This is what the COOLSITES Toolbar looks like. Click here for more info:
http://luem42.com/toolbar.html Click here to get it:
http://luem42.OurToolbar.com
I have published the January 25 2008 COOLSITES Newsletter #149 by Mark Donaldson.
The following is an excerpt from this weeks newsletter. To see the full newsletter with all of the COOLSITES links please click and bookmark this link:
http://luem42.googlepages.com/coolsites.html and check it each week. Thank you. Mark.
January 25 2008 COOLSITES Newsletter #149 by Mark Donaldson
Due to a problem with Gmail you may not have received the last few newsletters. I hope you receive it this week. If you didn't than see it online Saturday at:
http://luem42.googlepages.com/coolsites.html
Semper Gratis (forever free)
Wherever you go if you see the user name LUEM42 that's me
COOLSITES is a list of safe, fun, useful, informative and just plain cool websites and programs that are FREE, FREE and FREE. All of the programs and websites I list are free. If I list anything that is so good but isn't free I will list the price with it.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pirillo's Picks for February 13 2007
"And if you think that's a lot of links, you should see how many
http://luem42.com/ collects every day. It's enough to make you wanna never leave the house again as long as you live" Yours Digitally, Chris Pirillo
http://chris.pirillo.com/
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Clif Notes Newsletter, Feb 2007
http://freewarewiki.com/ClifNotes
"The COOLSITES Newsletter - find the coolest links here. This fella named Mark Donaldson has been sending out his lists of cool sites since 2003. I'd never heard of him before last week. One day I was Googling myself to see who was posting links to my newsletter, and I found his website. I guess he's mentioned my newsletter at least 3 times. I like the COOLSITES website too, but I think it could use some reformatting to make it a bit easier to read. What I really like is the content there. Mark must really read a lot of stuff on the web and he takes the best links then tells you about them."
http://freewarewiki.com/CoolSitesNewsletter
Last week I said "I have not received a notice of this weeks newsletter from Cliff and there is not one online. I hope everything is all right.
I sent an email to Cliff asking if everything was okay. He sent back this:
"Everything's fine. I just didn't have the time last week and this week as well. I'll be back when the work load lightens up a bit."
Glad to hear that Cliff. I hope it lightens up soon because I really miss your newsletter. Mark.
Latest Newsletter
http://freewarewiki.com/ClifNotesNewsletter080106
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Security News
"ROGUE SECURITY PROGRAM TARGETS MAC COMPUTERS
F-Secure says it has found the first rogue security program targeting Mac users. The security firm says MacSweeper offers a free malware scan. The program allegedly finds fictitious malware on the computer. This is designed to trick users into buying MacSweeper’s software. There are many of these things on the Internet. Windows users are targeted regularly. The Mac is gaining popularity, so users will see more of this. If you use a Mac, protect yourself!" From: Kim Komando Weekly Newsletter Jan. 19, 2008—Vol. 12, No. 3
http://komando.com
"FBI: Vishing attacks on the rise
People are becoming more aware of phishing attacks. So criminals are turning to vishing schemes. They send warnings that security cards are being misused. Victims are asked to resolve the issue via telephone. Of course, the phone number is fraudulent." Kim Komando Daily News Monday, Jan. 21, 2008
http://komando.com
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Security Links
How Do I Avoid Identity Theft:
http://www.lockergnome.com/news/2008/01/21/how-do-i-avoid-identity-theft/
New Trojan Intercepts Online Banking Information by intercepting account information before it is encrypted and sending it to a central attacker database:
http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,141364-c,trojanhorses/article.html
New. Browser Defender v1.0 Beta toolbar:
http://www.browserdefender.com/download/
New. Free Swift AntiVirus:
http://www.app-zilla.com/swift_antivirus.html
Phishing Scams Now Come in Text Messages:
http://www.news-leader.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080116/NEWS01/801160416
Update. Assassin SE 5.0:
http://blacklistsoft.com/index.php?res=1024
Update. Cerberus Security Guard v1.9:
http://www.bestsecuritytips.com/content+index.id+9.htm
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: Call 4 Action- Top 10 Rip-Offs Of 2007 - Pittsburgh News Story - WTAE Pittsburgh:
If one of your New Year's resolutions is to stop wasting money, Consumer Reports recommends starting with some of the regular products you buy.
