionality provided on mobile phones (Google Maps, reviews of shops, suggestions of restaurants, etc) 

2) Use photo information by leveraging the camera provided on mobile phones (e.g. Google Goggles, augmented reality, etc) 

3) Stream audio/video rather than mere static text/graphic data 

  China China doesn't need to import technology or standards from other countries. It will develop its own (e.g. bypass Blu-Ray by developing its own HD standard). Also, since they do not have existing reliance on particular industries they can leap frog certain industries. A good example is that they may develop electric cars to bypass internal combustion engine cars for the mass market. After they have developed for their domestic market and have reached economies of scale and keep the costs low, they can export to foreign countries to undercut existing technology used in these foreign countries. Video conferencing such Skype-enabled High Definition televisions may also be a major growth area. It would provide a relatively cheap way for mass market of China to connect with the rest of the world.

Enjoying your wealth in Hong Kong

Restaurants
Hutong
28th Floor, One Peking Road, Tsim Sha Tsui

Aqua Roma
29th Floor, One Peking Road, Tsim Sha Tsui

Hung Tao Chinese Restaurant
2/F, 94 Granville Road, Toyo Mall, Tsim Sha Tsui

Tai Ping Koon (soy chicken wings)
40 Granville Road, Tsim Sha Tsui

Dai Wing Wah (fried rice with lard - 猪油饭)
2/F Koon Wong Mansion, 2-6 On Ning Road, Yuen Long

Tung Po Sea Food Restaurant (cuttlefish cooked in squid ink with noodles)
2/F, 99 Java Road, North Point

Drinks
Salon de Ning
B/F, The Peninsula Hotel, Tsim Sha Tsui

Knutsford Terrace
Kimberley Road, Tsim Sha Tsui

Hillwood Soho
Hillwood Road, Tsim Sha Tsui

Circle Tower
28 Tang Lung Street, Causeway Bay

Phonograph (cocktails)
G/F, 2 Austin Avenue, Tsim Sha Tsui

Activities
Avenue of the Stars
starting from New World Centre to Salisbury Garden, Tsim Sha Tsui

West Kowloon Waterfront Promenade
10-minute walk from Kowloon MTR station

Wing Lee Street, Sheung Wan
off Ladder Street, near Caine Road

Tai Pan Reflexology Beauty & Foot Spa
B/F, 83 Nathan Road, Tsim Sha Tsui

Happy Valley races on a Wednesday night. Take the Happy Valley tram as it will circle the racecourse.

Diamond Coast Kart Circuit
http://www.dckart.com/index.php?lang=en
22, Sheung Tan Village, Lung Kwu Tan, Tuen Mun

Cattle Depot Artist Village
63 Ma Tau Kok Road, To Kwa Wan

Oil Street, North Point
near Fortress Hill MTR station

Kwun Chung Cinema
30 Kwun Chung Street, Jordan
near Austin MTR station

Kubrick (Obscure books, music, film)
Shop H2 Prosperous Garden 3 Public Square Street, Yau Ma Tei

Nature
Signal Hill Garden
East Tsim Sha Tsui. Walk up Minden Row off Mody Road/Minden Avenue.

Kowloon Park
Behind Park Lane Shopper's Boulevard on Nathan Road

Centenary Garden
East Tsim Sha Tsui. Corner of Chatham Road South and Mody Road

Mody Road Garden
Off Mody Road, behind East Ocean Centre

Trio Beach, Sai Kung

Sai Wan Beach, Sai Kung

Tai Tam Reservoir Road
Off Wong Nai Chung Gap Road, Happy Valley

Robin's Nest
Sheung Shui

Fei Ngo Shan
off Clear Water Bay Road in Choi Hung

Bride's Pool
Bride's Pool Road, Plover Cove Country Park, North East New Territories

Dai Long Wan
Big Wave Bay Road

Tai Mei Tuk Village (for Thai food)
near Tai Po

Shopping
Sin Tat Plaza (for mobile phones)
83 Argyle Street, Mongkok

Argyle Centre (DJ plays in the evenings)
688 Nathan Road, Mongkok

Yan On Building (war games)
1 Kwong Wah Street, Mongkok