This would be for Mac users.

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Got spyware, junkware, and any other bad kind of ware on your pc? Or does it just load really really sloooowwwwww?

I’m definitely no expert, but this is what I do, in no particular order…(should work with both windows xp and vista)

1. Click on Start/Control Panel and either add/remove, or uninstall a program. Then simply get rid of everything you don’t think you need!
2. Go over to PCPitstop and on the left side, click on “Full Tests”, then “Test This System”. You’ll need Internet Explorer to do this. Not Firefox. Once you complete the tests, you should have all checkered flags. If not, click on whichever needs to be fixed (system, memory, disk, video, etc) and they will give you detailed instructions on how to fix/solve the problem. Then keep running the tests again until you are satisfied with the results.
3. Time to run a couple of anti spyware programs. Personally I use Spybot Search and Destroy and once in a while I use Ad Aware.
4. Anti Virus: I personally use AVG. Some other good free ones would be Avast and AntiVir.
5. Popup Blocker: I personally prefer Firefox with the built in blocker. Just click on Tools/Options/Content and check the box if it isn’t already. Firefox also has some really cool add-ons and plugins. For Internet Explorer, click on Tools and you can change the pop up blocker settings and turn it on or off. Simple.
6. Windows start up. This is where the fun begins. For XP users, click on Start/Run and type in msconfig. For Vista users, just click on Start, and search for msconfig. Once it opens, click on Startup and you’ll see the list of programs that load once your computer starts. If you know for certain what the program is and don’t want it to run when your computer starts, uncheck the box. If your not sure, don’t mess with it…..OR…..you can always Google the startup item to see what it is. It’s better to do some research before blindly unchecking stuff.
7. System Tray: You know those million little icons on the lower right hand side of your computer? Most people know this, but there are a few that don’t. Simply right click and close whatever you dont need.
8. Windows Task Manager: This one is NOT for the faint of heart, as you may shut down a necessary file for your operating system. So use extreme caution when you want to end a process. Hold down CTRL+ALT+DELETE to bring up your task manager. Click on Processes. Now you’ll see everything running on your computer and how much memory it uses. This is where Google is DEFINITELY your friend.
9. On mine for example, one of my system processes is a file called dwm.exe. After searcing google, I learned that it belongs to Windows Vista for 3D graphics. So i’ll leave it. I also found a process called KeNotify.exe. It looks like a Toshiba help file that I don’t need to run, so i’ll end the process on it to free up a little more memory. You get the point. Another thing is when your computer starts up, if you havent unchecked some startup files (number 8 above), all of the processes will load again. Another good site to see what each process is for is called Process Library.
10. Defrag! Click on Start, then accessories, then disk cleanup, then disk defrag.

Here is a user submitted idea too. Thanks Beth

EasyCleaner 2.0 . Its from the MajorGeeks website,which is awesome!
“EasyCleaner is a small program which searches Windows’ registry for entries that are pointing nowhere. Deleting these entries will speed your computer up.”

I think thats about it. If I can think of more, i’ll add them. Or whatever you can think of.

And thanks Melodie for these…

This is just a reminder when doing freebies, forms, and all of that other good stuff!

1. Roboform is a form filling program. You definitely need it if you want to save a little bit of time.
2. Use Google AutoFill, which is part of the Google Toolbar.
3. Email address: Why use your real one for forms? Well, go ahead if you don’t mind getting a million emails from a million different companies. There are some awesome free email services out there such as Gmail, Yahoo, or Hotmail. I personally prefer Gmail over the others.
4. Phone number: Go ahead and put in your real phone number and see how many calls you get per day. Check out K7.net. They’ll provide you with a phone number that will accept voice mails AND they will be sent as a .mp3 file to your email address so you can listen to it and call them back if you wish, or simply delete it.
5. Sometimes you have to be quick. Last night for example, I listed two things. When I woke up this morning, I got a bunch of emails about them being expired. Nothing I can really do about that one =(

Any other suggestions? I’ll keep adding to this list!

Next up, I might do a post on cleaning your computer. So gimme ideas (and links) for that too! (or any other topics you think may be beneficial to everyone)

And you can email me at James@justfreestuff.com

James

This happened in my old neighborhood and my daughter used to go to school about a block away from where this happened.

Quick summary. Bad guy walks into a muffler shop to rob the place. Employees tell him they don’t know the combination to the safe. Robber tells them to call his cell phone when the boss returns. So they call the cops and the cops tell them to call the robber back. So the robber comes back to the place with the police waiting…..

Once again, can people really be this STUPID?

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-muffler-robbery-both-26mar26,0,613152.story

Hi James.  I have a HUGE favor to ask of you.  I know that you don’t put things in your newsletter from people, but I am hoping you will make an exception.  This is not for someone to win anything.  This is just a friend of mine who is a photographer trying to do something really cool for those in the military.  This is what he wants to do:

“I am going to start a photographic project and need people to pose for portraits. I will shoot them for free but will require a release from the subjects.