The publication has released its Top 10 rip-offs for everyday items.
Although rip-off No. 10 has caused a few health scares, that's not why Consumer Reports recommends you toss bagged salad for good in 2008.
The publication said consumers are paying way too much for salad greens that don't stay fresh for very long.
Rip-off No. 9 are those cheap monthly plans the wireless companies offer. With all of the fees, Consumer Reports said, they cost 30 percent more than advertised.
The No. 8 rip-off is the toothpaste that claims to whiten your teeth. None of the special brands Consumer Reports tested works any better than the normal stuff.
Rip-off No. 7 is the automatic shower cleaner advertised on TV. The only thing it cleans, according to the magazine, is your wallet.
Expensive car batteries come in at No. 6. Apparently, they don't work much better than the cheaper ones.
Rip-off No. 5, are the quick stain remover sticks. According to Consumer Reports, the stains usually stay.
Gift cards from banks come in at No. 4. Unlike the ones issued by individual stores, bank gift cards often expire quickly and come with hidden fees.
Rip-off No. 3 is "wild salmon" fillets. Consumer Reports said "wild" salmon is out of season in the winter, meaning the stuff in the stores is often farm-raised.
Expensive packaging, like the no-waste squeeze bottles for condiments, comes in at No. 2. Evidently, you get more out of a jar.
And Consumer Reports' No. 1 rip-off are shrinking cereal boxes. Companies like Kellogg's are decreasing the box size but not the prices.
One more note if you like using fancy razors. Consumer Reports also tested Gillette's new, five-blade fusion razor and found that it doesn't work much better than the older one.
http://www.thepittsburghchannel.com/news/14953738/detail.html?rss=pit&...;psp=ne
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: Mouse Print. DTV Coupons The Consumer Catch-22:
http://www.mouseprint.org/
For the next year, you will hear repeated public service messages about analog television service being elminated on February 17, 2009. It will be replaced by digital TV service (DTV), and all TV stations will only broadcast in digital format. The problem: what if you only have an old-fashioned TV? Will it go black a year from now?
Easy answer: it might if you get your signal using rabbit ears or an old-fashioned antenna. The solution: get a digital converter box that will take the new digital signals and convert them back to analog. To help with the expense of buying these boxes, Uncle Sam has set up a coupon program to offer each household up to two $40 coupons toward the purchase of digital TV converter boxes.
*MOUSE PRINT: Some key facts are buried in the fine print or not well disclosed, including:
1. You cannot combine the coupons toward the purchase of a single box (each will cost between $50 and $70 approximately).
2. The coupons expire 90 days from their mailing to you, and expired coupons will not be replaced.
3. There are only 22.5 million coupons unless Congress authorizes 11.25 million more.
4. While some boxes have already been approved, more are expected.
5. Many if not most retailers do not have the boxes in stock yet.
Translation: The consumer has a dilemna. The coupons are available now, but the boxes are not. If you order your coupons now, the 90 day clock will begin to run on them when mailed, but you will likely have fewer choices of boxes and brands. If you wait for a better choice of boxes, all the coupons might be gone. And, initially, boxes are not likely to be on sale. Later in the year competition will likely be more stiff, and prices may drop low enough for the coupon to cover nearly the full cost.
Ideally, the coupons should have had no expiration, so the sharp consumer could order them now, but have time to choose more wisely from a fuller selection of converter boxes when they become available.
The trick is to get a coupon as late in the program as possible without the supply having already been exhausted. No easy task.
