Spyware (MyCleanerPC) that says it protects me from spyware.

   It must be some latest trend for malware to be foisted onto computer that says it fights spyware, but installs regardless of your consent. I clicked on a link to a forum and my computer brought up an Outlook 2000 add-on install. I “X”-ed out of it, then it brought me a cascade of pop-up errors that were looking for the following files in TEMP files on my computer (a sign that it has been compromised).

xpre.exe
yazzlebundle-1281.exe
is66953.exe

I then notice:

1) Software to remove spyware called MyCleanerPC is now referenced on my computer with pop-ups. Once again, I wasn’t given a choice to install it. It just appeared.

2) My computer starts running really slow. Internet Explorer takes a minute or two now to load pages, even ones cached that should load instantly.

3) I run one of the three trusted spyware removal programs I have on my computer (www.arovaxantispyware.com) which identifies MyCleanerPC as spyware. (Spybot Search & Destroy (www.safer-networking.org) is another. So is Ad-Aware (www.lavasoftusa.com)

4) I google the files added and find that they are associated with trojan horses, which also causes my Norton Anti-virus to catch something now.

What I did:

1) Updated and ran the spyware removal program, www.arovaxantispyware.com - it found and removed the program. I rebooted my computer and it worked.

2) I did a WHOIS search for mycleanerpc.com domain and found it was registered with domainsbyproxy.com. I have seen their work before. They obscure the name and address of those who register domains through them.

3) I came to the conclusion that MyCleanerPC is evil.  I feel sorry for those who don’t understand or appreciate the risks of being on-line. This may inspire me to create some tech-related posts.

Have you heard that Nelly Furtado song?

Promiscuous Girl lyrics – click here

It’s pretty much a verbal exchange between a man and a woman; both self-identified as promiscuous. While the song is somewhat hypnotic, the words are a joke.

First, Nelly sings about pretty much offering herself up to some guy (Timbaland) and doesn’t want to seem to wait. Believing that a veiled request for sex will alleviate loneliness one moment; then asks what kind of girl do you take me for another moment.

Then, Timbaland says he has what she “needs” but seeing as nothing is said about companionship, friendship or any relationship building; one can safely assume he just wants the “hot wet sloppy.” Confirmed by the fact that he even offers to keep it “on the low” at a place he believes to be private; the intent is clear.

The bottom line is that if you are promiscuous, what you are offering the world is your body. There is no world to get lost in. It’s not going cure loneliness. You relegate yourself to being a self-contained human amusement park for other people. Much like a seasonal park worker, you will most likely quickly tire of the dwindling line of customers and desperately wait until the season is over.  Once the aging process can’t be fought back anymore, you’ll have nothing to show for your life except a Valtrex prescription.

OK, I think I may have gone over the top. However, I get the feeling that the music-listening masses may not partake of putting some grey matter between themselves and songs like this. I cringe to think that some young punk might use this song as some sort of behavior template. It’d be nice to think that parents are stepping up to the plate when it comes to raising their kids to have healthy and safe views about relationships. Of course, It’d be nice if I won the lottery, too…..

Business as usual

  Sorry, I haven’t posted anything because I haven’t been feeling well. In atypical blog form, I won’t go into detail nor providing any pictures of the illness.

  I see the world is chugging along fine right now. Little has changed. The government is still asleep at the wheel. Gas prices continue to go up while the gas companies shrug their shoulders yet continue to pocket record profits. Paris Hilton is still unfazed by her recent run-in with the law. Hollywood continues to tacitly admit that it has run out of ideas (a.k.a. I heard they are remaking the old cartoon SPEED RACER). Oh, did I mention that Reverend Al Sharpton still seems remarkably silent on the topic of racism? He must be gearing up for his campaign against Crayola crayons. Rumor has it that Binney-Smith INTENTIONALLY puts the black and brown crayons at the back of the box.

  

A farcical aquatic ceremony

 So, the Queen of England stops by the United States and we get to entertain someone who travels with 6000 lbs. of luggage and obligates us to hold an expensive gala that requires formal dress. Ultimately, she’s a figurehead and simply wields power because it was given to her bloodline. Something originating with strange women laying in ponds and distributing swords (Yes, this is a Monty Python reference. Sorry, it’s still a funny skit) .

     The practical side of me immediately thought of the resources and expenses of entertaining, yet we still struggle with so many big issues that have yet to be solved. How about we work together and generate some meaningful legislation THEN have the high-end parties to reward ourselves?  Maybe we should entertain lower maintenance leaders? Or maybe host parties at a Shoney’s or Mr. Bojangles?

