Das Problem wird in US-Foren und in deutschen Foren beschrieben und mit teilweise radikalen Lösungen (komplette Neuinstallation mit Datenverlust aller Anwendungen) gelöst. 

Bei mir hatte bisher die einfache Lösung geholfen: Deinstallieren und dann Reinstallieren einer der installierten Programme. Dabei muss man erneut sein Passwort im iTunes Store eingeben. 

Gestern hatte ich das gleiche Problem und diese einfache Lösung funktionierte nicht mehr. Nachdem ich auch direkt nach einer kompletten Neu-Installation das Problem noch hatte, war ich so verzweifelt, dass ich den (gut versteckten) Telefonsupport von Apple angerufen habe. Nach ca. 10 Minuten Wartezeit empfahl mir ein freundlicher Herr folgendes Vorgehen:

• Löschen aller Programme auf dem iPhone
• Download der Programme mit iTunes (also am PC)
• Synchronisation mit dem iPhone (wobei eine Synchronisation aller Programme ausgewählt sein muss)
• Jetzt erschien bei mir eine Fehlermeldung, dass ich nicht berechtigt bin, die Programme auf diesem Computer auszuführen. Mit OK bestätigen. Die Programme werden noch nicht synchronisiert.
• Danach kann man auf eines der Programme in der iTunes Mediathek (Kategorie Programme) doppelt klicken, um die Benutzung auf diesem Computer freizuschalten. Dabei muss man sein iTunes Kennwort eingeben.

A ' typical ' programme is likely to be based on a number of contact hours over a period of three, six or twelve months or twelve 60-90 minutes weekly sessions. It is important to recognize the power of the coaching process. Learning and adaptation takes place between sessions. It is simply not possible to compress this into, say two days full time. Neither is it effective to have sessions seperated by more than four or five weeks.

At times of economic pressure, coaching programmes along with other initiatives frequently come under increased scrutiny. Sometimes a structured process is replaced by a 'pay as you go' approach. This is not without its dangers, since a sporadic, intermittent framework may well prevent the participant giving the process the focus necessary to achieve the progress they desire.

*...But as I am writing it now, I've modified it significantly so as to blend better with current thought, and also to incorporate recent concepts when relevant...*

As I explained in Playing the Victim, one of my co-workers was suffering from acute depression, and asked for advice. The solution I gave her was *obviously* to stop "playing the victim", and accept responsibility for her life - thus empowering herself and providing the psychological leverage needed to deal with the other issues, and begin progressing with life again. Although this solution is logically valid, I've become to realize more and more how much truth cannot be logically justified -so, for lack of better feelings, I should  "be more considerate of her feelings"- for lack of better phrasing - So this depression needs to be handled more gradually, using "gentler" methods :P

Due to the ever-constant chaos already eminent in her life, dealing with it logically would be impossible, because logic has already become irrelevant. I assured her that I would see what I could do in finding a [irony alert!] more *reasonable* solution, and fortunately, I think I've found one. Well, from the looks of things the *best* solution is a work-in-progress, but at the very least it's something to work off of. Of course the solution has nothing to do with drugs. I was medicated for several years in the past, and although I definitely had, and *have* the illnesses I was diagnosed with, I found I did far better without them. Come to think of it, the several different medications I was given did little more than sedate me. As far as I can tell, that was about it. Don't ask why, I have know clue :P

As I mentioned in that same post ("Playing the Victim") I was able to deal with my psychological issues best (by an overwhelming margin) without medication; if anything the medication just made things worse. So although I cannot speak for anyone else, From my person experiences I would definitely recommend against the ingestion of psychological drugs of any kind. Treatment is frequently contrasted with "Cure", being only a temporary/partial solution (i.e. to minimize symptoms)- Cures are permanent.

I think the fact that medication only minimizes symptoms is particularly interesting- after all, "Symptoms" are the proof that the body/mind/etc. is fighting against the disease/etc. If the symptoms disappear, that doesn't mean the person is better. In fact, if the disease/etc. still exist despite symptoms, that should be considered a bad thing, since the immune system is essentially being suppressed, allowing the disease freely roam, resulting in far worse [in this case] mental health. Well, that's just speculation on my part, but such an opinion is also implied in "I Never Promised you Roses". In the cases of depression, the "cure" might well be to deal with the problem as described in "Playing the Victim"- however, for now, a temporary solution [*treatment*] should suffice.

