Thursday 13 - The Last 13 Movies I've Seen

Tweet

This week is going by too fast, coño! I want to start the week all over again, please? I used to enjoy my weekends, lately I haven't been able to due to some inconsiderate people. I hope the situation will change soon con la ayuda de Dios. If you can send a few prayers my way it would be greatly appreciated.

I'm dying for the 70's temperatures to go away. Or at least the humidity. I've been sitting here with the fan pointing at me because of the humidity and now I have a sore throat. Time to get a bag of halls and a bottle of honey just in case.

So, did you know that Entrecard closed down? I went to the site and it wouldn't load, then I noticed that the widget isn't working. I googled it and sure enough they closed a few weeks ago. I had no idea. Apparently they didn't bother to let anyone know. I'm going to miss Entrecard. I found a lot of good blogs through them. It would be nice if someone else picks it up, but I doubt it. If anyone knows of a similar service, please let me know.

Feedburner is also closing as of next month! I found out through a post from Blogher. There was an announcement last year, but I had no idea until now. Again, no warning. Now to find another free service that will offer the same thing. Google is starting to annoy me with the closing of so many services. I mean, if you are going to take over a company and, then close it without caring about how many people depend on it, then why bother at all?!

Anyway, time for my meme. I used to do this meme when I started blogging, but lost track of it. Memes are always fun and they give you something to write about. My mind has been all over the place lately so I need all the help I can get! If you would like to participate follow the link at the end of this post or click on the image.

Happy Thursday!♥

Edited to add: I completely forgot to mention that these movies are streaming on Netflix. You see? My mind is all over the place! Out of the list, #13 is my favorite! Directed by Madonna. It was beautifully made. I'm planning on watching it again. Yes, I developed a girl crush for Wally Winthrop, beautiful...

1. My Future Boyfriend (2011) - 4 stars out of 5

2. Toast (2010) - 5 stars out of 5
3. The Broken (2008) - 2 stars out of 5
4. Dark Tide (2012) - 3 stars out of 5
5. Margin Call (2011) - 3 stars out of 5
6. Modern Girls (1986) - 3 stars out of 5
7. Track Down (2000) - 4 stars out of 5
8. The Grey (2012)- 5 stars out of 5
9. Abduction (2011) - 5 stars out of 5
10. Grey Owl (1999) - 4 stars out of 5
11. Tornado Valley (2009) - 3 stars out of 5
12. Stay Cool (2009) - 5 stars out of 5
13. W.E. (2011) - 5 stars out of 5

The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in other's comments. It’s easy, and fun!

Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

Pin It Now!

Is Free Public Wi-Fi Safe?

Tweet

Every Day Connected: Work

From the Editors of Every Day Connected

If you work remotely or travel a lot for your job, you probably take advantage of free public Wi-Fi often. Unfortunately, that probably means you’re regularly opening up your devices and your data to serious security threats. And if you’re a heavy user of cloud services, which often store your data on a remote server rather than your computer, Wi-Fi security is even more crucial.

Most people these days have password-protected networks at home, so it’s unlikely that anybody is able to snoop on your data as it passes between your device and your router. But when you’re surfing the Web via a free public Wi-Fi at a cafe, library or airport, you should be suspicious of everyone, says technology consultant Leo Notenboom of Ask-Leo.com. “It’s trivially easy for any of them to be watching your unencrypted information flying by.”

Here’s what you need to know to stay safe next time you’re surfing on a free public Wi-Fi connection.

Free Public Wi-Fi Tip No. 1: Turn on your firewall.
The cafe might use firewall software to protect your computer from outside attacks, but that doesn’t protect you from other people surfing around the same Wi-Fi network inside the cafe. Be sure your computer’s firewall is turned on.

Free Public Wi-Fi Tip No. 2: Protect your smartphone or tablet.
If your smartphone or tablet connects to Wi-Fi networks, require it to ask your permission before joining any network. A lot of people never change the default network name, so if you logged on to your friend’s “linksys” network, your device will remember that and could automatically join any network of the same name in the future -- unless you tell it to ask your permission first.

Free Public Wi-Fi Tip No. 3: Use strong encryption.
Encryption works by disguising data that your computer wirelessly sends to a router. Without it, that person sitting near you at the cafe could use special software to intercept and see all the data that travels back and forth between your device and the router. And that means everything: emails, passwords and things you search for. That’s why it’s imperative, says Notenboom, to use encrypted sites when possible.

How do you know when a site offers encryption? Instead of “http” at the beginning of the address, you’ll see “https.” You’ll also see a little padlock icon in your browser window, usually on the bottom right.

What else should you consider encrypting?

• Your email. If you use a locally installed email program such as Outlook or Entourage, you can protect your mail and passwords by using something called SSL (secure sockets layer) on each of your accounts. This encrypts all your data when you send and receive email. Not all email providers allow the use of SSL, though, so check your provider’s help page.

• Your Facebook and Twitter pages. Facebook and Twitter recently began offering encrypted sessions; just go into your account settings and find the option that says “Always use https.”

