Know Your Limits

As we enter the holiday season, I think it's important for everyone to step back and remember that we can all have fun without getting dangerous. I've attached a rather graphic picture of an overdose victim, not for its shock value, but in the hope that everyone remains aware of his or her limits.

When you look at this picture, remember that this did not have to happen.

Happy Holidays!

emailed in from Julie Music
Posted by Hello

Microsoft Issues 5 New Warnings

Microsoft on Tuesday released five Security Bulletins, warning of several vulnerabilities that put computers running Windows at risk of attack.

Click Here Full Story

Google Search Tool Flawed

Google desktop search flawed

A Rice University computer scientist and two of his students discovered a potentially serious security flaw in the desktop search tool recently distributed by Google, a newspaper report said Monday.
The glitch, which could permit an attacker to secretly search the contents of a personal computer via the Internet, is what computer scientists call a composition flaw, the New York Times said.

Google has begun distributing a new version of the desktop search engine that repairs the potential security hole.
New Version Here.

Satan

Three days before Christmas, Satan will rise on a column of flame over Russia.

People and Their Pets

People and Their Pets

Rules Wizard

There are two ways to put the Rules Wizard to work. If you're in the Microsoft Outlook Viewer, choose Tools | Rules Wizard. If you're working with an open message and want to build rules from information in that message, choose Actions | Create Rule (Outlook 98 or 2000) Tools | Create Rule (Outlook 97).

The Rules Wizard consists of several screens where you enter information about the type of rule you want to create (incoming or outgoing messages), what you want to look for, what you want to happen to messages that fit the rule and what types of messages should be handled as exceptions to the rule.

At the top of each screen, check the boxes that you want to apply to the current rule. Then in the bottom half of the screen, click any underlined text to set the value for that part of the rule. For example, if you see with specific words in the subject or body, click on that text to set the specific words to search for.

After you go through all the screens in this fashion, you can click the Finish button to save the rule.

To make a rule apply to all incoming or outgoing messages, just enter no conditions for the rule. You'll get a popup message informing you that the rule will apply to all messages and asking whether that's OK.

The order in which rules are processed can be important, since if you move a message from the Inbox to another folder, other rules won't process it. To change the order and enable/disable rules temporarily, choose Tools | Rules Wizard from the main Microsoft Outlook menu. In many cases, you will want to add a Stop Processing action to your rules, so that once that rule is applied, no subsequent rules will act on the item.

Also see:

Custom actions in rules

OL2000 (CW): How to Use the Out of Office Assistant

OL2002 How to Use the Out of Office Assistant

OL2000 (IMO): How to Emulate the Out of Office Assistant

Managing Email With Outlook Rules-- tutorial

OL2002 How to Create a Script for the Rules Wizard

Automatic Out-of-Office Assistant Switching Script

Forcing a Rule to Operate only on Certain Items

Customizing the Envelope System Tray IconRules Wizard

Leading the bull

Leading the bull

In China’s version of the natal demon, the cowherd has succeeded in putting a halter on the bull and is leading the reluctant creature. The enlightened Self has succeeded in controlling the grosser parts of his animal organism. The emotions and senses are being held and led; their direction is being changed. The bull is being caused to turn around. The beginning of discipline is the control of the physical life. The disciple recognizes that all material things must be subordinated to spiritual purpose if the work of regeneration is to be accomplished. Right action is a physical expression of energy dominated by a philosophical purpose. This is the burden of picture #2.
Emailed in by Milt Sadusky

More Smileys

Make your own smiley click the "Link" button below and follow the instructions...enjoy.

Understanding ISPs

Understanding ISPs
ISPs offer services like email and internet access. Compare factors like security, services, and cost so that you find an ISP that supports all of your needs.
What is an ISP?
An ISP, or internet service provider, is a company that provides its customers access to the internet and other web services. In addition to maintaining a direct line to the internet, the company usually maintains web servers. By supplying necessary software, a password-protected user account, and a phone number to dial into the internet connection, ISPs offer their customers the capability to browse the web and exchange email with other people. Some ISPs also offer additional services.
ISPs can vary in size—some are operated by one individual, while others are large corporations. They may also vary in scope—some only support users in a particular city, while others have regional or national capabilities.
What services do ISPs provide?
Almost all ISPs offer email and web browsing capabilities. They also offer varying degrees of user support, usually in the form of an email address or customer support hotline. Most ISPs also offer web hosting capabilities, allowing users to create and maintain personal web pages; and some may even offer the service of developing the pages for you. Many ISPs offer the option of high-speed access through DSL or cable modems, while others may just rely on dial-up connections.
As part of normal operation, most ISPs perform backups of email and web files. If the ability to recover email and web files is important to you, check with your ISP to see if they back up the data; it might not be advertised as a service. Additionally, some ISPs may implement firewalls to block some incoming traffic, although you should consider this a supplement to your own security precautions, not a replacement.
How do you choose an ISP?
There are thousands of ISPs, and it's often difficult to decide which one best suits your needs. Some factors to consider include
security - Do you feel that the ISP is concerned about security? Does it use encryption and SSL (see Protecting Your Privacy for more information) to protect any information you submit (e.g., user name, password)?
privacy - Does the ISP have a published privacy policy? Are you comfortable with who has access to your information and how it is being handled and used?
services - Does your ISP offer the services you want? Do they meet your requirements? Is there adequate support for the services?
cost - Are the ISP's costs affordable? Are they reasonable for the number of services you receive, as well as the level of those services? Are you sacrificing quality and security to get the lowest price?
reliability - Are the services your ISP provides reliable, or are they frequently unavailable due to maintenance, security problems, a high volume of users, or other reasons? If the ISP knows that services will be unavailable for a particular reason, does it adequately communicate that information?
user support - Are there published methods for contacting customer support? Do you receive prompt and friendly service? Do their hours of availability accommodate your needs? Do the consultants have the appropriate level of knowledge?
speed - How fast is your ISP's connection? Is it sufficient for accessing your email or navigating the internet?
recommendations - Have you heard or seen positive reviews about the ISP? Were they from trusted sources? Does the ISP serve your geographic area? If you've uncovered negative points, are they factors you are concerned about?

E-mail 'worm'

Zafi Email Worm
Tooting My Own Horn
You Heard it here first 19 Hours Before
CNN Reported
Click "Link" To Read Their Story...

Way To Go Ron

Ron - after rewriting and republishing my last 5 articles cause I thought the "center" align was tweeked in one of the posts - and nothing changed........wellllllll....