Among many-- more minor illnesses, I have Bipolar- previously known as "manic-depressive" disorder. The previous name is much more descriptive, but I guess they're trying to be more politically correct :P I regularly go through cycles- between depressive and more manic states; I maintain a more "normal" demeanor in-between. The upside and downside of Bipolar is the same: the cycles are predictable. That is- I only get depressed or manic "when I'm supposed to"- this makes cycles very predictable, and I can schedule accordingly, since it works like clockwork. But of course, no one likes getting depressed-- well, I'm sure plenty of people like getting manic though :P Then again, I don't ever get anxious (for certain reasons that I'll cover in later posts) so I don't have to deal with that part of the manic cycle...but for whatever its worth, that's the downside.

A while ago I realized that I could completely thwart the depression cycles (although the manic isn't so bad) by making a habit of automatically rejecting the logical validity of all negative thoughts. Although I did not realize it then, I had already been doing such a thing for a few years now. But I have also realized that, in accordance with balance, to disregard any emotion logically, I had to lose my emotions; this is because to logically get rid of emotions, one must believe any previous emotions to never have existed- this is necessary because emotions are the backbone of passion and desire- no decision can follow through without one's emotions backing it.

Getting back to habits though, as I detailed in [insert post], it's possible to force oneself to change the perception of anything you want, even if it is the exact opposite of the original and natural perception. In that experiment, as I was walking in the freezing cold (of last winter, to be exact) I decided to imagine the pain as being pleasure, and concentrated on the cold being a good thing, setting aside all "common sense" in favor of this perception. The result was a bit surprising- by concentrating the pain completely went away- it was very exciting seeing how perceptions can be manipulated this way.

The only thing lacking with this is that one must concentrate to experience the conversion. That's where habits come in. The purpose of habits is to keep of memory of thing that are done often, and usually require a degree of concentration. It is an adaptation that allows us to perform tasks better the more that we do it, because those things we've already concentrated on a lot are stored in our "cache", which frees up our "memory" to focus on the finer details, or other tasks. Although perhaps I'm a bit partial due to my hobbies, I think that the human brain is strikingly similar to the computer- or, even more likely, the other way around.

As a result of these habits, I have not felt depressed for a few years now.

*Note "felt"- "depression can mean more than one thing; "felt" meaning that I have not had any sad or depressing thoughts for a while. In retrospect BTW this is not a good thing- to accomplish this required "unbreacheable" psychological walls to be put up, resulting in an almost completely nonchalant perspective towards everything; the root meaning of depression ("to slow down"/ "fall" / "be undone" /etc) is still true even now- the depression just does not include the emotional components (i.e. sadness/melancholy/etc.)*

There was one brief period a while back (see Self-Awareness post ) but that only last half an hour. I was thrust into a terrible depression, due to not being able to prepare a decent resume (I had no work experience at the time). But, seeing that I needed it to get done, I forcibly moved myself forward, and was able to pull off what had appeared to be impossible, thus effectively ending that "episode". Recalling this incident has also played a key role in determining another, more "reasonable" solution to my coworker's problem.

All of "today" (*see top*), as expected, I experienced the usual wave of depression. Well, I say depressed, but (as explained above) the only symptom I still experience is a complete lack of motivation to do anything productive. On these days I might normally do nothing but watch anime- and in WCS even lack the motivation to play games. But even when I have such days, going to work is not a problem. Actually, on these days going to work is actually more of a vacation, anyway. Much of the reason for this is explained in Opportunity- that is, working each day with the awareness that half my pay is not in the salary, but in the opportunity to work. As I've discovered over time, the reason why working can be so fulfilling- is because of expectations- knowing that our coworkers and supervisors expect us to do the job well, and fullfilling those expectations, fills us with a wonderful sense of pride. The way I see it, this is "running away from ourselves"- here's why:

Who we are- that which we perceive ourselves to be, and also who and that which we perceive others to be, is dependent on memory, which also means that we can only see ourselves and other people as we were in the past. That is because we are contantly changing and growing, clarifying and building upon who we are every second, although the changes may not be noticed for years. Because of that, the person we perceive ourselves to be, is actually the past, and is not entirely accurate. The irony (and amusement) of this, is that we are able to change in the first place for this same reason. See, to move forward and grow, we must leave our past behind us, which I believe is a necessity due to balance. Interestingly enough, it is also a central theme for reincarnation. So "running away" from ourself in essence means "leaving behind the past" to move towards a better future. So perhaps a more optimistic phrasing would be "running to" (although that would totally kill the visual)

Since I am a restless individual, lacking in patience (although I have aquired a significant patience these past few months, in recognition of the need) I first dealt with my lack of motivation by being confrontational (i.e. a complete ass) with my roommates. Thinking about it now, that initial approach is strikingly similar to Linkin Park's song "Breaking the Habit". From what I can tell, this journey I'm going through has an extremely close likeness that the journey that Linkin Park depicts in their music, so I often listen to the words of their songs for guidance. As the contributers (of that song) in Linkin Park did though, I realized that there were better ways of dealing with it, that I needed to 'break the habit'.

