We’re on iTunes
We have finally got our iTunes listing up. If you have iTunes installed on your computer and would like to subscribe for free to get each show automatically downloaded to your iTunes Podcast directory as soon as it is available then click here. That way you won’t miss a show. Please feel free to leave us a good review too 
The Life of Spaguyswife
Just a quick note to inform those of you interested, the second episode of our little podcast show has been posted to Chrystals blog at www.spaguyswife.com. Please leave us a comment there on what you think, we would love to hear from you.
What is a Podcast?
I often am asked what is a podcast? Podcast are a new media for audio and video (currently threatening cable providers as another source to get media content). It is only a couple of years old. I discovered it thru iTunes shortly after getting my iPod, I was looking for free audio & video content to put on it. All Podcast are free! and on just about any subject you can think of. From amature home made podcasts to as professional as National Geographic (that’s the POD). Unfortunately without a portable media player, you’re not likely to sit and listen to or watch a 1hr long show in front of your computer, even though it really interests you. Make it easy, you can subscribe to a free feed and have it automatically download when new episodes are posted (CAST), Synchronize it to a portable device (also a POD) painlessly and listen to it on the road or while working or doing chores, it can be awesome. Check it out, PODCAST.
Feel free to share your comments here about your experiences or views on this subject along with any related links you may want to share.
A couple good starter video podcasts in YouTube format…
Dec 15/07 UPDATE… Another way of thinking about what a Podcast is, Audio (like radio) and Video (like TV) on demand. Watch and listen when & where you want, not when it is broadcast!
Here is a link to our show on iTunes “The Life of Spaguyswife“…Check us out, then, send use a voicemail and be on our show…
Resistant to change?
It is amazing how people get set in their ways. They find something they like and won’t try something similar that may be better than what they are using currently. Nobody wants to get a virus on their computer, but it is shocking how many of you are still using Internet Explorer as thier main web browser. To add to the risk, these same people often don’t protect themselves from from free roaming worms on the net with a simple “Router” between there internet device (modem, cable modem, DSL, etc…) and their computers. Get a Router and try out Firefox people! Those two things alone will reduce you risks on the web by 1000% – Listen to these to see just how vulnerable you are without a router… listen to this. http://media.grc.com/sn/SN-003.mp3 And why Internet Explorer is so unsafe, get more info on Firefox and other web browsers and their issues… listen to this. http://media.grc.com/sn/SN-038.mp3 These audio files are from a very respected security expert, Steve Gibson. Here is a list of many security subjects he talks about http://www.grc.com/securitynow.htm I have listen to most of the episodes until they started getting into Vista then I lost interest. Also check out episodes #7, 52, 61 and 85 for more basic security awareness. The small amount of time spent could save you much more time spent fixing your computer or getting your stolen identity back.
Another risk and resistance is MySpace. But I like MySpace, Virb, or Bebo or what ever they are using, they tell you. All my friends are there. So is ALL the malicious spyware and Trojan codes, scripts and adware. Myspace is very dangerous for malware. Try Facebook! MySpace is so yesterday. Facebook is safer, does more, and so much classier than MySpace. I still have a Myspace account. I don’t use it much anymore, but I tried it, used it, and moved on. It is still there if I need it. But, keeping in mind I only visit myspace on a non-Internet Explorer browser with scripting, and third party advertising off, at least until I have more trust in the site I am visiting.
Another example is MSN, Yahoo Messenger, Skype etc.. Us geeks, use, try, and give feedback to each other on all kinds of new software and web sites. The real computer geek knows Skype is one of the best chat, video, group audio & chat, computer to computer voice, and computer to land line voice clients out there. But our friends are stuck on MSN or Yahoo. So us geeks use all of the different chat clients, we conform to our friends, but when we suggest to a friend to try another free option, like Skype, there is no way they are going to change! I say, “But it has feature that allows better communication and convenience, it’s better,” Then this wall comes up, “I am not going to change just for you, all my friends us x-chat, I’m sticking with that.” They say, “I don’t have time to learn new stuff” But once you know one type, the others are similar, just give it a chance. All I am trying to say is try something new, who now you might like it and be that little bit wiser for it. You may even be able to use it with other friends that may have also been waiting for you to upgrade to something new. Or sometimes you just need a different or better tool at your disposal, because what you are using doesn’t do everything you want or need for a particular job. Don’t just write it off, give it a try.