I looked at the template and Geeezzzzz - "pix selected from the internet"

I fixed it....LOL

Phishing Web Sites Grew by 33 Percent in November

Phishing Web Sites Grew by 33 Percent in November

The number of phishing Web sites associated with online identity theft scams grew by 33 percent in November, after dropping off in September and early October, according to data compiled by the Anti-Phishing Working Group (APWG).The group received reports of 1,518 active phishing sites during November, up from 1,142 in October. Reports of phishing Web sites have grown by an average rate of 28 percent monthly since July, as scam artists broadened their efforts to lure customers of companies that do business online, according to Peter Cassidy, secretary general of the APWG. The APWG is an industry group of representatives from law enforcement and private sector companies, including leading Internet service providers, banks and technology vendors.Phishing scams are online crimes that use spam to direct Internet users to Web sites that are controlled by thieves, but designed to look like legitimate e-commerce sites. Users are asked to provide sensitive information such as a password, bank account information or a credit card number, often under the guise of updating an account.Customers of 51 online brands were targeted by phishing scams in November, compared with 44 brands in October, Cassidy said. However, just six companies drew more than 80 percent of all phishing scams, he said.The APWG no longer identifies the organizations that were the most popular targets of phishing scams, citing resistance from the group's industry members, he said. However, eBay and Citibank were phishers' top targets in past months, according to previous APWG reports.The creation of phishing Web sites in October and November resumed the torrid pace it reached in mid-August, after dropping off for much of September.Phishing attacks have emerged as a potent threat in 2004. More than 18 million e-mail messages linked to the attacks have been stopped this year by e-mail security provider MessageLabs.Industry groups, including the APWG, responded by calling attention to new attacks and working to shut down Web sites used in the scams to harvest personal information from unsuspecting Internet users.Recently, leading companies and law enforcement agencies unveiled a new antiphishing initiative. Digital PhishNet brings together companies such as Microsoft, America Online, and VeriSign with the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Secret Service and U.S. Postal Inspection Service to improve coordination when identifying and shutting down phishing sites.As in past months, the U.S. was again the most frequent host of fraudulent Web pages used in the attacks, Cassidy said.While phishing attacks may spike during November and December, which are busy shopping months in the European Union and the U.S., the increasing number of antiphishing tools and initiatives will hopefully bring the number of attacks down in 2005, according to Neil Creighton, chief executive officer of GeoTrust, a provider of online digital certificates.Like other companies, including Internet service provider Earthlink and eBay, GeoTrust distributes a free Web browser plugin that warns users when they visit phishing Web sites. Such utilities, coupled with the efforts of groups like the APWG and Digital PhishNet, will make life harder for online scam artists, and prompt consumers and merchants to become more aware about online identity verification, Creighton said.

Report Phishing** The Anti-Phishing Working Group is a volunteer organization. Due to the significant increase in phishing volumes and reports, there may be some delay in processing your phishing reports and membership requests. **We are building a repository of phishing scam emails and websites to help people identify and avoid being scammed in the future. If you have received a phishing email and would like to submit it to Anti-Phishing Working Group, please send it to reportphishing@antiphishing.org. We will review the message and any websites to which it links, and post it to the Phishing Archive on this site.Instructions for Submitting Phishing EmailAssuming you use Outlook or Netscape:
1. Create a new mail to reportphishing@antiphishing.org.
2. Drag and drop the phishing email from your inbox onto this new
email message. In Netscape drop it on the 'attachment' area.
3. Do not use "forward" if you can help it, as this approach loses information and requires more manual processing. The exception is when you use the Web interface to outlook: in that case forward is the only solution.

Zafi variant hides behind Christmas cheer

Zafi variant hides behind Christmas cheer

Worm arrives in e-mail titled Merry Christmas

By Paul Roberts, IDG News ServiceDecember 14, 2004

A new version of the Zafi e-mail worm is spreading Christmas wishes along with its malicious code, according to antivirus software companies.

Zafi.D is a mass-mailing worm that arrives in a ZIP file attached to e-mail messages with the subject "Merry Christmas." Instead of a gift, however, the e-mail package delivers worm code that infects Microsoft Windows systems on which it is opened. Leading antivirus companies, including McAfee (Profile, Products, Articles), Sophos (Profile, Products, Articles) and Computer Associates (Profile, Products, Articles) International (CA) issued warnings about the new worm and updated antivirus signatures to stop the new threat. In addition to the Christmas well wishes in the subject line, Zafi-generated e-mails contain the message "Happy Hollydays" and are signed "Jaime." CA researchers collected almost 100 samples of Zafi.D since spotting the new worm variant early Tuesday, said Stefana Ribaudo, manager of the company's eTrust Security Management division. At McAfee Inc., around 50 samples of the worm were collected, mostly from Europe, said Vincent Gullotto, vice president of McAfee's Anti-Virus Emergency Response Team. Both companies rated Zafi.D a "medium" threat, indicating that a number of samples have been spotted, and that the worm has a destructive payload. Like most other mass-mailing e-mail worms, Zafi.D modifies the configuration of Windows machines, shutting down other security software and harvesting e-mail addresses from files on the infected computer. After it harvests e-mail addresses, Zafi uses a built-in SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol) to send e-mail to those addresses with copies of the worm code, antivirus companies said. The worm has had more luck spreading than earlier Zafi variants, possibly because of its well-timed and appealing subject line and message, which are good examples of what antivirus researchers call "social engineering" -- subtle tricks used to gain victims' confidence, Ribaudo said. However, the increase in reports could be due to an initial spam distribution of the worm. The similarity of Zafi.D to its predecessors -- and to other mass mailing worms -- means that it's likely that few examples of the new worm are actually getting through to e-mail inboxes, Gullotto said. Antivirus experts advised e-mail users to update their antivirus software to obtain the latest virus definitions for Zafi.D and to use extreme caution when handling unexpected e-mail attachments.

An Easy way to Deal with Email Viruses and Worms

An Easy way to Deal with Email Viruses and Worms without Anti-virus Software

New Article Click Here

Add a still or animated picture to an Outlook Email

Pictures say a thousand words, so why not save yourself a lot of typing by adding them to your e-mail? Using HTML as your message format in Outlook 2000, you can add still or animated pictures from your local drive, from a network, or from the Internet. And you can add a border around the picture and specify the picture's position within the message body.

Add a picture to an HTML message
1. With the HTML message open, position the insertion point within the message body.
2. On the Insert menu, click Picture.
3. In the Picture source box, type the path to an image on your hard drive, type a URL (address) to an image on the Internet, or click Browse if you need to locate an image. You can use pictures in a variety of formats, including GIF and JPEG.
Specify any other options you want. For Help on an option, click the question mark, and then click the option.
You can change the settings after closing the dialog box. Just click the picture to select it, and then on the Insert menu, click Picture. Or, right-click the picture, and then click Properties on the shortcut menu. Change the settings as necessary.

Sending pictures stored on the Internet vs. locally

Depending on where the original picture is stored, Outlook can send a copy of the picture as part of the message or it can include a pointer to the picture. If you enter a path to a picture that's located on your hard disk or on a network, Outlook will automatically store a copy of the picture with the message. That's because the recipients most likely won't have access to these locations, so a pointer wouldn't work for them. However, if you specify a path to a picture that's located on the Internet, Outlook automatically includes a pointer to the picture. That's because your recipients could have access to the Internet and because sending a pointer keeps the message size down. Sending a picture with the message can increase the size of the message significantly and, therefore, slow down the time it takes to send and receive the message.

If your recipients don't have access to the Internet location that the message points to, they'll either see a red X in place of the picture or the alternate text— if you specified any— in the Picture dialog box. If you want, you can send a copy of Internet pictures with the message instead of sending a pointer.

Send a picture stored on the Internet with a message

On the Tools menu, click Options, and then click the Mail Format tab.
Do one of the following:

If you're using Outlook in the Corporate or Workgroup configuration, select the Send pictures from the Internet check box.
If you're using Outlook in the Internet Only configuration, click Settings, and then select the Send pictures from the Internet with messages check box.
Besides adding pictures, the HTML message format also lets you enhance messages using special designs, formatted text, or a structured layout. For more information, read Create stylish and decorative e-mail in Outlook using HTML.

