13 Ways to Never Get Cancer

Healthful lifestyle choices can dramatically lower your cancer risk. Here's exactly what—and what not—to do.

1. Filter Your Tap Water

You'll reduce your exposure to known or suspected carcinogens and hormone-disrupting chemicals. A new report from the President's Cancer Panel on how to reduce exposure to carcinogens suggests that home-filtered tap water is a safer bet than bottled water, whose quality often is not higher—and in some cases is worse—than that of municipal sources, according to a study by the Environmental Working Group. (Consumer Reports' top picks for faucet-mounted filters: Culligan, Pur Vertical, and the Brita OPFF-100.) Store water in stainless steel or glass to avoid chemical contaminants such as BPA that can leach from plastic bottles.

2. Stop Topping Your Tank

So say the EPA and the President's Cancer Panel: Pumping one last squirt of gas into your car after the nozzle clicks off can spill fuel and foil the pump's vapor recovery system, designed to keep toxic chemicals such as cancer-causing benzene out of the air, where they can come in contact with your skin or get into your lungs.

3. Marinate Meat Before Grilling

Processed, charred, and well-done meats can contain cancer-causing heterocyclic amines, which form when meat is seared at high temperatures, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which get into food when it's charcoal broiled. "The recommendation to cut down on grilled meat has really solid scientific evidence behind it," says Cheryl Lyn Walker, PhD, a professor of carcinogenesis at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center. If you do grill, add rosemary and thyme to your favorite marinade and soak meat for at least an hour before cooking. The antioxidant-rich spices can cut HCAs by as much as 87%, according to research at Kansas State University.

30 Ways to cancer-proof your life.

4. Caffeinate Every Day

Java lovers who drank 5 or more cups of caffeinated coffee a day had a 40% decreased risk of brain cancer, compared with people who drank the least in a 2010 British study. A 5-cup-a-day coffee habit reduces risks of cancers of the pharynx and mouth almost as much. Researchers credit the caffeine: Decaf had no comparable effect. But coffee was a more potent protector against these cancers than tea, which the British researchers said also offered protection against brain cancer.

5. Water Down Your Risks

Drinking plenty of water and other liquids may reduce the risk of bladder cancer by diluting the concentration of cancer-causing agents in urine and helping to f lush them through the bladder faster. Drink at least 8 cups of liquid a day, suggests the American Cancer Society.

6. Load Up On Really Green Greens

Next time you're choosing salad fixings, reach for the darkest varieties. The chlorophyll that gives them their color is loaded with magnesium, which some large studies have found lowers the risk of colon cancer in women. "Magnesium affects signaling in cells, and without the right amount, cells may do things like divide and replicate when they shouldn't," says Walker. Just ½ cup of cooked spinach provides 75 mg of magnesium, 20% of the daily value.

Make it tonight: The perfect cancer-fighting salad.

7. Snack On Brazil Nuts

They're a stellar source of selenium, an antioxidant that lowers the risk of bladder cancer in women, according to research from Dartmouth Medical School. Other studies have found that people with high blood levels of selenium have lower rates of dying of lung and colorectal cancers. Researchers think selenium not only protects cells from free radical damage but may enhance immune function and suppress formation of blood vessels that nourish tumors.

8. Burn Off This Breast Cancer Risk Factor

Moderate exercise such as brisk walking 2 hours a week cuts risk of breast cancer 18%. Regular workouts may lower your risks by helping you burn fat, which otherwise produces its own estrogen, a known contributor to cancer.

9. Ask Your Doc About Breast Density

Women whose mammograms have revealed breast density readings of 75% or more have a cancer risk 4 to 5 times higher than that of women with low density scores, according to recent research. One theory is that denser breasts result from higher levels of estrogen—making exercise particularly important (see previous item). "Shrinking your body fat also changes growth factors, signaling proteins such as adipokines and hormones like insulin in ways that tend to turn off cancer-promoting processes in cells," Walker says.

12 Myths about breast cancer.

10. Skip The Dry Cleaner

A solvent known as perc (short for perchloroethylene) that's used in traditional dry cleaning may cause liver and kidney cancers and leukemia, according to an EPA finding backed in early 2010 by the National Academies of Science. The main dangers are to workers who handle chemicals or treated clothes using older machines, although experts have not concluded that consumers are also at increased cancer risk. Less toxic alternatives: Hand-wash clothes with mild soap and air-dry them, spot cleaning if necessary with white vinegar.