So I started settling down, and played games with them instead. Here I realized another way of self-treating depression. Summing it all up, a person's psychological health is primarily dependent on one factor- pride. This is why it's important to not play the victim- depression is caused by insecurity. The opposite of insecurity is self-control. Taking control of a situation is an active way of alleviating insecurity (and thus depression), but it's likely that in most cases of depression, the person's state-of-mind renders them incapable of taking the initiative- thus a passive response is necessary. By playing games with my roommates that I knew I would win, and by following through with that expectation, I am able to alleviate my insecurity in a passive manner. That is, it required no initiative, because they already wanted to play- I only had to say "yes". Thus, one of the best ways to alleviate depression passively, without initiative, is to put oneself in an environment where we will succeed, and have the expectations of others to drive and support that success.

With both the resume incident and the days that I played games to relieve depression, the key factor is power. In one way or another, empowering oneself plays a vital role in allowing us to move on. To put in another way, the most efficient way to get over depression is to "pet your ego" by showing off your strengths to others. Pride is, after all, one of our greatest needs as humans, making this a reliable "quick fix" for depression

Many homeowners cannot afford to stay in their homes with substantial increases in monthly mortgage payments, and Kari Banse has helped many of these homeowners find solutions to the threat of a foreclosure appearing on their credit report. Homeowners desing help to save their credit should consider short sales.

In fact there are three major solutions Kari implements for her homeowner customers:

• Arranging for a short sale with the homeowners' lenders
• Arranging for a purchase of the home with a financial buyer who can execute a wrap and make the payments on the increased amount that the existing homeowner can no longer afford
• Assist in excuting a workout with the lender to lower the payment, forgive late fees and/or review the mortgage documents to determine whether it is possible to secure a modification of the loan that includes a payment reduction.

Kari frequently speaks on this topic and is available to speak at various organizations throughout Austin and the surrounding area.

Incredible:

• God is just majestic. We had worship in devotions this morning, and the songs just blessed my heart. There's so much that young people can do, even if it's as though everyone has expectations of them. This was the song that opened the set, and it just moved me powerfully:


Lyrics here. The guy who's in this video looks like Kurt Cobain, no? An added bonus.

• How I've had just enough energy for the things I need to do, and not more, but, more importantly, not less. I've had sporadic sleep since the beginning of the semester, and with uni starting up this past week as well, it's been pretty intense, with the prospect of more to come later on.
• God has just had His hand on my relationships, and I've really seen healing and His work on them.
• Classes have started at uni, and although I was dog-tired when I came home the two nights, I really learned a lot in the lectures and I look forward to the assignments (even though I'm almost beyond 50% sure I'll regret this feeling later on as deadlines creep up on me... that said, I do know what I want to write on for my dissertation, which is a blessed relief. All that remains then is for the topic to be approved).

Not-so-incredible:

• Not being able to blog kind of drives me nutty with the various different things I mean to write about, but which I forget to do. So yes. Not so great.
• The lack of sleep. It's constant, and on some days, I have no idea where the energy I have comes from. It could only be God. Which then makes this point not really not-so-incredible... but oh well.

So all things considered, not a bad week, even if I did get blown off by a friend I had expected to meet up with. It was a nice evening though, just hanging out.

I'm listening to John Mayer right now. Ahh, love.

   Recently I have discoverd that it seems as though everything i need has been invented , (outside of irational objects). It seems my creative spark has not yet tingled with electricity, a small idea or problem can bloom into a great future. So I need some help, i need your help, surely theres something in the world you need to be able to do, more efficently, quickly, quitely, calmly, softly, or even virturally. Give me something to work with, the artist can not make a scultpture without a medium, (clay, glass, rock, sand, etc).

   You know better than anyone what you want, what you need, give me some of your problems, let me find the solution, do you want to be able to have all your music at your finger tips and automatically pic songs varied on mood, do you want to have a device that can detect what time the rain will begin, do you want a device that can read books for you and upload them to your computer, do you want something that can help you with school work without doing it for you? Give me your opinions, comments, problems, suggestions, and solutions, together we can make tomarrow better and brighter.

