Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Computer Tips [ Critical Security Alert - Or Is It? + Some Alarming New Numbers About Your Email + 5 Must-Know Pointers For That New PC ] 06/17/2009

Computer Tipswww.worldstart.com

Quick Tips

The Week in Technology


Using GPS for driving directions might be a good idea, but for driving directions to a home you have to demolish might not. According to Consumer Reports, a house in Carrol County, Georgia was demolished by accident when a wrecking crew was misguided by a GPS device (oops!).


Intel is beginning to target the smartphone processor market with it’s new version of the Atom processor, codenamed Mooretown; In 2011 the company plans to release another, more advanced processor codenamed Medfield.


Tetris, a popular puzzle game created by the Russian mathematician, Alexey Pajitnov, turns twenty-five this month after being introduced in 1984.


Facebook allowed users the opportunity to register a vanity URL for their Facebook profile on June 12th. According to reports, almost a quarter of a million users have registered a vanity URL; Apparently the feature was a success for the social networking giant.

~ Bryan Scheiber is a Systems Administrator in Metro Detroit.
He can be reached at: bryan@bryzo.com

Ah, the news! Tell us your thoughts about it here:
http://www.worldstart.com/tips/tips.php/tech-news-6-16-09

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Here's a few of our tips with recent suggestions:

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Announcements

WOW! STILL Goin' Like CRAZY!

We thought these sold good Monday, but we sold even more yesterday! Thank YOU to the hundreds (and hundreds) who ordered! If you missed out, RUN to the site and find out what all the excitement is about! This is fast turning into our hottest seller of the month and let me tell ya - it really is AMAZING! You won't believe the detail, the information, and the fantastic graphics! You've REALLY GOT to give this one a try!

Know Yourself - From The Inside Out!

Mind-Blowing, Absolutely AMAZING Anatomy & Medical Software

Incredible, Jaw-Droppin' High-Res Maps Of The Entire Human Body!

Outstanding Medical Dictionary and Encyclopedia!

You've Just Got To See This!

human body

The BEST Selling Human Anatomy Software in the USA!!!

Human Body 360 - DVD Professional Edition!

Human Body

We've been waiting and waiting for this and it finally came in!! I heard this was a phenomenal program so I've been dying to see what all the hoopla was about! Now that I've seen it, all I can say is, WOW!! JUUUST AWESOME!!! This is the most fully updated and complete consumer anatomy software available anywhere!!! And when you load this into your computer you'll know why!

The program is called Human Body 360 - DVD Professional Edition, and it's actually THREE Programs In One!!

Anatomy Atlas - High resolution maps of the entire human body. You can pinpoint specific parts of the anatomy and you're guided with accompany text, graphics and animations!

Medical Encyclopedia - A detailed visual encyclopedia loaded with text and illustrations linked together

Illustrated Medical Dictionary - A complete medical dictionary containing over 82,000 entries including 63,000 definitions, 11,000 illustrations, and more than 73,000 audio pronunciations! It's like having a printed dictionary in your computer, except you don't have to reach any farther than your keyboard  to look up the meaning of a word.  Just type in a word into the dictionary search window, or select a word using your mouse, and the dictionary will find the meaning of the word instantly! And the "audio pronunciation feature" reads the word to you so you can hear exactly how to pronounce it correctly!

human body

This a complete guide to the human body and how it works! And what's really cool is that the different programs all work together so you can drill-down and get as much detailed information as you need!

And let me tell you, there's a TON of information here!! Check this out:

Over 500 3-D models and animations

Over 3,000 detailed illustrations and graphics!

All together there's over 5,000 screens that cover virtually everything about the human body!

Human Body

You're gonna love the high resolution images. You can print them out right from each screen!

One feature that I thought was really great is something called, the "X-Ray Viewer"! This lets you see different layers of the body at the same time. Here's a screen shot I took of one of the slides. Sorry the screen shot isn't better, but the graphics in this program are so detailed it's tough to show it with a small screen shot!