11. Head Off Cell Phone Risks

Use your cell phone only for short calls or texts, or use a hands-free device that keeps the phone—and the radio frequency energy it emits—away from your head. The point is more to preempt any risk than to protect against a proven danger: Evidence that cell phones increase brain cancer risk is "neither consistent nor conclusive," says the President's Cancer Panel report. But a number of review studies suggest there's a link.

The most powerful cancer fighting foods you can eat.

12. Block The Sun With Color

Choosing your outdoor outfit wisely may help protect against skin cancer, say Spanish scientists. In their research, blue and red fabrics offered significantly better protection against the sun's UV rays than white and yellow ones did. Don't forget to put on a hat: Though melanoma can appear anywhere on the body, it's more common in areas the sun hits, and University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill researchers have found that people with melanomas on the scalp or neck die at almost twice the rate of people with the cancer on other areas of the body.

13. Eat Clean Foods

The President's Cancer Panel recommends buying meat free of antibiotics and added hormones, which are suspected of causing endocrine problems, including cancer. The report also advises that you purchase produce grown without pesticides or wash conventionally grown food thoroughly to remove residues. (The foods with the most pesticides: celery, peaches, strawberries, apples, and blueberries.) "At least 40 known carcinogens are found in pesticides and we should absolutely try to reduce exposure," Sellers says.

Provided by Prevention from MSN Health

4 Steps to Find The Carrier You Love

Below find the framework of a "career business plan." Use it to find a career that you will love.

1. Set a goal
· First-time job seeker: You need experience. Be concerned only with getting it. Discount higher salaries or even somewhat unpleasant duties. Investigate where you can best get on-the-job training. Visualizing opportunities ahead is energizing.
· Career experienced: Expand your list of available jobs and their descriptions. Based on your current experience, explore which recommended careers are best-suited to your career path. Look for a niche that's not saturated with other applicants.
· Student: As you read about each career, answer the question, "What would you love to do?" Transfer your idea into both a long-term and a short-term plan.  Then, choose a curriculum that will land that first job.

2. Create a success-driven mindset
It all starts with you. When you feel confident about your future, others respond with positive offers of opportunity and support. Here are ways to create a successful mindset:
· Say no to ego-driven goals: Avoid status-driven self-proclamations.  View each career in the light of how much you would enjoy day-to-day tasks. If you choose a glamorous career, be aware that it's very competitive.
· Link careers: Where do you want to be in five years? Ten years?  Create a career growth plan. For example: secretary → executive administrative assistant → office manager. Success in the real world is a step-by-step process. Build your step-by-step résumé with enthusiasm and doors will open.
· View career choices as an investment:  Don't snub the low-wage occupations or take the highest-paying career choices. Instead look at the long-term training benefits. Where will it take you?   
· Seek work that looks fun: Job enjoyment creates competency, and that translates into success and further opportunities. Ask yourself, "Would this career be fun?"  Even if you've already worked at a particular job and it didn't pan out at the time, it might still lead to a great career with another employer.

3. Make a plan
Imagine you are actually working in each listed occupation that's of interest. Ask yourself, "Would this job be fun and easy to do or learn?" If so, it could be the best path for you.
· Select five short-term jobs:  Be realistic. Which five occupations can you competitively interview for right now, based on your education and experience?
· Select five long-term careers:  Think big. What five careers can you qualify for in five or 10 years?  Don't form an opinion until you have reviewed all of your options. Assign the highest rank to those job descriptions that are most appealing.
· Select only the high-growth occupations: Getting that perfect career is something of a gamble. Increase your odds of winning by selecting only the high-growth job descriptions.
· Get the facts: Read about each occupation that "appears" to be enjoyable. Then, be totally honest with yourself. Which day-to-day career lifestyle would really suit you best? One place to start is http://www.bls.gov/soc/.

4.  Just do it
Get disciplined and don't allow self-doubt to keep you from moving forward.
· It's not personal: Don't let false pride slow you down. Get your face or résumé in front of every friend or prospective career opportunity.
· Run the numbers: Get as many interviews and résumés sent as possible. Make it fun! Run up the numbers. 
· Be proud of every "No": Don't fret over rejections; it will only diminish your self-confidence

How to Clear Visited Websites from the Browser

There are a couple of ways to remove visited sites.

1. To remove all visited websites go to:

Tools > Options > Privacy and select the tab History.

Click on the button Clear Browsing History Now.

2. To remove specific websites:

Start typing the URL in the location bar e.g. http://www.microsoft.com.

If you've visited the website before a pull down list will appear underneath the location bar.

