Cracktalk

Crack Talk 11-26-4
Terry Blount
tblount@mchsi.com

Happy Thanksgiving: http://perfectflyer.com/Thanksgiving.jpg
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Bit Torrent is Hot
Kazza, eDonkey and other p2p file sharing programs are getting strongcompetition from the Bit Torrent file distribution network.
Bit Torrent is a novel approach to file distribution. Instead of relyingon a busy, slow FTP or website for a bunch of files, Bit Torrentdistributes the transfer of files over a network as large as the amountof people using it is. Bit Torrent is a refreshing piece of software, asit forces those who download to upload at the same time in order tocontinue spreading the file. On a regular website, in order to get thebest speeds, it was wise not to tell others about the page. With BitTorrent, YOU BENEFIT from a larger group of people knowing about a pagelike this. Bit Torrent pieces together the file you are downloading, towhere the first part of a file you get may be the last part someone elsegets. As you continue to retrieve the file, Bit Torrent also uploadsdata to other users - so the person with 98% of the file done isdirected to the people with the 2% of the file they still need. Bittorrents are spyware free and adware free. Files are verified and rated,no dummy files or corrupted files!
Install the "Torrent" Browser Addon http://www.sidewalkcrusaders.com/bthowto/btstart.html
Lots of great stuff listed here: http://www.suprnova.org/ And here: http://www.torrentbox.com/ And the top torrent sites: http://top100.topmango.com/bittorrent/ And torrent watcher is a cool program to track what's available and what's hot: http://www.torrentwatcher.coolfreepage.com/
Scorpion Writes
I like BitTorrent files the most because if they are active (i.e. alive)they are very fast to download. They are small (a few KB) and when youlaunch them they connect you instantly to other people sharing the samefile you are downloading. While you are downloading...you are alsouploading bits of that downloaded file to other people. It's TorrentEtiquette to leave your file uploading even after you have completed thedownload. That way you can even download more stuff. Its all aboutsharing....like the EDonkey Network...but faster.
I personally recommend you use the same ALL-IN-ONE client that I amusing. It's called "Shareaza" (get it from www.shareaza.com). It's opensource and free...and most of all ADs Free. It also has the simplestinterface...and you can find any help you need with it at the WebsitesWiki and Online Forums.
But the most exiting feature is that it can access ALL of the Networks Imentioned above (EDonkey, G2, G1, and Torrent files). So you only needOne client to get any file you need.
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MSN Web Messenger is Accessible Through a Web Browser http://webmessenger.msn.com/
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Hold the Press!
Colour laser printer manufacturers encode each printout with theprinter's serial number so they can trace it back to you if you arecounterfeiting. They can trace it back to you for anything else as well.http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=1093&e=4&u=/pcworld/20041122/tc_pcworld/118664
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Why Pay? Norton Has A Free Online Virus Scanner
Click on Symantec Security Check and select virus scan to use the NortonAntivirus free online virus and trojan checker. http://www.symantec.com/
If you go to this full scan page you also have an option to check yourcomputer for exposure to online hackers and other threats. HOWEVER Ifound it comical that after running the check all their *recommended*solutions were - you guessed it - install Norton Personal Firewall. Idon't know if that firewall has ever helped anyone but I've seen severalmachines that were running it and they got destroyed by browser hijacksand spyware so I'm convinced it's pretty much useless. Maybe worse thanuseless since it hogs cpu time, making a fast computer slow and has hadFREQUENT problems ... such as totally killing XP after installingservice packs.http://security.symantec.com/default.asp?productid=symhome&langid=ie&venid=sym
Here are other free online virus scanners... as well as spywaredetection/removal programs. http://results.about.com/free_virus_scan/
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Who needs an OS ?
An interesting utility from BIOS maker Phoenix, called FirstWareAssistant lets you get a quick look at your Outlook data without loadingWindows. During boot, if you press the FirstWare key (F by default),FirstWare loads up instead of Windows, and you can check your calendar,contacts, and e-mail archives.