Dark times have befallen us

I think I see the first horseman of the apocalypse on the horizon.

I can has cheezburger

I can sleep at night knowing that stuff like this is clogging the tubes on the Internet.

God moves in mysterious ways

  Recently, a business in Orlando, Florida has discovered a statue that weeps black tears. While this might be an interesting phenomenon by itself, there is a spiritual dimension to this because the statue is a reproduction of the famous Pieta (Virgin Mary comforting the body of Christ) originally done by Michelangelo.

  My question is where do we draw the line between believing in the divine and imagining that they communicate to us through bleeding statues. I thought the bar was set pretty high in the Old Testament when Moses scaled a mountain and talked to a burning bush. Communicating directly with God is a pretty significant event.  Should I believe that He is now relegated to causing statues to bleed? What if my Mrs. Butterworth bottle starts weeping syrup from the eyes? Should I take that as a sign that God is talking through my breakfast condiments or that I maybe just forgot to clean it off after using it?

  Here’s a little picture I put together so they can be told apart.

Will someone call the Heatmiser?!?!

…..because I am tired of this 30 degree weather. This is April for goodness sake!

ACLU wants to ban the phrase, “Have A Nice Day”

          In a bold, although not surprising legal move; the ACLU has decided to ban the phrase, “Have A Nice Day.” Representatives from this organization have petitioned the courts to impose fines and jail time for publically wishing good will upon those around them.  Their argument is that forcing someone to have a pleasant day is actually a form of harrassment because it doesn’t address each and every time zone or religion that has ever existed in recorded history. Critics of this latest legal battle say that not only is this silly; it also opens the door from yet another wave of greedy slackers looking for handouts. ACLU Grand Dragon, Fred Furby, is under the impression that America hasn’t had enough micromanagement to scrutinize every ritual known to society. He is also seeking legal recourse for those who “hope your day gets better” to be forced to sign guarantees to those having the alleged “bad day.” If the victim’s day doesn’t improve, the well-wisher will be fined and jailed.

   “Until we legislate every single possible decision that Americans make on a daily basis, we will never be a free country,” Furby said. When asked about the last Bon Jovi album titled HAVE A NICE DAY, Furby was visibly shaken and said that he would have the New Jersey based rock band incarcerated. Hecklers responded by shouting that it’s people like Furby that forced Tommy to have his six-string in hock.

    The only group in public support of this legal Hindenburg is the LAWYERS WITH 800 NUMBERS, a for-profit organization dedicated to the fine art of staging frivolous lawsuits.

    Other pending lawsuits brought by the ACLU include the banning of such phrases as “What time is it?”,”Who’s your daddy?”, and “Hey, you!”

Fate balanced on an e-mail

  I have recently received a lot of e-mails that I am ultimately supposed to forward to as many people as possible or bad things will happen in my life.

  First, it isn’t exactly a good will gesture when you send something like that to someone you know. What if, for whatever reason, they are unable to forward that e-mail? What if it accidently gets deleted? They now allegedly get negative things happening to them. Nice friend you are.

 Second, why pin any wish on divine beings that, I would assume, dispense good luck on something as unreliable as e-mail? We already know e-mails can bring spam, viruses, trojan horses, worms, webbugs, phishing, pharming and not to mention scam artists who are trying to trick people into giving out their sensitive personal financial information. I would hope that supreme beings aren’t trying to be trendy here. Give me the old fashioned Burning Bush (the Old Testament reference – not some arsonistic treatment for the President). Part the Red Sea…anything obvious…and not having to do with computers, please. A winning lottery ticket would not only be nice, but rather convincing as to one’s supernatural powers. Hint Hint. =)

   Finally, I don’t want to be guilted into anything or manipulated….e-mail or not. I don’t care if it’s pictures of puppies, babies, soldiers, firemen, angels, teddy bears, or whatever. A touching poem isn’t going to warm me up either. Don’t send me warning about so-and-so didn’t forward the e-mail which resulted in them having their underwear pulled up to their shoulder blades by angry leprechauns.  I also know that Bill Gates isn’t giving away his millions nor does Neiman-Marcus have any oatmeal cookie recipe for $250 dollars.

  Take me off those mailing lists.

thank you.

-sj

  

Not that it’s really cold here, but….

….the weather forecasts read as follows: