Wednesday, October 29, 2014

Heaven or Hell --

 
While walking down the street one day a Corrupt Senator was tragically hit by a car and died.
 
His soul arrives in heaven and is met by St. Peter at the entrance.
 
"Welcome to heaven," says St. Peter. "Before you settle in, it seems there is a problem. We seldom see a high official around these parts, you see, so we're not sure what to do with you."
 
"No problem, just let me in," says the Senator.
 
"Well, I'd like to, but I have orders from the higher ups. What we'll do is have you spend one day in hell and one in heaven. Then you can choose where to spend eternity."
 
"Really?, I've made up my mind. I want to be in heaven," says the Senator.
 
"I'm sorry, but we have our rules."
 
And with that, St. Peter escorts him to the elevator and he goes down, down, down to hell.
 
The doors open and he finds himself in the middle of a green golf course. In the distance is a clubhouse and standing in front of it are all his friends and other politicians who had worked with him.
 
Everyone is very happy and in evening dress. They run to greet him, shake his hand, and reminisce about the good times they had while getting rich at the expense of the people.  They played a friendly game of golf and then dine on lobster, caviar and the finest champagne.
 
Also present is the devil, who really is a very friendly guy who is having a good time dancing and telling jokes.
They are all having such a good time that before the Senator realizes it, it is time to go.
 
Everyone gives him a hearty farewell and waves while the elevator rises.
 
The elevator goes up, up, up and the door reopens in heaven where St. Peter is waiting for him, "Now it's time to visit heaven...”
 
So, 24 hours passed with the Senator joining a group of contented souls moving from cloud to cloud, playing the harp and singing. They have a good time and, before he realizes it, the 24 hours have gone by and St. Peter returns.
"Well, then, you've spent a day in hell and another in heaven. Now choose your eternity."
 
The Senator reflects for a minute, then he answers: "Well, I would never have said it before, I mean heaven has been delightful, but I think I would be better off in hell."
 
So St. Peter escorts him to the elevator and he goes down, down, down to hell...
 
Now the doors of the elevator open and he's in the middle of a barren land covered with waste and garbage. He sees all his friends, dressed in rags, picking up the trash and putting it in black bags as more trash falls from above.
 
The devil comes over to him and puts his arm around his shoulders.
 
"I don't understand," stammers the Senator. "Yesterday I was here and there was a golf course and clubhouse, and we ate lobster and caviar, drank champagne, and danced and had a great time. Now there's just a wasteland full of garbage and my friends look miserable. What happened?" 
 
The devil smiles at him and says,

"Yesterday we were campaigning, Today, you voted.." 
 
                  Vote wisely in November 2014

Monday, October 27, 2014

.@computeramerica Show Lineup for the Week of October 27, 2014

Lineup for the week:
Monday
----------
Hour one: Satisfi allows companies to proactively gather feedback rather than passively wait. Use Satisfi as a tool to enable your guests and customers (“Consumers”) to tell you their concerns. Too often Consumers leave without telling you why or become dissatisfied while on-site at your location. Deploy Satisfi within your location and Consumers, using their mobile devices, can alert you in real-time to legitimate concerns! Joining us will be Satisfi's CEO and co-founder, Mr. David Montoya.
Monday
----------
Hour two: Craig and Ben do Computer and Technology News, brought to you by Slimware Utilities, the Official Optimization Software of Computer America, and answer your computer questions.

Tuesday
----------
Hour one:: Doodle.  You have important meetings to schedule. Your company's getting ready for its IPO, and you're in charge of the PTA fundraiser this month.  So how do you coordinate everyone to be available at the same time?  With Doodle, scheduling meetings with a group of people is quick and easy! With Doodle, you can easily propose available times to each member.  Each one checks off the times they are available, and then you simply pick the time that works best for the group, all in an easy to read display that integrates with your existing calendar!  Nothing could be more simple!

