Latest Blogs

How to minimize Windows Live Messenger to the System Tray - Windows 7

RandomTask — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 15:02:44 +0000

One thing that annoyed me about Windows 7 was the fact that Windows Live Messenger stayed on the Taskbar even when minimized, instead of going to the system tray.

The first step in adjusting this setting is to close Windows Live Messenger. You can do this by right-clicking the icon on the Taskbar and clicking Close Window.

Once you have closed the program click the Start Button find Windows Live Messenger. It is under the Windows Live folder. Alternatively you can type "Windows Live Messenger" in the search bar on the start menu.

Right click on Windows Live Messenger and click properties. Go to the Compatibility tab and check the box "Run this program in compatibility mode for:" and select Windows Vista from the drop down menu. Press Apply, and OK.

When you reopen the program it will display on the Taskbar as before - However, this time when the program is closed it will minimize to the System Tray

- Enjoy

Improve your searching with Google

RandomTask — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 00:50:51 +0000

Ineffective use of search engines is a time waster and can become quite frustrating. Understanding the nuances of search engines can be a powerful asset.

1) Keep it short. If you are searching for a broad topic, the easiest way to make your search work better is to keep it short. The few words you use the better. Every word added into your search query will limit your results.

2) Narrow things down. Want something more specific, add additional words. The more words added to your search phase, the narrower the results will be.

3) Quotation marks can be your friends. Adding quotation marks around your search phase will Tell Google (and most other search engines) to look for items containing your words in that exact order. It is always a good way to keep useless items out of your results.

4) Exclude what do you don't want. Using the minus symbol (-) allows you signify words that you do not want to appear in your search results. The symbol should be placed immediately in front of the world you wish to exclude. Be sure to include a space after the minus symbol. (e.g. - cars; not -cars)

5) If this doesn't work, try that... Using OR between words in your search phrase will tell Google to allow either one of the words in the search results. The "OR" more be entire capitalized - or you can substitute the "|" in place of the word OR.

6) Try going a little wild. The asterisk ( * ) works as a wildcard in Google search. Using it will tell Google to treat the asterisk as a placeholder for any unknown word.

7) Some search phrases are special. Google offers specialty search, which can be access by using the proper search syntax. Here are some examples:

Track packages: If you have a tracking number from FedEx, UPS, or USPS simply enter it as your search phrase.

Weather: Type weather followed by a city or zip code.

Sports scores: Type the team or league name. (e.g. Dallas Cowboys, Manchester United, or Olympics)

Unit Conversion: Enter height, weight, or volume and convert it to another system of measurement (e.g. 10 inches to CM, or 1 meter to 1 kilometer)

Calculator: Enter a calculation a Google will solve it for you. The symbols are pretty straight forward and can be found here

8) Choose your words carefully. Be prepared to think a little bit about what exactly you are looking for. Change one world can yield a big difference in the quality of the results you receive.

Happy Searching.

How To Properly Secure Your Wireless Network

RandomTask — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 07:47:43 +0000

If you are like most modern internet users you want the convenience of a wireless network in your home (or small office). Let's face it's a lot easier to simply turn on a wireless router, install or activate wireless cards and hope online - than run network cables.

This wireless convenience however, leaves your network open to vulnerabilities that a traditional wired network doesn’t have. The signals that allow you easily work without wires can easily pass through walls, and allow others to not only use your internet connection, but may also allow them to access your network as well - and thus any information stored on your computers.

Before you start covering your wall with aluminum foil or throw out your wireless network components take a few and utilize the following steps to secure your wireless network.

1) The first thing I do is change my wireless router or access points default password. This will help reduce the likelihood that someone will be able to change your setting later; besides changing default passwords is always a good security practice. Choose something that is relatively long, random and combination of numbers, upper and lower case letters, as well as special characters. (e.g. !,@,#,$,%,^&,* ) The trick is to create a password which can be remember by you but not easily guessed by others.

While you are at it - disable all remote administration of the router or access point. This will eliminate the ability for anyone who isn't on the local network to make changes to the router or access point’s settings.

If you need help change the default password a good place to check is either manufactures website - or your ISP if they have provided or set-up of the equipment for you. You can also hit the forums here at EMDx and ask for help.

2) Keeping what was just mentioned in mind the second step I follow is to change the default password for access your wireless network. This is the first step in keeping unwanted people off your network.

