Public Service Announcement, Chanute, Kansas... Commodities

TEFAP Food Commodities For the Chanute area ( Neosho County Kansas ) will be distributed Monday September 25th, 9:00am - 4:00pm or until I am out of food at the Otterbein United Methodist Church 631 W. 7th, Chanute, KS. Entrance will be on the East side of the church under the canopy.
Foods will be available to individuals and families based on income. Please bring Identification, proof of Address and proof of income for all applicable family members.
Recipients of cash assistance, food stamps and general assistance are automatically eligible for Food Commodities with proof of current benefits.

Income Guidelines are:

Household size - Max Monthly Income

1 - $1062
2 - $1430
3 - $1799
4 - $2167
5 - $2535
6 - $2904
7 - $3272
8 - $3640

For each additional Family member Add: $369

Want to Digg? Not if you have Firefox

Going to Digg today? Not if you use Firefox. I went to Digg.com and went to digg a post and received an error "Digg not saved, Please try again later." I tried it in IE and Opera and had no problem with Digg. Does Digg have a problem with Firefox? It looks like it. By the way I asked my son to test it and he had the same results as me.

Two Windows Security Flaws

The first is a zero day exploit that affects Internet Explorer ( and Outlook ) even on fully patched copies of Windows XP. The second is a file corruption bug in Windows 2000 introduced by a Microsoft patch. Steve Gibson has fixes for both in his Security Now podcast, plus an interview with the fellow who discovered the VWL exploit. For 16kpbs versions, transcripts, and notes (including fixes), visit Steve's site: grc.com, also the home of ShieldsUp and the best disk maintenance and recovery utility ever written Spinrite 6.

If you have never heard of Steve Gibson you really should go over to his website at Gibson Research and at least do the ShieldsUp test. You just might be amazed and surprised at what you find.

Microsoft issues workaround for latest Internet Explorer 0-day exploit

Researchers at Sunbelt Software have discovered a new exploit in Internet Explorer that is being used to compromise systems using Internet Explorer. This flaw forms part of something called VML or vector markup language an XML Web programming language used to create scalable graphics.

On the Sunbelt Blog, Eric Sites, VP or Research and Development, shows how a fully patched system can be compromised by visiting a web page making use of the malicious code. This is being used to install nasty spyware and adware.

Microsoft has issued a workaround for latest 0-day exploit for Internet Explorer. This workaround will disable VML rendering but most users won't really notice this.

The workaround involves unregistering a DLL file called vgx.dll (to do this you need admin privileges).

Click Start, click Run, type regsvr32 -u "%ProgramFiles%\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\VGX\vgx.dll", and then click OK.

Undoing this change is simple and only requires you to re-register vgx.dll.

Click Start, click Run, type regsvr32 "%ProgramFiles%\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\VGX\vgx.dll", and then click OK.

This should be safe to do once a patch is released.

The Top 10 Most Stressful Professions

According to 33 News abc survy IT experts are more likely to suffer from stress than any other professional , A staggering 97 percent of people working in IT claim to find their life at work stressful on a daily basis.The poll revealed that IT professionals say it is difficult to get the work done when managers are constantly on their backs.

One IT respondent said: “I spend most of my day fielding calls from people who don’t even have a basic knowledge of computers and printers.“It is amazing the amount of time I spend teaching people where the on-off button is. “And when I do actually find a technical problem to solve, I have my manager breathing down my neck wondering why I have a backlog of complaints.”

People working in medical professions have the second most stressful job – with 96.8 percent saying caring for others is rewarding but traumatic on the same hand.

Engineers, Sales and Marketing professionals and Teachers also have demanding roles, according to the poll.

TOP TEN STRESSFUL PROFESSIONS

IT
Medicine / Caring Profession
Engineering
Sales and Marketing
Education
Finance
Human Resources
Operations
Production
Clerical

TOP TEN WORK STRESSES

Workload
Feeling undervalued
Deadlines
Type of work people have to do
Having to take on other people’s work
Lack of job satisfaction
Lack of control over the working day
Having to work long hours
Frustration with the working environment
Targets

TOP TEN COLLEAGUE IRRITATIONS

Seeing others not pulling their weight
Managers changing their minds about what they want doing
Lack of support from managers
Pressure from managers
Feeling put-upon by managers
Interruptions by colleagues
Interruptions by managers
Bullying behavior by managers
Lack of support from colleagues
Bullying behavior by colleagues

Firefox Update 1.5.0.7

Mozilla Firefox 1.5.0.7 is now available for download from the Mozilla Firefox product page. Users of previous version will be offered the upgrade through the Firefox software update system. This release fixes several critical security vulnerabilities. See the Mozilla Firefox 1.5.0.7 Release Notes for more information.

Public Service Announcement Chanute, Kansas

TEFAP Food Commodities For the Chanute area ( Neosho County Kansas ) will be distributed Monday September 25th, 9:00am at the Otterbein United Methodist Church 631 W. 7th, Chanute, KS. Entrance will be on the East side of the church under the canopy.
Foods will be available to individuals and families based on income. Please bring Identification, proof of Address and proof of income for all applicable family members.
Recipients of cash assistance, food stamps and general assistance are automatically eligible for Food Commodities with proof of current benefits.

