Terry and Heidie's Web Picks - Protect Your PC! · Wednesday June 7, 2006 by Terry of Astoria
If you don’t want to hear the security lecture, skip to the last four paragraphs, because before we get into the meat of this month’s web suggestions, I’m going to ask you one question, and then I’m going to digress and rant a bit, if only to try to help. Which Browser do you use? You really ought to be using Firefox. “What’s Firefox?” you might ask. “It’s what you ought to be using.” I might reply. Seriously, though, it’s a web browser. Y’know, like Internet Explorer? However, there are a few important differences between Firefox and Internet Explorer. One is that Firefox is safer. It won’t tend to allow your computer to become infected with as much malware, spyware, and trojans as the ol’ Exploder-meister. Also it’s WAY cooler. To learn more about Firefox, visit en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mozilla_Firefox. To download the free installer, visit mozilla.com.
Now that you have Firefox, you can install some Firefox extensions! Extensions are like add-ons. They give you more fun for your money. What money? It’s free software! Sign up now! The first one I’m going to recommend is Stumbleupon. You can install stumbleupon easily by using Firefox to visit stumbleupon.com. From there you just click on “Easy Signup!” to begin the quick installation process. DO IT NOW! It makes web browsing fun and easy. It’s a button on your toolbar that loads a new, interesting web site every time you click it. The web sites it loads are suggested by other stumbleupon users! That’s how it works! We were going to keep Stumbleupon our secret here at Mallternative and use it to help us find interesting web sites to recommend for you, our readers, but we decided to have pity on you and let the cat out of the bag. So go now to stumbleupon.com and get it for your Firefox!
Windows users! Do you have an antivirus application that is in need of expensive updates? If so, it’s not doing you a bit of good! The viruses your computer is likely to be infected with are not LAST YEARS VIRUSES. They’re the viruses of today. TODAY, man. Out-of-date software isn’t going to help, so uninstall that expensive software suite that came with your e-machine as a come-on, and install AVG free! For home use, it costs $0. To get it go to http://free.grisoft.com/freeweb.php/doc/2/ or simply use google.com to search for AVG free. You’re looking for grisoft.com – notice the little green web address in each google search result? that’s so you can see where you’re going when visiting that link!
With AVG and Windows XP’s built-in firewall, you’ll be well-protected from viruses and most hackers! Windows 98/ME users wanting a firewall should get Zone Alarm free from http://www.zonealarm.com. Click on Free Zone Alarm there to find it.
OK here are the FUN web picks for this week.
I discovered video.google.com a few days ago, and IT’S AWESOME! One video I heartily recommend is http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=515642196227308929 which is a Russian free running clip. Free running is a sport I don’t quite understand. Participants run and climb buildings and do all sorts of acrobatic stunts that could get them killed or at least arrested in the US. To find the Russian clip head to http://video.google.com/ and search for free running russian climbing and it’ll come up on top.
Here’s a good way to harass your friends for some entertainment. Pinpoint something you think they’re paranoid of or they obviously avoid (or make something up….are they afraid of sex?) and then check out this website stuartxchange.org/Phobias.html to find the clinical term for it and then just put the bug in their ear until they’ll want to look it up. “Hey, Jane! You should really talk to a doctor about your oneirogmophobia. It seems like you have a real problem!”
Ok. This one is a really great, fun new interactive site created by Portland folks. Go to platial.com to view people’s individual atlases or to create your own meaningful maps. For example, you might want to create a map of all the places you’ve visited in the world and share stories at each point. You can add your maps to your website and share with friends and family. It’s a new concept and is still in it’s beginning stages but worth visiting or using yourself.
Please send in your web site suggestions to mallternative@gmail.com. Putting “web suggestion” or something in the subject line would be a good idea. We’ll give you credit for the suggestion if we publish it.
This article was created by Heidie and Terry and sponsored by Mallternative. Buy CDs, DVDs, LPs, stereos, games, computers, and LOTS more at the Mallternative “Where you want what we have!”—This Week’s Special – Mallternative pays good money for old stereos!!! 1167 Marine Dr. Astoria 503-325-0268 Mon-Thurs 10:00 to 5:30 Fri & Sat 10:00 to 6:00
