Slow Internet connection speeds means that there is a lot of traffic going on in your network. If you’re experiencing slower-than-normal speeds, here are some things you should check.

1. Check any file-sharing programs. Some can be big bandwidth hogs without you knowing it. There is usually a setting in “Preferences” that you can set the upload and download limits. If you have no limits set, especially for uploading, then you have a problem. In some cases, you cannot change the settings (Opera’s built in torrent program) and will have to stop transfers.
2. Check for streaming music or video being played on your network. The more music and videos that are being streamed to computers on your network, the less bandwidth you will have, making for a slower connection.
3. How many programs are you running? This doesn’t directly affect bandwidth, but too many programs running- or even open- can cause your computer to operate at a seemingly slow pace.
4. Have you done a check for viruses or other malware? Some malicious programs are written to utilize your computer and network resources without you knowing. This can definitely have an affect on your Internet connection speeds. And, it’s always good to surf the Internet virus-free.

Here is Hulu’s collection of 12 musical numbers from the show. The first number, “Don’t Stop Believing”,  is from the pilot episode.

Part 1

Part 2

Thanks for all the hard work, YouTube magic-box-on-the-Internet developers. You’ve brought organized video entertainment to the Internet.

For those of you that would like to work for YouTube, check out the below video and link.

Work for YouTube: http://www.google.com/jobs/workyoutube/

To me, passion is an immense heartfelt action. It drives you. It motivates you. All at once, it’s everything. You can be passionate about one thing or many things. It’s knowledge of, and love for knowledge, acted out instinctually.

How do you show passion? I have an answer that I wrote, but ran across a better display of it  while watching the movie  Stranger than Fiction.  Below is dialog from what I like to call, the cookie scene.

Ana Pascal: Want a cookie?

Harold Crick: Oh no.

Ana: Come on, they’re warm and gooey and fresh out of the oven.

Harold: No, I don’t like cookies.

Ana: You don’t like cookies..? What’s wrong with you?

Harold: I don’t know.

Ana: Everybody likes cookies.

Harold: No, I know.

Ana: After a really awful, no good day, didn’t your momma ever make you milk and cookies?

Harold: No. My mother didn’t bake. The only cookies I ever had were store bought.

Ana: Okay… sit down.

Harold: No, I’m not…

Ana: No… Sit down.  …Now, eat… a cookie.

Harold: I… I really can’t.

Ana: Mr. Crick, it was a really awful day. I know. I made sure of it. So pick up the cookie, dip it in the milk, and eat it.

Harold: Wow… that’s a really, really good cookie. So when did you decide to become a baker?

Ana: Um, in college.

Harold: Oh, like a cooking college?

Ana: I went to Harvard Law, actually.

Harold: Oh. Oh, I’m sorry. I just assumed that…

Ana: …No, no… um, I just did it.

Harold: Something happen?

Ana: No. I was barely accepted. I mean, really, barely. The only reason they’d let me come was because of my essay. How I was going to make the world a better place with my degree. And, anyway, we would have to participate in these study sessions. My classmates and I… sometimes all night long. And so I’d bake. So no one would go hungry while we worked. Sometimes I would bake all afternoon in the kitchen and the dorm, and then I’d bring my little treats to study groups. And, people loved them.

Eat.

I’d make oatmeal cookies, peanut butter bars, dark chocolate, Macadamian nut wedges. And everyone would eat, stay happy, study harder, do better on the tests… Then more and more people started coming to the study groups and I would bring more snacks. And I was always looking for better and better recipes. Then soon, it was rocotta cheese and apricot croissants. And mocha bars with an almond glaze, and lemon chauffant cake with zesty peach icing. And at the end of the semester I had 27 study partners, 8 Meade journals filled with recipes, and a D average. So I dropped out. I just figured if I was going to make the world a better place, I would do it with cookies.

Ana: Do you like them?

Harold: I do.

Ana: I’m glad.

Harold: Thank you for forcing me to eat them.

Ana: You’re welcome.

But how do you show passion in a presentation? Or for a presentation?

When you’re giving a presentation, if you truly have passion, it will show itself. The only way that I know for certain how to “show” passion is to pick something that you really enjoy or want to do. These are things that cause you to want to learn more about something without any intervention. These are things that you are willing to spend so much time and effort on. Passion is usually tied with something you believe in; that you love. Will you fight for it? Will you champion it? In a presentation, the best way to show others your passion is to study your topic and become the expert of it, then engage your audience and ask them questions. Your excitement in your presentation will show and, in turn, will make them want to know more.

Here is the scene from Stranger than Fiction.

You know you’ve made it to the big-time when the band’s covering your song at Showbiz Pizza (aka, Chuck-E-Cheese). I can’t wait until they go on tour.

alan-???? Gunjou no Tani MV (DVD Ver.)

The song and video by Alan Dawa Dolma is beautiful and it brings back all the memories I have from the study abroad trip to China. The scenery in the video is amazing and it makes me long to see more. I hope that one day Tibet and China can come to a peaceful agreement.