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Zipit: a tiny, expensive instant messaging appliance that can attach toa Wi-Fi network. Zipit connects to the first open (visible) network itcan see. It doesn't even wait and ask "Is it ok to connect to this one?"it just does. The build quality is very good and the keyboard is reallyvery usable and the clamshell lid complete with clip is very akin to alaptop that's been shrunk in the laundry. It will work with existingAOL, Yahoo and MSN IM accounts. It should be noted that it doesn't doanything more than IM over Wi-Fi, and relatively cheap at $99. http://wifinetnews.com/archives/004488.html
Larry Writes
Sherlock - The Codec Detective!
Determine the codecs installed on a Windows XP computer- Check to see ifany of the codec's were "BROKEN" - Export the data to a text file fortechnical support! http://www.updatexp.com/sherlock-codec-detective.html
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Byron Writes
Fly from space to your home town. Visit exotic locales such as Maui,Tokyo, Rome and Paris. Satellite imagery makes it real. Explorerestaurants, hotels, parks and schools. (No crack 4 this yet but a mustsee program!!!!) http://www.keyhole.com/index.html?promo=hpp-en-us-1
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Fred Writes
Re-Enable Right-Click When Web Pages Turn It Off
One of the most frequently used ways to preventing copying is to usejavascript to disable the ability to right-click. Of course, we can usejavascript to turn it back on.
When visiting the offending website, type the following into the URL barof your browser: javascript:void(document.oncontextmenu=null)
This example works against this page for example:http://www.users.totalise.co.uk/~bigoleg/javascript/javascript_disable_right_click.html
If a dialog box opens whenever you right-click, can often getaround it by the following sequence: Hold the right mouse button, hitenter to close the dialog box (with left mouse click), and then releasethe right mouse button.
This example works against the following web site, for example: http://www.cof.orst.edu/net/software/web/html/disable_rtclick.htm
Fred also Writes
http://www.hriders.com free 1TB email account - 1 terabyte = 1024 gigabytes
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Onsy Writes
The first security sandbox designed for home users has arrived and itlooks to be a very promising way to protect your computer. ShadowSurfercreates a virtual copy of your normal PC with all your existingsoftware.
You access this virtual copy by starting up ShadowSurfer and thenrebooting. After re-booting your desktop comes up looking exactly thesame as normal except the desktop background now displays theShadowSurfer logo. This is to remind you that you are not working onyour real PC but on a shadow copy.
In this copy you have full access to your normal programs and data andyou can do anything you normally do including surfing the internet.However nothing actually gets written to your hard drive, rather thechanges are saved in special ShadowSurfer file.
When you end the ShadowSurfer session you have the option of savingthese changes and making them permanent or totally discarding them. Ifyou choose the latter then, when you start up your real PC, all tracesof your previous ShadowSurfer session will have vanished.
And I do mean vanished. No traces of any programs you installed, notraces of viruses or spyware infections you may have caught and notraces at all of where you roamed on the internet.
You can see the advantages. With ShadowSurfer you can safely try out newsoftware without risking that your normal PC gets messed up by a badinstallation or infected with a trojan. It also means that you cansafely visit web sites that you would normally avoid for fear ofdrive-by spyware downloads and worse. http://www.shadowstor.com/products.html
Onsy also Writes
Qnext is a universal IM client, but much more than that. It hascapabilities the established Big Five (MSN, Yahoo, AIM, ICQ, andTrillian) haven’t gotten close to including voice over IP, unlimitedfile sharing and GotoMyPC-style remote access. The entire service isfree and will remain so, according to the people who run it. It’s veryeasy to set up the whole thing and there are none of the annoyances ofusing things like Trillian's free client. http://www.qnext.com
Another Free Way to Free Up Your Desktop
Here is a free program launcher that's been around for years and it’sgreat! Hides all your program icons with re-locatable sidebars and takesonly one click to launch the program . I particularly liked the way thelaunch bars are invisible until you move the curser off a screen edge.Makes for a nice clean look. http://www.h-menu.com/homeEN.htm
(I've tried programs like that and they are cool... but I found it wasjust as easy to create a new folder on my desktop and drag and drop allthe seldom used junk to the folder. If I want something I've stashedit's instantly available just by clicking the folder.)