Anyway, I brought up one of the illustrations, which was the muscle system. Then I clicked on the "X-Ray viewer", which has a "slider handle" that you just click on and drag up and down. Wherever you have the slide it shows an "X-Ray" view of the part of the body that you have the slider over! So you can look at one illustration, click on the X-Ray viewer and slide it down and now you can see what's "below" the body system you're viewing! I was looking at the muscular system and right around the neck level I clicked on the "X-Ray viewer". So at that point it shows the circulatory system just below where I clicked! Very cool!!!

human body

Here's another feature I liked called, "Virtual Reality" technology lets you move specific anatomical models to view them from a a variety of angles and perspectives. This is one of the 3-D models. Right below the model there's a section with some text that are detailed illustrations you can click on. (Again, I had to make these screen shots small so that I could include them here. The actual photos you see on the program are MUCH larger!) So you can click on an area of the diagram and you quickly zoom-in and get a "close up" view! If you double-click on an area of the photo, it'll bring up a page of text that gives you detailed information about what you're viewing!.

Plus you can click on a navigation arrow and now see the same section of the body from the side. Click again and now you see if from another angle! Cool, heh?

Human Body

There's just so much to this program and so many features, I can't list them all. Hopefully this will give you a taste of why I like this so much! And this retails for $29.99 (and worth every penny) but you don't have to pay that! You've not even going to pay half of that! Because today we've got this hugely popular program for just $9.97 and US shipping is FREE!!! But you better hurry cause these will be gone pretty quick!

http://store.worldstart.com/product.php?productid=5162

Human Body

P.S. If you have teenagers or college students, how much easier would it be for them to use this to help them with their biology homework assignments!!! Are you kidding me?? They'll love it!!


The Most Incredible SD Card EVER Conceived! REALLY!

"Why Didn't I Think Of That?"

http://imgsrv.worldstart.com/ct-images/red-siren.gif"Ground-Breaking Technology Alert"!!! http://imgsrv.worldstart.com/ct-images/red-siren.gif

Hold On To Your Digital Caps Folks!!!

NOW... You Can Transfer Your Photos To A Computer

WITHOUT A CARD READER!!!

dual card reader

Or Even A Camera Cable!!

Too Good To Be True? That's What We Thought, But Read On...

Imagine...you're at a party at a friend's house and, of course, you take your camera along and you take a bunch of pictures. What happens next? EVERYBODY wants to see the pictures, right? At this point, you're probably thinking you're gonna have to go home, download all the pictures onto YOUR computer and then send emails to EVERYBODY who wants to see them!!! (there goes your night!) Well, maybe that was then...but not now!!

How 'bout this instead: just take out your SD card from your camera, take off the end of your new Secure Digital Dual and now you have a USB connector...ON THE END OF YOUR SD CARD!!! Just plug that into your friend's computer and now Everybody Can See All Those Photos Right On The Computer!!! Right then and there!!! You're the hero of the party AND you don't have to spend all night emailing photos just so people can see them!!!

Yeah, I know...."Where was this five years ago?" Well, it didn't exist back then....but we got 'em now!!!! And you are gonna love this card!

I'm sure you've gone on vacation, were out for the day taking some great shots and you wanted to see how they looked. Not just on that tiny LCD on your camera! You know...."How they really look!" You didn't bring your card reader or your camera cable or even your laptop! (Or even if you did, maybe you just don't want to take the time to mess with them, 'cuz now you don't have to!) All you have to do is take that card and just plug it right into the USB port of the computer at the hotel and Voila! "You've Got Pictures!" (How's that for "Instant"!)

And in case you were wonderin', you won't have to be standin' around the computer waiting all day for the photos to download 'cuz this card is FAST... screamin' fast! It has a rated speed of 80x! That's double the rating of the most SD cards! So your files will transfer faster than with a "typical" SD card!!!

PLUS you can load this card with photos 'cuz it sports 1 full GB of memory!! That means it'll hold an average of 230-300 photos from an 8 mega-pixel camera (depending on the specific size of each photo). No more having to delete some pictures so you can take some more! Heck, you've got room to keep 'em all and go thru 'em later! (Now that's what I like!)

