BEWARE of Christmas PowerPoint

Christmas computers may never be the same. This warning is a must-take-heed one.

E-mails may bring Christmas PowerPoint
with a surprise for the New Year

A PowerPoint file is circulating this season that drops and executes two malicious programs embedded in it. The innocent Christmas-themed PPT slideshow named Christmas+Blessing-4.ppt may be familiar to many of you. It has previously made the rounds and is just a decoy for the embedded malware.

This exploit was patched as early as March 14, 2006 (see Microsoft Security Bulletin MS06-012 at http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/Bulletin/MS06-012.mspx). But how many of you have installed that patch?

It's a shame and sad truth that we need to guard ourselves against PowerPoint data files, which should be totally safe. But if your systems aren't fully patched and you don't have the most up-to-date virus definitions, this Christmas blessing can infect you for the New Year.

Other seasonal virus exploits are hiding in attachments called:

# Christmas.exe
# Christmas_Puzzle.exe

These exploits may be found at: http://www.f-secure.com/weblog/archives/archive-122006.html#00001058

I hope your computer is protected against these bad things and that your New Year starts out as a happy one!

NOTE: The above was made available by Orange County IBM PC Users' Group

"Here's To RESOLUTENESSES" 2007

"Firm in purpose or belief; characterized by firmness and determination.

Something settled or resolved; the outcome of decision making.

A decision to do something or to behave in a certain manner."

One supposes, as one grows along life's pathway, to be resolute one night a year can be somewhat fun and exciting. Of course we all know that most resolutions, like many rules, are made, then broken not too far off in the distant future, although, akin to a bad present, it is "the thought that counts", or so the euphemism goes.

One year ago I determined a list of ten reslutions to be had for 2006:

1. Quit my job tomorrow and take life easy.
   
2. Write more...maybe a new novel - fiction this time?
3. More canoe trips. Get more active in Scouting.
4. More camping excursions and research expeditions.
5. Develop better and deeper computer skills (Linux).
6. Snorkle in the southern islands.
7. Read 18th C. novels and continue English studies.
8. Volunteer at the Imperial Theatre.
9. Rejoin Toastmasters International again.
10. Selective TV viewing only and no commercial radio.

The only resolution, from above, I did not accomplish, is resolution number 2; although this is a high priority for 2007 - I plan on one full short story a month in 2007.
The entire 2006 New Year's Blog is posted here
Do you have a resolution to be made?

The Top Ten NEW YEARS RESOLUTIONS for this year are:

1. Spend More Time with Family & Friends
2. Fit in Fitness
3. Tame the Bulge
4. Quit Smoking
5. Enjoy Life More
6. Quit Drinking
7. Get Out of Debt
8. Learn Something New
9. Help Others
10. Get Organized

Looking over these resolutions, I have accomplished most of the items.

1. Much of our time is spent with familiy and friends.
2. We go to the gym 3 days per week and take the dog for 2 walks each day.
3. We have cut out junk food, boxed food, and mainly eat fruit, fish and vegetables.
4. Quit almost 10 years ago.
5. Quit job one year ago and am REALLY enjoying life MORE, REALLY haha.
6. Quit 9 years ago.
7. Did that before I quit working with my "FIVE YEAR PLAN".
8. Working on an English degree.
9. Volunteer with several entities within Lambton County.
10. Well, this one definitely needs work and herein lies my 2007 Resolution: PLANNING.
11. A left-over from 2006 for 2007 is to write fiction: short stories.
    

RE: "Regulate Truck Speed on Ontario Highways"

This is a response from my recent Letter to the Editor in the Sarnia Observer...Please see my previous Blog about regulating these cowboy truck drivers...It is obvious this reader is a blinded trucker...He must not travel on the 400 series Hwys in Ontario...Especially 401 and 402 and the 400.


Report bad drivers when you see them Editorial - Saturday, December 23, 2006 @ 09:00

Sir: Re: Letter to the editor from Gregory West, "Regulate the speed of transport trucks" (The Observer, Dec. 15, 2006)

Please get your facts straight. The State of Michigan has changed their speed limit for trucks from 55 mph to 60 mph.

When you encountered these so called "out-of-control" trucks, did you get their plate number and the name of the company they work for and report them to the proper authorities?

I'm not saying there aren't some truck drivers out there that speed and break the rules, but not all of us are like that. The majority of the "professional" truck drivers out there encounter the same problems you talk about, whether it's other trucks or cars. Let's face it, there are a lot of bad drivers on the road. If we report them as we see them, it's a start. It's not going to rid us of all the bad drivers, but we can try, one by one, if that's what it takes.

By the way, our government is already looking into the possibility of installing speed limiters in trucks and setting the limits at 115 kmh (approx. 65 mph).

Roger Bahro

Inwood

Regulate Truck Speed on Ontario Highways

PLEASE WRITE
YOUR MPP TODAY

AND COMPLAIN

IT IS YOUR RIGHT


My personal Email to my MPP for Sarnia, Ontario:

Caroline Di Cocco
Ontario MPP
First Sarnia Place
201 Front Street North
Suite 407
Sarnia, Ontario
N7T 7T9

Tel: 519-337-0051
Fax: 519-337-3246
E-Mail: cdicocco.mpp.co@liberal.ola.org

Hello Caroline,

As a forty year veteran of highway 401 and 402 driving, I have to ask
why Ontario still allows transport trucks to travel at the accepted
highway speed of 120 kph?

As one who works in Toronto, you must see this horrendous driving act
on the 402 and 401 of aggressive transport truck drivers who
constantly run over the speed limit and block traffic for miles when
they constantly attempt to pass other vehicles on hills.

All of this causes preventable accidents.

In Michigan State the Americans have legislated their trucks to travel
no faster than 80 kph, a speed that is constantly patrolled by the
police. It certainly makes for a much safer drive and a pleasant
drive.

We need safer highways. Regulating the speed to 80 kph, for transport
trucks, is a positive move towards making Ontario highways a very much
safer place to travel.

Due to the past and recent accidents on the 402 and 401, caused by
aggressive speeding transport trucks passing vehicles that choose to
travel the regulated speed limits, is the Liberal Government looking
into the unsafe state of our major highways due to the
"out-of-control" truck transport drivers?

Sincerely,

Gregory West

-----------------------------
Here are some facts to review:

A crash between two transport trucks early Thursday morning
on Highway 401 has left one man dead and slowed traffic on one
of the country's busiest highways.
For full report: http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/news/story.html
?id=3f025a6c-b4af-49f6-8c27-c197a2c04ca2&k=52752

There are so many stories about the horrendous highway hazards
caused by racing, raging, out-of-control transport drivers, who have
taken complete control over all lanes on our highways, that we do not
have enough time to list most of them. However, why not take a
moment and complain...?

Again, it is our right to write our Elected Officials, so why not? It is easy...
Here is the Email addresses you need:

EMAIL ADDRESSES OF MEMBERS OF ONTARIO LEGISLATURE:
http://olaap.ontla.on.ca/mpp/daCurRdg.do?locale=en&ord=RDG_NAME