Note While many popular e-mail programs besides Outlook 2000— such as Outlook 98, Outlook Express 4.0, Eudora 4.0, and Netscape Messenger 4.0— understand HTML messages, some do not. For more information about sending HTML messages, read Choose the best Outlook message format for a recipient.

Lesson 21 How To Resize Your Desktop

Lesson 21:How To Resize Your Desktop is now online at the LVH Schoolhouse

The Pastor and His Cat

The Cat

Dwight Nelson recently told a true story about the pastor of his church.

He had a kitten that climbed up a tree in his backyard and then was afraid to come down. The pastor coaxed, offered warm milk, etc. The kitty would not come down. The tree was not sturdy enough to climb, so the pastor decided that if he tied a rope to his car and drove away so that the tree bent down, he could then reach up and get the kitten. He did all this, checking his progress in the car frequently, then figured if he went just a little bit further, the tree would be bent sufficiently for him to reach the kitten. But as he moved a little further forward, the rope broke. The tree went "boing!" and the kitten instantly sailed through the air - out of sight.

The pastor felt terrible. He walked all over the neighborhood asking people if they'd seen a little kitten. No. Nobody had seen a stray kitten. So he prayed, "Lord, I just commit this kitten to your keeping," and went on about his business. A few days later he was at the grocery store and met one of his church members. He happened to look into her shopping cart and was amazed to see cat food. Now this woman was a cat hater and everyone knew it, so he asked her, "Why are you buying cat food when you hate cats so much?" She replied, "You won't believe this," and told him how her little girl had been begging her for a cat, but she kept refusing. Then a few days before, the child had begged again, so the Mom finally told her little girl, "Well if God gives you a cat, I'll let you keep it?" (Can you see where this is heading?)

She told the pastor, "I watched my child go out in the yard, get on her knees, and ask God for a cat. And really, Pastor, you won't believe this, but I saw it with my own eyes. A kitten suddenly came flying out of the blue sky, with its paws outspread, and landed right in front of her." Never underestimate the Power of God and what may appear to be breaking on one end, is answering prayer on another.

THE REALM OF THE LASERWANDS

THE REALM OF THE LASERWANDS

Clear Diamantina Laserwand

Laserwands are recognized by their long, slim shape.
The facets are narrow and the long edges run almost perpendiculary to the tip.
Towards the base, these crystals are often somewhat wider.
Laser rods usually consist of clear or milky quartz.
Smoke quartz or citrine are very rare laser crystals.

Laserwands are very strong and dynamic crystals.
The easily felt energy flow of these healing stones has a tremendous speed
and is in the form of a spiral.
This intensise light beam, in form of a spiral, can be useful in many ways.

The longer the laser crystal, the higher the energy.
With the tip of small lasers, meridians can be marked and acupuncture
points activated. Large laserwands should never be pointed toward humans.
Instead, hold the base of the laser rod over concerned area.
The base of the crystal should be either crystallized or completely heald.

As a meditation stone the laser is an absolute healing crystal;
it is able to activated the chakras and in particular to open the crown chakra,
with its dynamic light beam.
These crystals are true bearer of light, if one has ajusted to them,
and can lead to higher energetic levels.

In the higher healing-art of crystal healing, these mighty tools are used
in aural surgery.
Old patterns and disturbing structures can be eliminated by this "nonviolent" surgery.
Remember, one operate always with the base of these healing tools.
All burden can be sucked off this way from soul, spirit and body.
On the physical level even disharmonic molecules
and cells can be transformed.

Cursor Thief

Cursor Thief

Lesson 20 Monitor Resolutions

Lesson 20 Monitor Resolutions

Now Online at The LVH Schoolhouse

That Explains It

What do you call the @ symbol used in e-mail addresses?

That little "a" with a circle curling around it that is found in email addresses is most commonly referred to as the "at" symbol.

Surprisingly though, there is no official, universal name for this sign. There are dozens of strange terms to describe the @ symbol.

Several languages use words that associate the shape of the symbol with some type of animal.

For instance, some quirky names for the @ symbol include:

apenstaartje - Dutch for "monkey's tail"
snabel - Danish for "elephant's trunk"
kissanhnta - Finnish for "cat's tail"
klammeraffe - German for "hanging monkey"
papaki - Greek for "little duck"
kukac - Hungarian for "worm"
dalphaengi - Korean for "snail"
grisehale - Norwegian for "pig's tail"
sobachka - Russian for "little dog"

Before it became the standard symbol for electronic mail, the @ symbol was used to represent the cost or weight of something. For instance, if you purchased 6 apples, you might write it as 6 apples @ $1.10 each.

With the introduction of e-mail came the popularity of the @ symbol. The @ symbol or the "at sign" separates a person's online user name from his mail server address. For instance, joe@uselessknowledge.com. Its widespread use on the Internet made it necessary to put this symbol on keyboards in other countries that have never seen or used the symbol before. As a result, there is really no official name for this symbol.

The actual origin of the @ symbol remains an enigma.

History tells us that the @ symbol stemmed from the tired hands of the medieval monks. During the Middle Ages before the invention of printing presses, every letter of a word had to be painstakingly transcribed by hand for each copy of a published book. The monks that performed these long, tedious copying duties looked for ways to reduce the number of individual strokes per word for common words. Although the word "at" is quite short to begin with, it was a common enough word in texts and documents that medieval monks thought it would be quicker and easier to shorten the word "at" even more. As a result, the monks looped the "t" around the "a" and created it into a circle-eliminating two strokes of the pen.

Another story tells the @ symbol was used as an abbreviation for the word amphora. Amphora was the unit of measurement that determined the amount held by the large terra cotta jars that were used to ship grain, spices and wine. Giorgio Stabile, an Italian scholar, discovered the @ symbol in a letter written in 1536 by a Florentine trader named Francesco Lapi. It seems likely that some industrious trader saw the @ symbol in a book transcribed by monks using the symbol and appropriated it for use as the amphora abbreviation. This would also explain why it became common to use the symbol in relation to quantities of something.

CyberCalc

Calculator and Measurement Unit Converter

This FREE utility is much more than a calculator. It automatically converts values expressed in one unit of measure (of area, length, weight, volume, temperature, time, speed, pressure and energy) to equivalent values in another. CyberCalc also supports "Active Skins" for a completely customized look. Several skin themes are included (Metal, Aqua, Military, Techno and others), or click here for additional skins.

Not a trial or demo - this is fully operational freeware from your friends at CyberMetrics... Enjoy!

Download CyberCalc

1-800-PSYCH

1-800-PSYCH

Hello, Welcome to the Psychiatric Hotline.

If you are obsessive-compulsive, please press 1 repeatedly.
If you are co-dependent, please ask someone to press 2.
If you have multiple personalities, please press 3, 4, 5 and 6.
If you are paranoid-delusional, we know who you are and what you want. Just stay on the line so we can trace the call.
If you are schizophrenic, listen carefully and a little voice will tell you which number to press.
If you are delusional, press 7 and your call will be transferred to the mother ship.
If you have a nervous disorder, please fidget with the # key until a representative comes on the line.
If you are dyslexic, press 696969696969.
If you have amnesia, press 8 and state your name, address, phone, date of birth, social security number and your mother's maiden name.
If you have post-traumatic stress disorder, slowly and carefully press 000.
If you have short-term memory loss, press 9. If you have short-term memory loss, press 9. If you have short-term memory loss, press 9. If you have short-term memory loss, press 9.
If you are menopausal, hang up, turn on the fan, lie down & cry. You won't be crazy forever.
If you have a masochistic complex, please press "0" for the operator. There are 200 calls ahead of you.
If you are depressed, it doesn't matter which number you press. No one will answer.