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80,000 Uk Government Computers Crashed After Routine Windows Upgrade http://management.silicon.com/government/0,39024677,39126151,00.htm
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Microsoft Will Send You And Xp Service Pack 2 Cd For Free From This Link: http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/sp2/default.mspx
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Sexual Tension
Photographs of behind the scenes in the porno industry http://www.cpoy.org/59/winimgdisp.php?cat=12
This is NOT acting... real emotion! http://www.cpoy.org/59/images/winners/C59-12-ButlE-B-08.jpg http://www.cpoy.org/59/images/winners/C59-12-ButlE-B-11.jpg
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Fantastic Images of Space http://www.davidmalin.com/
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Poor Defenders
Some anti-spyware companies use confusing ads, and our tests show their$20-$60 products are less effective than free competitors.http://www.pcworld.com/news/article/0,aid,118362,00.asp
Other test showed the best-performing anti-spyware scanner failed todetect about 25 percent of the "critical" files and registry entriesinstalled by the malicious programs.http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,1759,1731474,00.asp?kc=EWRSS03119TX1K0000594
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Solar Energy Can Compete With Fossil Fuel
The Stirling system dishes are more efficient than commonly used photovoltaic solar cells at converting the sun's heat to electricity. TheSandia project converts heat from the sun to power a motor, whichgenerates electricity. The solar dishes project the sun's rays onto areceiver that transfers the heat to an engine filled with hydrogen. Asthe hydrogen is heated and then cools, the pressure on the enginechanges. That changing pressure drives the pistons, which in turn poweran electrical generator. http://news.zdnet.com/2100-9584_22-5466122.html
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Five Steps to a Leaner, Cleaner Windows http://pcworld.com/howto/article/0,aid,112039,00.asp
Send Windows-related questions and tips to scott_dunn@pcworld.com. Wepay $50 for published items. Visit here for more Windows Tips. http://pcworld.com/howto/locations/0,loc,71,00.asp
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Out with the Old
Dan Rather and Tom Brokaw announced their retirement from the newsanchor desk of mainstream US news networks.
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Google Sued by Nude Photo Website
Google has not yet commented on the suit A California-based pornographersays it is suing the world's most popular search engine, Google, foreasing illegal access to its website. Perfect 10, which offers picturesof "the world's most beautiful natural women", says Google's web searchgives users free usernames and passwords.
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Kazaa Offers Unlimited Free Internet Phone Calls
Sharman Networks Ltd., distributor of the Kazaa file-sharing software,on Monday launched its latest version which enables users to make freeonline calls anywhere in the world.
Kazaa v3.0 includes the integration of Internet telephony software fromSkype Technologies SA and also offers advanced search capabilities and afree weblog trial.http://www.reuters.com/audi/newsArticle.jhtml?type=technologyNews&storyID=6890054
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TravelZoo Still Willing To Pay For Gimmick Shares
Earlier this year we noted that many, many people appeared to havecompletely forgotten that they had signed up with TravelZoo during thebubble. Travelzoo's initial gimmick to get users is that they gave youfree shares in the company for signing up. It appeared that most peopleassumed, like so many bubble-era gimmicks, that the company behind itsimply faded away. However, the company survived, and the stock actuallyhas done quite well. The only problem was that those who owned shareswere supposed to make a claim by April. However, after that news cameout, some people got upset that they missed the deadline and (amazingly)Travelzoo decided to honor those requests, saying they would pay out incash what the shares were worth... and yet still most people havecompletely ignored the offer, which can be worth somewhere between $500to $1600 for thousands of people.
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Take the Space Science Quiz
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6567839 (I missed #2 and #9)
Speaking of space, Japan and India have recently announced plans forunmanned missions to the moon. 1979 the Moon Treaty, to prevent the moonfrom becoming an area of international conflict, was proposed at the UNand since then it's been ratified by 9 nations. What two major nationshave objected to the treaty?
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I wouldn't suggest this except in this situation.