You can select the sites you want to delete using the mouse or arrow keys. To delete press Shift + Del.

For multiple deletion(s) you can keep Shift + Del pressed and it will continue deleting all entries in the list
Sent from my BlackBerry® 9700 smartphone from MTN Ghana

How to Install Drivers in Microsoft® Windows® on Dell Systems

Install Drivers in This Order in Windows

The drivers for your Dell computer can be installed from the ResourceCD/DVD or from the Dell Drivers and Downloads page.

Actual system configurations may vary. The list below is an overview of the correct order to install drivers on Dell desktop and laptop systems. After reinstalling the operating system, follow the order listed when reinstalling drivers. It is recommended that you print this list for referral when installing drivers.

Note:

To select the correct drivers, you need to know what components are installed on your computer. To find out what components are installed on your computer, refer to the Dell Knowledge Base Article: "How to Determine Which Components are in Your Computer" Article ID: 324898.

1. Desktop System Software (DSS) or Notebook System Software (NSS) - A vital utility that provides critical updates and patches for the operating system. If you are reinstalling the operating system or updating all the computer’s drivers, it is imperative that this software be installed first. Currently, the DSS and NSS are not required for systems with Windows Vista installed. This is located under the System and Configuration Utilities Category on the Drivers and Downloads page.

2. Chipset - Helps Windows control system board components and controllers. This is located under the Chipset Category on the Drivers and Downloads page.

3. Video Adapter - Enhances video performance. This is located under the Video Adapter Category on the Drivers and Downloads page.

4. Network Interface Card (NIC) - Enhances the network controller for Internet or network access. This is located under the Network Category on the Drivers and Downloads page.

5. Audio Adapter - Enables and enhances the audio controller. This is located under the Audio Category on the Drivers and Downloads page.

6. Modem - Allows dialup capability. This is located under the Communication Category on the Drivers and Downloads page.

7. Wireless Network Card - Enables and enhances the wireless network controller. This is located under the Network Category on the Drivers and Downloads page.

8. Touchpad, Pointer, Trackstick, Mice, and Keyboards - Enhances the pointing device features. This is located under the Mouse & Keyboards Category on the Drivers and Downloads page.

9. Other Devices

   • Bluetooth® Module
     This is located under the Communication Category on the Drivers and Downloads page.
   • Dell Wireless Mobile Broadband Cards
     This is located under the Communication Category on the Drivers and Downloads page.
   • PCMCIA/Smartcard controller
     This is located under the Security Category on the Drivers and Downloads page.

You can download the latest drivers for the list above from the Dell Drivers and Downloads page.  It is recommended that you print this driver order list before starting the download process on the Dell Drivers and Downloads page.

dell support

5 Nutrients You're Not Getting Enough Of

Vitamin D

This vitamin's biggest claim to fame is its role in strengthening your skeleton. But vitamin D isn't a one-trick nutrient: A study in Circulation found that people deficient in D were up to 80 percent more likely to suffer a heart attack or stroke. The reason? D may reduce inflammation in your arteries.
The shortfall: Vitamin D is created in your body when the sun's ultraviolet B rays penetrate your skin. Problem is, the vitamin D you stockpile during sunnier months is often depleted by winter, especially if you live in the northern half of the United States, where UVB rays are less intense from November through February. Case in point: When Boston University researchers measured the vitamin D status of young adults at the end of winter, 36 percent of them were found to be deficient.
Hit the mark: First, ask your doctor to test your blood levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D. "You need to be above 30 nanograms per milliliter," says Michael Holick, M.D., Ph.D., a professor of medicine at Boston University. Come up short? Take 1,400 IU of vitamin D daily from a supplement and a multivitamin. That's about seven times the recommended daily intake for men, but it takes that much to boost blood levels of D, says Dr. Holick.

Magnesium

This lightweight mineral is a tireless multitasker: It's involved in more than 300 bodily processes. Plus, a study in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition found that low levels of magnesium may increase your blood levels of C-reactive protein, a key marker of heart disease.
The shortfall: Nutrition surveys reveal that men consume only about 80 percent of the recommended 400 milligrams (mg) of magnesium a day. "We're just barely getting by," says Dana King, M.D., a professor of family medicine at the Medical University of South Carolina. "Without enough magnesium, every cell in your body has to struggle to generate energy."
Hit the mark: Fortify your diet with more magnesium-rich foods, such as halibut and navy beans. Then hit the supplement aisle: Few men can reach 400 mg through diet alone, so Dr. King recommends ingesting some insurance in the form of a 250 mg supplement. One caveat: Scrutinize the ingredients list. You want a product that uses magnesium citrate, the form best absorbed by your body.