Tuesday
----------
Hour two: Craig and Ben do Computer and Technology News, brought to you by Slimware Utilities, the Official Optimization Software of Computer America, and answer your computer questions.

Wednesday
----------
Hour one: Wix is a website that lets you create your own websites!  And you can do it with NO programming skills!  In fact, we here at Computer America have used Wix to create and maintain our own website!  And now, Wix is back to talk about all of their latest new features!  Joining us is Eric Mason, Wix's Director of Communications.
Wednesday
----------
Hour two: The GizWiz Dick DeBartolo!  Dick is Mad Magazine’s maddest writer who discovers wonderful, sometimes insane devices and technology gadgets to delight most anyone who listens!  Tonight, Dick talks about 3D Scanners, FreeWheels that let you add remote-controlled wheels to just about anything, a pumpkin power saw, a voice changer, the Kodak PixPro Action Cam and so much more!

Thursday
----------
Hour one: MEGA.  Today, millions of business and personal users rely on MEGA to securely and reliably store and serve petabytes of data and they believe that this success is the result of MEGA's low barrier to entry to a more secure cloud. MEGA provides robust cloud storage with convenient and powerful always-on privacy. MEGA believes in your right to privacy and provides you with the technology tools to protect it. They call it User Controlled Encryption, or UCE, and it happens automatically!

Thursday
----------
Hour two: Craig and Ben do Computer and Technology News, brought to you by Slimware Utilities, the Official Optimization Software of Computer America, and answer your computer questions.

Friday
----------
Both Hours: Author Michael Miller is a proven and successful non-fiction writer on a variety of technical, business, and lifestyle-related topics. He has written more than 150 books in the last two decades that have collectively sold more than one million copies! His best-selling books include The Ultimate Web Marketing Guide, YouTube for Business, and Facebook for Grown-Ups for Que Publishing. He has established a reputation for being able to explain difficult concepts to everyday readers in easy-to-understand language. Happy Halloween!

Saturday, October 25, 2014

Corn Bread Casserole



You'll need:

one box of Jiffy corn bread mix
one can of corn, 12 oz
one can of creamed corn, 12oz

8x12 or similar baking dish

Mix the corn bread and both cans of corn together, do not drain.

If you want, you can add the milk and egg.

Bake at 375-ish for 40 minutes or until a knife comes out clean.

Options:

butter fried onions
butter fried mushrooms
pork sausage
bacon bits
grated cheese, mixed in and/or on top

Thursday, October 23, 2014

Pumpkin Desserts for the Holidays

Pumpkin Dessert #1
1-1/2 cups sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ginger
½ tsp. ground cloves
½ tsp. cinnamon
4 eggs
½ cup butter, melted (margarine can be used)
1-12 oz. can evaporated milk
1-29 oz. can pumpkin
½ box yellow cake mix
Combine first five ingredients in a bowl.  Beat eggs slightly; stir in pumpkin.  Then stir in sugar mixture.  Gradually stir in milk.  Place in greased 9 x 13 pan.  Sprinkle half box of the dry cake  mix over top.  Pour melted utter over all.  Sprinkle with chopped nuts.  Serves 16

Pumpkin dessert #2
3 eggs
1-15 oz. can pumpkin
1 cup sugar
1-12 oz can evaporated milk
1 tsp. cinnamon
½ tsp. ginger
½ tsp. allspice (I used nutmeg instead)
1 box yellow cake mix
1 cup chopped nuts
¾ cup butter, melted
Mix eggs, pumpkin, sugar, milk and spices until smooth.  Pour into a greased 9 x 13 baking dish.  Sprinkle cake mix over top.  Sprinkle nuts over cake mix and drizzle with butter.  Bake at 350 for 40-45 minutes.  Cool before serving. Serve with whipped cream.  Serves 14
Pumpkin #1 gives you more pumpkin so its really how much pumpkin you want to taste.  Both are super recipes.
Enjoy whichever one you decide to make.

Wednesday, October 22, 2014

"Senior" Computer Skills

I don't think these are -just- seniors.....
 
