Build Date: Fri Apr 4 02:50:50 2025 UTC
No, you don't understand, Michael. I *do* always have to be an ass. It's all I have left.
-- Tjames Madison
Get Rid of Spyware
2001-10-19 03:13:23
Spyware is the new and mostly unknown evil that silently installs itself on your computer, then tracks your every move and reports it to a central database where your personal information is sold to the highest bidder. It is amazing how quickly spyware has become almost de rigueur for most Windows computers these days and sadly most people don't even know they installed this horrible crap on their system.
Not only does spyware live up to its name in reporting your actions to its creator, but virtually every software install package that includes some spyware makes little or no effort to inform the user that it will be adding some surreptitious and in my option rather malevolent applications to your system.
If you use a Windows or a Mac PC and you've installed any applications that you've gotten over the net in the past six months, especially those Napster P2P replacement, no matter how careful you were during the installation process, you're probably infected with some spyware.
Fortunately, if you value your privacy and dislike such dishonest business practices, there is something you can do about it. They are several spyware removal products that do an excellent job in tracking down and removing of whatever version of spyware you have installed.
The one I just used and can recommend is Ad-aware by Lavasoft. I'm usually very careful during software installs, but sometimes, well, you know how it is, you have a beer or two or six or ten and the next thing you know, you're hacking under the influence. Then you're surfing a site and you just got to see the new 3-D boobies, but you need a new plug-in. So the next thing you, know installing software all over your machine just to see some big mammary glands wiggle back and forth.. We all do it... so don't try and deny it cause I won't believe you.
So I was pretty sure I had been inflected and yesterday, after running across a file I didn't think belong in my WINNT subdirectory, I and grabbed Ad-aware and gave it a test run. Ad-aware has numerous configuration options, searches both your hard drives and your registry for all known spyware, has a command line interface, an auto search, a spyware install block and lots of other cool features. It also has a handy dandy spyware removal feature. After running Ad-aware, I was shocked to discover that I had not one, but three spyware programs running on my machine. Serves me right for practice unsafe computer. Anyways, Ad-aware cleaned up the mess and got rid of all the crap. I'm still probably gonna have to do a reinstall at some point in the near future as it is possible that Ad-aware miss stuff it doesn't know about. However, I do feel better knowing that at least three spyware programs are no long running on my machine.
So get yourself some spyware protection today.
T O P S T O R I E S
California Glory Hole attracts huge crowds
A glory hole at Napa's Lake Berryessa is drawing huge crowds. According to Chris Lee, the general manager for the Solano County Water Agency, the glory hole hasn't been active since 2019, and only restarted operations on Feb 4. (More...)
Republican State Senator busted after soliciting a teenage girl
Republican State Senator Justin Eichorn of Minnesota was arrested for soliciting a teen girl on Monday just hours after he introduced a bill proposing "Trump derangement syndrome" (TDS) as a form of mental illness. (More...)
Parents claim measles is not that bad after having only one child die
The parents of a Texas girl who died from the measles are defending their decision not to vaccinate their daughter. "She says they would still say 'Don't do the shots,'" an unidentified translator for the parents said. "They think it’s not as bad as the media is making it out to be." (More...)
Delusional rich man tries to fire town staff
"I'm mayor now" said write-in mayoral candidate and founder of Pirate’s Booty Snacks Robert Ehrlich after losing the election for Mayor of Sea Cliff, NY. Then he tried to take over the Village Hall and fire everyone. (More...)
Musk claims Xitter security is staffed by idiots
Earlier this month Xitter experienced a massive outage. In an interview, Musk told Fox Business that he believes the attack came from "IP addresses originating in the Ukraine area." (More...)
The Future Ain't What It Used To Be
Ideas have taken horrifying shape and rooted into our modern reality. (More...)
C L A S S I C P I G D O G
Patient Joab's scientifick editorial discusses aspect of the space-time-beer continuum never before processed by sub-bush-robot minds!!! Too fabulantastic to contempulate! (More...)
Songs Of Love And Special Things
Well, dear reader, there's no denying it: Spring has sprung. The air is pungent with the fertile aroma of Romance. And you know what goes with Romance, don't you? That's right, Lover, porn. And not just any porn, but the kind you can sing along to. (More...)
Report from Spiritual Machines
Arkuat gives you the inside scoop on the "Spiritual Machines" panel and conclave. Wacky excitement ensues! (More...)
It’s election night. My wife and I are holed-up in this hotel that my political party has rented out for the evening. Outside, people are being violently beaten for whom they voted for. Is this South Africa? Perhaps we’re in Haiti or some Southern state during the 60’s. Of all the places where this sort of thing happens, it’s mind-boggling that we are in Portland, Maine. (More...)
Vacationing from Somnambulant Narrow Realities
So about six months ago, I was chilling in Chang Mai, Thailand with ICBINJ, perursing the Bangkok Times over my banana pancake and Big Chang breakfast when I spotted this article reprinted from the LA Times. It was about some kooks from California (where else?) who were claiming to have been to the front lines in Afgahnistan in mid-December and had recorded the whole feat on their website. "Holy Fuck!" I thought, "Now That's web journalism. Who are these guys!?" (More...)
