Online Banking

Q.
My bank offers online bill paying and access to my account. Do you think it is safe to use?

A.
Yes I think it is safe as long as you use good common sense. Don't display your password or pin numbers where others can see them, like on a post-it note stuck to your monitor. Do not have a text file with log-in information stored on your computer. If you can't remember passwords lock them up in another part of the house. Think it over before you sign up for this service, Do you really need this? I do not need this online banking and do not use it, but still I do think it is safe. If you sign up and find yourself not using it have you bank cancel it.

Versailles Indiana Pumpkin Show 2007

See the full size photos at:
http://picasaweb.google.com/jack.demaree/VersaillesPumpkinShow2007

See full size photo slide show on my video page:
http://wb9otx.com/youtube/

Verizon DSL Nightmare

Tuesday I was called to install Verizon DSL on a young lady's new computer. I arrived at 10 AM and went to work installing the DSL filters on her 4 phones. Two were wall phones but Verizon did not include wall phone filters. I removed them from the wall and told her to contact Verizon and they would send them to her. I popped in the CD into the drive and started the install. I noticed from the start that the procedure was going very very slow. Others I have installed took about one hour, this one took about one hour forty-five minutes. When finished I went to the Windows mail program for the set-up. I could get mail to send but not to receive. Another half hour passed with no results. I told the lady to call Verizon and ask for the two wall phone filters to be sent and also get them to run a line check on the modem. Later in the day she called to tell me that Verizon does not send wall phone filters out any longer. I ask if they run the line test, she replied no as she could not understand the heavy accent that the lady from Verizon had. I told her I would return and call Verizon for her the next day. I arrived at her home at 1 PM and looked at the mail program again. It was set up correctly as I had looked at the Verizon help page from my home. It still would not receive email. I placed the call to Verizon and waited only a short while when I was connected to a very nice lady with not to bad of an accent. I explained the problem with the slow connection and email. She took control remotely of the computer and began to change settings in the browser. After changing alot of settings she suggested that I install Fire Fox Browser. The computer was downloading slower than dial-up, same as before. She then went to work on the email program. She told me it was configured correctly but would I mind if she put me on hold for five to six minutes? What could I say but yes ! After five minutes went by she returned and ask if she could put me on hold again while she had her supervisor look at the problem, I said OK, what else could I say ! She came back on the phone and said everything was set up correctly and it must be the fault of the Verizon server. She told me to wait three days and if it still was slow and or the email was not working to call back. I told the customer to keep trying it each day and if it was no faster to call me and I would return. I returned home 3 1/2 hours after arriving at the customers home. What a nightmare to say the least. I know of one other computer that is acting the same way. I commented on it in a past Blog entry. It was found that when a known perfect working computer was hooked to the DSL line it performed as slow as the original computer. I do not think that Verizon will fix this problem but I hope I'm wrong for the customer's sake. Both of these people can get cable internet, but at a much higher cost. If you have the same problem after installing Verizon DSL be prepaired to spend about four hours on the phone. You have 30 days to cancel the service, so keep the box and all that came in it. If you have a wall phone get ready to shell out more dollars at Radio Shack for filters. This is not a Vista problem as one has XP for the OS the other is running Vista. I'll post again when I find out the outcome to this problem.

Racket Squad

Scams arrive in my mailbox at the rate of about three per day. I mostlikely receive more than you do but I do think you will get one soon if you have not received one as of yet. Don't fall for these scams. There was a TV show that I watched when I was a kid called "Racket Squad" At the end the MC would state "There are people that will slap you on the back with one hand and pick your pocket with the other. And it could happen to you". Here is a web page that will give you some advice on how not to get into these scams:

http://www.fakechecks.org/

Take a minute to visit these pages, It may save you a lot of grief.

Video added

"Holiday at French Lick" has been added to "My Video Page"
See it here along with the rest:
http://wb9otx.com/youtube/
This is the long version.
A slide show video of the Versailles Pumpkin Show will be added soon.