Tech support:     What kind of computer do you have? 
Customer:          A white one... 
Tech support:    Click on the 'my computer' icon on to the left of the screen. 
Customer:          Your left or my left? 

 ************************  
Customer:    Hi, good afternoon, this is Martha, I can't print. Every time I try, it says 'can’t find printer’.
I've even lifted the printer and placed it in front of the monitor, but the computer still says he can't find it.. 
 *************************  
Tech support:    What's on your monitor now, ma'am? 
Customer:            A teddy bear my boyfriend bought for me at the 7-11. 
 *************************  
Customer:         My keyboard  is not working anymore. 
Tech support:    Are you sure it's plugged into the computer? 
Customer:          No. I can't get behind the computer. 
Tech support:    Pick up your keyboard and walk 10 paces back. 
Customer:             OK 
Tech support:    Did the keyboard come with you? 
Customer:          Yes 
Tech support:   That means the keyboard  is not plugged in. 

 *************************  
Customer:            I can't get on the Internet. 
Tech support:       Are you sure you used the right password? 
Customer:            Yes, I'm sure. I saw my colleague do it. 
Tech  support:    Can you tell me what the password was? 
Customer:           Five dots. 
 *************************  
Tech  support:     What anti-virus program do you use? 
Customer:          Netscape. 
Tech support:     That's not an anti-virus program. 
Customer:          Oh, sorry... Internet Explorer.. 
 *************************  
Customer:     I have a huge problem. A friend has placed a screen saver on my computer, but every time I move the mouse, it disappears. 
 *************************  
Tech support:     How may I help you? 
Customer:   I'm writing my first email. 
Tech support:    OK, and what seems to be the problem? 
Customer:          Well, I have the letter 'a' in the address, but how do I get the little circle around it? 
 *************************  

A woman customer called the Canon help desk with a problem with her printer. 
Tech support:     Are you running it under windows? 
Customer:   'No, my desk is next to the door, but that is a good point. 
The man sitting in the cubicle next to me is under a window, and his printer is working fine.'


 ************************  

Tech  support:    'Okay Bob, let's  press the control and escape keys at the same time.  
 That brings up a task list in the middle of the screen.  Now type the letter 'P' to bring up the Program Manager.'
Customer:          I don't have a P. 
Tech  support:   On your keyboard, Bob. 
Customer:          What do you mean? 
Tech support:   'P'.....on your  keyboard, Bob. 
Customer:   I'M NOT GOING TO DO THAT

Monday, October 20, 2014

.@computeramerica Show LineUp for the Week of October 20, 2014

Lineup for the week:
Monday
----------
Hour one: Epson.  Epson makes some of the finest printers available. Tune in when we discuss their latest model, the "Small-In-One" XP-820 all in one printer that prints, scans, faxes and copies on both sides of the page.  This amazing unit is the thrid genertion model and has some amazing refinements.  Tune in the hear all about it!

Monday
----------
Hour two: Craig and Ben do Computer and Technology News, brought to you by Slimware Utilities, the Official Optimization Software of Computer America, and answer your computer questions.

Tuesday
----------
Hour one:: TeamViewer.  Remote control any computer or Mac over the internet within seconds or use TeamViewer for online meetings. Find out why more than 200 million users trust TeamViewer!

Tuesday
----------
Hour two: Craig and Ben do Computer and Technology News, brought to you by Slimware Utilities, the Official Optimization Software of Computer America, and answer your computer questions.

Wednesday
----------
Hour one: TruTag Technologies.  The TruTag solution represents a breakthrough in the industry because their microtags are made of the highest purity silica, rendering them biologically inert, edible, and virtually invisible!
Wednesday
----------
Hour two: Craig and Ben do Computer and Technology News, brought to you by Slimware Utilities, the Official Optimization Software of Computer America, and answer your computer questions.