Florida Election Recount

Walnut Brandy Balls

Walnut Brandy Balls

1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 powdered sugar, sifted
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon brandy
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup flour, sifted
1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts
additional powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 325 F. Cream together butter, sugar and salt until fluffy. Stir in brandy and vanilla; add flour and nuts, mixing well. Shape into 3/4-inch balls. Bake on un greased cookie sheet for 20 minutes or until lightly rowned. Roll in additional powdered sugar when cool.

Who's Who

Who's Who AT The North Pole

Santa employs thousands of elves around the world. But right here at ground zero of Operation Merry Christmas, there are a few elves we feel you need to know about -- especially if you will be reading the Updates here on our blog. After all, Santa is not the only person who is working hard for a Merry Christmas!

There are elves who wrap, elves that track the weather, and elves who pack the sleigh. There are mailroom elves, food elves, decorating elves -- even singing elves. There are so many elves we can't begin to explain them all. So here are some of the biggest names of the little guys who help The Big Guy make it all so merry:

Click Name For Biography

Public Relations
Elf Ernest
He gets almost as much mail as Santa -- and he's just the guy for the job! If there's anything you want to know about Christmas, Santa, the North Pole, reindeer, Operation Merry Christmas or anything having to do with the season, Ernest is your man.

Columnist for The North Pole Gazette and Infamous Christmas Curmudgeon
Elf Ed Zachary
Probably the most plain-spoken elf you'd ever want to meet, Elf Ed Zachary writes for adults and others dubious of Santa Claus and his cause. Beware, dear reader. Elf Ed is a straight shooter -- and he doesn't mince his words.

Postmaster General, North Pole Post Office
Elf Hugo
Santa's got mail -- tons of it! All year long Elf Hugo Slavia takes in letters, emails, and packages at the North Pole Post Office.

Serving Santa's Stables
Elf Victor
Santa doesn't just employ eight tiny reindeer -- he's got thousands! And the huge facility called Santa's Stables here at the North Pole is run by Elf Victor. Not only does he care for the reindeer, but he organizes the annual reindeer games -- and with Santa he hand selects the chosen few honored to serve Santa each year.

Santa's Workshop
Elf Bernard
Santa's workshop is a place just about any kid would want to visit. It is run by Elf Bernard -- a very old, wise and plain spoken elf who understands the pressure of the season like no other person in the world. Charged with producing Operation Merry Christmas, Elf Bernard has been known to use any resource at his disposal -- including Tooth Fairies -- to make it happen.

The Wrapping Department
Elf Wally
The wrapping department has a complex assignment -- take every Santa surprise and make it look merry. And it's a job every elf in the wrapping department takes very seriously. This merry bunch is lead by Elf Wally -- a frenzied, high-energy and worried sort who always finds a way to get the job done before Santa takes flight.

Commissioner of Traditions
Elf Gloria
She may be the oldest elf at the North Pole -- some say, she may be almost as old as Santa himself. She may move slow and be a little hard of hearing, but she has a heart of pure gold. She is a Christmas purist -- and nothing happens at the North Pole in any department without her say-so. She makes sure the colors are right, that the bells ring true and that the spirit of the traditions of Christmas are preserved.

Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow!
Elf Billy
Elf Billy and his team of elf-geeks sit around their computers and watch the weather around the world. They are responsible for tracking Santa on Christmas Eve and for helping to make his flight plans each year. They have a huge, impossible job that constantly changes.

Turn Your Head and Cough!
Elf Lionel
Elf Dr. Lionel P. Spock has one mission every year: keep everyone well and free from the dreaded Bah-Hum Bug Bug -- an ugly virus known to sap holiday cheer. He's the medical expert here -- and he's saved the day many, many times.

MERRY
CHRISTMAS

Longview School House Lesson 19

Longview Schoolhouse Lesson 19: Resolution Briefing Some Terms

Now Posted

Chinese approach to the Natal Demon

Chinese approach to the Natal Demon
Attracting the Attention Of the Bull
Picture #1 of 10


The Self attempts to exercise the powers of right thought and right action. It is confronted with the difficulty of attracting the attention of the personality from the objects of external desire. The bull is roving about the field, that is, the appetites and instincts are giving free expression to material inclination. The self holds out a green branch, a symbol of life and hope, but the bull pays little attention. The promise of abstract spiritual attainment is not sufficient to entice the bull from its sphere of irresponsible action. The dark clouds cover the sun; the light of reason is obscured. The bull is black to represent ignorance and negation. This picture summarizes the Oriental belief that the instincts and appetites will not come under voluntary control, but must be captured or held by the practice of the philosophic disciplines.

emailed in by Milt & Carol Sadusky

Rubbing It In

Just Rubbing It In Ron

Ron Click Here

The Next School House Lesson.....

In the next lesson we will try to get our computers set to a resolution that will display the very best for our individual tastes and to help our viewing experience.

Those with vision problems should be helped with this lesson. Some of you will be able to enhance the colors on your display and set your computer for higher levels of encryption needed for computer shopping.

These lessons also familiarize you with computer speak language and since we have a new geek on board (Jim Dodds) maybe he will put in some stuff on the lessons too.

Our hope is to bring us all upto a level that will allow us to use the freedom and help the computer offers the older generation.

Ouch !!!

O U C H !!





Try baking soda and water, mix as paste, apply...

Visitors

Visitors

Last night I installed a tracking service on the Blog, it does not collect any personal information, rather it collects information about where our visitors live, what screen resolution they use, what operating system they run and the page that refered them to the Blog.

I welcome and wish a Merry Christmas to our visitors from:

Canada
Chile
Republic Of Korea
Ireland

Seattle, Bronx, Kent, Brooklyn, Woodbridge, Eugene, Dulles, Medford, Pensacola, Los Altos, Fort Worth, Saint Louis...

and Newport.

Hold On There Men

Hold On There Men !!

ARTICLE ABOUT LONGVIEW HILLS

MONDAY – It Rained
TUESDAY – It Rained Again
WEDNESDAY - Yep Still Raining!
THURSDAY - YOU GUESSED IT RAIN STILL!

winds What was the highest wind on Tuesday?

Rain How many inches this last 4 days?

Trash Cans How many cans were lost?

Shingles I kept all mine how about you?

Down Spouts and Gutters Any lost or maybe found?

Anything else going on? Lets hear it!!!!

Internet Explorer Alert

Internet Explorer Alert

The U.S. government's Computer Emergency Readiness Team (US-CERT) is warning Web surfers to stop using Microsoft's Internet Explorer (IE) browser.

On the heels of last week's sophisticated malware attack that targeted a known IE flaw, US-CERT updated an earlier advisory to recommend the use of alternative browsers because of "significant vulnerabilities" in technologies embedded in IE.

Full Alert Text Click Here or On The Left US-CERT Alert

Williams Peace Plan

Robin Williams Plan for Peace
Leave it to Robin Williams to come up with the perfect plan... what we need now is for our UN Ambassador to stand up and repeat this message.
Robin Williams' plan... (Hard to argue with this logic!)
"I see a lot of people yelling for peace but I have not heard of a plan for peace.
So, here's one plan:

1. The US will apologize to the world for our "interference" in their affairs, past & present. You know, Hitler, Mussolini, Tojo, Noriega, Milosovich and the rest of those 'good ole boys.' We will never "interfere" again.

2. We will withdraw our troops from all over the world, starting with Germany, South Korea and the Philippines. They don't want us there.We would station our troops at all US borders. No more will anyone sneak through holes in the fence.

3. All illegal aliens have 90 days to get their affairs together and leave. We'll give them a free trip home. After 90 days the remainder will be gathered up and deported to France immediately, regardless of who or where they are. France should welcome them.

4. All future visitors will be thoroughly checked and limited to 90 days unless given a special permit. No one from a terrorist nation would be allowed in. If you don't like it there, change it yourself and don't hide here. Asylum would never be available to anyone. We don't need any more cab drivers or 7-11 cashiers who won't speak English.

5. No "students" over age 21. The older ones are the bombers. If they don't attend classes, or they get a "D" and it's back home baby!.Never to Return.

6. The US will make a strong effort to become self-sufficient energy wise.This will include developing non-polluting sources of energy but will require a temporary drilling of oil in the Alaskan wilderness. The caribou will have to cope for a while.

7. Offer Saudi Arabia and other oil producing countries $10 a barrel for their oil. If they don't like it, we go some place else. They can go somewhere else to sell their production. (About a week of the wells filling up their storage sites would be enough.)

8. If there is a famine or other natural catastrophe in the world, we will not "interfere." They can pray to Allah or whomever, for seeds, rain, cement or whatever they need. Besides most of what we give them is stolen or given to the army. The people who need it most get very little, if anything.

9. Ship the UN Headquarters to an isolated island some place.! We don't need the spies and fair weather friends here. Besides, the building would make a good homeless shelter or lockup for illegal aliens.

10. All Americans must go to charm and beauty school. That way, no one can call us "Ugly Americans" any longer.
Now, ain't that a winner of a plan."The Statue of Liberty is no longer saying 'Give me your poor, your tired, your huddled masses

' She's got a baseball bat and she's yelling, 'You want a piece of me?"


I ran across this over a year ago and it still seems fitting today, what do you think ?

IBM Sells Out U.S. Jobs

Well It's Official

IBM sells PC business for $1.25B.
China's Lenovo to become world's No. 3 manufacturer;
Big Blue Sells Out American Jobs.

I wonder if there is anything we will be able to buy that says
"Made In America"

There goes another 2,300 "American" jobs !!!

Email IBM Click Here

December 7

President Roosevelt calling December 7, "a date which will live in infamy..."

Job cut plans accelerate

Job cut plans accelerate



Hit by rising health care and energy costs, employers announced more than 100,000 job cuts in November, capping the first three-month stretch above that level since early 2002, an outplacement firm said Tuesday. Challenger, Gray & Christmas Inc. said companies announced 104,530 job cuts in November, up 5.1 percent from a year earlier and 2.6 percent from October.

The September through November totals mark the first time that announced job cuts have topped 100,000 for three or more straight months since January to April of 2002, the firm said. U.S. employers have announced 930,690 job cuts this year.

But if December cuts reach 69,310, it will mark the fourth straight year with 1 million cuts announced by U. S. employers, Challenger added. Challenger said the economy's biggest worry is that a "large number of lower-middle class and middle-class Americans struggling to make it paycheck-to-paycheck will be short of discretionary income during the holiday shopping season." In addition to job cuts, the pace of job creation has been sluggish during the current expansion. The number of jobs created since the last recession ended in November 2001 has been the slowest of any economic recovery in the United States since World War II.

"We've fallen far short of prior economic expansions," said JPMorgan Fleming's Chan. "We're about 5-1/2 million (jobs) short of where would be today if this were a typical expansion."

IBM To Sell Out To China

IBM plans to exit PC business

International Business Machines Corp. has put its personal computing business up for sale in a deal that could be worth as much as $2 billion. Lenovo Group Ltd., China's top PC manufacturer, and at least one other company are said to be in talks with IBM. In its first disclosure that a deal may be imminent, Lenovo said it was in acquisition talks with a major technology company, without identifying the firm. The move to dispose of its PC business, which IBM started two and a half decades ago, is part of a long-standing effort by IBM to reduce its exposure to the market. It already relies on contract manufacturing partners, including a joint venture with China's Great Wall Technology, to produce all of its PCs. The deal would propel Lenovo from eighth place among PC manufacturers to the No. 3 position, combining its own 2.2 percent share with the 5.5 percent held by IBM. IBM's PC business employs roughly 10,000 people, including about 2,300 in the United States -- mostly product designers, marketers and sales specialists -- and some 7,700 overseas, a company spokesman said.

The latter includes more than 4,000 manufacturing workers in China employed by IBM's joint venture with Great Wall Technology in the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen. Most IBM ThinkPads are built through this joint venture.

Well I guess that would mean all 10,000 jobs are lost to China !!
First WalMArt now IBM
Merry Christmas
To The Already 7,700 lost jobs.

Email IBM Click Here

Blog Has No Borders

From France to Canada this blog is spanning the world. If you don't think "Life On The Hill" finds interested people from around the globe visiting us, ask Ron or myself....

If you have a thought or poem...
Blog it.

Your favorite dinner dish or dessert...
Blog it.

Start writing a book and Blog it.

Put your photos here for share with the world...

Blog it...

House To House Search

Trying To Imagine Urban Warfare

I watch and read the news everyday on the fighting in Fallujah, not realizing the true extent of what our troops are up against until I ran across this ariel map of Fallujah taken last November. Dialup users beware this is a 12Mb file but very well worth a close look at the true meaning of house to house search. After seeing this map indeed a few extra prayers will be said tonight for our troops stationed there.

Click Here To View The Map

Mouse Lesson 1

Mouse Lesson No. 1

Cute Picture ??

Not if it just suddenly appears on your computer !!

New worm out click here to read about Mugly.

Firewall Safety

Firewall Safety

Off to the right I posted a new article, Understanding Your Firewall, a firewall is a piece of hardware or software that stops would-be idiots from hijacking your computer, special note for cable and satallite users,the DNS range is more widely know than for dialup accounts. I have Charter Cable so I expect a few more idiots to scan for open ports over a dialup account as cable companies use a specific DNS range (DNS=your computer's address and location). Windows XP has a built-in firewall so make sure it is turned on. Other operating systems need to have a firewall added in. If you don't think you need a firewall and that nobody is interested in you, think again, these jerks scan entire ranges of DNS's looking for an open door. I posted the article and am doing so here to let you know how important it is. To show my point I was going to add my BlackIce (Firewall software) log here but realized it is three pages long just for the last 24 hours. A total of 186 idiots out there just scanning the internet for somebody to have the door open. Just when you thought email was the only way to get hacked...those 186 idiots may have found your door open !

If you need help turning on your firewall or need one, give me a buzz.

Ha Ha Internet

Technical Cyber Security Alert TA04-336A

THIS IS THE ONE JIM

Cyber Security Bulletin SB04-336

Cyber Security Bulletin SB04-336
Microsoft Internet Explorer 'Save Picture As' Image Download Spoofing

System effected
Microsoft
Internet Explorer 6.0 with Windows XP SP2

A vulnerability exists which can be exploited by malicious people to trick users into downloading malicious files. The vulnerability is caused due to Internet Explorer using the file extension from the URL's filename when saving images with the 'Save Picture As' command and also strips the last file extension if multiple file extensions exist. This can be exploited by a malicious web site to cause a valid image with malicious, embedded script code to be saved with an arbitrary file extension.

