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Steve Bass's Weekly Newsletter
TechBite's columnist Steve Bass writes weekly commentary on the technology products he loves, the strategies for getting the most out of them, and the gotchas that can cause computing misery. Plus a couple of weekly laughs.
Google, Printing, Security Alerts, and California Wildfires
In This Issue
Special note
Follow-Up: Google Tricks
Follow-Up: Save Money on Printing
Tool of the Week: Proactive Security Auditor
Holy Mackerel: Microsoft says, "Screw Google"
Time Wasters
Smoke Gets In Your Eyes
Special note: As some of you know, we live close to the Station fire in southern California. As the crow flies (and few are), we're about 3 miles from Mt. Wilson. For the last few days, I've been monitoring the situation from Bass International by listening to online scanners, watching Internet video on two monitors, glancing at TV, talking to the Operations Manager at Mt. Wilson -- and, as you might have guessed, not getting much newsletter work done.
So far we're safe, though the street is still smoky, and ash from the fire covers the house and deck. The other issue is hydration: we're drinking plenty of water; we have a stock of Sierra Nevada beer; we've got plenty gin, tonic, and limes on hand for late afternoon.
I have plenty of images and links. The most comprehensive is from TV station KTLA. Here's a Google map with annotations, a satellite view of the fire, and a time lapse video of the fire shot from Mulholland Dr. just south of Universal Studios on 8/29 from 7:00pm to 9:30pm. (And you just have to know that as pretty as it is, underneath all hell is breaking loose.)
The LA Times has great shots and AP has a compilation of videos. The AQMD has issued air quality advisories; the AltadenaBlog posts evacuation notices and other info (and you'll see me there).
Today's newsletter is smaller than usual, but don't worry, I still have some time wasters. [top]
View from downtown Los Angeles looking north on August 29.
(Photo courtesy John Diciaccio)
View of La Canada and JPL from Pasadena above 210 freeway.
(Photo courtesy John Diciaccio)
Follow-Up: Google Tricks
In a previous newsletter, I talked about tricks you can do with Google (see 6 Smart Google Tools; Backup IE and Firefox). The other day Google added more languages to Translate, its translation tool, including Icelandic, Irish, Swahili, Welsh and -- get this -- Yiddish.
If you regularly need translations from specific languages, use Google's 1-Click Translations button. A better bet, and the one I use when I land on Web sites in another language, is to have Google's Toolbar translate the entire Web page for me. In IE, click the Translate button. In Firefox, click the Translate button's drop-down menu, then select Translate Page to translate the page into your Toolbar's language. (Confused? Read Google Toolbar Help.) [top]
Follow-Up: Save Money on Printing
"Get rid of your inkjet and buy a laser printer," said reader David Carlson. "Need color photos or whatever? The drugstores, Costco, and others do it faster and cheaper than any usual inkjet." I agree.
Reader Jim Johson said something similar: "I picked up my Brother HL-2140 [a monochrome laser] on Black Friday for $50. Shoot, it costs $50 minimum to do an OEM replacement set of cartridges for most inkjets. I'm still using the factory toner cartridge. My cost per page is WAY below even using just the black cartridge on my inkjet."
Steve Jordi, from Switzerland, uses Aardvark, a Firefox plug-in that removes what you don't want to print on a Web page, especially advertisements. You can isolate a box, remove a frame, and so on. (See Save Printing Ink -- and Money for more tips.)
How about a font that'll save you ink? Ecofont works by decreasing the font surface -- with little holes -- thereby reducing the amount of ink used. Printing using the free font looks lighter, sure, and I wouldn't use it for important business docs. But for home use? It's a perfect money saver. [Thanks to Ron Herman and Betty Nakamoto.] [top]
Little holes in the font saves ink.
Tool of the Week: Proactive Security Auditor
Are you sure your system has all the necessary Microsoft security patches? I was, yet the Proactive Security Auditor found a few that were missing. The tool lists every installed and missing security patch, provides a description and explanation, and lets me download the necessary patches. The freebie downloads quickly, doesn't require installation, and is perfect for both professional consultants and newbies. [Thanks to Bassim, my friend in Iraq, for this nifty tool.] [top]
Proactive Security Auditor gives you a list of detailed list
of installed -- and missing --patches.
Missing a security update? The download is a click away.
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Holy Mackerel: Microsoft says, "Screw Google"
Meetings held by Microsoft lobbyists are referred to as "Screw Google" meetings.
"The meetings are part of an ongoing campaign by Microsoft, other Google opponents, and hired third parties to discredit the Web search leader, according to multiple sources with knowledge of the matter." Story at DailyFinance. [top]
Time Wasters
Get ready for the ultimate cute animal oooh and ahhhh site. It's a collection of animals that somehow have become friends. Or at least they're tolerating each other...
A hamster and snake sharing a space.
If I'm not mistaken, the snake looks hungry.
Any idea what a bison is looking at while drinking from a pond, a wolf digging for a squirrel, or a tarantula huffing and puffing across the desert? Kiss your day goodbye once you stop at the Museum of Animal Perspectives (MAP)'s photostream page.
Have a guess? It's a chick running
through the barnyard. Watch the ChickCam.
Here are some amazing photos of an erupting volcano in Chile. The one with lightning is especially stunning.
You know, sometimes it's best to hire a professional. You'll understand why when you watch "why men die early."
I don't care what anyone says, this guy's one lucky pilot. [top]
Smoke Gets In Your Eyes
It's definitely in my eyes and if you want to give me some relief, forward this newsletter to your eye doctor, the next elevator operator you meet, and your uncle Stanley, the guy who still doesn't know how to use Google. If you can't forward it, point them to this subscription page: http://www.techbite.com. By the way, if you're enjoying this newsletter and getting something out of it, become a TechBite member by sending us some financial support using PayPal. I promise, good things will eventually come your way... [top]
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Steve Bass is the publisher and self-appointed Chief Content Officer at TechBite; he continues to experience the cool feeling of having his own newsletter. Send him your feedback at TechBite. To sign up for TechBite's free Steve Bass Technology newsletter, head for our signup page.
Steve's also the author of "PC Annoyances, 2nd Edition: How to Fix the Most Annoying Things About Your Personal Computer," available on Amazon. You haven't purchased your copy today yet, have you? Don't wait, supplies are limited...
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TechBite is a joint effort of Steve Bass (in smoky Pasadena) and
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Copyright 2009 by TechBite, LLC.
