Strange News for Strange Times

[ForeverAutumn]

AVG is free, and it has worked fine so far.

We use AVG at work. I bought Norton for my desktop at home, but I'm going to return it and just download AVG. It seems to work well. I even received a virus warning yesterday from a pop-up.

[Luvin Da Blues]

I used to use the free AVG but as an IT friend of mine said, you won't get the same level of protection from "freeware" that you would from a full blown program.

I happily pay for the service (NAV) and have relative peace of mind now.

[Rich-n-Texas]

I am happy that Mr. P steered this thread back into a more comfortable direction.

[ForeverAutumn]

I am happy that Mr. P steered this thread back into a more comfortable direction.

Yes, of course. Because you've never derailed a thread.

<----Rich

[GMichael]

Yes, of course. Because you've never derailed a thread.

<----Rich

Why does his plug dangle down like that?

[Auricauricle]

...power cord!!

[Rich-n-Texas]

Yes, of course. Because you've never derailed a thread.

<----Rich

And I've never paged other members on a discussion forum either. Bad form.

[GMichael]

...power cord!!

Lack of power, power cord?

[Rich-n-Texas]

I had to look at that smiley a few times before I realized that was a halo with a power cord attached to it.

[Auricauricle]

I didn't even see the fool thing!

[Mr Peabody]

Plug me in and turn me on!

[nightflier]

NF, some food takes days to get through your system, especially beef, if some one went right after eating they must have a medical problem. Either that or be solidly packed from stem to stern so that the new pushes out the oldest.

That's actually true. Most Westerners are backed up just like you describe because they eat too much meat (esp. us meat & potatoes Americans). Of course, we have plenty of opportunity to eat less meat, something that we should probably not take for granted. That is in sharp contrast to how it is for people in the less developed world: their diets are mostly fruits, vegetables, and hopefully not too much starch (which is what typically is given in camps and shelters, unfortunately). Even if we ignore the obvious moral-ethical questions, the question we should still ask ourselves as Westerners is whether being so "backed-up" is even natural for our physiology?

By the way what's a good anti-virus? I was using Norton but it expired. I am trying a 30 day trial of Bitdefender and my system runs a bit faster with the Norton gone.

Contrary to popular belief, virus software companies (and open source organizations) all get their virus info from pretty much the same source. Think of it as credit reporting for the virus world. What differs is how these companies use that info to build their security apps around. Norton has always struggled with a bloated software model which typically involves a lot of Apple-style GUI-candy. McAfee used to be more svelte and ugly, but is now also now living large. The most recent NKOTB is Nod Antivirus, and they do have a different, albeit not necessarily innovative approach. ClamAV and AVG are the freeware alternatives and do run lighter in RAM at the expense of some sexyness and advanced features.

What few companies want the public to think too much about is that spyware/malware, script attacks, and just about every other threat is pretty much still a virus by definition. Instead, they want the public to think of each of these threats as entirely separate concerns requiring separate and unique applications. They can sell more bloat that way and that's how we get "different tiers" of protection from such luminary companies as Norton/Symantec, which increase the "subscription" fees accordingly.

Another big secret is how every one of these companies won't block much of the spy/malware threats because of the fear of being sued. This is because the companies who generate revenue from collecting and aggregating data from every web browsing computer, claim that what they do is legit and legal, when in reality it is all a pretty shady business. To witness, virus writers and crackers piggyback on these very same technologies to do their dirty work specifically because it is such a murky mess. A few years ago there was considerable outrage because according to the DMCA, any such technology was considered illegal - it pretty much made everything from web scripts to root-kits a crime of terrorism and had companies like Sony all in a tizzy. Of course, the virus companies, the Sonys, and the data collector/aggregators got their lobbyists to change the laws so that it just didn't apply to them - you can thank your local congressman for letting that stinking turd of legalese though.

Anyhow, short of running a different OS (not really an option for most), the best way to protect yourself against threats without getting rammed by the software companies is to use open source software. Open source is generally more in tune with these issues, cares more to address them, and won't hesitate to openly discuss them. Since they also get their virus info from the same source, there's really no technical reason to pay for software that really should be free. The virus companies have so betrayed the public trust that they don't deserve your hard-earned money to provide what essentially is more lax protection than you'd find elsewhere.

[Mr Peabody]

I know the trial version of protection I'm using now is much more aggressive and found junk on my computer that Norton let remain.