   Please Send all information to Greenpanther096@aol.com, or comment on this particular post

                                                 ~ßrêtt~~ head of NBS~ (Nakamura Shinji)

I now apply this to most of my washing up... so the breakfast bowls are soaking at the moment, I'm writing this and then I'll finish the dishes and off to work.

My Preference for Washing Dishing

Get the wife to do them. [My wife's read this... guests who's doing the washing up tonight!]

Cool Features

1. I'm multitasking.

Wanted Feature

1. A dishwasher.

Solution
This solution allows washing of dishes a little easier and you can do something else at the same time.

The publication recently released an article on Climate Geoengineering, suggesting how it might be our only realistic solution left to combat climate change.

-

Some excerpts:

The experts say a reluctance "at virtually all levels" to address soaring greenhouse gas emissions means carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere are on track to pass 650 parts-per-million (ppm), which could bring an average global temperature rise of 4C.

Brian Launder of the University of Manchester and Michael Thompson of the University of Cambridge say: "While such geoscale interventions may be risky, the time may well come when they are accepted as less risky than doing nothing."

They add: "There is increasingly the sense that governments are failing to come to grips with the urgency of setting in place measures that will assuredly lead to our planet reaching a safe equilibrium."

Professor Launder, a mechanical engineer, told the Guardian: "The carbon numbers just don't add up and we need to be looking at other options, namely geo-engineering, to give us time to let the world come to its senses." He said it was important to research and develop the technologies so that they could be deployed if necessary. "At the moment it's almost like talking about how we could stop world war two with an atomic bomb, but we haven't done the research to develop nuclear fission."

Critics argue they are a dangerous distraction from attempts to limit carbon pollution, and that they could have disastrous side-effects. They would also do nothing to prevent ecological damage caused by the growing acidification of the oceans, caused when carbon dioxide dissolves in seawater. Last year, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change dismissed geo-engineering as "largely speculative and unproven and with the risk of unknown side-effects".

Dr Alice Bows of the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research at the University of Manchester said: "I'm not a huge fan of messing with the atmosphere in an geo-engineering sense because there could be unpredictable consequences. But there are also a lot of unpredictable consequences of temperature increase. It does appear that we're failing to act [on emissions]. And if we are failing to act, then we have to consider some of the other options."

Full Article Here

-

For those unaware about the entire debate, climate geoengineering is basically the most radical and dangerous option out there to combat global warming. And while no one really knows how exactly we will go about doing it, the general idea lies in surrounding the world with a certain layer of gas. This should block out heat from the Sun's rays and hence lower the global temperature. After all, certain gases such as sulphur dioxide, when released into the atmosphere in large amounts, have been noted to produce cooling effects on the Earth.

This isn't a new concept - scientists have actually been talking about it for some time now. In fact, there has even been a TED presentation on it by David Keith. Check it out.

No one can deny that such an approach is extremely risky and even potentially dangerous, but The Guardian has a point: There simply isn't going to be enough political will to bring about the change needed. Sure, Barack Obama might help, but even that won't be enough with growing superpowers China and India polluting at rates that will inevitably surpass the United States.

If current indicators hold any value, the atmospheric concentration of CO2 will rise pass 650ppm in a few decades, and once that causes the global temperature to reach 4 degrees above the natural level, we are going to see some very drastic effects and consequences. The Earth's landscape will be irreversibly changed. Floods and droughts will both be ubiquitous. People will inevitably die.

Indeed, things might not looking good for humanity.

However, don't declare climate geoengineering the best solution yet. There are some important issues that still needs to be considered:

• Who will control the global temperature? As David Keith points out, the ability to control the temperature might provide the incentive for rival countries to engage in conflict and war. Without some sort of international organisation that actually holds some real authority (No, the UN does not!), each individual country is simply going to demand a global temperature that suits it's personal needs.
• What are the possible side effects? Sulphur dioxide, being extremely poisonous, is already out of the question. And while other alternatives are certainly available, it would be foolish to assume that they don't have a possibility of exacerbating our already-damning environmental problems as well.
• Environmental disturbance is another scenario very likely to occur. There will be less direct sunlight for plants, more acidification of our sea and rain, as well as a possible depletion of the protective ozone layer. Global precipitation will be reduced, significantly affecting agricultural practices in India or northern Africa.

All this talk sure is gloomy - I'm off to my neighbourhood park to enjoy the greenery while it lasts. Who knows? Blue skies might become a rare luxury much sooner than you could imagine.

As a test tool, one can use the information to create issue reports, detailing the information that was not uninstalled.

For example uninstalling the application Yahoo! Toolbar has 246 leftover Registry items and 6 leftover files and folders. This potentially could lead to issues when installing different versions of the application on the same machine.

