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SideTrax is a bunch of mini, tid-bit articles that are important or fun and worthy of sharing, but don't warrant a full article.
Table of Contents
Windows WMF Vulnerability
Stop Leg Cramps...Instantly!
Fun With Computerized Sand
Gates—Person(s) of the Year
Health Quiz
Attention Coders!
Lower Your Heating Bills
Hard Drive Boost
What NOT to Feed Your Dog
Internet Phone Service
New Puppy?
Looking for a New Career?
Windows WMF Vulnerability
If you're a system administrator, you've been busy, early this month, patching systems to lock out WMF (Windows MetaFile) vulnerability. If you're a user who doesn't have auto updates set in Windows, then you could be at risk! Don't wait! Update Windows now. See this page for details: http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/update/bulletins/200601_WMF.mspx
And to learn more about Windows AutoUpdate, so you don't have to worry about your system being properly protected, see the AutoUpdate section in this article: WinXP_04: Favorite Features
Stop Leg Cramps...Instantly!
I didn't realize that so many people still suffer from painful leg cramps. Did you know there is a simple move you can do that will instantly stop a leg cramp? Over 20 years ago, when I was going through birthing classes, our instructor told us about this simple move. I've used it several times over the years. It instantly stops the pain. I wish I knew this information when my poor dad was suffering from nightly bouts of painful leg cramps due to a back injury that cause circulation problems.
Here's the secret. Let's say you're sound asleep. Suddenly you are awakened by a screaming pain that has just ripped into your leg calf. What you need to do, immediately, is point your Toes to Your Nose. In other words, you want to tightly stretch the muscle in the back of your leg. By pulling your foot back, so that you toes point to your nose, as tightly as possible, the cramp will instantly be stopped!
As explained by the birthing coach (because pregnant woman suffer these often due to circulation problems when you have another human inside your body pushing on various vessels and nerves)...the cramp takes advantage of a slack muscle. By making the muscle tight...pulling it to stretch it out...you cause the cramp to stop.
I've always been a swimmer. I was on a swim team in my youth. I suffered from these cramps often. I used to just lay there, crying out in pain until the cramp decided to stop. Once I learned this simple Toes to the Nose trick, I have never suffered through this terrible pain again for more than the few seconds it takes my brain to realize what is happening. Now I immediately stretch out the muscle and the pain stops instantly!
Hope this information helps stop the suffering for someone else out there!
Fun With Computerized Sand
As if we didn't need another site to waste time with mindless fun. Here's a cool one. Go to http://chir.ag/stuff/sand/. It's called the Falling Sand Game. Granted, I didn't read all the directions, so I don't get where the term game comes into play, as that makes you feel that there is a way to actually win. But who cares about that because it's just fun to play with it.
The computer sand falls from the top of the screen in a continual flow. With your mouse, you can click and draw out lines, or rather walls, that interrupt the sand's flow wherever you draw your wall. This causes the sand to either accumulate or flow in another direction...depending on what you've drawn.
At the bottom of the page, there are tools you can choose to modify your sand flow creation, such as an eraser to break your walls...or water, fire and other items. As I said, I was having too much fun drawing and watching the sand pile up and flow down the page to read all the directions to learn what all the tools do. So there's probably a lot more value to these tools. But I'll leave that for you to figure out. Have fun!
Gates—Persons of the Year–2005
As a Microsoft MVP since 1995, I've often had to listen to derogatory comments about Bill Gates and his mega wealth...while I was providing free support to Microsoft users. Someone will become frustrated with their computer and start ranting about what Bill and Microsoft (or rather Micro$oft) should do this or that with their great wealth.
But what so many of those people don't realize is...first, it takes money to run a big company, of course. But more importantly...that Bill (and Melinda) Gates are some of the most generous people on this planet. I'm obviously not speaking for the Gates', but I've listen to and read many interviews. They know they are very lucky to have been able to turn their talents and dreams into a mega reality corporation and they know they didn't do it alone. But they are also down to earth and wise parents. And they don't plan on allowing their children to become the likes of Paris Hilton!