Thursday
----------
Hour one: Limitless Computing.  With Augmented Reality capabilities, users can walk through digitally created spaces superimposed on the real world. View models prior to construction, furniture before placement, or see any work in reality!

Thursday
----------
Hour two: Craig and Ben do Computer and Technology News, brought to you by Slimware Utilities, the Official Optimization Software of Computer America, and answer your computer questions.

Friday
----------
Hour one: Allure Energy.  EverSense is more than just a smart Thermostat.  With EverSense you can get high quality digital music that can be wirelessly streamed from a compatible iPhone or Android device with no wires, no docking, no fuss! Check the weather, monitor your home's temperaturs, change it remotely and so much more!  It's automatic comfort for your home!

Friday
----------
Hour two: Craig and Ben do Computer and Technology News, brought to you by Slimware Utilities, the Official Optimization Software of Computer America, and answer your computer questions.

Visit the SlimWare Utilities Website

Monday, October 13, 2014

.@computeramerica Show Line Up for the Week of October 13, 2014

Lineup for the week:
Monday
----------
Hour one: Content Raven.  Discover the freedom to share and collaborate without worry.  Everyone is telling you how to share, sync and protect your files. SharePoint user? Perhaps Dropbox or Box? No problem. With snap-in DRM, Content Raven works with whatever online file sharing solution you already use, so you can easily secure, track, and analyze what you share without interrupting established workflows.
Monday
----------
Hour two: Craig and Ben do Computer and Technology News, brought to you by Slimware Utilities, the Official Optimization Software of Computer America, and answer your computer questions.

Tuesday
----------
Hour one and two: It's our Gamer Tuesday Show with Computer America Correspondent Grayson Hamilton!  Don't miss this show!

Wednesday
----------
Hour one: Intel is here tonight in this Intel Sponsor Hour!  Each month, we have an Intel representative speaking on new Intel products, services and news stories!
Wednesday
----------
Hour two: F-Secure's David Perry!  October is Cyber-Security Month and long-time Correspondent David Perry is here to discuss how F-Secure Safe and F-Secure Internet Security can keep you and your computer safe from online attacks!
Thursday
----------
Both hours: It's our all Linux Show with Computer America Correspondent Larry Bushey, the Host of the Going Linux Podcast!  Tonight's Topic: "Apple was right! The magic of hardware and operating system made for each other. " Join us!

Show Notes
E-mails
Friday
----------
Hour one: LapLink Software.  It's still the easiest way to set up your new computer.  PCmover is the ONLY software that automatically moves all selected files, personalized settings, and even programs to your new PC. Now with 24/7 Free Transfer Assistance and a 30-day Money-Back Guarantee!  If you have more than one Computer, Tablet, or Smartphone, chances are at some point you will want to sync files and folders between them. With Laplink Sync, this task is no longer complicated!  Laplink Sync makes it easy for you. With a few clicks, you can choose the folders and files that you want to transfer between your devices. Just select your devices and the folders you wish to sync, and that's it! It is the easiest way to copy your newest pictures from your phone to your computer!
Friday
----------
Hour two: Craig and Ben do Computer and Technology News, brought to you by Slimware Utilities, the Official Optimization Software of Computer America, and answer your computer questions.