My Options for Revo Uninstaller

1. The default options are adequately set, therefore I have not changed these.
2. I have not required to use the System Restore Point after using Revo Uninstaller, however I would always make sure the "Make a System Restore Point before uninstalling" option is checked.
3. When selecting an uninstall mode, I mostly use the Moderate option.

Cool Features

1. Revo Uninstaller is portable, therefore no installation required and can be run from a USB drive (always a cool feature).
2. Command list available by right-clicking the application list provides a number of useful commends, in particular Install Location and Open Registry Key... .
3. The Hunter Mode, as described in the application "A primary feature of Revo Uninstaller is Hunter mode. This mode gives you the flexibility to uninstall, stop, delete or disable from auto-starting with just one click" as on the application.

Wanted Feature

1. Ability to export data to text files (for easier creation of issues report) for the following areas: List of applications installed, tree list of found leftover Registry items and the list of found leftover files and folders. [Maybe an AutoHotKey script could be an initial work around]

Homepage: Revo Uninstaller Download: freeware, Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows 2003, Windows Vista (32 bit only)

Solution
This solution allows information leftover from uninstalling applications, to be removed and theses details used in a issue report for testing.

READ: John 13:3-16
If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. —John 13:14

Research conducted by a leading compensation technology firm found that among employees planning to leave their companies, a majority felt they were underpaid. Fewer than 20 percent of them, however, were receivingless than the industry standard for their duties.

Bill Coleman, of Salary.com, believes that many unhappy workers are overtitled rather than underpaid. Some companies give employees lofty titles even though their job responsibilities have not increased. In time, employees feel they deserve more money than their actual duties merit. "When it comes to salary," Coleman says, "it's what you do, not what you're called, that counts."

It's interesting how Jesus dealt with the issue of titles and responsibilities. During the Last Supper, He performed the task of a lowly servant by washing His disciples' feet, setting the stage for His astonishing statement about humility: "You call Me Teacher and Lord, and you say well, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet" (John 13:13-14).

Christ the Lord set the example for all who would follow Him, confirming that it's not what we're called, but what we do that counts.  — David C.Mc Casland

When Jesus took a servant's towel—
His honor set aside—
He humbly showed us how to serve,
And how to conquer pride. —Sper

The more we serve Christ, the less we will serve self.

From: Our Daily Bread, September 1, 2008

Why do millions abuse chemical substances? Is there a missing dimension in their lives? Are there real answers to these troubling questions?

The world is awash in dangerous—yet pleasure-producing—chemical substances. Millions use and abuse these potentially deadly substances as self-administered drugs—in spite of well-publicized risks and documented fatalities. But why do people do this? Why do young people and adults alike deliberately take such risks? Why would someone willingly court disaster? Surprisingly, the real keys to understanding and combating substance abuse are not found in clinical programs or medical textbooks, but in the Bible! This may sound strange to modern ears, but the evidence is available. It is clear. It is sobering—and it is encouraging!

"ทำไมเธอจับช้อนแบบนั้นล่ะ"

15:26
มกราคม 2548

"...ฉันไม่ได้อยากให้เธอปลอบนะ ฉันอยากให้เธอฟังเงียบๆ ต่างหาก
จะมาคิดแทนฉันทำไมว่ารถติดแล้วต้องทำอะไร"

"อืม ขอโทษนะ"

สอง

18:54
เมษายน 2548

ผมเดินออกจากประตูกระจกที่กั้นไว้
และทุกอย่างเป็นไปตามที่ผมคิด ไม่มีแม้สักสิ่งที่อยู่นอกเหนือการควบคุม
ผมรู้สึกพอใจ
เธอช่างคาดเดาได้ง่ายเสียเหลือเกิน
เสียงสะอึกสะอื้นที่เล็ดรอดออกมาทั้งที่พยายามจะเก็บกดไว้อย่างถึงที่สุด
สีหน้าหม่นเศร้าและบ่งชัดถึงความไม่เข้าใจ
มือที่ประสานกันแน่นบนโต๊ะกับแววตาที่ดูว่างเปล่า ไร้ที่ยึดเหนี่ยว

ทุกสิ่งที่กำลังเกิดขึ้นทำให้ผมไม่แปลกใจเลยเมื่อเสียงเรียกเข้าดังขึ้นจากโทรศัพท์มือถือของผม
เพียงสองนาทีหลังจากที่อะไรๆ มันผ่านไป
เธอได้อ่านสิ่งที่ผมอยากจะพูดแล้ว