Workaround: Disable the 'Hide extension for known file types' option and add the proper extension to the file name in the File name box when saving.

A Proof of Concept exploit has been published.

Secunia Advisory ID, SA13317, November 26, 2004

Perchlorate

Perchlorate

The government has found traces of a rocket fuel chemical in organic milk in Maryland, green leaf lettuce grown in Arizona and bottled spring water from Texas and California.

What's not clear is the significance of the data, collected by the Food and Drug Administration through August 19.

Sufficient amounts of perchlorate can affect the thyroid, potentially causing delayed development and other problems.

Full story....

Federal agencies have been trying since the early 1990s to determine what level of perchlorate is safe.

You would think in 14 years they would know...

Exploratory Data on Perchlorate in Food - FDA Website

Most Looked Up Word

A four-letter term that came to symbolize the difference between old and new media during this year's presidential campaign tops U.S. dictionary publisher Merriam-Webster's list of the 10 words of the year.

Merriam-Webster Inc. said on Tuesday that blog, defined as "a Web site that contains an online personal journal with reflections, comments and often hyperlinks," was one of the most looked-up words on its Internet sites this year.

Full Story Here...

Little beknownst, I am also an earthquake buff. So here's a link to a "VERY" cool software that just happens to also be "FREE" from the USGS.
Slope Performance During an Earthquake

Java Programs for using Newmark’s method and simplified decoupled analysis to model slope performance during earthquakes

Randall W. Jibson and Matthew W. Jibson

Request a copy of this FREE program on CD-ROM from the author
(Please include the mailing address you want it sent to!)

P.S. Mailed to you free too....

I love the USGS !!!

Mini-Putt

Mini-Putt

Can anybody beat a par 39?

The Box

Thinking Outside The Box

Thinking Outside the Box means thinking beyond the parameters of human consciousness and experience - to see beyond the norm - to be a visionary - to activate your DNA. We exist inside the box - the physical plane - but we soon evolve our conscious awareness back to its source of creation - outside the box.



Imagine your experience in third dimension as a puzzle box.
The spheres, rods, grids, holding it in place.
When you think outside the box, the box goes away.
[Note; 3x3=9=closures, endings]

Physical reality is the Tree of Life.
Tree=wood
Geometric shapes - Platonic Solids -
create physical forms that keeps you inside the box.
When you awaken - you move your consciousness 'outside the box'.

Pinocchio was a wooden puppet who became a physical boy.
He was guided by the 'Blue Fairy' (Blue=blueprint of our reality)
In many meditations I have seen humanity as puppets on strings.
To prove himself, he entered the water
(collective unconscious - creation)
and saved his creator, Geppetto.

Are you trapped inside the box?
Can you think 'outside of the box'?
It means leaving behind frustration, anger, stress, and fear.
Can you be creative?
Can you manifest in a reality of infinite possibilities?

Relax. Close your eyes.
See yourself 'in the box'.
Now visualize yourself
or remote view yourself moving
'outside of the box'.

What do you see?

If reality is a 'box'
created by electromagnetic energy grids
how does one use the hidden key to unlock the door
to become free of the pull of the grid of emotions and
able to think 'out of the box' and into higher awareness?

Metaphors: The Ark of the Covenant
is a box which holds a source of creational light energy
that works as a generator or battery in our reality.
Creation takes place outside of the box.
How does one move 'out of the box' to find the true
source of the power or light that forms our reality? The box is also a vessel. Your physical form is often referred to as a vessel at the heart of which is your soul spark of light. When you move your consciousness 'out of the box'
you move out of your physical form.

We also have Jack in the BoX
who is the Clown, Trickster, Joker
who is linked to the elements of surprise
music, geometry and The Game of 3D.
When you think 'out of the box'
you can think beyond his Game.


The Sepher Yetsira (Sefer Yetzirah): Cube of Space

Does the box have many layers and dimensions?
Is(?) Humanity evolving out of the box and into the light of creation.

POW/MIA INTERNET BLACKOUT DAY

POW/MIA INTERNET BLACKOUT DAY

Back in August I made an early commitment to shut down the following sites for 24 hours, for the people who visit one or more of these sites I will from time to time be reminding you of this commitment I made and that these's sites will be closed:

http://millenniumgroup.4mg.com
http://virusnews.4mg.com
http://newport.4mg.com
http://oregon.4mg.com
http://pow-mia.4mg.com

To View The Page That Will Display Click Here


There will be NO redirect on these sites,
THEY WILL BE CLOSED.
Only the above banner will load.
All other sites will be open.
Thank You

Poem.gif

Easily Made With GIF Constructor (classes anyone?)

Grinch

Couple points Grinchly finger at neighbors

MONTE SERENO, California (AP) -- For six years, Alan and Bonnie Aerts transformed their Silicon Valley home into a Christmas wonderland, complete with surfing Santa, jumbo candy canes and a carol-singing chorus of mannequins.

Visitors loved it.

Last year, after NBC's "Weekend Today" featured the $150,000 display of custom-designed props, more than 1,500 cars prowled the Aertses' cul-de-sac in this upscale San Jose suburb each night.

This year, though, the merry menagerie stayed indoors. Instead, on the manicured lawn outside the couple's Tudor mansion stands a single tiding: a 10-foot-tall Grinch with green fuzz, rotting teeth, and beet-red eyeballs.

The Aertses erected the smirking giant to protest the couple across the street -- 16-year residents Le and Susan Nguyen, who initiated complaints to city officials that the display was turning the quiet neighborhood into a Disneyesque nightmare.

Alan Aerts, who makes sure the Grinch's spindly finger points directly to the Nguyens' house, says the complaints killed the exhibit. They also violated the Christmas spirit, he said.

"When I grew up, people decorated everything -- it was wonderful to be a kid," said the 48-year-old soft drink distributor and philanthropist. "If you can't even put up a display these days, what kind of people have we become?"

The Nguyens say that even after the Aertses hired a security guard to help direct traffic, the commotion kept them from having friends over for their own lower-key celebrations.

"We wake up to Christmas for about 45 days of the year," said Le Nguyen, 55. "You ever seen the movie 'Groundhog Day?' It's just like that."

The exhibition's death knell came last year, when the Nguyens collected 90 signatures of protest from residents, and the city council voted to require a permit for any exhibit lasting longer than three days.

Mayor Erin Garner voted against it, saying he thought the Aertses provided a community service.

"It will be a crying shame if (Alan) doesn't put his holiday lights up this year," he told the San Jose Mercury News.

After studying the application process, the Aertses decided the usual display wasn't worth the hassle.

So Alan Aerts, a 6-foot-5 amateur body builder, commissioned the $2,500 motorized Grinch statue, which waves its arms and emits steam as a raspy tenor belts out, "You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch."

Susan Nguyen, 52, is unmoved.

"It was oppressive," she said. "Maybe not if you just spent 10 minutes admiring it from your car, but if you lived next door, it was definitely oppressive."