And this supersized SD card isn't just for photos! It's an SD card! It's a "souped-up" SD card, but it'll work with any device that uses an SD card!!! So this will work with ANY FILES that fit on an SD card! Say you're at a friends house and they have some songs you want to snag real quick while you're there so you can load them on your computer at home. No problem....as long as you've got your "souped-up" SD card! Just plug this card right into the USB port of their computer and transfer away! And remember, you've got 1GB of memory so you've got TONS of storage room!

This SD card is so versatile you'll want to take it wherever you go - and you can 'cuz it'll fit right in your pocket or purse! But you won't have to empty your wallet or purse to get this "souped-up" SD card...not today anyway. Right now, today...try $12.97 and US shipping is FREE!!!

http://store.worldstart.com/product.php?productid=5103

dual memory card

P.S. - This little card is a must-have not just for photo buffs but for anyone who has any device that uses an SD card!!! It's so simple and easy to use...it's a no-brainer! And so is this price, so you better move on it now cuz you know that isn't gonna last!!!

Computers 101

Q:
When I am surfing the web I sometimes get strange message windows popping up. Windows Security Alerts or error messages saying that my computer is “infected” or “too slow”. How can I tell if they are real and what should I do about them?

A:
Recently there has been an upswing in the number of “Fake Security Alert” messages popping up as people surf the Internet. These message windows say: Your computer is too slow, has been infected by a virus, requires an update or already has been infected with Trojans and other Malware. They are all false warnings, designed to convince users to purchase illegitimate and possibly dangerous fake security software. This article will provide sample screenshots of these phony alerts and outline a few simple ways to recognize and prevent these pesky problems.

Ironically, as people become more aware of the potential problems of malware, the number of these fake message scams increases. Fortunately, there are a few general things you can look for to identify and avoid these phony programs.

1.) They generally use scare tactics that implore you to act immediately to remove a virus, download a critical security update or repair a serious computer problem.


Figure 1

2.) Even though they often try to mimic a legitimate company’s message, there is almost always something that will not be correct. In the example below the Windows Security Center logo is correct and the title looks legitimate. However, the Web address is not Microsoft’s and the download site that the “recommended” program will come from is also not Microsoft.

Some try to look like legitimate Windows Security Updates.


Figure 2

This fake Windows Critical System Warning! is very well done. Closer examination reveals questionable grammar, “and track Web sites visited” and a spelling error, “Secyrity”. I also don’t think Microsoft would warn about “Strange pop up windows”.


Figure 3

These are just a few examples of what a fake message looks like. There are hundreds that might pop up on your screen. But you don’t need to be overly concerned if follow a few general rules. Any message that pops up while you are on the Internet should be considered to be a possible problem until you have done a little research.

Often, just putting the name of the program to be downloaded or the address of the web site you are requested to visit in Google will provide enough information to determine its validity. Two of the largest Anti-virus software companies Symantec and McAfee maintain searchable lists of known threats.

So what should you do if you if a suspect message appears on you screen?

Do not move your mouse anywhere near it.
Clicking anywhere in the window including the standard looking red “X” in the upper right had corner of the window may start downloading the Rogue Software.

Try holding down the “Alt” key and pressing the “F4” key at the same time.
This should close the active rogue message window or the browser that is displaying the message. Then you can continue by opening your browser again.

If the “Alt” key + “F4” combination does not close the suspect message window another way to close it is outlined below.

1.Open the windows Task Manager by pressing the “Ctrl”, “Alt
and “Delete” keys simultaneously.

2.Left click on the “Applications” tab

3.Left click on your browser program or any entry listed as running that you believe may be the problem. Proceed to step 4 after the target program is highlighted, (often it will turn blue).

4.Left click on the “End task” button to close the program

You should always have an up-to-date firewall and virus protection software running every time you turn on your computer. In addition, you can set you browser to block pop up windows. There are several articles on the Worldstart site on how to do this.