"ทำไมต้องบอกลากันด้วยวิธีนี้ แม้แต่จะพูดต่อหน้าก็ไม่ได้เหรอ?"
"ฉันทำอะไรผิดเหรอ?"
เธอถามในสิ่งที่ผมตอบไม่ได้
สิ่งที่อยู่นอกเหนือการควบคุมของผม

สาม

14:30
สิงหาคม 2551
"ไม่เป็นไรนะ ก็แค่นั่งรถกลับไปเอา อย่าหงุดหงิดเลย"

21:40
สิงหาคม 2551

"ไปทะเลกันนะ"

สี่

1:20
กันยายน 2551

ฉันวางหูโทรศัพท์จากเธอด้วยความรู้สึกที่เต็มตื้น

"เพิ่งเสร็จน่ะ กำลังจะกลับแล้ว"
"อืม กลับบ้านดีๆ นะ"

เท่านั้นล่ะ, เพียงเท่านั้นที่เธอพูด
แต่เพราะเป็นเธอ ฉันถึงรู้สึกดีได้อย่างนี้

เธอให้ฉันได้เป็นตัวของตัวเอง
เธอทำให้ฉันหัวเราะ
และเธอใจเย็นในเวลาที่ฉันหงุดหงิดกับเรื่องงี่เง่า

เมื่อก่อนนั้น ฉันเคยสงสัยว่าฉันทำผิดอะไร คนรักเก่าถึงได้จากไป
จากไป...โดยไม่แม้แต่จะบอกลาต่อหน้าด้วยซ้ำ
วันนี้ บางสิ่งในตัวเธอ ทำให้ฉันรู้ว่ามันเป็นคนละเรื่องกัน

ความสัมพันธ์ครั้งนั้น เต็มไปด้วยการวิเคราะห์ที่ทำให้ฉันหายใจไม่ออก
และมันไม่ใช่ความผิดของฉันเลย
สิ่งที่เธอทำ, บอกฉันว่าจะก้าวต่อไปอย่างไร

นั่นล่ะ...

ฉันรักเธอที่เป็นอย่างนั้น
และฉันจะรักเธอเช่นนั้น.

Change is good. When the right idea is executed correctly ~ there is no telln' how that "good" will become "great". 

Ever notice how the really good leaders of the world encountered opposition that was only and just a message of hate and what to be fearful of ~ never actually giving you a solution to a problem or concern?? Seems like a control tactic ~~~~~~  Yet, they seemed to always achieve the goal though everything was stacked against them???

I was watching inconvenient truth the other day and theres the bit where it shows the sea level rising really high and flooding most of the world. Well i live near the sea, and don’t want to drown, so i got to thinking. Maybe if we lower the sea level a bit, when the water level rises then it won’t rise high enough to flood.

Anyway, heres the plan. Everyone who can should take a bucket of sea water and pour it down the sink. If lots of people put the effort in, we could lower the sea level substantially and create a better world for our children to live.

[ FAIL Blog: Pictures and Videos of Owned, Pwnd and Fail Moments ]

This type of popup announcement is a very powerful motivator. Would you click?

Unfortunately, if you had clicked on this particular popup you would have begun the process of infecting your computer with IEAntiVirus rogue security software, the objective of which is to convince you to pay for the removal of false positives; fake or false malware detection warnings, that this program is designed to install on your machine.

IEAntiVirus, a clone of MalwareBell, FilesSecure and IEDefender was specifically developed to mislead unaware computer users’ into downloading and paying for the “full” version of this bogus software, based on the false malware positives generated by the application. Even if you are tricked into paying for the “full” version, nothing, not even the false warnings will be cleaned from your computer. Total Secure 2009, TotalSecure2009, TotalSecure 2009, is also rogue security software and is a clone of IE AntiVirus. These cyber-crooks never stop it seems!

The message here is: never click on unsolicited invitations to download software of any kind.

You need to be sure that any security application you are considering installing on your computer is recognized as legitimate by industry experts. To do that, visit Spyware Warrior, an excellent web site that will advise you what products work and have a deserved reputation for quality performance.

Generally, reputable anti-spyware software is capable of detecting rogue software if it attempts to install, or on a malware scan. But this is not always the case. Anti-malware programs that rely on a definition database can be behind the curve in recognizing the newest threats.

A good partial solution to this problem is to ensure you have installed, and are running, an anti-malware application such as ThreatFire 3, free from PC Tools. This type of program operates using heuristics, or behavioral analysis, to identify newer threats.