• Your Google search. If you think the keywords you’re searching could be embarrassing or you prefer to keep your privacy, try the secure version of Google search. Instead of going to Google.com, do all of your searching at Encrypted.Google.com.

• Everything. Consider a VPN service. VPN stands for virtual private network and encrypts everything you send and receive. You can download free mobile VPN software from such a site as Hotspot Shield and everything -- instant messages, passwords, emails and websites -- will be virtually impenetrable to prying eyes whenever you’re using a free public Wi-Fi connection. Or if your employer offers its own VPN, always connect to it through your computer or mobile device.

“That guy in the corner of Starbucks with his laptop -- do you trust him with your private data?” asks Notenboom. Follow these Wi-Fi safety tips, and you won’t ever have to ever wonder.


Like this article? Follow us @EveryDayConnect

More info on Learn more about secure online living from our sponsor, Webroot

Pin It Now!

What the Web Says About You.

Tweet

Every Day Connected: Socialize

By Tara Swords for Every Day Connected

Although social networks like Facebook are a great way to stay connected, they offer an endless source of potential embarrassments if you don’t carefully control who can see your information. In fact, if your privacy settings are lax, anybody anywhere -- even those without a Facebook account -- can see everything on your profile page, including your birth date, phone number, email address and photos. They can even see photos of you that other people post -- photos that you might never want in the public sphere.

If you use LinkedIn, the popular professional networking site, you probably don’t post as much personal information as you would on Facebook. But you still might want to control who can see your work history and who can send you unsolicited emails asking to be introduced to one of your connections.

Here’s how to find out who can see what and where, and ensure that the wrong information -- or pictures or videos -- doesn’t fall in the wrong hands:

Facebook
Familiarize yourself with all your privacy setting options here. You can create separate friend lists -- for example, one list for family, one for friends, and another for acquaintances -- and apply different privacy settings to each. Don’t forget to also decide who can view information about you that other people post. The safest option is to make that information viewable only by you.

Some Facebook applications, such as Places, can let other people post your physical location to Facebook. (“Joe Smith has checked in at the Four Seasons.”) Facebook’s Instant Personalization service can tell other people when you share content. So when you share or “like” a news story from CNN.com, your friends who visit CNN will see that you shared it or liked it -- unless you change your privacy settings.

LinkedIn
After logging in, click on “Profile” and find the “Change public profile settings” link. Here, you can decide what non-connections can see when they visit your profile page and even view it as others see it. Don’t forget to click “Change contact settings” to set how other people can contact you.

Twitter
The default setting for accounts on Twitter is “public,” which means everything you post is public and can even turn up in Google searches. Or you can set your account to “protected,” which means only the people you approve can view your posts.
Whatever settings you choose for your social networking profiles, there’s nothing to stop one of your friends or connections from copying and pasting photos or information about you and passing it on. So keep tabs on who’s tagging you in photos, video or other content. Always use discretion when posting anything online, and never assume that online security measures are bulletproof. This is the Internet, after all, and once the cat is out of the bag, you can’t stuff it back in.

Like this blog?   Follow us @EveryDayConnect



More info on Learn more about secure online living from our sponsor, Webroot from our sponsor






Pin It Now!

How to Use Google+.

Tweet

Every Day Connected: Play


From the Editors of Every Day Connected


When Google launched its Facebook-rivaling social network this summer, some balked about having to deal with yet another social network. But what many early adapters found is that Google+ is cleaner and more efficient -- and best of all, not everyone you connect with has to be a “friend.”

In Google’s attempt to fashion its social network after the real world, Google+ lets you make a contained circle for family, friends, work buddies, chess club friends and a secret society (if you belong to one). In the same amount of time you’d spend posting on Facebook, you can pick which circle sees your various posts -- which is kind of perfect if you don’t want work buddies to know about your family dramas, right?

While the newest social network is just a few months old -- and at least a few months away from mainstream adoption -- the potential for Google+ to deliver relevant information is too attractive to pass up. Here’s how to get started:

1. Create your searchable profile.
Apps, Docs and social networks aside, Google is first and foremost a search engine. As Google+ grows, so does the relevance of its profiles in search results.

Try Googling yourself. Unless your name is John Doe, your Google profile will be one of the first results to come up. This is prime real estate on the Web -- and happily, you are in control of how it’s shaped. Building out your Google profile authenticates your Web presence and allows you to better own your online image.

To log into Google+, sign in with your gmail address (yes, you'll need to get one if you don't already have one) and click on Google+ on the top tab of your account. In Google+, click the “Profile” button on the top navigation bar, and add job history, education, bragging rights, etc., in the “About” section. Make sure you link to your websites, videos and pictures to promote your projects, accomplishments and affiliations. Embed links in text to share other content-rich places where people can find you on the Web (like an Amazon author page, SoundCloud music page or high school teacher website).