The GrandKids, My Betty, Sandy, & Aunt Betty

Photos from French Lick
See the full length video at:
http://animoto.com/play/1ee8338904316fb2a42de45726651b9a

Spybot - Search & Destroy

A new version of Spybot - Search & Destroy has just been released. I have tried it and it seems to work just fine even on Vista. Use this program along with Ad-Aware to keep your machine free from spyware. Get it here:
http://www.safer-networking.org/en/spybotsd15/index.html
This is a free program and I may ad, one of the best.

Digital Photography

Digital photography, as opposed to film photography, uses electronic devices to record and capture the image as binary data. This facilitates storage and editing of the images on personal computers, and also the ability to show and delete unsuccessful images immediately on the camera or software itself.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_photography

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Six Must-Know HDTV Facts

Disappointed by how fuzzy CNN looks on your new HDTV? Wondering why Jack Bauer looks so soft and plump on your new flat-screen? Maybe it's because you're not really watching HD on your high-def TV.

Get some advice here:
http://tech.yahoo.com/blog/patterson/578

Pumpkin Show

Versailles Lions Club Pumpkin Show
September 26th - 29th
105th Anniversary

Wed - Fri: 5:00 PM
Saturday:
9:00 AM Amusement Rides open
10:15 AM National Anthem
10:30 AM Parade
1:00 PM Pumpkin weigh in contest

Fri 9:00 PM
Versailles Legion Open House
Over 21 after 9 PM
Don't miss seeing your old friends
I'll be there too

Versailles, Indiana School Life 1818 - 1966

A nice surprise came knocking at my door today. It was Ken Akers, he handed me fresh from the press "Versailles, Indiana School Life 1818 - 1966 History & Documentary Sketches". By Alan F. Smith, Jr. and others. This is a book you must have if you attended VHS. It is packed full of class photos, ball teams, and school adventures. The book will be on sale at several locations about Versailles I'm sure, but only one that I'm sure of and that is The Friendship State Bank Versailles branch. Get your copy and take a walk back through time.

Update:
Spencer-Tyson Drug (on the square) has them, also the American Legion has a few.
.
They can be ordered from:
Four-Sep Publications

P.O. Box 86

Friendship, IN 47021

Cost is $20 each (plus $3 for shipping/handling )

Slow DSL Computer

Q.
My Dad just hooked up to DSL but the download speed is about the speed of dial-up. The phone company tells me the line is OK. He was on dial-up before and it seemed to run at the speed it should of, but now it should be much faster and is not. What can I do to help him?

A.
Take your laptop there and check the speed to see if it runs fast, if it does it is his computer. I it does not it is the DSL. If yours is OK and his is not try all of this.

Go here to check the speed http://speedtest.net/ It should be about 750 kb or so for the slow DSL. 1 to 1.5 Meg for Fast DSL

Run Adaware to clean off the spyware get it here:
http://www.download.com/Ad-Aware-2007-Free/3000-8022_4-10045910.html?part=dl-ad-aware&subj=dl&tag=top5
Make sure you update it, then after it runs delete the files it finds.

Download a reg cleaner at http://www.pcworld.com/downloads/file/fid,64953-page,1-c,downloads/description.html

Remove any symantec (Norton) products from the computer with:
http://service1.symantec.com/SUPPORT/tsgeninfo.nsf/docid/2007080716240739?Open&docid=2005033108162039&nsf=tsgeninfo.nsf&view=docid

Install AVG free virus program. Get it here:
http://free.grisoft.com/doc/downloads-products/us/frt/0?prd=asf Update it and run it to see if you have a virus.

After you do all of this check the speed again and it should be running faster. All of this should take about three hours or so. Good Luck !

Versailles CVS Photos

While getting breakfast this morning I snapped some photos of the almost completed CVS drug store. I stitched them together for a complete view. The store (talk about town) will not open till December. See all the CVS photos at:
http://picasaweb.google.com/jack.demaree/CVSNewLocation
See all my albums at:
http://picasaweb.google.com/jack.demaree

A Juiced Up Youtube = stage6.divx.com

You will need broadband for this one - sorry dial-uppers.
This is basically a juiced up youtube, LOTS BETTER AUDIO AND VIDEO than youtube, it does require the divx webplayer plugin, but its a small download and its worth it to me for the superior quality, check it out, there are all kinds of music, sports, movies, and etc. Check it out at:
http://stage6.divx.com/
Use Fire Fox browser to to follow the above link. Internet Explorer should work but I have not tried it to get the pug in. You can save these videos to your hard drive also, just wait till the buffer is completely full, then right click.
Play with Fire Fox browser to view from your hard drive.
Here are two of my favorites, but there are hundreds more that will fit your taste.