Visit the SlimWare Utilities Website

Sunday, October 12, 2014

Setting up Bookmarks in Mozilla Firefox --




If you’ve installed Mozilla Firefox (called FF in the rest of this article), it probably tried to hide all the good stuff from you.  This is an attempt to bring a clean and modern interface to your computer.
            With the stock install, there will be an orange rectangle in the upper left corner of the FF window.  If you click on this, it will offer you the items that would normally be in the File menu.  To bring up the File menu, press the ALT key on your keyboard.  This will bring up the following menu items:
File, Edit, View, History, Bookmarks, Tools, Help
            To make the File menu stay, click on View, Toolbars, and then Menu Bar.  The orange square will go away to be replaced with the above items.  I also like to have the Bookmarks toolbar open.  Do the above steps, but click on Bookmarks Toolbar instead.  A new bar will appear below the address bar.  If there are no bookmarks, it will start off with two:  Most Visited and Getting Started. 
            Most Visited is just what it says.  Getting Started will give you a page that shows how to use FF and what the items on the window do.  If you roll your mouse over the markers, they will pop up messages on the items. 
            Once you have the Bookmarks Toolbar open, you can do a variety of things with it. 
            First, let’s get your bookmarks (favorites) from Internet Explorer (IE).
            Left click on Bookmarks, then Show All Bookmarks (also called Library).  From there, left-click on Import and Backup and then on Import Data from Another Browser.  Here, you can pick which browser.  Most likely, it’ll just be Internet Explorer, click on the Next button.  From here, you can probably uncheck Internet Options, Cookies, and Browsing History.  You might keep Cookies if you have customized setups for your homepage.  Click the Next button.  The import wizard will tell that the items were successfully imported.  Click the Finish button, then close the Library window.
            On the Bookmarks toolbar, there will be a new folder called From Internet Explorer.  This probably won’t be all of your favorites.  To find more, click on Bookmarks, then From Internet Explorer.  You should find more favorites there.  To move this folder to the Bookmarks toolbar, just click and drag the folder to the tool bar.  Yes, this means you will have two folders with the same name.
            From here, you can click and drag bookmarks from one folder to the other and arrange them as you see fit.
            If you would like to create a new folder on the Bookmarks toolbar, just right-click and then select New Folder… from the menu.  The next box will ask you to enter name for this folder.  Make a name that’s meaningful to you.  Quilting, Sewing, Computers, Cars, Science, whatever you want!
            To add a bookmark to your freshly created folder, just use the Address Bar and type the URL of the site you want.  Then wait for the page to load up fully.  Once it has done so, you should see a small picture at the start of the address.  This is called the favicon.  Many times, you will only see a grayish circle that’s supposed to look like the Earth.  Other times, if someone got fancy, you’ll see something else.  You can click on this favicon and drag it to the Bookmarks toolbar or the folder on it and then let go.
You might want to keep a folder called Media for all your radio TV stations and streaming content sites such as YouTube, Netflix or Hulu.
If you want to delete a bookmark or a folder from the Bookmarks Toolbar, just right-click and click on Delete.  Be warned, once you do this, it’s gone.  These do not go to the Recycle Bin.
The Bookmarks Toolbar is a great way to keep your bookmarks organized and out where you can see them.