Vitamin B12

Consider B12 the guardian of your gray matter: In a British study, older people with the lowest levels of B12 lost brain volume at a faster rate over a span of 5 years than those with the highest levels.
The shortfall: Even though most men do consume the daily quota of 2.4 micrograms, the stats don't tell the whole story. "We're seeing an increase in B12 deficiencies due to interactions with medications," says Katherine Tucker, Ph.D., director of a USDA program at Tufts University. The culprits: acid-blocking drugs, such as Prilosec, and the diabetes medication metformin.
Hit the mark: You'll find B12 in lamb and salmon, but the most accessible source may be fortified cereals. That's because the B12 in meat is bound to proteins, and your stomach must produce acid to release and absorb it. Eat a bowl of 100 percent B12-boosted cereal and milk every morning and you'll be covered, even if you take the occasional acid-blocking med. However, if you pop Prilosec on a regular basis or are on metformin, talk to your doctor about tracking your B12 levels and possibly taking an additional supplement

Potassium

Without this essential mineral, your heart couldn't beat, your muscles wouldn't contract, and your brain couldn't comprehend this sentence. Why? Potassium helps your cells use glucose for energy.
The shortfall: Despite potassium's can't-live-without-it importance, nutrition surveys indicate that young men consume just 60 percent to 70 percent of the recommended 4,700 mg a day. To make matters worse, most guys load up on sodium: High sodium can boost blood pressure, while normal potassium levels work to lower it, says Lydia A. L. Bazzano, M.D., Ph.D., an assistant professor of epidemiology at Tulane University.
Hit the mark: Half an avocado contains nearly 500 mg potassium, while one banana boasts roughly 400 mg. Not a fan of either fruit? Pick up some potatoes—a single large spud is packed with 1,600 mg

Iodine

Your thyroid gland requires iodine to produce the hormones T3 and T4, both of which help control how efficiently you burn calories. That means insufficient iodine may cause you to gain weight and feel fatigued.
The shortfall: Since iodized salt is an important source of the element, you might assume you're swimming in the stuff. But when University of Texas at Arlington researchers tested 88 samples of table salt, they found that half contained less than the FDA-recommended amount of iodine. And you're not making up the difference with all the salt hiding in processed foods—U.S. manufacturers aren't required to use iodized salt. The result is that we've been sliding toward iodine deficiency since the 1970s.
Hit the mark: Sprinkling more salt on top of an already sodium-packed diet isn't a great idea, but iodine can also be found in a nearly sodium-free source: milk. Animal feed is fortified with the element, meaning it travels from cows to your cereal bowl. Not a milk man? Eat at least one serving of eggs or yogurt a day; both are good sources of iodine

Read more: http://www.menshealth.com/mhlists/five-essential-nutrients/Magnesium.php#ixzz0vL014txJ

6 Great Foods for Men

Nutrition tips to improve mood, memory, muscles and more

Listen up, guys. If you'd like to improve your mood, memory, muscles and more, forget expensive and potentially risky supplements. Just head to your local supermarket. You'll find foods that help prevent age-related health conditions. As an added bonus, they all taste great and are easy to incorporate into your diet.

Sardines for heart health

Ounce for ounce, sardines are one of the best sources for heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids and are extremely low in contaminants such as mercury and PCBs. They're also eco-friendly, packed with protein and low in saturated fat. Canned versions are inexpensive, portable and don't require refrigeration. Choose no-salt-added brands, and keep the bones in for a third of your recommended daily calcium. Sardines are great on salads or layered on top of whole-grain crackers.

Brazil nuts for prostate health

Brazil nuts are one of the richest food sources of selenium, a mineral that may reduce a man's risk of developing prostate cancer. Selenium may be toxic if taken in daily doses of more than 400 micrograms (mcg). But one Brazil nut has about 100 mcg. One or two mixed with other nuts each day will give you just the right amount.

Edamame for mood

Mood is affected by a combination of factors, including brain chemistry, life events and the foods you eat. Of these, only diet is under your control. Fiber-rich carbohydrates such as oats and edamame (green soybeans in the pod) help prevent mood fluctuations by keeping your blood-sugar levels steady. Edamame also contain protein, which further helps stabilize blood sugar, and omega-3 fatty acids, which have been shown to help combat depression. You can find them in just about any Japanese restaurant. They often come heavily salted, so request them "nude" or lightly coated. You also can buy frozen edamame pods at health-food stores and many supermarkets. Take 'em home, boil, drain and enjoy!