Please note: Blocking pop-ups with your browser settings will not stop all of these rogue messages from getting through. Also, you may need to adjust you browser settings to allow pop-ups from certain banking sites or other online services you may not want blocked.

In addition, it is a good practice to run an additional anti-malware program every few days. There are many effective free programs available for download. One that does an excellent job is Malwarebytes Anti-Malware.

You can read about it and download the free version here: http://malwarebytes.org/

~Boyd Lutz

Wow, I liked that one! What did you think? Let us know by rating or adding to this tip here:
http://www.worldstart.com/tips/tips.php/rogue-software-screen-images

MS Office

Information to Excel: What's Your Format Choice?

If you tend to take information from Word, PowerPoint, the Web or wherever to MS Excel then I'm positive that you know about your formatting choices when you paste.

We've all seen the Paste Options button to appear where you can decide to have the information keep its original formatting or have Excel reformat it to match the rest of the worksheet.

But, what if you don't want to mess with the Paste Options button… and yet you still want the choice?

No problem. Here's the quickest way I've found to make the decision.

  • If you want the information to retain its original formatting then select the cell and paste as usual.
  • However, if you want the information to match the formatting of the Excel worksheet then you need to double-click on the cell and then complete the paste. (In other words, you need to get the cursor inside the cell first.)

That's it?

Yep - that's it. No extra buttons, menus or whatnot required. Give it a try - you're going to love it!

~ April

What did you think of this Office Tip? Yay? Nay? Let us know by rating or adding to it here:
http://www.worldstart.com/tips/tips.php/formatting-choices-when-moving-to-excel

More Cool Stuff

Special Offer!

You Know, We've Sent Men To The Moon...

'Bout Time Someone Finally Figured Out How To Make

Earphones That Sound Great...

Bendy-z

And That Are ACTUALLY Comfortable To Wear!

Music To Your Ears!

The Amazing Sound Of Headphones With The Light-Weight Comfort of Ear-Buds

If you've ever tried to listen music with earphones (or "earbuds" as they're often called) you probably have had the same gripes that I've had with 'em. Yeah, they're lightweight but the trouble is you have to "balance" them in your ear canal. And then they usually fall out, so you have to jam 'em so far into your ear that they're REALLY uncomfortable. And then you also have to watch the volume OR ELSE YOU GET BLASTED AWAY!!! So, I had just resigned myself to the fact that they were just more trouble than they were worth.

Well...we found the solution! We've just come across a NICE set that sound GREAT (YES...they're STEREO! ) and are VERY comfortable. (In fact, I'm wearing 'em right now as I'm writing this!)

Let's face it, if earphones aren't comfortable, who cares how they sound, cuz you'll never wear 'em to ever find out! Well, these stream-lined earphones really deliver not only on great sound but comfort too!

Here's why these "Stereo Earphones" work:

First off, each earpiece fits over and behind your ear, so they stay out of the way. And that piece is bendable so you can adjust it to your own comfort level! (Makes a huge difference!)

The other thing I like about these is that the earpiece is wrapped in a thin layer of rubber-neoprene so that makes 'em very comfortable as well. So when you place the earpiece in your ear it stays there...comfortably, and doesn't fall out! And I noticed that by being able to position the earpiece itself, that also explains why the sound is so good!

These are all small points but they're important. And when you point them all together, you have a really great set of earphones that you can take where ever you go! In fact, you can use these at your computer desk if you're working on your computer late at night or early in the morning and you need to keep the sound down.

And the cord is long enough (4 foot) without being too long so as to get tangled and in the way. (Another small point but something I've noticed as a problem with other earphones I've tried!)

And in case you were wonderin', this is the common plug (3.5 mm) that fits into the front and your computer and most other audio devices, like portable radios, laptops, cd /dvd/mp3 players, iPods etc.

Do NOT let the low price fool you on this. We just happened to get a great deal on these so we're passin' along the savings! Believe it or not, today these are just $8.97 and shipping in the US is FREE!

http://store.worldstart.com/product.php?productid=5013

P.S. - At this price, might want to consider picking up 2 or three of these so you have one at your computer, one in the car and one you can stick in your pocket or purse for walks or bike rides!