Four Removal Solutions:

Downloading and installing any one of the following free tools will assist you in removing this rogue application. The individuals/companies who wrote and developed these free tools, are to be congratualted for giving back so freely to the Internet community.

Rogue Fix at Internet Inspiration

SmitFraudFix available for download at Geekstogo is a free tool that is continuously updated to assist victims of rogue security applications.

Bleeping Computer is a web site where help is available for many computer related problems, including the removal of rogue software.

Malwarebytes, a reliable anti-malware company has created a free application to help keep you safe and secure. RogueRemover will safely remove a number of rogue security applications.

To regular readers of this site the following will be old and oft repeated advice, but to casual, or inexperienced Internet users, it’s advice that is critical.

What you can do to reduce the chances of infecting your system with rogue security software.

Be careful in downloading freeware or shareware programs. Spyware is occasionally concealed in these programs. Download this type of program only through reputable web sites such as Download.com, or sites that you know to be safe.

Consider carefully the inherent risks attached to peer-to-peer (P2P), or file sharing applications.

Install an Internet Browser add-on that provides protection against questionable or unsafe websites. My personal favorite is Web of Trust, an Internet Explorer/FireFox add-on that offers substantial protection against questionable or unsafe websites.

Do not click on unsolicited invitations to download software of any kind.

Additional precautions you can take to protect your computer system:

When surfing the web - Stop. Think. Click

Don’t open unknown email attachments

Don’t run programs of unknown origin

Disable hidden filename extensions

Keep all applications (including your operating system) patched

Turn off your computer or disconnect from the network when not in use

Disable Java, JavaScript, and ActiveX if possible

Disable scripting features in email programs

Make regular backups of critical data

Make a boot disk in case your computer is damaged or compromised

Turn off file and printer sharing on the computer.

Install a personal firewall on the computer.

Install anti-virus/anti-spyware software and ensure it is configured to automatically update when you are connected to the Internet

Ensure the anti-virus software scans all e-mail attachments

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So maybe last time I posted about this I was not being as serious as I could have been. In fact I believe I was not being serious at all. But I do actually have a way to alter drinking age laws to prevent colleges getting sued for unsupervised and prevent heavy drinking in high school.

Make the drinking age a two tiered system. Have it be legal for those over the age of eighteen to drink alcohol, be it at a bar, a pub, a restaurant or a friends house. But keep the twenty-one year old limitation of purchasing alcohol. If those under eighteen want to drink at a friends house, at home or in a dorm setting they will still need someone over twenty-one to buy them their drinks, which is happening anyway. If they can buy their own drinks at bars or other places then they are in a supervised (relatively) area and those concerned will know where they are.

Another benefit for this system is that stores and business that sell alcohol will not need to change any of their rules or policies since for them nothing will have changed. Twenty-one will still be the age to purchase alcohol for off-site consumption so the store can keep their current signs and training methods. Furthermore this will prevent (if it is done on a state level and not federal) interstate booze runs. Kids from one state won't be driving across state lines in order to purchase alcohol and bring it back.

The main concern about those drinking under the age of twenty-one is drunk driving. Drunk driving is not okay at any age and to help prevent it in this eighteen to twenty-one range there should be harsher punishments for DUI for these ages then for those over twenty-one. A large fine and rescinding their drivers license for a year or so should help deter (I know this is essentially the current punishment) younger DUIs.

Allowing for younger people to drink legally at a younger age will promote and encourage responsible drinking. With it being legal schools can teach responsible drinking practices openly without fear of retribution and lawsuits. 

I spent last year in Scotland where the drinking age across the board is eighteen. My friends and I did not go out and binge drink every night as can happen at home, rather we just went out to a pub had a few drinks and walked back without getting completely wasted, blacking out and waking up the next evening. I do not think that America is ready for an overall drinking age of eighteen, but lowering part of it will help with many of the problems faced by Universities and other establishments on how to address a problem that seems so prevalently embedded into our culture.

i'm hanging out here letting it dissolve

.

Two steps are required to change settings, first disable the cache, second change from AHCI to ATA. Save and happy working again.

I am now officially addicted to Mobsters.

At least that's what it's said on my "status" indicator now for weeks on my "myspace" page. "Elizabeth is... "officially addicted to Mobsters." Mood: "intense."

This is NOT my fault. It is totally and completely the fault of Peter's son, who sent me an invite to join the game. Ordinarily I avoid computer and video games like the plague, having once thrown my back out and been couch-ridden for two months. I became so obsessed with SuperMario Brothers that upon my recovery, I nearly had to join a 12-Step Program.