For more information on the details of the coupon program, including an application form, visit
https://www.dtv2009.gov
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: TOURBUS Volume 13, Number 17 -- 10 Jan 2008
"I've been a huge fan of Lavasoft's free Ad-Aware for the past three years and have strongly recommended that you download, install, and use the program frequently. Ad-Aware is a program that scans for, and removes spyware and malware from, your Windows-based computer. In his most recent Washington Post Security Fix blog entry [see
http://tinyurl.com/3y75ul ], Brian Krebs points out something that I forgot to mention earlier: It's time to upgrade from Ad-Aware SE to Ad-Aware 2007. Why? Lavasoft stopped shipping updates for Ad-Aware SE on December 31. Yikes. Fortunately, the upgrade process is relatively painless. Just download the free Lavasoft Ad-Aware 2007 at
http://tinyurl.com/3xsz48, install it, and ... well ... that's it. The installer removes the old version and installs the new version. That's the good news. The bad news is that if you're still running Windows 95, 98, or 98SE, or ME, you're kind of stuck. Your old version no longer works, and the new version only works on Windows 2000, 2003, XP, or Vista. Fortunately, Spybot Search & Destroy--available for free at
http://tinyurl.com/yrwy2 --still works with legacy versions of Windows."
If you have 98, like me, you can still use the old version you just can't update it's scan list. Mark.
http://www.InternetTourbus.com
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Greedy Rich Hollywood Directors betray Low Paid Hollywood Writers
Last week the Directors Guild contract with the producers was up and the producers immediately gave them what they asked for. What they asked for is the same thing that the writers asked for and the producers are stonewalling them about. The directors betrayed the writers by not telling the producers to complete their negotiations with the writers before they will come to the table with the directors. Shame on you directors. Mark.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The biggest laugh I had this week made me mad
Cox Communications of Hampton Roads ( my cable TV provider ) sent me their my customer service aggreement this week. In it it said "We may decrease prices and charges without providing advance notice". I laughed then got mad. They have never decreased any of their prices. They have increased prices 8% to 12% every year in the more than 30 years that I have had their service except one. One year the price increase flyer said that they are only increasing the price 5% but that was for their most basic service for channels 2 thru 13. Their extended service, about 70 channels, was increase a 12%. When we first got cable HBO was on channel 5 so you could get it with their basic service and you didn't need a descrambler. Then they moved it to channel 21 so you had to upgrade to their extended service. Then they bundled it with Cinemax which meant you would need a desrambler so we dropped HBO and haven't seen it since. Now they are moving it to the digital channels so to continue receiving it you have to upgrade to their digital service. Right now I am paying almost $50 a month for 70 channels of non pay premium channels of which I only have 32 channels programed into my TV's and VCR's memory because I don't watch the other channels.
Also their latest TV ad for their service show a drawing of a residental house. They draw a line in the front yard of that house, behind the curb, and the voice over says "Cox installed fiber optic cable 10 years ago" then another line is drawn and the voice says "now Verizon is installing fiber optics. Cox is 10 years ahead of Verizon". Bull! It means Verizon's fiber is 10 years newer than Cox's. We all know that the way electronics and things advance in quaility and reliablity is very fast. So that means Cox's fiber is several generations older and probably less reliable. Also they drew those lines to imply that they were buried. In this area less than 5% of residental areas have buried lines. The other 95% have poles. And the biggest lie is they drew their line in front of a house. Cox's fiber runs just from their office to distribution nodes which then send old coax cable down the streets and to the house. Verizon has installed fiber on every street and even their drop lines to individual homes will be fiber.
I am sending a copy of this to the FTC's complaint website at:
http://www.ftc.gov/ftc/contact.shtm . Mark.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
COOLSITES cool links
I harvest what I believe to be the best links from the best sources that are safe, fun, informative, useful and just plain cool. I categorize them and edit their descriptions for clarity.
To see the full newsletter with all of the COOLSITES links please click and bookmark this link:
http://luem42.googlepages.com/coolsites.html and check it each week. Thank you. Mark.
General