Tips, Links and Tidbits Newsletter

because

Because friends don’t let friends stay ignorant

Wednesday 13th November 2013




G’day #CalledName#,




Contents

Computing | Health | Humour | Other
Public Relations and Marketing




Computers


One of my US buddies writes:

Hi Family, Friends and Clients,

There is a recent virus we all need to be aware of. It is called CryptoLocker. It is mostly spread through emails but can also be received on a web site. It currently only attacks PCs, not Macs or Linux machines but that could change at any time.

Basically it gets on your computer and then encrypts all of your files with a military grade encryption. This leaves your files in place but fully encrypted and you do not have the key to decrypt them. You cannot access these files until they are decrypted. After they encrypt your files they give you a notice and tell you where to deposit $300 and they will give you the key. No hacker has ever been able to figure out the encryption and the military is not letting others know how to do it so your files are toast without the key. There is no guarantee that you will get the encryption key even if you pay the money.

Often these types of scams/viruses/etc are used during a holiday season because people are expecting packages from UPS or FEDEX. The email says it is from one of them and tells you to click on a link to get information on your package. Clicking the link will download a file that may look something like: TrackingInformation.pdf.exe

While you may think it is a PDF file it is really an executable file which will probably throw up a fake PDF file to keep you busy will it runs the virus in the background.

If you think you made a mistake and may have mistakenly clicked on an EXE file then shut your computer down immediately by pulling the plug or hitting the power button. This will stop any program from running. Do not go through a normal shutdown as more damage can be done while shutting down and in some cases the running program can stop a normal shutdown from working. Restarting your computer may or may not work. Many viruses will install a program that runs when you start up your computer and the virus will continue doing its dirty work. Microsoft updates and updates from your anti-virus program use this method to install their fixes and updates to their programs. That is why they require you to reboot your computer. They need to do things before the programs that protect your computer from changes starts running. Call somebody that can help you check it out or get on a different computer and search the Internet for information on the file that you clicked on or email that you received.

By the way. Before clicking on any email link, the first thing you should always do is make sure it is taking you where you think it will. The link may say one thing, but clicking on it may take you to an entirely different web site. Here is an example. It says that it is going to take you to Bank of America’s web site. If you click it, it will take you to Google’s web site. http://www.bankofamerica.com

Many email programs will indicate near the bottom of its screen where the link will take you. If your email program does not tell you this information then I would suggest that you right click on the link and select Copy Link Location or something to that effect. That puts the link itself into your computers memory. Then you can go to your browser and paste it in on the address line. This will be the address were it will take you. Do not click or press enter until you have looked it over carefully and made sure it going to a site that you trust. Try this method with the above link.

Do not be fooled by addresses such as: http://www.bankofamerica.ivsr.com

The above address is something I made up but if you were to click it it would go to the ivsr.com web site, not Bank of America’s web site.

You should always look at the file names of any attachment to an email. If they end in .EXE or .COM or .BAT you should not click on them unless you are very sure it is what you want. Do not open any file unless you are sure you want it. Double clicking or opening a file with those extensions will start a program running on your computer that very well could be a virus. Even a .DOC file, which is a Microsoft Word document, can open and automatically run a macro that will start an .EXE file running. If you do not see an extension on the file, it may be because you have "show all extensions" set off or "Hide extensions for known file types" set to on. This can be changed but cannot be explained easily. If you do not see the file type (.EXE, .COM, .BAT, .PPS, .JPG, etc.) then assume it is a virus unless you are expecting the file.

Unless you know what the file is, who it came from and are sure you need it, do not open it. Some viruses hijack email programs and send them to all recipients. If there are attachments or links in the email and it is out of character for the person that sent it to you, do not open or click on them. You can get a virus from any file. Even .JPG files can carry viruses although there must be a small EXE virus file already infecting the computer for them to run. No emailed joke or picture or video is worth a virus on your computer. Your anti-virus software will catch most viruses but it is not foolproof.

For more information you can search the Internet for CryptoLocker or go to snopes here: http://www.snopes.com/computer/virus/cryptolocker.asp

I have not verified the links in this article but it may be of some value to read: http://readwrite.com/2013/11/08/cryptolocker-prevent-remove-eradicate#awesm=~omUkEzWfMikeIm

Snopes is a reputable web site that tracks information on scam and false information emails. You can always go there and search for information yourself. All you have to do is got to www.snopes.com and enter some information either in the subject or body of the email and it will give you a list of possible emails to choose from. Clicking on the one you want will give you the information that snopes has collected about it.

If you want to check on a web site itself, use Google or any search engine and enter the website into the search box, not on the address line! In my above example you can enter ivsr.com or snopes.com and will get a list of web sites with information on that web site. Do not click on one of the search return items that has the web sites address in the listed link until you are reasonably assured that it is a safe web site. Many anti-virus programs will flag their approval right in your browser on the link.

Use your mind. If things are too good to be true like free money, fantastic money making opportunities or free expensive products like an iPhone, then do not trust them. Do not click on things you don’t know or care a lot about. It is not worth the risk. Do not trust information in emails unless you are reasonably certain it is reliable. If you get an email from your bank out of the blue and it wants personal information then it is probably a scam. Check any links and make sure they are going to the companies web site and not somewhere else. Do not trust phone numbers either. They may ring a fake company that will answer the phone with the companies name but it could be anyone on the other end. If you have any doubt whatsoever, look up the companies web site or phone number from your own records or on the Internet and use those instead. Call the company on a phone number you know is correct and tell them that you got an email form them and ask them if it is valid or not.

