I’ve been experimenting (even currently involved) in ministries that takes advantage of technology (the internet and computers at least). And hopefully, I could also use this to reach more.

Just a short burst of thought. I’m just pumped up!

God bless.

One of my goal in our Church is to record our weekend services. There’s a few reason why I am pushing it.

Reach more audience by making it available in the internet.

There’s a lot of Filipino Christians all over the world who doesn’t have an opportunity to join or attend a local Church due to language barriers, geographical, political, and other reasons. If they can have access to messages (in Filipino language, Filipino context), they would be able to continue growing as Christians. There are very few Filipino Church that has their weekend messages available online.

Make it available for local Church members.

Making it available for the local Church members will enable them to review the messages. It’s a fact that a person won’t be able to absorb everything that had been said in a 40 – 60 minute message unless they hear it again (multiple times).

Personal development of the preacher.

I have already recorded a few of my messages (audio only) and found out I am using words that is a bit awkward when used in the pulpit. I was able to record one message in video and found out that I move a lot when I preach. Being able to review my messages enables me to develop that message, build new messages as a supplement to that message, see mannerisms that should be avoided (both in action and in words) or have someone else review it for constructive criticism.

Would it encourage members not to attend weekend services anymore since they can get a hold of last Sunday’s message in audio or video format? I don’t think so. Looking at the Churches who are already doing this, their weekly attendance is continually growing. Used properly, recording weekend services and making it available online/media would serve as a way to invite more people to come to a local Church every Sunday.

Our Church’s Recorded Weekend Services

As I’ve said, I was able to record a few messages from our Church (both from me and our Pastor) in audio format. I’ve already made it available in our Church’s website. Last August 14, I was able to record my message in our Youth Service in video and already made it available online. That was my first attempt and there are a lot of things that can be improved (primarily the audio).

What’s my point?

I was able to do the recording using an old laptop (our Church’s laptop), an ordinary webcam (donated by a friend). and a free software for capture (Adobe Flash Media Live Encoder). I was able to upload it to a free online video service where you can view the message or embed it to websites. Therefore, for starters and Churches who doesn’t have the budget to buy high end cameras, computers, video hosting providers, software, etc, there is still a way to achieve it.

Not all might be interested doing this. But I would like to encourage Churches (whether big or small) to try it. I believe we should take advantage of the technology we have for the greater advancement of the Gospel.

On the upcoming post, I’ll share how I was able to record one of our messages without spending too much.

Bumping up the memory to 2gb and adding the GT240 video card made a great improvement on my computer. I can run more applications simultaneously, my wife can play CityVille flawlessly, I was able to run Left 4 Dead (first installment, have to grab Left 4 Dead 2), faster user experience. See the windows experience index.

Old Windows Experience Index (subscore: 2.3)

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New Windows Experience Index (subscore: 5.5)

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Here is the info for the graphics card

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Want this video card? You can buy this from Amazon, just click on the image below.

Another Upgrade – my PageRank is back to 2!

I recently posted here about how my Pagerank went down to 1 when Google applied their update on their system. Then, I was told by netguides through the comments that my PR was back to 2! I am not expecting it to be back to 2 that fast. Did google just made a mistake giving me a lower grade or I just got that “lukcy” that I deserve to have a PR2? In any case, I’m glad with the PR2! I’m almost finished with my home chores (wow, it’s to hard to move house) and can have more time now on my blogging schedule.

Soli Deo Gloria!

Based on Palit’s website, my video card has the following specs:

• The latest 40nm technology (lower power usage)
• Full OS-CON capacitors on board (longer life)
• NVIDIA unified architecture
• NVIDIA CUDA technology
• NVIDIA 3D Vision support
• High Definition 1080p Display Support
• Dual-link DVI, VGA and HDMI 1.3a output

I bought it for PhP3450 (~US$79) at my favorite computer store (PC Domain). There are GDDR5 versions, but it’s too costly for me. Let’s see after the upgrade how it will perform (btw, I’m not a pro hardware/tech reviewer, and I am not aspiring to become one).

And yep, my computer table’s covered by Winnie the Pooh.