Warning - This price is set to increase soon! Don't pay $14.97 for 'em later - grab 'em today!!


Oh WOW!

I Never Would Have Believed This Rod and Reel Would Even Work...

Until I Cast That Lure Over 20 Feet!

Coleman Fishing Pole

Amazing Coleman Fishing Rod You Just Gotta Try!

Folds Down To 8 Inches!
(I Know, Where's It All Go?) 

Extends To 3 Feet In Seconds!

Be Prepared! Keep One In Your Car, Boat, Camper - Anywhere!

When we first got this in, I had to laugh. One of our suppliers sent this in and asked us to take a look at it. I thought he was playing another one of his practical jokes! After all, the entire box was less than 9 inches tall...and this was a fishing pole? Yeah, right!

But my curiosity got the best of me so I decided I had to check it out and go through the motions anyway. The first thing I noticed was that this was made by Coleman. As you probably know, these folks make all kinds of terrific outdoor camping gear and have for years. Now they've come out with a "Deluxe Pen-Sized Rod and Reel". I was still debating whether or not this was just a gimmick or if this could actually work.

Anyway, I opened the package, assembled the telescoping pole, attached the reel, threaded the line and attached the rubber "practice" lure (all of which took less than five minutes.) I have to admit, it looked pretty solid. Who knows...maybe I can at least cast it a few feet or maybe it wouldn't work at all.

The moment of truth...time to try it out and find out for sure. So, I went to the warehouse area in back, pushed down the release button on the lure, swung the pole overhead, flicked it forward and released the button and Whoooaa!!!! I couldn't believe it!!! That lure went flying way across the other side of the room!!! (I almost knocked out one of our computer monitors cuz I didn't anticipate it going that far!) All I have to say is this "Pen-Sized Rod and Reel" is definitely no joke...this thing works like...well...a regular rod and reel!!!

After a couple more tries, I was nailing my imaginary targets I had set for myself...this rod and reel were deadly accurate!!! Now, in case you think this was my ability, let's just say I'm not a fisherman, by anymeans. If it's any indication, I fish like I bowl and my golf score is higher than my bowling score...but that's another subject! Anyway, what I'm saying is if someone who knew what they were doing used this pole, let me tell ya, they'd really have some fun!!! This fishing pole is amazing!!! Especially considering its size!

The entire pole fits in a sturdy, aluminum, tubular case that looks like an over-sized pen. When you take the top off you just telescope the alloy rod out and now you have a pole that's over 3 feet long!! And this has the strength, flexibility and "touch" you'd expect of a regular, small fishing rod! That's what's really cool about this...you can keep this in a briefcase, glove box in the car, back pack, heck, maybe even a lunch box (if you're a big eater!) Plus this has a plastic reel housing with solid brass reel! And this comes with a lures bobs and even a hook! Pretty neat, heh?

Coleman Fishing Pole

Heck, this would even be a neat item to keep in the office. You know how some people play "wastebasket ball"? Guess what? Now I can practice my casting using the wastebaskets as targets!  (Shhh..don't tell anyone...I have to do it with the door closed!!)

Coleman Fishing Pole

So, keep this rod and reel within arm's reach and fish when the mood strikes you! And ya better pick one up today with this special offer of just $12.97 and US shipping is FREE!!! That's right!

http://store.worldstart.com/product.php?productid=5062

P.S. - This Coleman Deluxe FishPen is the perfect gift for the avid or amateur fisherman, executive or kid on the go or anyone looking to have some fun! Order today and get it cheap - wait till tomorrow and you're faced with $22.97!!!

Today at WorldStart.com

What is a Template?

Many of you may have heard this term being thrown around before, but now is the time to set the record straight! What is a template exactly? The Worldstart site has the answer!

Cute Overload

Hey you! Yes, you right there! Do you want to see the cutest stuff on the web? Kittens, puppies, bunnies and even meerkats; all at the click of a mouse? Go to Worldstart and get your cute on!

Here's the link you need: http://www.worldstart.com/ Enjoy!