Sesame seeds for sex drive

They're inexpensive, safe, and don't require a prescription. They're also very rich in the amino acid arginine, which is involved in synthesizing nitric oxide, a compound that enhances blood flow through the arteries and—ahem—to various other male body parts. Toasted sesame seeds add a nice nutty taste to salads, cooked grains or cereal. You also can enjoy them in hummus, which is made with ground chickpeas and sesame seed paste (called tahini).

Blueberries for memory

These days, it seems you can't say enough about the health benefits of blueberries. But did you know that much of their power lies in their color? That deep blue hue is caused by flavonoids—natural compounds that protect the brain's memory-carrying cells (neurons) from the negative effects of oxidation and inflammation. Buy firm-fleshed berries or, off-season, try frozen, unsweetened varieties. Eat with plain yogurt, as a topping for cereal or right out of the bowl.

Lentils for energy

Rich in fiber and protein—both of which are digested slowly—lentils provide a steady source of energy. They're also a good source of several B vitamins essential to energy production, as well as iron, which helps red blood cells carry oxygen. Try whipping up a big batch of lentil soup and you'll have a hearty lunch for days.

Big hips 'impair' women's memory, a study finds

A woman's body shape may influence how good her memory is, according to US researchers.

Although carrying excess weight anywhere appears to impair older women's brains, carrying it on the hips may make matters worse, they say.

The Northwestern Medicine team found "apple-shaped" women fared better than "pears" on cognitive tests.

But depositing fat around the waist increases the risk of cancer, diabetes and heart disease, experts warn.

They said the findings, in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, highlighted the importance of maintaining a healthy weight for both body and mind.

Some of the health risks associated with obesity, such as vascular disease and inflammation, may explain why people who are overweight appear to be at higher risk of dementia.

However, the latest study suggests a bit of extra fat around the waist may actually protect brain functioning.

Spare tyre

The researchers believe belly fat makes more of the female hormone oestrogen that naturally dips after the menopause.

Oestrogen is thought to help protect the brain from cognitive decline.

The study involved 8,745 post-menopausal women aged 65 to 79.

These women were asked to complete a memory test that doctors use to judge brain function. They were also weighed and measured, then scored on an obesity scale known as Body Mass Index or BMI. Over two-thirds of the women were overweight or obese.

The researchers found that for every one point increase in a woman's BMI, her memory score dropped by one point.

And pear-shaped women - those with smaller waists but bigger hips - scored particularly poorly.

The researchers say this is likely to be related to the type of fat deposited around the hips versus the waist.

Scientists already know different kinds of fat release different hormones and have varying effects on insulin resistance, lipids and blood pressure.

Lead researcher Dr Diana Kerwin said: "We need to find out if one kind of fat is more detrimental than the other, and how it affects brain function.

"The fat may contribute to the formation of plaques associated with Alzheimer's disease or a restricted blood flow to the brain."

Rebecca Wood, chief executive of the Alzheimer's Research Trust, said: "The pear-shape is incredibly common, and while this study doesn't explain fully the link between body shape and brain function, it surely makes the case for watching the scales.

"There is little we can do about our natural body shape, but a lot we can do about our weight.

"With so much evidence of the dangers of obesity, we could all do well to consider sensible lifestyle changes to keep our weight in check."

BBC News Health

How to Calculate Your Car's Fuel Efficiency (MPG)

As gas prices rise, fuel efficiency is becoming more and more of a critical factor. Knowing your car's MPG (that is, how many miles it gets per gallon) can help you determine if it's is a gas guzzler that's eating up your wallet as well. Once you figure out the MPG, you can do many useful things, like calculate how much a GH₵.10 rise in gas prices will affect your budget, or how getting a car with better MPG will lower your monthly costs.

1. Go to the gas station and fill up the fuel tank.

Take note of the price you pay

2. Record the mileage, before even pulling away from the pump.

We will call this Mileage A.

3. Drive normally until the tank is less than half full.

4. Fill up the tank again (preferably at the same station using the same pump as pumps may be calibrated differently).

This time, pay attention to how many gallons it takes to fill up the tank. This is usually shown at the pump.

5. Record the mileage again, just like before.

We will call this Mileage B.

6. Subtract Mileage A from Mileage B.

This will give you the number of miles you drove since your last fill-up.

7. Divide your answer by the number of gallons it took to fill up your tank.

This will give you your car's MPG.