Ahhhh, the true meaning of Christmas displayed by these folks.......

trivia from a twisted mind

Nigerian Loan Scams - 419 Scam

Nigerian Loan Scams - 419 Scam Information

Nigerian, or "419", scams are one of the most common types of fraudulent email currently hitting inboxes. The scam messages can also arrive via fax or letter. The messages generally claim that your help is needed to access a large sum of money, usually many millions of dollars. In fact, this money does not exist. The messages are an opening gambit designed to draw potential victims deeper into the scam. Those who initiate a dialogue with the scammers by replying to the scam messages will eventually be asked for advance fees supposedly required to allow the deal to proceed. They may also become the victims of identity theft.

For More Information, click on the Internet and Phone Scams Icon on the left toolbar of this page.

Holiday Travel

Are you traveling tomorrow ?
Have friends and/or family coming in ?

Weather Links Click On Them

National Interstate Road Conditions

F.A.A. Air Traffic Control System Command Center (Airport Conditions)

Interactive National Severe Weather Map

Happy Holidays

Thanksgiving Post Day 2

THANKSGIVING DINNER
ETIQUETTE TIPS

After tasting the turkey never ask,"Is this Cosco?"

There is an old saying that fish and visitors stink after 3 days. We at Comedyzine also have a saying. Never tell any of your fellow guests that they smell like fish.

If the turkey is too dry, it is okay to spit on your turkey however refrain from spitting on your neighbor's turkey.

Do not blow your nose on the tablecloth. You may use the tablecloth as a napkin by tucking it into your pants. It is important to remove the tablecloth from your pants when leaving the table.

Keys, purses and briefcases should be kept off the dinner table at all times. Same goes for cats, ant farms, used hyperdermic needles, anything furry and moving and missing digits from deceased family members.

Refrain from speaking with your mouth full. If you must speak, spit your food out on the carpet and then say whatever is on your mind.

Remember to keep your elbows off the table and to sit up straight. If you have doubts about where your hands belong then just put them in your lap.

If you find a hair in your soup, eat around it. Same goes for a toupee.

If you have a food particle trapped in your teeth, do not pick at it with your fork. You could put a hole in your cheek. The unsightly hole and the huge amount of blood loss will not only be embarrassing, it will also make it more difficult to enjoy your meal. Also a knife works better.

Feel free to smoke at the dinner table. If you need an ashtray just use the glass of the person sitting next to you. Preferably when he/she is looking the other way.

If you need to take medication while at the table, no explanations are necessary. However if you require a blood transfusion during dinner, it is appropriate to let the host/hostess know beforehand.

Always pass the food to your right. Even if there is no one on your right and in doing so you would be dropping food on the floor. Remember, etiquette first.

It is impolite to salt your food before tasting it. It is also considered impolite to regurgitate your food after tasting it.

Never juggle your cutlery.

If you happen to pass gas at the table, always blame the dog. If they have no dog then blame the person next to you. Never blame the goldfish.

Only AFTER dinner is it appropriate for you to do your 'pull the tablecloth without disturbing any of the dishes' trick. Remember even if the trick fails, a broken dish is one less dish to wash.

It is rude to salt and pepper your food before tasting it. It is really rude to salt and pepper the food of the person next to you, unless of course you tasted it first.

Never ask the hostess for ketchup.

Refrain from the ventriloquist act yelling "ouch" as if it came from the turkey as it is carved.

Don't use the chainsaw to carve the turkey.

Thanksgiving Post Day 1

HOW THANKSGIVING DAY HAS CHANGED IN MODERN TIMES

The pilgrims started Thanksgiving Day by breaking thanksgiving bread with the Indians. Today many Americans enjoy Thanksgiving Day gambling in Indian Casinos losing all their bread.

President Truman started the tradition of the President of the United States pardoning the White House turkey as a gesture of goodwill. Starting with President Clinton after he pardons the turkey, Republicans call for the Attorney General to appoint an independent counsel to investigate why he pardoned the turkey.

When Thanksgivings Day began it was a time when people shared their food with Indians. Today we pay disrespect to Indians by naming football teams such as the Redskins after their ethnicity and watching Cowboys.

Originally the Pilgrims had thanksgiving as a day of prayer. Today American still consider it a day of prayer as they pray for their favorite football team to win.

Thanksgiving started as the season to give thanks for our union with our families. Today we give thanks not just for our families but for our stepfather's families and our stepmother's families. We celebrate our dysfunctional families as a truly American phenomenon.




Click Here To See The Village Turkeys


Ckick Here To See The Mice Praying

Donate Your Computer Idle Time

Donate Your Computer Idle Time

Does your computer run idle during the day?
Do you let your computer run all the time?

If you answered yes to either question, I have a proposal for you...

A number of years back Berkeley started a program call SETI@Home, SETI@home is a scientific experiment that uses Internet-connected computers in the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI). You download their free software and while your computer just sits idle it downloads and analyzes radio telescope data looking for communications from a far away civilization. I have ran it for a long time now and it uses almost zero computer resources. By utilizing millions of home computers it helps solve the problem of sorting through mountains of data. A very worthy project considering the stories you could tell if "your" computer found that telltale signal.

Which brings me to point out a new launch project structured after the SETI@Home efforts called;

World Community Grid - A very worthy project to get involved with...
Based on the same structure you download their software and while your computer is idle it analyzes their mountains of data.

-Human Proteome Folding Project-

World Community Grid is focusing on a project key to advancing our knowledge of human disease. By identifying the proteins that make up the Human Proteome, scientists can build the understanding needed for novel and effective treatments for diseases like cancer, HIV/AIDS, SARS, and malaria. Here again using millions of home PC's to sort through all that data.

Very worthy projects that you can help out with by donating your computer downtime, to learn more about either of these two projects just left click on the blue highlighted words in this message.

Your Great Great Grandchildren reading their text book in school that's says "thier" Great Great Grandparents Computer found the cure !!!

W32.Sober.I@mm

W32.Sober.I@mm


A new mass-mailing worm has been discovered today, opening rate Level 3.

More info click here

Please update your virus definitions ASAP.

Dog & Leopard

The Dog and The Leopard
========================

A wealthy man decided to go on a safari in Africa. He took his
faithful pet dog along for company. One day the dog starts
chasing butterflies and before long he discovers that he is
lost. So, wandering about he notices a leopard heading rapidly
in his direction with the obvious intention of having lunch.

The dog thinks, "Boy, I'm in deep doo doo now."

Then he noticed some bones on the ground close by, and
immediately settles down to chew on the bones with his back to
the approaching cat.

Just as the leopard is about to leap, the dog exclaims loudly,
"Man, that was one delicious leopard. I wonder if there are any
more around here?" Hearing this the leopard halts his attack in
mid stride, as a look of terror comes over him, and slinks away
into the trees.

"Whew," says the leopard, "That was close.
That dog nearly had me."

Meanwhile, a monkey who had been watching the whole scene from a
nearby tree, figures he can put this knowledge to good use and
trade it for protection from the leopard.

So, off he goes. But the dog saw him heading after the leopard
with great speed, and figured that something must be up. The
monkey soon catches up with the leopard, spills the beans and
strikes a deal for himself with the leopard.

The leopard is furious at being made a fool of and says,
"Here monkey, hop on my back and see what's going to happen to
that conniving canine."

Now the dog sees the leopard coming with the monkey on his back,
and thinks, "What am I going to do now?"

But instead of running, the dog sits down with his back to his
attackers pretending he hasn't seen them yet.

Just when they get close enough to hear, the dog says,

"Where's that monkey. I just can never trust him.
I sent him off half an hour ago to bring me another leopard,
and he's still not back!!"