Tip of the Day

Breaking in a new PC

Everyone loves getting a new PC. Why not? It's exciting and fun. However, there are a few things you might want to do before you plug it in and start surfing the web. These good practices include backing up data, taking care of online and physical security, and a few other ideas to help make the migration to your new system as seamless as possible.

According to Swedish security company Sophos, 50% of unpatched systems are infected with some sort of malicious code within 12 minutes of being online. Scary, but don't worry. The techniques described here will help you avoid this nasty statistic, allowing you to surf the web in complete confidence.

1. What do I want from My old PC?
The first thing you want to do to your New PC involves taking a good thorough look at your current PC. Do you want any of the programs or data? Should you back it up or just leave it? Only you can decide what you want to bring over to the new PC. There is a big difference between moving data and programs. In most cases you can simply burn the data to CD. With programs, on the other hand, you must have the original uninstalled program unless you have some 3rd party program that can perform this operation.

A). Moving Data:
You'll probably want to scrap a lot of the data on your current system, or at least put it on a disk to archive. You may want to transfer a lot of data to the new PC, like your favorite images, documents, music, videos, favorites, etc. The easiest way to perform this migration for the average end-user is to simply burn the data (not programs) to disk. When doing this, you must stay extremely organized and label everything clearly enough that the label will be meaningful even months or years from now.
If you're giving your old PC away and wiping your hard drive clean, then this is your last chance to get that data.

Once you get everything you want on disk, you should be able to save the disks' contents onto to the new PC easily. Keep the disks as a complete backup in case of disaster (i.e. dead hard drive). I can't stress enough how important it is to be organized at this step. Having lists and going over all your folders with a fine-toothed comb can save you anguish down the road. You also want to check your backups to make sure nothing is incomplete or corrupt. Trust me, finding this out after you have formatted the hard drive is not a good feeling.

B). Moving Programs:
You can't just copy the application file out of your Programs folder and paste onto a disk to be moved to the new PC. When Programs are installed, they get scattered all over your system, files here and there. The program files look nothing like they did before the install. For this reason you need the original uninstalled version of the program, which usually means installing from the original CD/DVD or burning a new uninstalled download to CD/DVD. Get all your programs together with any serial numbers and put them together with the data you saved from Step 1 in a safe place until needed.

If the program was a downloaded from the web, you'll need that original uninstalled download. You can take all of the downloads you can fit onto a CD and burn them together. When you're ready to start installing programs on your new system, you will be able to do so quickly and offline. Don't forget about device drivers! You're going to need those to properly use any of your old hardware (printers, scanners, cameras, etc.) with the new system.

2. Getting rid of the Promotional Software:
These new PC's seem to be “packed to the Ram” with ISP promotions, demos, and trial versions of software. Thanks, but I'd rather have hard drive space. If I want software, I know where to get it.
Besides, the pop-up messages asking you to pay for continued use once the trial periods end are annoying. I suggest removing all the software that you aren't ever going to use.

3. Securing your New System:
Now it's time to get that new system ready for the Internet. This is a key step in a smart migration; secure your system before you get online.
You should have your antivirus and firewall disk, but what about your spyware protection? Does your PC already have the appropriate service packs installed? All of these security solutions can be installed without being online, protecting your system from the word “GO”.

· Anti-Virus protection is the cornerstone of any good security strategy, and should always be installed, updated, and running to effectively protect you from viral attacks.
· A Firewall is the next thing you should have running, especially if you leave your broadband connection ”ON". You can use the Windows XP Service Pack 2 firewall, but I would look for something a little more functionality. Check our current internet utilities offerings in the Worldstart software store.
· Spyware protection should be the next course of action, don't want to start getting pop ups, or some web beacon day two of your online browsing. Again, check the store.
· Your XP or Vista operating system need to have the mopst current service packs installed. There are a lot of vulnerabilities that take advantage of nonpatched systems.