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Some good points I see in Windows Live Writer

• WYSIWYG – I’ve heard and read a lot of complain about this when using WordPress as a platform for a blog or website. And it is true and frustrating most of the time (like what I’ve said earlier). With WLW, you are (or feels like) you are writing directly in to your website’s front end. It captures your theme so while you are writing, the fonts, font size, colors, spacing and even the area of the article area (from the first letter to the last letter of the line) are exactly the same as what will appear when you publish your article (now, that is WYSIWYG). Disclaimer – it is not 100% but it’s as close as it is.
• Faster preview – there are three tabs, the edit tab where you type in your article and everything. Then there is source tab where you can see the source (or enter any codes that can only be entered via the source) and there is the Preview tab where you can actually see “your whole website” as if you are viewing it from a web browser. Well, as I’ve said also, it is not 100% so it may vary (depending also on the browser and operating system you are using.
• Lot’s more to discover…

Windows Live Writer is free for Windows 7 (and yes, I am using Windows 7 and not Linux). This is my first post using this software so there are still a lot of things I need to discover. But as of now, everything is good for me.

NOTE: This is an article and at the same time a trial post using WLW, so if anything isn’t rendering as it should be, please forgive me and I’ll take it as a lesson.

So, for those who are saying that wordpress doesn’t have a “WYSIWYG”, then better check this out.

Disclaimer: I use Windows 7 and Windows Live Writer and this is NOT a paid post nor is a comprehensive review.

With the currently temperature we’re experiencing here in Manila Philippines (from 28C to 35C), it is not impossible for many things to overheat. And since most are at home (specially students), one of the things that will be used most are computers. Unless you have an air-conditioned room, your computer might go freakin’ hot.

That’s what I have experienced lately. I am using an Intel Pentium D 3.2ghz system. At idle, the temps are at around 42C (before summer). But due to the current temperatures (we have no air conditioner), idle temp is around 50C. Playing games (need for speed) would make the procie go to a temp as high as 65C and my PC will buzz telling me I am reaching a high temp already. I tried changing the airflow on the PC, but nothing changed.

Last resort, check the processor’s heat sink for blockage. I opened up the case and removed the fan on the processor (I didn’t removed the heat sink as I don’t have any thermal paste on hand). To my expectations, I saw lot’s of dust covering the fins of the heat sink, blocking the air that the fan is blowing on it. I removed those nasty dusts and cleaned some other spots on the computer. Hoping for the best, I placed everything back, turned on the PC, and checked the temps, and idle is 40C-43C (waited for a few minutes and still on the same range). Then I played need for speed for a few laps (usually, I will hear the warning once the race begin), and heard no warning. After playing, I checked the temps and it’s only 45C-49C. I will still be testing tomorrow playing longer.

Dust accumulation on heat sinks are number one enemy on good cooling system. Cleaning it regularly is a good habit. Just make sure power is off and power cable is unplugged to avoid hazards.

Cheers.

After further research, CA Security Advisor Research Blog tells that this is actually a phishing scam.

I never clicked the links included on the spams I receive. But as the article indicates, links on the spam (each message might contain a different link) points to a single IP and it is a website about the pills offering a free trial of the popular fruit. However, upon checkout, it is not using the “https://” or secure http, which definitely means phishing. So if the unfortunate victim clicks submit, his credit card information will be sent to someone so he/she can use it for fraud.

So how does this spam works? This is only my theory. Either a malware on our computers or from some net cafe we went to was able to catch our username and password. Due to reports that the spam is received from clients that are “logged off” from Yahoo (which is my experience), I believe that a certain spambot on some server (maybe the same server as the phishing website) logs in using the username and password, sends a buzz to the poor clients contacts then sends the spam message with the link. So the unsuspecting receipient thinks that the message is legitimate, clicks the link, attracted by the offer (since Acai berry was really promoted by Oprah Winfrey and Rachel Ray), takes the trial, fills the credit card info, hits submit, and his/her credit card details are now in the hands of the criminals for their use.

Some possible but reasonable tips on how to avoid/solve this problem (take note, this might not solve the problem, but you won’t lose anything if you try):

• Update your operating system, softwares, etc. with the latest patches from the manufacturers.
• Update your security software (anti-virus) virus definitions.
• Do a regular (on your own terms:)) full system scan.
• Don’t trust files from the internet (unless you are sure, don’t run or install).
• Change your YM password.
• Inform your friends who are sending the spam to do the same thing.

I have already changed my password and will be monitoring if someone will still receive a message from me.

Notes: (from www.wikipedia.org)

Spam – A collection of unsolicited bulk electronic messages

Phishing – the criminally fraudulent process of attempting to acquire sensitive information such as usernames, passwords and credit card details by masquerading as a trustworthy entity in an electronic communication.

Acai Berry (açaí palm) – a member of the genus Euterpe, which contains 8 species of palms native to tropical Central and South America, from Belize south to Brazil and Peru, growing mainly in floodplains and swamps. Recently, the açai “berry” has been touted and marketed as a highly beneficial dietary supplement. Companies sell açaí berry products in the form of tablets, juice, smoothies, instant drink powders, and whole fruit.