Credit Card Scam

Please read this information on a current VISA & MasterCard Telephone
Credit Card Scam. By understanding how the scam works, you'll
Be better prepared to protect yourself. Thanks to Dr. Pat Cloney
for passing this on. These con artists get more creative every day.

My husband was called on Wednesday from "VISA", and I was called on
Thursday from "MasterCard". The scam works like this:

Person calling says, "this is , and I'm calling from the
Security and Fraud Department at VISA. My Badge number is
12460. Your card has been flagged for an unusual purchase
pattern, and I'm calling to verify. This would be on your VISA
card which was issued by bank. Did you purchase an
Anti-Telemarketing Device for $497.99 from a marketing
company based in Arizona?"

When you say "No", the caller continues with, "Then we will
be issuing a credit to your account. This is a company we have
been watching and the charges range from $297 to $497, just
under the $500 purchase pattern that flags most cards. Before
your next statement, the credit will be sent to (gives you your
address), is that correct?"

You say "yes". The caller continues... "I will be starting a
Fraud investigation. If you have any questions, you should
call the 1-800 number listed on the back of your card (1-800-VISA)
and ask for Security. You will need to refer to this Control #"
The caller then gives you a 6 digit number. "Do you need me to
read it again?"

Here's the IMPORTANT part on how the scam works. The caller then says,
"he needs to verify you are in possession of your card".

He'll ask you to "turn your card over and look for some numbers.
There are 7 numbers; the first 4 are your card number, the next 3
are the 'Security Numbers' that verify you are in possession of the
card. These are the numbers you use to make Internet purchases
to prove you have the card. Read me the 3 numbers". After you
tell the caller the 3 numbers, he'll say ,"That is correct. I just
needed to verify that the card has not been lost or stolen, and that
you still have your card. Do you have any other questions?"
After you say No, the caller then Thanks you and states, "Don't
hesitate to call back if you do", and hangs up.

You actually say very little, and they never ask for or tell you the
card number. But after we were called on Wednesday, we called
back within 20 minutes to ask a question. Are we glad we did! The REAL
VISA Security Department told us it was a scam and in the last 15
minutes a new purchase of $497.99 was charge on on our card.

Long story made short, we made a real fraud report and closed
the VISA card, and they are reissuing us a new number. What the
scammers wants is the 3-digit PIN number on the back of the card.
Don't give it to them. Instead, tell them you'll call VISA or Master
card direct. The real VISA told us that they will never ask for
anything on the card as they already know the information since
they issued the card! If you give the scammers your 3 Digit PIN
Number, you think you're receiving a credit. However, by the time
you get your statement, you'll see charges for purchases you didn't
make, and by then it's almost to late and/or harder to actually file
a fraud report.

What makes this more remarkable is that on Thursday, I got a call from
a "Jason Richardson of MasterCard" with a word-for-word repeat of the
VISA scam. This time I didn't let him finish. I hung up!

We filed a police report, as instructed by VISA. The police said they
are taking several of these reports daily! They also urged us to tell
everybody we know that this scam is happening.

Please pass this on to all your friends. By informing each other, we
protect each other. Thank-You.

Mydoom

Latest Mydoom Virus May Signal Dreaded 'Zero Day' Attack

Reprinted From: Computerworld NOV 15, 2004

The latest version of the Mydoom virus suggests to security experts that a much-anticipated "zero day" attack may have already arrived.


"Zero day" refers to an exploit, either a worm or a virus, that arrives on the heels of, or even before, the public announcement of a vulnerability in a computer system. This week's version of Mydoom appeared only two days after a security flaw in Windows Internet Explorer was made public by two hackers, according to reports.


What's different about this version of the virus is that instead of attaching itself to an e-mail as an executable program, it appears instead as a Web link within the text of an e-mail message. Clicking on the link will direct a person's browser to another Web site that will exploit an IFrames vulnerability in Internet Explorer and thereby infect that person's machine.


"Up until today, every worm that came out had a fix and that fix was out there for some time," said Stuart McClure, president and chief technology officer of Foundstone Strategic Security in Mission Viejo, Calif.


McClure suggests that it will be only a short time before a worm or virus appears exploiting an unknown vulnerability with no mechanism to fix it. The time difference between when security vulnerabilities become known and exploits are created to take advantage of those flaws has been shrinking for some time. Two years ago, that time difference was somewhere between four and six weeks.


"For the first six months of this year, [that difference] was about 5.8 business days, and in this most recent case, it was just two days," said Alfred Huger, senior director of engineering at Symantec Corp. in Calgary, Alberta. "The problem is that it is extremely difficult for a vendor to put out a patch in that short of a time."


Carol Terentiak, security strategy and response manager at Microsoft Canada Co. in Mississauga, Ontario, said this version of Mydoom suggests that virus and worm writers are becoming more sophisticated and going beyond merely tweaking existing virus code. They are doing more sophisticated work by first prying apart and looking for problems in the systems they may want to compromise, she said.


There was some suggestion that the release of the virus was timed to disrupt Microsoft's monthly security bulletin. Each month, Microsoft releases a security bulletin that provides customers with information about security issues, exploits and fixes that are available. The timing of this Mydoom variant indicated to some that its author may have hoped to trip up the bulletin by showing it to be inadequate in providing up-to-date security information and fixes to Microsoft customers.


Terentiak said Microsoft users who have installed Service Pack 2 for Windows XP are already at a reduced risk of having problems with this virus. Service Pack 2 comes with built-in protections against the kinds of exploits that Mydoom tries to perpetrate. Still, Microsoft is working on a separate patch for the vulnerability in Internet Explorer.


Terentiak advised people who are concerned to check online at either www.microsoft.com/security or www.microsoft.com/protect for more information.

Hyperlinks

Ron has graciously asked me to help on the website, thank you Ron, I think...LOL

When I find the extra time all the links to other sites here on the Blog will open in a separate new window, so if you are reading an article and want to check out the link, you will not navigate away from the Blog. No more Back Button...Back Button...Back Button, to return to the Blog.

If the other people with access want to help out the htlm is simple;

after your
a href="where-ever.com"

add in: target="new"

example

a href="where-ever.com " target="new"

Also if anybody wants their own website but is intimidated at the concept of writing one I have a wonderfully simple yet powerful WebPage Designer Software

With 1 hour of instruction you'll have your professional looking site online.
Now what's it cost you ask?

Well I do love Snickers candy bars...

P.S. The Blue Highlighted Words in the posts here are usually what we call a hyperlink, meaning that when you click on there it will take you somewhere else
So if you post here try not to confuse people and post in blue unless it is a link.

trivia from a twisted mind...

Frauds - Spam

Frauds and Spam Email
or Charges on your phone and Credit Card Bills

There are tons of fraud and spam mail floating around, most is a harmless pain in the butt but(pun), some can rob you of you life savings AND your credit rating. A good website to check people out at is www.bbb.org, the Better Business Boys. Do an internet search on the company...if they are up to no good, they will show up on the internet. Post your findings on the blog, search engines find these posts and can alert people all over to those nasty guys. If you need help tracking the originator of unwanted or fraudulent email do the following things

Right Click on the Inbox Message and choose Properties
Choose the Details Tab
Choose the Message Source Tab

Copy ALL the information there and paste it to an email and click here to send it to me, in around 65% of the cases I can track it back, spammers do have their tricks to hide also...

and REMEMBER - "Real Companies" Already Have Your Personal Info
Theives need "you" to provide it to them....