3) Make sure your wireless network is using the latest encryption. While WPA is the current standard some equipment still has the option to use WEP which is no longer considered secure. You can adjust these settings in your router or access point’s administration panel

Usually this is where most people stop. However there is a lot more securing that can be done.

4) All wireless routers and access points broadcast an SSID(Service Set IDentifier). This is what shows up as the name of the network. 2WIRE923 or Hilton935 would be an example of what you might see. It’s really up to you whether or not you change this. For what I am about to recommend I'd suggest that you do change to something you can remember at a later date.

Most WLAN access points and routers automatically (and continually) broadcast the network's SSID. This makes setting up network clients (the devices you wireless content to your network) extremely convenient, since you don't need to know what your network is called to access it.

The down side is anyone within range your wireless network can see it. Turn off your SSID and your network will become "invisible" to your neighbors or passers-by. The network can still be detected with "sniffers" - but will basically not exist to the average user. This setting can be adjust in the router or access point’s administration panel.

You will need to know the name of the SSID to connect to your network. Don't worry though, you can save these settings so you won’t have re-enter them every time you connect.

5) Consider MAC Address filtering to control access to your wireless network. A MAC address is unique to the specific adapters. Choosing to only allow specific MAC addressed devices to connect will greatly increase your control over who can and can't access your network.

In order to use MAC Address filtering you need to find and enter into the wireless router or wireless access point the 12-character MAC address of every system which will be connecting to your network wirelessly.

This can be little inconvenient to set-up - and this especially true when you have a large number of wireless devices to connect to your network; however it is a pretty significant increase in security. It must be stressed that this by no means a way to make your network 100% secure. MAC Addresses can be "spoofed" - or falsified by a knowledgeable person; it does however add another hurdle for a potential wifi intruder to jump.

If your wireless clients change often this may option maybe out of the question - but for most users it’s quite workable.

6) While not available on all wireless routers or access points, some do allow you to lower the power your router or access point’s transmitter. Reducing the power supplied to the transmitter can reduce the amount of the wifi signal which broadcasts outside of the building your wireless network is in. It’s virtually impossible to completely stop the some of the signal from being broadcast outside of your building – however with a little fine tuning it is possible to reduce the amount transmitted outside – while keeping a proper connection in side.

Hopefully this has been a little helpful. If you need additional help hit up the EMDx forums

- Happy Computing

5 Points To Check for Choosing a Resume Writing Service

donnareid174 — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 05:31:05 +0000

You need to be very cautious when selecting a resume writing service as anybody can put up a sign that they write resumes. In fact 1 company that secretly positions itself “#1” really sends the resumes abroad to be produced and produces very awful broken English resumes. Other companies providing resume help deliver nothing more than a prettier format of what you have.

So here’s how the industry works and what you should look for when selecting a company to take resume writing help.

1) Avoid resume writing service that say they partner with Monster, Career Builder or The Wall Street Journal. All that means is that they pay a royalty to the job boards for every sale and they are doing a very large volume of business. That means they use cookie cutter templates to produce a resume, so unless you are comfortable with that, find someone who will spend the time to understand how you are unique.

2) How does the web site look? If they cannot systematize their web site and make it look eye-catching, then they can’t do that for your resume. However, this is not the only measure to use.

3) The resume writing firm should have some credentials. The most common one is the Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW) designation that indicates they have at least passed some level of competency.

4) Check out their samples. If you don’t like their samples, you without doubt won’t like their work. Look to see if they are concentrating on skills and accomplishments as oppose to producing cute resumes that just list job responsibilities.

5) Do they offer a guarantee? A good service will stand behind their work and offer to revise your resume for free if it is not working. You’ll want to choose a resume writing service that stands behind their product.

6) Ask about the price. Yes, the price is important but not as important as getting a resume that works. The difference between a mediocre resume and a great one can be as little as $100 (the cost of a dinner out). This is one of the most important documents in your career, so it makes sense to spend what it takes to get a resume that you know will work.
The Internet is an amazing thing, but it has allowed anyone to offer resume writing services, regardless of their background. Use this 5-point checklist and you will be guaranteed to choose the right resume writing service for you.

I smell like a camp fire....