Then again thinking back, complacency is much easier if you have no clue about how dangerous the web is and the number of options you actually have on the WWW.
Leave me a comment on your thoughts on this. If I made one more person and computer little more secure, then this post was worth it.
Bringing it all together…
So you may have seen previous posts about sites I use, like “Flickr”, “del.icio.us”, “Twitter”, “Jaiku”, “My Blog”, “StumbleUpon” and many others to name a few. Now I am on a site that many of my friends are on, that will allow me to share all these other sites in one place. The place? Facebook. It has recently added Apps for users to add to their profile, making the interface so much more personal. Now there is one place I go to communicate with friends, share links, sites and fun stuff. I also use it to quickly find my own favorite links and site for posting and view info since I am already there why bother with bookmarks. Not to mention all the great links friends post and share with myself and others.
I have found cousins, I haven’t talked with for years, old classmates, even an ex-girlfriend. Reconnected with friends of other friends that I didn’t previously have contact with. Facebook is this huge sharing network of friends, family and contacts, limited only to your imagination. If your not on Facebook, what are you waiting for? It’s free! Get on and try it out! Who knows what you’ll find – type some names into the Facebook search, or your families last name as a start. Search and join groups for former schools you have attended to find old friends. View your friends list of friends to find more people you know. There is lots to find so have fun.
If you find some cool apps or other ideas on Facebook and would like to share them here, please feel free to do so.
(ps – Facebook is part of the reason I haven’t posted a blog. But now that my blog is on my Facebook profile, I figure I better post something more or less up to date.)
It’s been a while, Where have I been?
Ya, I know… I haven’t posted in a while. PoolBoys get really busy in the spring. Twitter.com, Ustream.tv, Stickam.com, Jaiku.com, Virb.com all haven’t helped either. I have linked all the previous sites, to my respective profile, for your clicking pleasure.
Doing a lot of yard work these days, things are starting to looking good around here… Chrystal. Made it up to the cabin on the May long weekend. The weather wasn’t the greatest, it could have been much worse up there, so we really can’t complain. Best of all everyone is Healthy and Happy!
So those two paragraphs took almost an hour to compose (with distractions in mind). This leaves me out of time to post much of anything else for now. But I will try and keep you up to date as things progress. Twitter seems to be the most up to date posting of what I am doing these days. So, keep an eye on me there if you like. ‘Til next time, later.
What’s new with me – Whats new with you?
Ok, so it has been a while since I posted so here’s what’s going on. While I write this blog, I am listening to Dawn and Drew show 552 & 553. Inspired to listen again cause Drew Domkus added me, yes ME as a friend on Twitter.com – He and Dawn were my very first favorite podcasters wayback when I discovered podcasting on iTunes. And Drew was my very first friend/follower on Twitter. I was so honored that he is remotely interested in anything I have to say. Thanks Drew, you made my day! Check them out, if you haven’t already.
So,I updated my MacBook Friday with the latest Airport, time, and security updates etc…from Apple. After the reboot, I could not connect to the web via my wireless airport. After trying many different settings and reboots to no avail, I decided to check out Apples support forum. I remembered reading a story on Digg.com about somebody that had their wifi broken with an Apple Airport update. It seems, based on the forums, that those with D-Link and Berkley wireless routers with WPA encryption enabled, are have the most problems with the update. Yep,that includes me with my D-Link-624 
Now, if I remove wireless security, or drop to WEP and update new passwords to all 5 of my computers that should resolve my wireless problem on my MacBook but I am hoping Apple gets on the ball and provides a new update soon. Until then, I will limp along.
In other news, I shaved! No, I mean I shaved my face completely for the first time in over ten years. You can find a picture on Chrystal’s blog or pop over to our Flickr acct. I will be letting the beard grow back. Regular shaving is not my thing. The sensitive, stubbly, skin sucks. I will stick with the beard thank you very much.