So you are saying AVG would be as good as the programs we'd have to buy?

[audio amateur]

I know the trial version of protection I'm using now is much more aggressive and found junk on my computer that Norton let remain.

So you are saying AVG would be as good as the programs we'd have to buy?

AVG free incorporates the main functions of the non-free AVG, which includes extras such as spyware management etc..
Just check out their web-site.

[nightflier]

And there are other programs you can use for spyware management - not that you should have to have an additional application, but that's the way it is now.

[Auricauricle]

That's actually true. Most Westerners are backed up just like you describe because they eat too much meat (esp. us meat & potatoes Americans). Of course, we have plenty of opportunity to eat less meat, something that we should probably not take for granted. That is in sharp contrast to how it is for people in the less developed world: their diets are mostly fruits, vegetables, and hopefully not too much starch (which is what typically is given in camps and shelters, unfortunately). Even if we ignore the obvious moral-ethical questions, the question we should still ask ourselves as Westerners is whether being so "backed-up" is even natural for our physiology?

Well, Nightie, that's true, but that's not the whole story either....

True enough, consumption of more roughage and fibre, which are provided by a diet that is rich in vegetarian and grain-related sources, is certainly appropriate for ensuring regular and successful passage, but there are a couple of other things that I need to mention.

First is hydration. Drinking around 8-10 glasses of water a day is an important and vital part of nutrition. Vegetable and fruit sources do their share of providing some of this resource, but getting in your 8 to 10 should be a part of everyone's routine. This does not include tea, coffee or cola drinks that are high in caffeine which is, in fact, dehydrating. Gatorade and other sports drinks are good, but in excess they pack restorative electrolytes that can be "too much of a good thing" and throw your balance off. Same with water. Drink enough to rehydrate. Even too much water can be dangerous, believe it or not.

Second is activity. Sitting at this desk, writing y'all and sharing my wisdom is great, but not in my best interest. If you want to keep your colon moving and your sphincter working on time, every time, you have to pound the pavement now and then. Whether it's a walk around the block or office or running your butt off, regular exercise is an integral part of healthy living that has great cardiovascular health as well as salubrious benefit to the passage of wastes, including sweat, urine and steamers.

Thrid: medications. Some meds are constipating. In particular are stimulant meds, like Adderall, which cause dry mouth and other such, unpleasant, effects. Drink your water and suck a lifesaver. If you take meds, ask your doctor about them. Eat your greens and fibre in and walk about.

Healthy and regular passage of stools consists of good diet, water intake and regular exercise. There are meds that can clog things up while some of them will loosen the stuff up. If you take anything medication-wise, ask your doctor if they have any such an effect.

Caveat 1: If you have difficulty despite taking these precautions, see your doctor or nurse practitioner. Some medical conditions, even rare, serious ones can cause problems of this sort.

Caveat 2: Some meds and foods will change the color or consistency of your stool. A black stool may be indicative of ingestion of a pigment that caused such a color change or it could signal internal bleeding. Red tinged stools may indicate eating too many pimientos or hemmorhoids. If you have such experiences, again, seek advice from your primary care provider.

Okay, back to the discussion at hand....

[Mr Peabody]

What if it's florescent green???

[Auricauricle]

Then you've been doin' more things with a highlighter than I'm allowed to talk about.

[audio amateur]

[nightflier]

Looks like someone's been reading What's Your Poo Telling You?

http://www.amazon.com/Whats-Your-Poo...8612822&sr=8-1

Please don't tell us you've been keeping a Poo Log, though.

http://www.amazon.com/Poo-Log-Peter-...8612822&sr=8-8

[Rich-n-Texas]

Good Lord!!! Man, I am REALLY uncomfortable with the current subject matter in this thread. I don't even remember the title of it!

[Auricauricle]

I liked The Tao of Pooh.

[Mr Peabody]

The thread meets the "Strange" part. Anyone rememer the Christmas Poo?

Auric, what do you make of this one? Today my poo was in the form of the alphabet and spelled words as it whirled toward it's journey to the end of the sewer. Ever long for the days when they were just logs?

[Rich-n-Texas]

How do I put this entire thread on my "Ignore" list???

BLAHH!!!

[Mr Peabody]

Rich, you don't know poo. Get the book.

To answer your question, just unsubscribe to the thread.