I spilled a cup coffee on my keyboard and quickly turned it over on a toweland though it would be ok but it started shorting out and typingpppppppp all the time. I knew that was bad news... and this was my $140keyboard. So I took it apart and rinsed it with water. I knew I had toget the sugar out before it cause permanent damage. It only takes alittle sugar added to a gas tank to totally destroy an automotiveengine.
After I rinsed it out I took my air hose and blew it out for about 10minutes. Then I turned my oven on and let it warm up to about 130 andput two small plates on the rack and put the keyboard on them (to keepit off the metal racks) and shut the door and let it sit overnight. Theheat was sufficient to remove the remaining moister but not melt theplastic keys. I'm using the keyboard now without any problems.
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CCIA Chief Pockets $10m from MS Settlement
Half of the $20m settlement from Microsoft that led to the CCIA droppingits Windows XP antitrust suit went straight into the pocket of CCIA'spresident. http://news.zdnet.co.uk/business/legal/0,39020651,39174912,00.htm
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How to Hacker-Proof Your Wi-Fi Networkhttp://www.theroyalgazette.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20041124/BUSINESS/111240085
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If you lose data from a multi-session cd write CDRoller can find theearlier sessions and restore them.http://www.chicagotribune.com/technology/chi-0411220006nov22,1,1926759.column?coll=chi-techtopheds-hed
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Yahoo Traffic Dropping Dramatically
According to some sources that monitor traffic, Yahoo traffic droppedsignificantly this month. The theory is that Google and the MSN Searchis taking away their traffic. http://www.webmasterworld.com/forum35/2948.htm
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Supreme Court Takin Up Pot
At issue is whether states have the right to adopt laws allowing the useof drugs the federal government has banned or whether federal drugagents can arrest individuals for abiding by those medical marijuanalaws.
California passed the nation’s first so-called medical marijuana law in1996, allowing patients to smoke and grow marijuana with a doctor’srecommendation. The Bush administration maintains those laws violatefederal drug rules and asserts that marijuana has no medical value. http://msnbc.msn.com/id/6585161/
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TV-B-Gone is a device that reports to turn off virtually all TVs, and sofar in our tests, it's knocked out anything we've pointed at it. Ofcourse that wasn't good enough, we're recording the IR signals andputting it on iPod with a sound to IR converter, that way we can play"tv off" all the time and turn off TVs wherever we go, always. http://www.engadget.com/entry/1234000470021242/
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This Cracks Me Up
Target department stores... of all places... is selling a book byHiroyuki Nishigaki about how to deal with depression by constrictingyour anus 100 times a day. First, why buy a book that already explainsthe method/treatment for depression in the title?
Second... here is a customer's review at Amazon: "A wonderful treatiseon depression and a valuable resource for anyone, I can personallyattest to Mr. Nishigaki's methods. By following his instructionsimplicitly, I have banished the dark clouds under which I suffered foryears, and have integrated his practices completely into my life. Evenas I sit and type this review I am busy constricting my anus andcounting, 80,81,82,83....... ooops!"
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A Lot of Trouble to Squash a Bug
Scientists from Belgium, France, and Switzerland have developed InsBot,a small robotic interloper that is capable of infiltrating groups ofroaches, making friends with them, and luring them to places whereexterminators can do their thing. InsBot gains the trust of the insectsby mimicking their movements and scent. http://blogs.pcworld.com/staffblog/archives/000322.html
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Six Dead, Two Wounded After Dispute on Private Property in Wisconsin http://www.cnn.com/2004/LAW/11/23/hunters.shot/index.html
This story amazes me because anyone with good sense should know betterthan calling an Asian a "gook" when he is carrying an assault rifle.
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A tough place to be in on Thanksgiving... or any other day!
The fighting in Falluja is all but over and US marines combing the Iraqicity of Falluja after a major offensive say they found weapons stockssufficient to mount an insurgency across the country. The "stunning"finds included mortars, bomb-making equipment, grenades and rockets. Thebiggest haul was made at a mosque complex in the east of the city.Soldiers also found a house which contained a laboratory andinstructions on how to make anthrax and blood agents. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/4041235.stm
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The End
Five million smokers died worldwide in 2000