Some new sites I have found that I would like to share with you all, include but are not limited to, StumbleUpon (my user name is “spaguyster”), Twitter (same“spaguyster” user name), OpenSourceMac and OpenSourceWindows, MolecularExpressions, also a few flash sites that were entertaining including George W.Bush Speechwriter, Drawball, Kaleidoscope Painter, SpeedTest, Double-Wires and Curveball. I am not going to give a description of each here as that would takeup quite a bit of space. Most of these site listed above have detailed notes on my Del.icio.us site. I guess you will just have to go there, or click them to find out more on your own.
If you would like a current list of my favorite sites, as mentioned, check out my Del.icio.us links (user name “spaguy”). The last 10 posts are listed here automatically on my blog in the side bar menus whenever I post a new link.Another place you can find links I liked is on my StumbleUpon account.StumbleUpon works best with Firefox/StumbleUpon extension add-on if you’re going to use it yourself. As mentioned earlier, my user name for StumbleUpon is “spaguyster”. I have to give credit to my employee Mike for the StumbleUpon link. I was a little reluctant to check it out with the limited surf time I often have, but I am glad I checked it out and signed up. I have found some really great sites from it. Thanks Mike, Glad I have it. If you have any site accounts that allow friends like Yahoo, Twitter, Flickr, Digg, MySpace, Bebo, Friendster, Facebook, StumbleUpon, Del.icio.us, Skype, MSN, Yahoo, etc… or the myriad of other sites. Let me know I will check them out, sign up and add you as a friend/ contact. Chances are I am a member of many common sites already. Do a search for user “spaguy” or “spaguyster”, chances are its me. You can also check out the “Contact” link on this page, I will post most of the sites and user names I belong to there for easy reference for you. See you somewhere on the great World Wide Web, ‘til next time happy surfing.
PS if you have any good links for me. Please leave a comment. I promise to check it them out
technorati tags:flickr, links, twitter.com, digg.com, Del.icio.us, Apple, Wifi, Shave, stumbleupon.com, bebo, myspace, friendster, Dawn, Drew, podcast
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Update – Porn pop-up teacher gets new attorney
digg_url = ‘http://digg.com/tech_news/Porn_pop_up_teacher_gets_new_attorney_PC_World_outs_juror’; 
Julie Amero, substitute teacher and convicted porn-pop up purveyor, has finally gotten a tiny break in her favor. Connecticut criminal defense lawyer William Dow has stepped in and offered help to Julie Amero. The Norwich Bulletin — the same paper that did such a terrible job of covering the case up to this point, convicting Julie Amero in print and circulating its uneducated drivel to a technophobic and Internet illiterate readership — reports that Dow has offered pro-bono assistance to Mrs. Amero and will likely file a formal request for postponement of her March 3rd sentencing in order to review the facts of the case. Dow is a well respected criminal defense attorney who, according to Amero’s lead attorney John Cocheo, has joined the team because, “he sees it as an injustice that this happened. I think it’s a moral issue for him.”
Read more and see source of this…
Additionally…
Amero’s husband has set up a blog and is asking for your help covering his wife’s legal fees, reportedly in-excess of $20,000 (easily more than a Connecticut substitute teacher makes in a year). He writes, “To think that it is possible for the average layperson to understand all the ins and outs of how a computer works is just not reasonable. What’s worse, our employer’s don’t know any more than we do, and they rely on us to identify problems when they happen. If you are lucky, your employer will know what to do when a crisis happens with your system. If not you’ll end up like Julie arrested, ridiculed, demeaned and left with useless teacher’s degree in special education.”
I don’t agree with his statement that it’s “not reasonable” to expect the layperson to have some basic understanding of Internet threats and staying safe online however, massaging a lack of knowledge into a felony conviction is more than prosecution; It’s persecution.
Amero’s husband is also offering up the phone numbers and email addresses for Principal Scott Fain and Superintendent Pam Aubin, who should both be charged with criminal negligence for allowing the Kelly Middle School’s lack of Internet-security to ruin the life of an innocent woman. Also on the list is Norwich police “Detective” Mark Lounsbury, the department’s not-so-expert computer expert who testified under oath that there was no question Amero had visited the porn pop-up websites on purpose, and offered no information to the jury about malware or spyware being in any way culpable. Unfortunately, it’s a bit late to give Lounsbury a lesson in computer security or forensics, at least where Julie Amero is concerned.
technorati tags:porn, teacher, stupid, idiots, school, pop-ups, adware, malware
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