Beware of notices that say you have a virus or some other problem that pops up in a browser window. They often have links that offer to help you check to see if you have a virus or to fix one or to get information on one. Clicking on those links can start an executable file on your computer, giving you a virus. The popups will usually be a new window in your browser. Do not close it by clicking the X in the upper right corner or any button that says "Close" or "Not Interested "in the window as these could activate the program. There are 2 other ways to close it.

The first and easiest one works on the window that currently has focus which is probably the message you are reading that just popped up. Press and hold the ALT key with one hand and press the F4 key with the other and then release both keys. The window should close.

The second method is to look down on your task bar, usually at the bottom of your screen unless you moved it, and look for the browser program you are running. There may be several browser windows open. You can right click on the one you think needs to be closed and a menu will pop up. One of the options is Close. Left click Close and the window should close.

An anti-virus program is a must if you are using the Internet often and/or get attachments in emails. Make sure you are running one if you are on a PC. Macs and Linux machines are less of a risk but still get viruses. Anti-virus programs are not fool proof either. There is no substitute for using your mind as your first line of defense!

I hope this helps you stay safe. If you have any questions then feel free to ask.

Best wishes,
Mike Young



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Health


Top 5 Diabets Super Foods

These foods help!
http://foodmatters.tv/articles-1/top-5-diabetes-super-foods



The Pasta Diet and Your Health

ITALIAN PASTA DIET -- IT REALLY WORKS!

1. You walka pasta da bakery.

2. You walka pasta da candy store.

3. You walka pasta da Ice Cream shop.

4. You walka pasta da table and fridge.

You will lose weight!



For those of you who watch what you eat, here’s the final word on nutrition and health.

1. The Japanese eat very little fat and suffer fewer heart attacks than the English.
2. The Mexicans eat a lot of fat and suffer fewer heart attacks than the English.
3. The Chinese drink very little red wine and suffer fewer heart attacks than the English.
4. The Italians drink a lot of red wine and suffer fewer heart attacks than the English.
5. The Germans drink a lot of beers and eat lots of sausages and fats and suffer fewer heart attacks than the English.

CONCLUSION
Eat and drink what you like.
Speaking English is apparently what kills you.



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Humour


Five Rules For Men To Follow

Five Rules For Men To Follow



Cure For Poaching

Cure For Poaching



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Other


Why Socialism Fails

Why Socialism Fails

An economics professor at a local college made a statement that he had never failed a single student before, but had recently failed an entire class. That class had insisted that Obama’s socialism worked and that no one would be poor and no one would be rich, a great equalizer. The professor then said, “OK, we will have an experiment in this class on Obama’s plan. All grades will be averaged and everyone will receive the same grade so no one will fail and no one will receive an A.” (substituting grades for dollars - something closer to home and more readily understood by all).

After the first test, the grades were averaged and everyone got a B. The students who studied hard were upset and the students who studied little were happy.

As the second test rolled around, the students who studied little had studied even less and the ones who studied hard decided they wanted a free ride too so they studied little. The second test average was a D! No one was happy.

When the 3rd test rolled around, the average was an F. As the tests proceeded, the scores never increased as bickering, blame and name-calling all resulted in hard feelings and no one would study for the benefit of anyone else. To their great surprise, ALL FAILED and the professor told them that socialism would also ultimately fail because when the reward is great, the effort to succeed is great, but when government takes all the reward away, no one will try or want to succeed.

Could not be any simpler than that.

These are possibly the 5 best sentences you’ll ever read and all applicable to this experiment:

1. You cannot legislate the poor into prosperity by legislating the wealthy out of prosperity.

2. What one person receives without working for, another person must work for without receiving.

3. The government cannot give to anybody anything that the government does not first take from somebody else.

4. You cannot multiply wealth by dividing it!

5. When half of the people get the idea that they do not have to work because the other half is going to take care of them, and when the other half gets the idea that it does no good to work because somebody else is going to get what they work for, that is the beginning of the end of any nation.



War Is A Racket

War Is A Racket

The original whistle blower, General Smedley Darlington Butler, who at one time was the most highly decorated marine in history, later in life became a major anti-war activist.

His book ’War Is A Racket’, which is only 15-30 minutes in length is an ABSOLUTE MUST READ and details the inner workings of the military industrial complex a century ago. As you will see, nothing has changed. War indeed, is a racket.

Read his book online for free here: http://www.ratical.org/ratville/CAH/warisaracket.html



A Planet Run By Criminals

A Planet Run By Criminals



Michael Jackson Speech About Illuminati Warning People To Wake Up

Michael Jackson Speech

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iiSlqox-wS0#t=32



Good Will Wishes

Good Will Wishes



Deception Techniques

Deception Techniques



Seven Habits

Seven Habits



The Corporate Revolution Is Collapsing

Corporate Revolution Is Collapsing

Every time you spend a dollar, ask yourself if what you are buying aids the people or the slave masters.



Teach A Man

Teach A Man



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Public Relations and Marketing


First Things First

Why start-ups should focus on sales before everything else.
http://mybusiness.com.au/experts/why-start-ups-should-focus-on-sales-before-everything-else



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Beach Sunset

Until next time,
dream big dreams,
read widely,
think well of your fellow man,
eat food that is good for you
and do the important things
that make a difference -
they are rarely the urgent ones!

Tom

How To Live The Healthiest Life
How To Live The Healthiest Life

Tom Grimshaw creates software, the most nutritious
food in the world and is also an optimum wellness
researcher/writer who enjoys bringing you the oldest
and newest tips to improve each of your 12 pillars
of Optimal Health.

To improve your chances of living disease-free, check
out the special report he has compiled here
How to Live The Healthiest Life




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