CompTIA(R) has recently announced an upgrade to its industry leading Computer hardware and Operating Systems certification. The A+ Certification stream now contains up to four exams as below:

1. A+ Essentials 220-601
2. A+ Technician 220-602
3. A+ Remote Support Technician 220-603
4. A+ Deport Technician 220-604

To obtain A+ certification, one need to pass A+ Essentials, and one of A+ Technician, or A+ Remote Support Tech, or A+ Deport Tech exams. The current exams (2003 objectives) consisting of A+ Core Hardware and A+ Operating Systems are still valid and being offered. However, these are likely to be discontinued soon. More details can be had from the official website comptia.org

Related links:
Comptia A+
A+ Core Hardware Exam
A+ Operating Systems Exam
A+ Essentials Exam
A+ Technician Exam
A+ Remote Support Technician Exam
A+ Depot Technician Exam
A+ tutorial

According to Privacy International (privacyinternational.org), Google is the worst offender of privacy. The organization has cited the following points that count against Google Inc.
[quote]

• Google account holders that regularly use even a few of Google's services must accept that the company retains a large quantity of information about that user, often for an unstated or indefinite length of time, without clear limitation on subsequent use or disclosure, and without an opportunity to delete or withdraw personal data even if the user wishes to terminate the service.

• Google maintains records of all search strings and the associated IP-addresses and time stamps for at least 18 to 24 months and does not provide users with an expungement option. While it is true that many US based companies have not yet established a time frame for retention, there is a prevailing view amongst privacy experts that 18 to 24 months is unacceptable, and possibly unlawful in many parts of the world.
• Google has access to additional personal information, including hobbies, employment, address, and phone number, contained within user profiles in Orkut. Google often maintains these records even after a user has deleted his profile or removed information from Orkut.
• Google collects all search results entered through Google Toolbar and identifies all Google Toolbar users with a unique cookie that allows Google to track the user's web movement.17 Google does not indicate how long the information collected through Google Toolbar is retained, nor does it offer users a data expungement option in connection with the service.
• Google fails to follow generally accepted privacy practices such as the OECD Privacy Guidelines and elements of EU data protection law. As detailed in the EPIC complaint, Google also fails to adopted additional privacy provisions with respect to specific Google services.
• Google logs search queries in a manner that makes them personally identifiable but fails to provide users with the ability to edit or otherwise expunge records of their previous searches.
• Google fails to give users access to log information generated through their interaction with Google Maps, Google Video, Google Talk, Google Reader, Blogger and other services.

[/unquote]

The companies included in this consultation study are:

• Amazon
• AOL
• Apple
• BBC
• Bebo
• eBay
• Facebook
• Friendster
• Google
• Hi5
• Last.fm
• LinkedIn
• LiveJournal
• Microsoft
• Myspace
• Orkut
• Reunion.com
• Skype
• Wikipedia
• Windows Live Space
• Xanga
• Yahoo!
• YouTube

It is a little surprising that G has beaten M on privacy issue.

Please check http://www.privacyinternational.org/article.shtml?cmd[347]=x-347-553961 for more information.

Chikun Gunya has resufaced in Kerala, a southern state of India. According to local news papers, more than 40 people died in the past two weeks in the south and central districts of Kollam, Pathanamthitta, Kottayam and parts of the capital city. It has raised questions about effectiveness of Kerala's health care system.
It was also reported that more than 100,000 people had been affected with fever all over the state. Added to woes of Chicken Gunya, Dengue fever claimed several lives in Kerala, and the Kerala government appears to be not acting effectively on these issues.

Related links:

Prevalence of Chicken Guinea (Chikun Gunya) in India

Dengue and Chicken Guinea grips severa states of India