112 Run Commands for Windows XP

Good morning, I woke up about an hour ago and am on my second cup of Coffee and was reading my tech news and came across this. It's a list of 112 Run Commands for Windows. This will really save a lot of time. There are many commands which you might have never seen or never knew. Go check it out here.

Tribute Sept. 11

'Tribute in Light' illuminates the sky over Manhattan, Monday, Sept. 11, 2006 in New York, marking the fifth anniversary of the Sept. 11 terror attacks

The History Of Hacking

A quality documentary about hacking from the 1960's to date. Takes a historical approach, looking at the role of the hacker during this time.

FineTune -Create your own Playlist, Listen and Share with Others!

Finetune is all about good music. It's a web based service that lets you create playlists that you like, listen to them online and share it with your friends. You can choose from 2 million sound tracks that already in Finetune library.

read more | digg story

University Survival Guide

Professor Steve Dutch's University Survival Guide is an excellent resource for anyone entering College.

Topics covered are

* Who are these people and why are they messing with my mind? Ever wonder why you have to take some of the courses you do? This might help.

* Taking Multiple Choice Tests

* What is an A? What exactly do professors want in an essay exam or term paper? Includes samples of A, B, C, and D-F writing with explanations why.

* References for College Papers Can I reference my class notes? (No) What about the Internet? (Maybe) Get The Rules here.

* Top Ten No Sympathy Lines Warning! Blunt Language!

* How to Learn Facts

Go here to read the answers.

Turn any Windows XP or 2000 PC with an Internet connection into a CGI proxy you can use at work to bypass web filters.

The circumventor freeware program will turn any Windows XP or 2000 PC with an Internet connection into a CGI proxy you can use at work or school to bypass web filters. Sure, regular web proxies will do the same thing, but isn't it cooler to have your own personal proxy that is ad free?

Download Circumventor here.

Philadelphia Opens High-Tech School of the Future ( Our city schools banned PDA's this year )

In our town in south-east Kansas the local school system ( USD 413 ) banned students from bringing PDA's and laptops to School this year. My son used a PDA all the way through high school for his notes and other school papers, it really seemed to help him allot. In Philadelphia they opened a public high school where students work on wireless laptops, teachers eschew traditional subjects for real-world topics and parents can track their child's work on the Internet.Called "The School of the Future" and created with help from software giant Microsoft the school combines innovative teaching with the latest technology.

It looks to me like Kansas wants to keep the kids in the dark ages. Technology is all around us; and we can’t predict what that technology will look like in the future, as it changes far too fast. We do know that the students who have the ability to use technology will have far more opportunities than those who cannot use technology.

Educators should give students the knowledge and skills they need to adapt to and use technology. What's your view?

read more | digg story

Bug Found in ICQ Client "AOL"

AOL is advising users of its ICQ instant messaging service to update to the latest version of the ICQ software following the discovery of a bug in an older version of the product.

Security researchers at Core Security Technologies today reported that they had discovered the flaw in ICQ Pro 2003b, a version of the ICQ client that AOL still offers for download and bills as a "veteran version" for users who prefer the earlier look and feel.

Although the bug doesn't affect more recent ICQ software like ICQ 5.1, it could mean serious problems for ICQ Pro 2003b users

Core has also discovered less-critical issues in AOL's ICQ Toolbar 1.3 for Internet Explorer. These flaws could allow attackers to change the toolbar's configuration settings or possibly even run scripting code by sending victims maliciously encoded RSS (Really Simple Syndication) feeds.

AOL says it is working to fix the bugs, but the company classifies them as "minor and low-risk". Any users who are concerned can simply upgrade to the latest version of ICQ or not load suspicious RSS feeds, said an AOL spokesman

September 12th Patch Tuesday "Microsoft"

On 12 September 2006 Microsoft is planning to release:

Security Updates

Two Microsoft Security Bulletins affecting Microsoft Windows. The highest Maximum Severity rating for these is Important. These updates will be detectable using the Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer. Some of these updates will require a restart.

One Microsoft Security Bulletin affecting Microsoft Office. The highest Maximum Severity rating for these is Critical. These updates will be detectable using the Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer. These updates may require a restart.

Microsoft Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool

Microsoft will release an updated version of the Microsoft Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool on Windows Update, Microsoft Update, Windows Server Update Services and the Download Center. Note that this tool will NOT be distributed using Software Update Services (SUS).

Non-security High Priority updates on MU, WU, WSUS and SUS

Microsoft will release Two NON-SECURITY High-Priority Updates for Windows on Windows Update (WU) and Software Update Services (SUS).

Microsoft will release three NON-SECURITY High Priority Updates on Microsoft Update (MU) and Windows Server Update Services (WSUS).

Fix Sign in Error 80004005 for Windows Live Messenger

If you are encountering this error 80004005 when signing in to Windows Live Messenger, go install the latest version of Windows Live Messenger from

http://get.live.com/messenger/overview

After installation, verify that you have the version 8.0.0812. If you are still experiencing the issue, pelase contact Messenger Support at http://support.live.com and choose Windows Live Messenger.