Who am I looking for? I am looking for people from Michigan that have served in the military and were stationed in Iraq and afganistan and were injured. I am also looking for families of those killed in those wars.

I dont know exactly where this will lead but maybe a book or a gallery show or something along those lines.

I will shoot the portraits for free and if they want prints they can buy them at a significant discount off my regular pricing. I want to tell the story of this States hero’s and how their willingness to make sacrifices has affected the lives of them and thier families.

This project will have no bias for or against the wars. Only respect for those that have been involved.

If you know of anyone that may be interested please have them get in touch with me. I am starting this right away and would like to move fairly quickly with it.”

Thanks
Scott

Just in case anyone is interested, his email is   scott@grandrapidsglamour.com

Thank you,

Megan

Hey Oscar, I didnt forget about this one!

Hello, FOX is interested in your opinions on its programming and would like to invite you to become a member of the FOX Viewer Panel. It’s simple – from time to time during the year, we’ll ask what you think of television shows currently on FOX. It’s easy to join and you’ll provide invaluable feedback. Your information won’t be shared with any outside parties.

To get started, all you have to do is answer some questions that will only take a few minutes of your time. Please click below:

http://www.strategicsurveysolutions.com/fox/screener/default.cfm?s=99

Click here to go to JustFreeStuff.com

First off, I would like to thanks Alex Betinski of Alexbet.com for the awesome template and graphics designs, the database work, and dealing with a million requests to change something! Awesome job buddy!

So what has changed?

• Logo design and template. The old bullseye looking logo was made by my buddy Sebastian over 10 years ago when he was still in high school. The overall design of the page was simple htm, which was done by me and my wife. If I wanted to make changes to something…let’s say add a new category or something, I had to change it on about 70 different pages (as each page was a seperate html page). Now, it’s one template. So if I want to add a new category or add a freebie in seperate categories, I just add it and click enter and it shows up on the entire site.
• New header (top of the page): Now I have links that point to the this blog, Forums (which I share with Anne from Clevermoms.com) , Just Contests (which will point to the new contest site (which will HOPEFULLY be by the end of this year), Free Magazines (which I have cobranded with tradepub mags – which will be changed as well), and Free Money Wheel (which I share with Netwinner)
• I never utilized the right side of the page for anything. Now you’ll see “user favorites” (which i’ll include the “better” freebies of the week). I’m also thinking about changing it on a weekly basis. And of course, sponsors. Don’t worry, i’ll try to find things you’re interested in.
• The contest page will probably have the biggest changes. Instead of everything being listed in the order that they expire, they will be added at the top of the page every time. This goes for every freebie I list on the site as well.So no more searching a certain page for something. I’m sure some will love it and some will hate it.
• The database. When I add a freebie, I can assign it multiple categories. let’s say I add a beauty sample for kids. I can add it to the 3 different categories (kids, beauty, and samples), and it will show up on the main page on the day I added it as well. The cool thing is I can also assign an expiration date to it. Let’s say walmart comes out with a new sample and I know its only going to last a couple of days. I can have it expire 2 days or 2 weeks after I list it (or 2 years if I wanted). So that means there wont be as many broken links on the site like there is now.
  I can also create new categories as mentioned above and pretty much change every aspect of the site in less than 5 minutes.

I still want to keep it easy to navigate and not make too many changes. But I had to do it because it was taking soo much time to edit different pages on a daily basis. Now I can concentrate on adding more FREEBIES! =)
Oh yeah, thats another thing. A lot of you send me freebies. Now I can instantly add them to the site and they will instantly appear on the main page. So you’ll more than likely see stuff that’s on the site thats not in the newsletter. But thats a good thing!

Hope you enjoy it.

James

I would like to share a few interesting tidbits with your readers. I was listening to the radio one night over two years ago and what it said inspired me so I did what was suggested and also did some research on my own. Americans live in one of the cleanest countries in the world, yet many of us often get colds and the flu or just dont feel quite right. The reason why we have a hard time fending off the viruses is because we are so clean that we kill most of the germs and our bodies have a hard time because we dont build up and immunity to the viruses. How often to you see our pets get sick or get a cold. They dont take meds like we do but they are exposed more to germs yet rarely get sick.

Here are 4 leading facts: They sound digusting but its the truth.

1. Never put your fingers in your nose. Within 4 days you will feel a cold comming on or not feel well. Use a tissue and wash your hands after.

2. Microwave sponges for one minute after every use. They hold millions of bacteria even after you rinse them.

3. The bathroom door knob has more bacteria on it than the toilet bowl. Carry a tissue in your pocket when you use a public bathroom and use that to open the door or to wash your hands at the sink, and when you clean your bathroom, wash the doorknobs as well.