Dragonhawk13 — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 19:59:21 +0000

Finaly had a day off were I did NOT have to work on a car! Spent the morning cleaningmy shop and setting tools up. Then spent a few hours working my forge turning out a railspike knife. Coming along nicely, have to finish turning the spiral for the handle, and dra out the blade a bit more, finish up my edge lines and normalize,harden,then temper, and polish finishing off with sharpening. Maybe 5 hours left. Also got an old Niagra Tools/PEXTO metal roller off ebay, works friggin sweet! Puts sharp, crisp lines in 16g steel (working on a pair of finger gauntlets on the side in 16g mild steel). Work is alright, upper management keeps sending me emails and pestering me about doing the EMPT training for department manager, so I filled out the form to hopefully get them off my back for now till September when training starts. Also finaly paid off my electric guitar! So now I own/play the following:
4 String Bass:
Ibanez GSR 200 Candy apple red transparent finish-black headstock with replacement Shaller tuners.

Fender J-Bass in Saphire Blue and White, all stock.

Epiphone EB-40 Retro 70's with 1 steel cased pickup, maroon and black shortscale w/ mother of pearl fret dots (nicest neck we have ever come across, not a single dead spot and harmonics everyware).

B.C Rich Warlock Platinuim in Gloss Black, stock Humbuckers x2, Q-Parts Chrome Skull Knobs with heavy kick combined with a hardshell coffine case.

B.C Rich Warbeast in Gloss Black. One big ass and ass kicking bass! Heavy crunch and tone with custom hardshell case.

Electric Guitar:
B.C Rich Warbeast WMD neck through in Gloss Black, Red Pinstripes, Floyde Rose Tremelo, String Locks, Mafia Phat-Ass pickups. Only needs an active built in EQ and would be PERFECT.

Also have a soft coffine gig bag someware......

Between work, blacksmithing/armoring, car working,bowflex traing (Xtreme SE) I dun have much time tae play with these, but when I do, it's sweet.

VMware

only1try — Fri, 30 May 2008 01:23:16 +0000

Don'cha just love the internet? I'm running uBuntu and Mac OS X inside Windows vista at the same time. Seperately they all fail. Togeather they are pure win.

Damn knee

only1try — Wed, 28 May 2008 03:39:44 +0000

Urgh... Apparently playing with little kid IS dangerous. Just had to babysit some midgits and smashed my kneecap on a 2x4. They thought it was quite funny. Ah well, they still made me run. I'm just going to sit here now and rest.

everyone who is reading this (well, prob only the creepy guy in his mom's basement) remind me to NEVER work at a preschool (Not that they'd hire a guy)

New Here!

KracKiwi — Wed, 21 May 2008 10:46:12 +0000

Site looks very interesting! So many features, it's going to take a while to find everything I can do.

I got a free PS3

nathantheguitarist — Mon, 19 May 2008 02:08:01 +0000

I'm not going to type much, but I'll let the video I made do the talking.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A9EM33ShnRU

Dragonshadow's Blog

Dragonshadow — Wed, 14 May 2008 02:22:54 +0000

This is my blog! Or atleast, the start of one :D!

Top 10 Worst Moms

ather — Sun, 11 May 2008 23:14:20 +0000

And 10 Worst, From Futurama to Mommie Dearest :

Anybody got the full list? Some moron on Newser decided to be funny and post the first 7, then demand we visit a link that doesn't even work. Guess Newser doesn't pay thta well, if he eneds to use a pay per click system to get some cash.

My life

dyker837 — Sun, 11 May 2008 01:48:20 +0000

Joined this site today...

OMG...finals are coming up and its very stressful. Also I can a English paper due and have not started it yet. It is due Tues May 13, 2008.

Medical Diagnosis

ather — Sun, 04 May 2008 14:57:45 +0000

Anybody know the treatment for when Reglin causes a reaction which all but depletes Dopamin levels, resulting in frozen bowel, loss of appetite, near paraylsys of all 4 limbs, and severe depression?

Support Our Troops

ather — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 18:00:24 +0000

Just want to say, Go Troops. Thansk for everything.

Marapets

ather — Sat, 26 Apr 2008 14:33:14 +0000

Can someone please just join www.marapets.com/refer.php?id=ather and create a pet? You don't have to ever bother with the site again if you don't want to. I need a referal to complete an in-game Goal.