Rather, they do plan to provide "a few million" for their kids (which really isn't that much these days). They want them to have a good start in life...but not one of abundant wealth handed to them for a life time of sitting on their butts. As Bill once said...he plans to give away all his money before he dies.
And they're off to an incredible start. The Gates Foundation gives away billions! And in 2005...no one gave away more money than did Bill and Melinda Gates. Which is why Time Magazine named them, along with rocker Bono, as their Persons of the Year for 2005.
Health Quiz
How's your memory?
Take a 2005 health year in review quiz.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10631470/
Attention Coders!
Got an email from a guy...who was thanking Greg for the use of some of Greg's code to put together some of his own code. He left a nice comment and link in his blog to say thanks. "The following is an attempt at threads in VBScript. The code owes a lot to Greg Chapman of MouseTrax Computing Solutions ."
So we nosed around "this guy's" site. Turns out "this guy" is a guy named Bruce M. Axtens and he has a web blog called Code-a-holic where he's dumping 20 years of his code snippets that he, obviously, can't stand to just trash. If you're a coder, particularly into VB Script...check it out: http://codeaholic.blogspot.com/
Lots of goodies in there and the site offers very nice form textboxes that allow you to easily swipe all this stuff that you can mangle into your own spaghetti code! Thanks for the thanks, Bruce, and thanks for the benefits to the community.
Lower Your Heating Bills
10 steps to lowering your home heating bills from The Today Show.
With energy prices rising there are steps you can take to make your home
more fuel efficient. "Today" home contributor Lou Manfredini offers some
advice: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10693926/
Hard Drive Boost
New technology boosts hard drive capacity. Seagate has started shipping a notebook PC hard drive that overcomes an
obstacle to the further expansion of disk capacity: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10875991/
What NOT to Feed Your Dog
 Don't cause your dog to get sick by feeding it people food that might create serious health problems...or worse! See this article for important information about food that can be a hazard to a dog. http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?articleid=932
Granted, there are tons of stories about dogs who have eaten some of
these items and not died...but the facts are that, depending on your
dog's breed, tolerance, amount of food consumed and a few other factors...these foods could cause serious problems.
So before you share some of that burger with Fido, be sure to remove those onions! Read the article for other, potentially, dangerous foods.
Important!
And speaking of what NOT to feed your dog...important dog food recall with a dangerous issue that can make dogs very sick or cause death. If you purchase Diamond, Professional or Country Value dog food...be sure to check out this article for recall and medical info!
Toxic pet food may have killed dozens of dogs
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10771943/
List of
contaminated pet food and affected states
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10774579/
Internet Phone Service
Remember when you had only one choice for phone service. Remember the hours you waited on hold for a rude customer service person to come online to tell you that your current phone problems were not their fault and that you have no choice but to pay all those excess charges for their mistake? <grrrrrr> I certainly do.
I also remember swearing that, someday I would get even with the phone company for all that aggravation. Now, every time I get one of the phone companies junk mail flyer that says "We want you back", I laugh with joyous revenge!<hee, hee>
Have you moved to Internet Phone service yet? We have. And as Gary Krakow explains in this MSNBC article, we also moved...and never looked back. One flat fee for all the long-distance we need. How we wish we had this available when we had a house full of teenagers!
Learn more by reading the following MSNBC article...
Saying bye-bye to Ma Bell
MSNBC's Gary Krakow switches to 100 percent Internet phone service and never looks back.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10627321/
New puppy? Advice on how to adjust
Preparation and patience is the key, says "Today" pet contributor Tamar Geller. Here's more advice on how to build that everlasting bond.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10628490/
And don't forget to register your new pup at PetCo.com. You'll receive shipping discounts on your puppy's birthdays! Lots of other dog sites offer goodies for new parents...check around.
Thinking of getting a dog? Take a Select a Dog quiz to find out what type of dog is best for your family and lifestyle: Select-a-dog
Looking for a New Career?
Today: Looking for a new career in the new year?
Will 2006 be a good year to switch jobs? Vera Gibbons from Kiplinger's Personal Finance magazine offers tips on raises and resumes.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10640822/
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