4. The top of the list was a shocker since I do it for a living. The biggest germ carrier on thier list was a waitresses pen. Why? Because we handle plates, dishes, and let our patrons use our pens to sign credit slips. I carry hand sanitizer in my pocket now and use bleach wipes to wash my pens after every shift.

Interesting, but I havent had a cold in two years…:-)…Keep up the great work…Bonnie

Thank you Megan for this article!

Fri Mar 14, 2008 7:08PM EDT

Identity theft has become a huge problem in the United States. The FTC recently reported that identity theft was the number one complaint again last year for the eighth consecutive year! There are literally thousands of scams out there, and you’re probably familiar with most of them, but new scams are getting more sophisticated as people get savvier. For this reason, I thought I’d highlight some of the newest scams making the headlines.

Here are the top five scams you may not know about:

Tax and Rebate Scams

The Scam: Consumers get a call or e-mail claiming to be from a government agency, such as the IRS or Social Security Administration, that asks for personal information to process a rebate check. These crooks ask consumers to provide personal information like their social security number, bank account number, or other details they can use to commit identity theft. If they resist giving out information, they’re told they cannot receive the rebate unless the information is provided.

The Don’ts: Never give sensitive information to anyone over the phone or email. If you get a suspicious email, delete it immediately. Don’t click on any links either, for they might take you to a phishing site or install spyware on your computer. Keep in mind that most government agencies don’t collect information by phone or email. The FTC recommends you contact the IRS or SSA directly if you have any questions or concerns. To learn more about other tax scams check out the IRS Top 2008 “Dirty Dozen” Tax Scams.

Cheap Electronics Scam

The Scam: Shopping website that appears legit sells electronic products at extremely low prices. The site is so sophisticated, even the most savvy consumer will have a hard time telling it’s a fake. One recent article on PCMag, mentions these scamming sites may be part of a bigger network, since they all have a $500 minimum purchase requirement, and may ask for payment in the form of a Western Union money order to be mailed to a foreign address.

The Signs: Things a like a foreign address, a $500 minimum purchase, or the lack of a secure payment transaction form should raise red flags. A site may appear legitimate, but if you have a hard time recognizing the validity of the website, watch out for things like a new domain registration, questionable contact information, grammatical and spelling errors, a no return policy, and untraceable payment methods. Do do some research online because chances are others may already be expressing their concerns on forums or blogs.

Chatroom Scams

The Scam: Russian cyber-crooks have developed a software robot that poses as a human in chatrooms. These bots can chat with up to 10 people simultaneously, and easily persuade them to hand over phone numbers, photographs, birthday, address, and other personal information. The site claims “Not a single girl has yet realized that she was communicating with a program!” Information harvested by these bots can be used by fraudsters to carry out various forms of fraud. Unsuspecting victims may also be tricked into visiting a ‘personal site’ that could load malware onto their computers. Sergei Shevchenko, Senior Malware Analyst at PC Tools said CyberLover, “employs highly intelligent and customized dialogue to target users of social networking systems. It can monitor Internet browser activity, automatically recognize and fill in the fields in the web pages, generate keystrokes and mouse clicks, and post messages, URLs, files and photos.”

The Dont’s: Common sense says never, ever give out personal information to anyone you just met online.

Local Charity Scams

The Scam: Fraudsters claiming to be from the local police department or DARE program are calling or approaching private citizens and businesses soliciting donations purporting to benefit police officers. What’s convincing some people into handing over personal and financial information to these imposters is the spoofed number that pops up in the caller ID. Police say many victims have reported a phone number that appears to be from the local police department, so don’t be fooled.

The Do’s: If you want to support the local police or fire department, find out when they hold their annual fund drives. Most departments don’t solicit donations via telephone, so it’s best to check out their site to find out when and how they seek donations.

Cancer Cure Scam

The Scam: As more people turn to the web for medical advice, they’re encountering websites that advertise natural products they claim will prevent or cure everything from cancer to diabetes. Scammers know people are searching for natural remedies online, so they exaggerate the language on their site, and even add a few medical terms to sound legitimate. Oftentimes, they’ll claim their supplies are not sold anywhere else, and sell them at a high price. Unfortunately, there is no such thing as a miracle cure for cancer, but these scammers will have you believe there is, and will even discourage you from taking real medicine. The reality is many of these products are not proven, effective, or safe, and the sites are full of false testimonials.

The Do’s: Canada has already started to crack down on such sites, demanding they remove any false claims quickly. Andrea Rosen, Acting Deputy Commissioner of Canada’s Competition Bureau, says consumers should be skeptical of health-related products or services that look too good to be true. People should talk to their doctor before trying any new treatment. Check out the Anatomy of an Online Health Scam before you buy medicine online.

There are plenty of other scams out there, so the Federal Trade Commission has put together a nice list of Dot Cons to help you spot a scam.