There can never be a “spam free world”, but at least we can do something to minimize it.

Spam Messenger under a Yahoo ID

I’ve been a long time Yahoo! Messenger (YM) user. Yahoo was my first e-mail account and most of my contacts are Yahoo!.
I won’t make the intro long. So here’s what’s I want to post. There are times before where I receive an instant message from an unknown Yahoo! ID. Well, simply, that was spamming. I suspect the spammers were able to get my email address from forums or at the Yahoo! Chatrooms. But then lately (I believe it started last year), I am receiving “wierd” IMs from my yahoo buddies (those are my friends). The first one, as I recalled, was in a different language (Korean or something). I then asked that friend if some one else was using here computer. She told me nobody’s using her PC aside from her, I suspected an account hacking.

I then asked some “pro” regarding this and they told me that most probably, this was caused by a malware or a “worm”. I asked my friend to do a virus scan. She wiped out her hard drive and made a fresh install. Since then, there were no more “spam” from her.

However, another buddy got “infected” by this and sends out IMs also on a different language. But lately, I was surprised because one of my buddies were sending me IMs (in English) regarding a “diet pill” (sample of the message below). I thought he was just promoting something. But when almost 5 buddies were sending the message, I was alarmed that they might be infected by a worm or malware.

Yesterday, I asked my brother if he was receiving messages like that and he said yes. I the asked if he received one from me, I believe he said no but when I came to office, he had sent me an email with a message coming from me. We talked in the morning and the message was timestamped at 10:35 in the evening.. I left home 10 in the evening.
Before the message reach you, your “buddy” will first “buzz” (hitting ctrl+g on yahoo messenger client will buzz or shake the other contacts IM window to get attention) you and then send out the message. If you could notice in the image, the buzz was made 10:35:01pm and the message was sent at the exact same second. With the length of that message, it is imposible to type it in split second, unless you copy – paste very quickly. The worst thing is, I am using Pidgin, an opensource, multi platform/protocol (you can have AIM, Gtalk, YM, IRC, multiple accounts on same protocol) instant messenging client. And this program doesn’t have the “buzz” feature. I am sure my wife didnt’ use YM cause she knew about Pidgin. (Thought I’m not going to make this long??)

So the question is, is my account being “hacked”. Was someone able to figure out the passwords of these users (including me) and then send spam to all our contact on our list? Or it is a worm the controls not the IM client, but the connection itself so it can send messages and command without opening an IM windows and execute a feature (the “buzz”) even if it is not supported by your client. Most probably it is a worm or malware.

I tried searching the net but not enough info. My brother gave me a link to a forum (on a different language). But when I try google’s transaltor, it is filtered in our office. So my resolution is to do a full system scan. Also run anti-malware/spyware scan. Then reformat and reinstall everything (which I will be doing anyway since my partitioning sucks), and delete any programs I downloaded from the net that I don’t need (well, those are clean programs, but I don’t need it).

Another question is, how did I get that malware/worm. Honestly, I don’t know. There are actually 3 computers at home. Two desktops and a laptop. The other desktop, is owned by my wife’s sister. I used to secure that computer but my wife’s nephew wants to do it “his way”. I turned of file and print sharing then. However the laptop was being used by my father-in-law and other people. File and print sharing is active on that one. In any case, some worm/malware can penetrate other computers on the network even if file and print sharing is off. And there are viruses, worms, and malware on the other desktop.

The laptop’s LCD is broken, and I already disconnected the other desktop from the network. Maybe this time, everything will be fine after reinstall.

Lesson to learn: Don’t trust everything on the net (websites/files/etc.) and always do a system scan (anti malware/spyware etc….) once in a while. And buy a good router with good firewall settings (that’s what I’m going to do).

NOTE: I’ve already written an update for this here.

I asked someone to download the same files (xbmc for example) and they didn’t get the error. Trying some options suggested (save it on a different disc).
Was this hardware related or ISP problem?

Update:

I downloaded the file to a different disc but I still have the error. Tried scanning (full, thorough scan, avast pro) but there were no virus of spyware found. Will try to test memory.

From the halls of a university research lab to the desks of hundreds of millions of computer users, the computer mouse has come a long way. Douglas Engelbart created the first prototypes of the now-familiar device in 1963 at Stanford Research Institute, but he first displayed his creation to the public in 1968 forty years ago Tuesday. During that unveiling, Engelbart presented what some have called “the mother of all demos,” outlining concepts that would presage the next 40 years of computing, including the use of a three-button palm-sized contraption called a “mouse.”

Read the full story here:

http://www.macworld.com/article/137400/2008/12/mouse40.html?lsrc=rss_main