Faith Hope and Charity
An epic historical WW2 drama based on the actual defence of Malta.
1 hour

Pictures-of-War What happened to flight 19
This movie is based on a true story only with Monty Dan's view on what happened.
30 minutes

September 11, 2001 attacks

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/September_11%2C_2001_attacks

Image:911 victims.jpg

Just a few of my photos

Delorme Street Atlas 2007

It all began in the year 2004 when a small GPS unit and mapping software was installed on a notebook computer. The GPS location was displayed on the 15 inch display and was so accrete it was unbelievable. I was so happy with the performance and low price. It came the year 2007 and the software company Delorme notified me of upgraded maps I could install at a reduced price. I bout the upgrade and it installed without a hitch. I was happy again. Now still 2007 I purchased this new laptop that had the Vista operating system (OS) and I wanted to load the GPS software on it. I popped the first CD of three into the drive and after a mouse click or two an error message appeared. It would go no further. I went to the Delorme site on the Web to find a work around solution. I navigated to the customer service page with no help, then the tech support page, no help there either. I looked for a phone number but could not locate one. I found a search box and typed the error message. Boom, up popped a few suggestions, none applied to my problem. But wait, way down at the bottom of the page was in very small print, “ Vista users call 800-xxx-xxx”. A call was placed and a very understandable English speaking man answered. I told him the problem and he tells me I need the up-graded 2008 software. He told me he could send it out for $39.95. I said, “don’t you think after me buying 2004 and 2007 I should get it for free”? Well he did not think this was a very good idea at all. He said Delorme was not a non-profit company, but he did agree to sell me the upgrade for $15. I said, “if you can drop from $40 down to $15 you could drop down to nothing. He did not like this idea of mine either. The conversation went on and on but the negotiation stopped at $15. I ask him to let me talk to his boss. He said sure and put me on hold………. Forever, I hung up after twenty minutes, an old trick they all use. Not to give up I called a geek friend that I knew that has a Vista machine running the Delorme GPS software. I asked him if he had the 2008 upgrade. To my surprise he said no, it was 2007. I told him 2007 would not load on my machine. He said yes he had the same problem but all you have to do is load 2005 and then 2007. You can delete 2005 after the 2007 install. I ask if he could lone me 2005 and as luck would have it he was coming to Versailles in an hour or so. He dropped off the disk, I loaded 2005, then 2007, plugged in the GPS receiver and off it went. It works perfect. You say it was illegal to get the 2005 software from him, I guess it was but only for about five minutes as the 2005 was only on my machine for a short time, then removed. I only used it as a patch. Yes the joys of Vista continues and will keep on repeating time after time. This I’m sure is not the end of the Vista saga…………… jackDemaree

Nightmare marches on Part 2

I'm seeing the light at the end of the tunnel with this new laptop running Vista. I have a much more complex computer setup in my home than most ever would. I have a cable modem, a router/switch, a 4 port switch, a G access point, and two B access points. This connects five desktops and three laptop computers all on a network. The problem I was having with the new Vista laptop was holding or just making connection on the wireless network. The two XP connected laptops worked (connected) perfect. I was blaming the Vista laptop for the connection problem, but maybe I was mistaken as after resetting & rebooting all of the access points it is connecting and staying connected. I do not know if it was the access points or the computer that was at fault, but it all seems to be working as it should now. I'm getting more at ease with Vista as time passes but there is a great deal more to learn. I would tell you, "Do not try to upgrade your XP computer to Vista". It will be bad enough when you must buy a new computer with the Vista OS installed. Vista may not be all that bad if you never used Windows 98 or XP. It is just a new way to get to the same place. The biggest complaint I have is some, not all, of my XP programs do not run at all or if they do they do not run correctly. As time goes on new programs will be written for Vista and this will be corrected, just have to wait I suppose............Jack

All about Labor Day

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Labor_Day_%28United_States%29