4. Create User Accounts and Secure the Administrator account:
If the Operating System was already installed on your PC when you got it, which it probably was, then you may want to create some user accounts now. If you just boot right into your desktop, then you're probably using the Administrator Account. Under that setup, anyone who boots up your system will have administrative privileges. Yeah, not good.

Instead, we want to create User Accounts for the PC. Once you create a single account, Windows will hide the default Admin account and log you into the new one. I would suggest creating an account for everyone who plans on using the PC, and set their accounts to Limited User. This will restrict the users form making significant changes to the system. When this is done, you should password protect the Administrator account, which should stop the normal user from augmenting your system.

5. Firewall security:
In addition to the Windows or software firewall, you may want to consider installing a router or hardware firewall. These usually do a superior job compared to their software counterparts, but the two different kinds can work together to offer you superior protection.

~ Chad

Do you feel ready for that new PC? Let us know by rating or adding to this tip here:
http://www.worldstart.com/tips/tips.php/1945

Today's Feature

May Spam Numbers

It seems that no matter what the security experts try, spam levels still manage to go up. Every month Symantec Messagelabs creates a report on email spam that details all spam activity in the world. The most recent report on May's spam levels are very alarming. According to the report, spam levels in may hit an all time record. Nearly 9 out of 10 emails sent in may were spam messages.

As you can see from this chart, spam levels rose to 90.4% in may. These are the highest levels ever!

On top of these numbers are some interesting reports on the time of day that spam is delivered. It seems that spam mailers prefer to send email during US business hours. This may be because this is when the most internet users are online, or because spammers are living in the US. Unfortunately, there is no real way to tell. The following charts from the report show the number of spam email per hour for the US, Australia and the UK

So, as you can see, we are losing the battle against spam for now. Hopefully, this will change in the future.

If you would like to read the full spam report from symantec, you can check it out here: http://www.messagelabs.com/intelligence.aspx

Until next time, stay safe out there!

~Gary

Scary stuff! I hope these numbers go down next month! Let us know what you think of this article by rating or adding to it here:
http://www.worldstart.com/tips/tips.php/spam-by-the-numbers-may

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Amanda's Coolsite

The Color

School is out for summer, and you might just need a way to entertain your kids. Welcome to The Color, an amazing online coloring book!

If you want to save the images they color, you’ll need to get registered for an account! It’s free and easy to do. Click the Sign Up Today link at the top of the page. This will allow you to save any pictures they color to the My Gallery section. You also have the option of e-mailing the images to your family and friends. Or printing it out – to hang on the refrigerator, you could also print them out blank for offline coloring!

To start coloring select a category to pick out the coloring page from, and then all you have to do is select a color, click where on the image you want that color – and poof – there’s color! I love that you aren’t limited to just a few colors, to get more colors to color with click the More Colors link at the bottom of the color chart. At the top of the color chart you’ll be able to see what color you have selected currently.

This is a great way to teach color recognition, eye-hand-coordination, and even the names of all 192 colors offered on the site. Plus, it’s just plain fun!

http://www.thecolor.com/

~Amanda

What did you think of this Cool Site? Let us know by rating or adding to it here:
http://www.worldstart.com/tips/tips.php/the-color

Do you have a cool, non-commercial site that you want to share?
Send it to Amanda at
amanda@worldstart.com

Monthly Wallpaper

Files In Your House As Entertainment? You BET!

WOW!! You've Never Had THIS Much Fun With BUGS!!

SHOCK 'Em DEAD With This Electronic, Bug-ZAPPIN' Gadget!

You Haven't Lived Till You've Zapped A Fly With An Electronic Tennis Racket!

You'll Have A BLAST As You Go Crazy With Bug-Zappin' Power!!

Best Part? No More Bug Guts After You Swat!
(Hey, had to have somethin' practical in there!)

OK, WOW!! These are still sellin' like digital hotcakes! The pesky little bugs out there don't stand a chance! A BIG Thank YOU to the hundreds who ordered - I promise - you're gonna LOVE these things! If you didn't get a change to order, come on - you're missin' out on one of life's best times! Nothin' like sitting our your couch and zappin' flies with an electronic tennis racket! Check 'em out!