Use your Windows Media Player playlist in Foobar 2000

We have several playlist saved for windows media player and I was just wondering how to use these playlist in Foobar 2000 and I found the solution. You have to save the playlist as M3U Playlist. To do this follow the directions below.

By default, playlists in Windows Media Player 9 Series or later are saved as Windows Media playlists with a .wpl file name extension. However, you can save a Windows Media playlist as an M3U playlist with a .m3u file name extension by doing the following:

1. Click Library.

2. In the Contents pane (the left pane), expand the My Playlists category, and then click a playlist.

3. On the File menu, click Save Now Playing List As (Save Playlist As in Windows Media Player 9 - 11 Series), click Save as type, and then click M3U Playlist(*.m3u).

4. In the File name box, type a file name for the M3U playlist, and then click Save.

Go into Foobar 2000 and open the M3U playlist. :)

A Little Learning is an Expensive Thing

With a son that just started College this year I think this is relevant to all Parents and College Freshman. This is the honest speech a college President never got to give. :)

Go read the speech and let me know what you think.

Click here to read his speech.

Sofa that turns into a bunk bed

I just had to post about this. I saw this while reading the news today. It is really neat. It is a sofa that turns into a bunkbed. This would be great for cramped spaces or college dorms. You can see it here at Compact Living.

New Codec really a Trojan

Security firm Panda Software last week warned that zCodec, which claims to offer "up to 40 percent better (video) quality", is in fact an adware program that can install Trojans, rootkits and other malicious software. zCodec is freely available online and, as of Monday afternoon, was easy enough to find, offering downloads from its own website - zcodec.com. The site uses images from the films Sin City and Pulp Fiction, and claims zCodec will boost audio as well as video quality. "zCodec is a multimedia compressor/decompressor which registers into the Windows collection of multimedia drivers and integrates with any application using DirectShow and Microsoft Video for Windows," the site states.

Panda's advisory last week revealed that the 100KB file is in fact adware, which "downloads and runs files, changes the DNS configuration and monitors accesses to several adult websites". zCodec, formally known as Adware/ZCodec or Adware/EMediacodec, affects most versions of Windows and was first detected last week, Panda said.

When run, the program alters the system's DNS configuration in order to divert traffic to DNS servers of its choice, a technique sometimes used as part of a phishing scam or to rack up clicks for advertising schemes.

zCodec also accesses a particular IP address to randomly select and download one of a collection of files. The files that could be downloaded include Ruins.MB, a Trojan horse that uses rootkit techniques to conceal itself, Panda said. zCodec could also download an online casino program.

A second file launches every time the user starts Internet Explorer and monitors Web usage. Panda said its software can remove zCodec.

Online music on demand

I am still on my first cup of coffee for the day and was just reading the news and then I came across this site called blogmusik. Blogmusik allows you to listen to your favorite music on the net on demand. You can also share a song with a friend or make your own playlist. It uses Adobe Flash Player. Go on over and take a look and try it out.

www.blogmusik.net

The service has an associated blog here, and Myspace page here.

Stop Badware

Badware is software, such as spyware and adware, that has been deceptively installed in the user's computer. Although it may also be called "malware," badware is not designed to purposefully destroy data or compromise a system as is a virus or Trojan. However, badware can slow down a computer while monitoring and reporting a user's habits to a third-party Web site.

Go on over to stopbadware.org and take a look. StopBadware.org is a "Neighborhood Watch" campaign aimed at fighting badware, that garbage that comes bundled with some software. If you want an example of Badware look no furthur than AOL 9.0. Read the report here.

Link to Stopbadware.org

The Foobar 2000 audio player, An alternative to Windows Media Player.

Click on image to see it full size

An alternative to Windows Media Player is Foobar 2000. It is open source and has a nice clean interface and is easy to use. My wife complained that there was no volume control in foobar but after a little looking I found it. It you want to use the mouse, double-click on the lower-right-hand corner of your foobar2000 window where it says 0.00 dB. A window with a volume bar will pop up. See my screenshot in this post. Just to let you know foobar 2000's volume control is independent from the Windows mixer so it won't affect your overall system volume.

Download Foobar 2000 here.

Microsoft releases latest version of Windows Media Player 11 Beta 2

Microsoft has released it's latest version of Windows Media Player 11 Beta 2

The second beta for WMP 11 includes additional stores: eMusic, VidZone and Music Giants. The total number of stores offered by WMP 11 is 14, Microsoft said in a statement. One of the new features in the latest beta version of Windows Media Player 11, released Thursday, allows a user to share content with multiple devices within a home.

The upgrade of the jukebox is important to Microsoft's plan for unseating Apple Computer as top dog in digital music. WMP 11 has received favorable reviews and critics have said that it's a sign Microsoft could be finally moving out of Apple's shadow.

The media-sharing abilities of WMP 11 are a step towards ushering in the so-called "digital home."


Download WMP 11 here.