I tossed the Nintendo® and never looked back. I won't even let my daughters have a PlayStation, or a Wii, or anything that connects to the television.

(They watch too much as it is; TV's another problem of mine to avoid. I don't watch TV - not out of snobbery, mind you: more like the 12-Step thing.

ANYTHING - no matter how stupid, like "America's Top Model" - will suck me in and mesmerize me, so better that I never turn the darn thing on in the first place.)

My kids are lucky to own Nintendo® DS thingies, upon which they play games where they train pretend robot puppies, or inhabit virtual cities with avatars of themselves with blue or pink hair.

One game they play cracks me up - they HAVE to own a house, and they HAVE to pay a mortgage on it, so they HAVE to have a job. THERE'S a game worth playing, I think.

But Mobsters? I dunno.

My accomplishments on Mobsters are dubious. I received one badge for achieving Level 3 in one day. I shuddered; how much time was I spending on this addictive game, anyway?

Another badge I received was for growing my mob size to at least five members (we're now 18 and growing.) Wasting my powers of charm and persuasion on a myspace game? When I'm collecting quarters for a loaf of bread for sandwiches?

Is this stupid?

Definitely.

Am I still playing it everyday?

Definitely.

In real life, I am mostly broke, being an artist who is a lot more concerned about the art than the business.

On Mobsters, I am rich. I own several vehicles, including three armored cars and some Bentleys. In real life, I have a minivan.

In my Mobster arena, I own all the weapons - in multiples - that it is possible to own.

In real life, I abhor the very thought of guns (although Dad, before he died, DID teach me how to shoot straight, and I

just learned that both my wacky sisters - and my far wackier Mom - are getting hardcore into weaponry; one sister is now collecting shotguns. Shudder.)

In general, I am a peaceful person. Wait, I take that back, in case Peter should read this. Okay, well maybe not totally peaceful - but when I DO get angry, I get over it very quickly, and in general, I always look for the gentle solution to any problem. Not only that, but I have very little tolerance for injustice, and both Peter and I tend to uphold the

rights of the underdog.

On Mobsters, I not only LOOK for fights, but I absolutely pick on those littler than I am. I seek them OUT.

Even my very Mobsters name is unlike me. I prefer to be called "Elizabeth" - when folks attempt to shorten it to "Liz," (which makes my face want to scrunch up as if I've eaten vinegar-soaked lemons), I politely let them know my wishes: "It's a few more syllables, but I'm worth it."

In Mobster-land, I'm "lizrox."

It all sort of reminds me of this one leather jacket I have. It's my favorite, actually. For some reason, whenever I wear it, I feel just like Kate Beckinsale in the movie "Underworld" - you know, the one where she's this really sexy, really tough superhero vampire?

I'm not a vampire. Or a superhero. But the jacket - especially when I zip it all the way up to the neck - makes me feel really sexy, and really tough - and although I'd never try to leap off a tall building or anything, or jump into a moving convertible, it kind of makes me feel as though I could.

Mostly, I just like to wear it on cool evenings when I'm out walking my big black dog, Tucker. Cool black leather jacket, cool black dog, cool chick.

Cool Mobster.

Guess you're never too old for a little play pretend. And it's not TOO much of a waste of time. After all, you run out of "stamina" and "energy" and "health" - and I, personally, tend to run out of money after just a few minutes of play at a time, and have to quit.

So since I'm not ACTUALLY whacking anyone really...

If you want to join my mob, add me as a friend.

http://myspace.com/lizwb 

Several things struck me as I considered this puzzle.  It reminded me first of the one kid in the classroom who isn't a non-conformist.  Who, exactly, is really the most "diverse" character in a room where everyone but one is trying (too hard?) to be demonstrably diverse?  "I want to be an non-conformist, just like all my friends..."

From an entrepreneurial standpoint -- and an artistic one -- I started to think about differentiation between competitors.  We think about how important our USP is, or whether we have a truly different approach to what we do... but the question arises: if we aren't perfectly unique, can that sometimes actually imply that we do have something unique?

Remember -- you are unique and special... just like everybody else!

Probably, we all have.

Somehow that seems to be an automatic response for most people; especially in response to people we love and care about.

Often, though, all the speaker wants (often without even knowing it) is simply to be heard and understood. It can take an act of will to notice the urge to offer a fix and hold your tongue.

Next time this happens to you, don't jump right in with a solution, try listening instead and asking them if there is more they would like to say about that until they are emptied out.

Then, rather than offering a solution, ask them if they would like you to hear your ideas about what they could do.

Moral:
People feel much better about receiving solutions and answers they have asked for.