Like I mentioned last week, we've been TRYING to get these for over a year now! Now that we finally have 'em all I can say is: You're gonna love this thing! It looks like an ordinary tennis racket, but it's not! This baby is a bug zapper! REALLY! You just turn this bad boy on and swat yourself a fly, mosquito, ect, and ZAP!!! It's dead!

SOOOOO much more fun than a stupid old fly swatter - and man, that little "CRRRAAACKK" you hear when insect meets highly-charged metal is VERY satisfying :-)

OK, sure, it sounds like I'm maybe enjoying myself at a level that is just a bit south of healthy, but I just can't STAND all the summer bugs that get into the house - I gotta get those kids to close the doors! Oh, and the flies! Don't they just drive ya NUTS? Always buzzin' around your food, your kitchen, head, kids, dog, crawling on your TV set - ARRGHH! Well, with this little racket in hand, you'll get an evil grin each time one of those little critters invades your close personal space! Heck, you may even start looking forward to those little buggers getting inside! A quick swing a POW! Flyin' into your house was their last mistake! That'll teach 'em to mess with ya! BRUAHAHAHAHAH!!

Plus, these are much cleaner to use than a regular swatter or some nasty bug spray! Think about it - no more squished fly guts smeared all over your kitchen counter (window, screen, arm, face)! This ZAPS 'em dead - a much cleaner method if you ask me (and did I mention it was a LOT more fun?) Oh, and bug spray - YUK - you don't want to use that in your house!

How do they work? Just pop in a couple AA batteries, and press and hold the button at the side. In a matter of seconds, it builds up a surprisingly high-voltage charge (don't touch the grate if you're pressing the button - trust me on that one)! Swat the bug and POP!! He's (literally) toast!

OK, seriously, you've gotta give these a try - you really haven't lived until you've fried a fly or mosquito using an electric tennis racket! I personally had a set of these last year and you'd be surprised how many people absolutely LOVED 'em! Without exception, every friend and family member that came over asked what it was, then went off hunting. So, these are either REALLY cool or I hang out with LOTS of bizarre people! Either way, you won't know till you try!

Your price for all this bug-bustin' bliss? Just $9.97 and US Shipping is FREE! Hey, you just can't buy this much fun for that kind of money anymore! Grab yourself one - you'll LOVE it!

http://store.worldstart.com/product.php?productid=5157

PS - These really are sweet - you've gotta give 'em a try. Hey, if you don't love it like I do, just send it back within 60 days for a refund - nothin' to lose - and you know you want to try it :-)!

Monthly Wallpaper

June Wallpaper

Here's this month's free calendar wallpaper! As always, it's 100% free, so head on over and grab one!

Bald River Falls (Photo contest winner)

This picture was taken on a very cold day in November of 2008. Location - Smoky Mtn Nat. Park

 

 Golden Canyon

This was taken in Death Valley Nat. Park near the overlook at Zabriski Point. It was early morning and the amazing golden light really turned the already gold-colored hills even more yellow.

 

Yellow Flower

 Here's an extreme closeup of a yellow lily (OK, could be an orchid - I don't really know), taken last spring.

 

Here's June's wallpaper. It's all free, so enjoy!

All can be found here:

http://www.worldstart.com/wallpaper/index.php

Enjoy!

 

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Copyright, Disclaimer, and Removal

ISSN: 1529-336X
Copyright 2009, WorldStart. All unauthorized reproduction strictly prohibited.

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Personal & Educational Use Only This blog consists mainly of FREE newsletters from computer web gurus that I receive. I thought you might like to see them all in one place than try to discover them on your own. A moderate amount of editing may be done to eliminate unrelated repetitious ads or unnecessary text which bloat the post. However I have given the authors full credit and will not remove their site links because you deserve to see where it comes from and they deserve to get credit for what they have written. Your use of this site is simply for educational purposes. For more computer-related help go to: CPEDLEY.COM for free software, advice and tips on low cost products which are very helpful. If you want to contact the editor, please go CPEDLEY.COM and check the Contact page for email address.