Computer Security --



Security
With the number of attacks on websites, it’s a good idea to change your passwords frequently.  I’ve been noticing that Yahoo and Hotmail seem to be vulnerable of late.  At the very least, if you haven’t changed your email’s password in the last year, you should do so right now.  Well, not this very moment, but after you read the rest of the document and learn what makes a good password.
Places that have a password:
Your email has a password.  You will also have a password for the following:  wireless router, cell/smart phone, computer account, wireless network, banking, investment sites, online (cloud) storage, remote computer access software, Twitter, Facebook, LinkdIn, bill pay sites, utility sites (power, water, phones, interent) and I’m sure there’s more.
Check your password:
                GRC Password Haystack:              https://www.grc.com/haystack.htm
                How Secure Is My Password:      http://howsecureismypassword.net/
Picking a good password: 
  • Have both upper and lower case letters
  • Have digits and/or punctuation characters as well as letters
  • Are easy to remember, so they do not have to be written down
  • Are seven or eight characters long
  • Can be typed quickly, so someone else cannot look over your shoulder
Picking a bad password:
  • Your name, Your spouse's name, Your parent's name, Your pet's name, Your child's name
  • Names of close friends or coworkers
  • Names of your favorite fantasy characters
  • Your boss's name, Anybody's name
  • The name of the operating system you're using
  • The hostname of your computer
  • Your phone number, Your license plate number
  • Any part of your social security number
  • Anybody's birth date, Other information that is easily obtained about you
  • Words such as wizard, guru, gandalf, and so on.
  • Any username on the computer in any form (as is, capitalized, etc.)
  • A word in the English dictionary, A word in a foreign dictionary
  • A place, A proper noun
  • Passwords of all the same letter
  • Simple patterns on the keyboard, like qwerty
  • Any of the above spelled backwards
  • Any of the above followed or prepended by a single digit
What Microsoft says about passwords:
·         Length. Make your passwords long with eight or more characters.
·         Complexity. Include letters, punctuation, symbols, and numbers. Use the entire keyboard, not just the letters and characters you use or see most often. The greater the variety of characters in your password, the better. However, password hacking software automatically checks for common letter-to-symbol conversions, such as changing "and" to "&" or "to" to "2."
·         Variation. To keep strong passwords effective, change them often. Set an automatic reminder for yourself to change your passwords on your email, banking, and credit card websites about every three months.
·         Variety. Don't use the same password for everything. Cybercriminals steal passwords on websites that have very little security, and then they use that same password and user name in more secure environments, such as banking websites.
A good password starts with a base word phrase. This means: choose a memorable catchphrase, quotation, or easy-to-remember saying, and take the first letter from each word. Choose a phrase that is memorable to you.
  • Can't See the Forest Through the Trees:  cstfttt
  • Put Up or Shut Up:  puosu
  • If the Shoe Fits, Wear It:  itsfwi
  • You Can Lead a Horse to Water:  yclahtw
  • The Last Mile Is Always Uphill: tlmiau
  • I Think, Therefore I Am:  ittia
  • Oh Say Can You See:  oscys
Passwords start to become strong at 6 characters long. While a long password can be annoying to type, a long password really helps to slow down brute force hacker attacks.
Tip: lengthen your password by adding the website name or computer software name to the base phrase. For example:
  • cstftttGmail
  • puosuVista
  • itsfwiEpinions
  • yclahtwWin7
  • tlmiauMac
  • ittiaAboutdotcom
  • oscysPayPal
  • hbdcEbay
Password strength increases significantly when you change some of the password letters into non-alphabetic characters, and then include uppercase and lowercase letters within the password. This 'character scrambling' creatively uses the shift key, numbers, punctuation marks, the @ or % symbols, and even semi-colons and periods. These unusual characters and numbers make your password even less predictable to hackers using dictionary database attacks.
  • CstftttGm@il
  • Puo5uVista
  • 1tsfwiEpinions
  • Ycl@htwWin7
  • 7lmiauMac
  • ittiaAboutdotcom
  • o5cysPayPal
  • hbd(Ebay
At home, you should rotate your passwords as a matter of good computer hygiene. If you are using different passwords for differents websites, you can do yourself a favor by rotating portions of your passwords every few weeks. Note that rotating parts of the password, not the entire passwords, will help deter hackers from stealing your phrases. If you can memorize three or more passwords at the same time, then you are in good shape to resist brute force hacker attacks.
OK Password:
Better Password:
Excellent Password:
kitty
1Kitty
1Ki77y
susan
SusansHonda
5usansHond@2008
LadyGagaIsBizarre
LGGiB
LGG1Bgmail
smellycat
Sm3llycat
$m3llycat!!
allblacksrugby
ABRworldcup2011
ABRwc2011worklogin
jackbauerforcongress
JBFC2010
JBfc(2010)
doctorhouseisajerk
DHiaJ!
DHiaJ!macintoshlogin
Ilovecayennepepper
iLcpOnMyToast
1LcpOnMy7oas7
JasonsBlueVolkswagen
jbvwIsFunToDrive
jbvwIF2Driv3
ihateliverandonions
IhLaOforDinner
1hLaOfDwindowslogin
mypuppylikescheese
MPLCandOtherSnacks
.MPLCaOSpaypal
julieloveskevin
JlK2010
JlK2010mygmaillogin
guitarheroisablast
GHiaB
GHiaBeBayLogin