2. Organize your personal circles.
Whether you consider it a blessing or a curse, Google makes you organize your contacts into circles before you can do much else. Google claims that Google+ users are three times more likely to share within certain circles than share publicly. That means hovering parents are more likely to share with other parents, and foodies with other foodies, theoretically cutting down the amount of useless posts you see in your stream. This targeted content is an outright blessing for those of us who have grown sick of the “my kid’s latest accomplishment” or “today’s lunch choice” posts that taint our Facebook walls.

To help you organize your circles, Google gathers all your email contacts and allows you to click and drag people into the circle of your choice. “Friends” and “Family” circles are no-brainers, but what about the members of your soccer team? Create a “Ball Kickers” circle just for them. If you follow public figures or people in your field online, place them in your “Following” circle.

3. Structure some circles for business.
Creating certain circles around your work is a great way to send targeted information to different types of people you work with. A real estate agent might create circles for past and current clients, as well as circles of people by neighborhood. The agent can then send clients who bought or are looking to buy in a particular neighborhood some information about a new juice bar set to open, neighborhood alliance meetings or featured properties all within the same 25 blocks, for example.

Want to gather information for your business? Get more information about people who circled you by posing a question to the group. A “Do you read my advice column?” query, for example, gives you an idea of how many followers are fans of your work. You can also directly message people who follow you as a way of crowdsourcing ideas for your next project.

4. Set up easy video-conferencing meetings.
With a few clicks on Google+, you can set up group video conferencing with any of your established circles. Aside from chatting with buddies across the globe, starting a Hangout is a great way to conduct quick-and-dirty virtual meetings with your mom group, co-workers or extended family when planning the next reunion.

To start a Hangout, click one of your established circles on the right of your stream, then click the green “Hangout” button on the left side of your stream. Pick up to 10 people to participate. No third party chat or virtual meeting software is needed. The camera’s focus will move with whoever has the floor, keeping the talker front-and-center in the biggest box on the screen. Once you’ve started a hangout group, you can also watch a YouTube video together and type notes for one another in the chat field.

5. Fine-tune your feeds.
After you type a post to your stream, you can choose which of the circles to send the content to. You can share your particular post with a few of your custom circles, to extended circles (which not only posts to your circles, but your friends’ circles as well) -- or to public, which is open viewing for the whole Web.

You can also create Sparks, which are like Google Alerts for your favorite things. When you set up Sparks of your biggest interests, you receive a curated feed of things happening around the Web based on those interests. From the home screen, click Sparks on the left-hand column. Type in any interest, from “gastropubs” to “gluten-free diet” to “Glee,” and then click “Add Interest.” A feed of the latest of your favorite things on the Web will be ready for you to view via smartphone or computer when waiting in line at the bank or for a flight at the airport.

Google+ also allows users to turn multiple conversations into one streamlined group chat (in Huddle) and automatically upload pictures and video from your Android Smartphone (Instant Upload) to your Google+ account to share with whichever circles you choose later on. Take the Google+ Tour for more on these features and check What’s New in Google+ for the latest tricks and practices.

What’s better, Google+ or Facebook? Tell us below or @EveryDayConnect


Like this article?   Follow us @EveryDayConnect




Photo Credit@iStockphoto.com/Maravic



Pin It Now!

Photobucket - Do You Really Mean To?

Tweet

I like to use images or videos every time I write a post, it makes the post look better. I search either Google or Photobucket for the images and videos I want to use. Now to the point of this post. I see tons of pictures/videos of things that in my opinion you might want to keep between your friends and family. For instance the birth of a baby, a wedding, you hanging out with friends, your children's pictures, etc. 

However, I see all of these displayed all over Photobucket and every search engine for everyone to see. In plain view of every crazy person, pedophile and haters (like they say these days) out there looking to do something. Imagine you are living next to one of these people and they want to do something to you, one of your family members or friend. All they have to do is search the web and there it is. Your pictures and videos for this person to do with it whatever they want. Obsess over it, find out private things about you, etc. You get the picture.

I understand we live in an era where we want to share everything because of social media but, at some point we need to draw the line. For the sake of your safety or your children's safety there are things you may want to keep private. Now, I know some of you might say if it's going to happen is going to happen no matter what. I don't believe that but that's just my opinion.

I'm wondering do people do this (share pictures/videos with the world) on purpose because they don't care, want their 15 minutes of fame or they simply don't know that their album or profile is set to public. Something I learned years ago was to always check the settings of every website I join or software I use before doing anything else. So, if it is not your intention to share your pictures or videos with the world go check those settings!♥♥



image credit: qualvu

Pin It Now!

Google & Wolfram Alpha.

Tweet

I read about Wolfram Alpha and was curious how it worked. People kept saying is it the next Google. I subscribe to Cnet's newsletter because I'm into techie stuff so I like to know what's new out there even if I'm broke and won't be able to buy anything anytime soon! I received one of their emails and there it was! They compared Wolfram Alpha and Google, which one is best for what etc. Check out the video below!



Pin It Now!