Tips

• The vast majority of cars will be equipped with a trip odometer - this is a gauge that counts mileage and can be reset. This gauge is in addition to the regular odometer, which counts the number of miles a car is driven overall. One can use this to count mileage. Divide the total miles run on a full tank of fuel by the capacity of the fuel tank to obtain the mileage of the car.
• The higher the MPG, the more efficient your car is, and the cheaper it'll be to keep it fueled.
• To determine how a change in gas prices will affect your budget, take the number of miles you expect to drive in a week (or a month, or a year) and divide it by your MPG. Then multiply that answer by the price of gas per gallon. By plugging in different prices, you'll see how much more - or less - you end up paying per week (or per month, or per year).
• Try calculating your MPG more than once to get a more accurate measurement. If you did more highway driving than normal, then your MPG will be a little higher. On the flip side, if you did a little extra city (stop and go) driving, your MPG will be lower.
• You can use the MPG to experiment with ways to increase fuel efficiency. For example, if you normally drive at an average of 70 MPH, then after calculating your MPG, try driving at 55 MPH and measure your MPG again - you'll probably see it go up.

Warnings

• Mileage will vary with different driving patterns, the less braking and acceleration will lead to better mileage. You will see higher mileage when taking highway trips than you will after a week of driving back and forth to work on city streets.
• In other countries, the equivalent is in kilometres per liter (km/l). In the United Kingdom, fuel is sold by the liter but fuel consumption is given in miles per gallon. Thus liters per 100 kilometres is used alongside miles per imperial gallon. However, in the United Kingdom, fuel efficiency is very hard to calculate, because of their 1965 metrication, and is ongoing for 45 years already. Britain is notable for having the 45 year muddle with Imperial (English/US) and metric measurement.

How to Calculate Your Car's Fuel Efficiency (MPG)

As gas prices rise, fuel efficiency is becoming more and more of a critical factor. Knowing your car's MPG (that is, how many miles it gets per gallon) can help you determine if it's is a gas guzzler that's eating up your wallet as well. Once you figure out the MPG, you can do many useful things, like calculate how much a GH₵.10 rise in gas prices will affect your budget, or how getting a car with better MPG will lower your monthly costs.

1. Go to the gas station and fill up the fuel tank.

Take note of the price you pay

2. Record the mileage, before even pulling away from the pump.

We will call this Mileage A.

3. Drive normally until the tank is less than half full.

4. Fill up the tank again (preferably at the same station using the same pump as pumps may be calibrated differently).

This time, pay attention to how many gallons it takes to fill up the tank. This is usually shown at the pump.

5. Record the mileage again, just like before.

We will call this Mileage B.

6. Subtract Mileage A from Mileage B.

This will give you the number of miles you drove since your last fill-up.

7. Divide your answer by the number of gallons it took to fill up your tank.

This will give you your car's MPG.

5 things you may not know you can do with attachments in Gmail

The more I use Google Docs, the less I have to deal with sending attachments back and forth. While attachments' days may be waning, they're still very much a part of most people's email experience. Here are five things you may not know you can do with Gmail to make sending, receiving, viewing, and finding attachments easier:

1. Drag attachments in
Simply drag files from your desktop right into the message you're composing and they'll upload from there. (Make sure you're using Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox 3.6 for this to work.)

2. Select multiple attachments
Attaching multiple files one by one is no fun. Instead, just multi-select the files you want to attach by holding down the Ctrl key (or Command on a Mac) and clicking on each file you want to attach. Holding down the Shift key will select a continuous list of files.

3. Never forget an attachment again
Gmail looks for phrases in your email that suggest you meant to attach a file (things like "I've attached" or "see attachment") and warns you if it looks like you forgot to do so. Every day, this saves tons of people the embarrassment of having to send a follow up email with the file actually attached.

4. View attachments online
When you receive an attachment, sometimes you just want to view it and there's no need to download or save to your desktop. The Google Docs viewer allows you to view .pdf, .ppt, and .tiff files in your browser. Just click the "View" link at the bottom of the message.

5. Find that long lost attachment via search
If you're looking for an attachment someone has sent to you, Gmail's advanced search operators can help you find what you're looking for quickly and accurately.
A couple examples:

• To find all messages that contain attachments: has:attachment
• To find all messages from your friend David that contain attachments: from:david has:attachment
• To find all messages that have .pdf attachments: has:attachment pdf
• To find a specific attachment named physicshomework.txt: filename:physicshomework.txt