If you have been following the news you know that thousands of computers worldwide have been encrypted and being held ransom.  Can it happen to you?  YES!  Though they are going after the big bucks they have been so successful that they could decide to do it to private computers and ask for a lower amount of money.  How do you stop it?  The same way you should always act about your computer.  This attack is affecting Windows machines.   What should you do?  I will say it again: 1.  Always install the monthly security update Microsoft sends out, usually on the second Tuesday of each month. 2.  Back up your computer.  It's not that hard.  Just ask yourself what would happen if your computer melted down tonight.  Backup, Backup.  Buy an inexpensive external hard drive and us the program SuperDuper (free) and/or get http://carbonite.com.  Carbonite cost $59 a year and keeps your computer backup off site.  That way even if all else fails, food, fire, or whatever, your data is safe. 3. Don't click on links in email from people you don't know and even if you know them be very suspicious. Malware can send email from your address book to your friends where they will, and should not, click on it because it comes from a friend. 4.  Don't ever buy things online from a company who has an address does not start with https://  Notice the S. So, if all the companies that got his with this ramson ware had followed the advice above it would not cost them a cent.  They just format the drive, reload the operating system and reload the data they backed up and everything is back to normal. How much will all this cost you?  Using Carbonite, $59 a year.  I do back up three ways in two different formats because your website depends on it. 5/15/2017 Gmail - Don't let your computer get encrypted https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/?ui=2&ik=23132f4f8e&view=pt&search=trash&th=15c09baad43de4fd&siml=15c09ba5880012c4&siml=15c09baad43de4fd 2/3 Please don't be the one that has to ask me what to do because you lost all your data.

Blue Apron meals are great every week

We are really enjoying meals sent to us by Blue Apron.  All fresh and cooked in our kitchen.  Check them out and get two free meals with this address: http://blueapron.com/twit  We have been with them for over two years and look forward every week to a new taste experience.

I'm a cord cutter. No more cable

So the Cord Cutter time is here.  Over the past year I have cut all the cords except the cable for the Internet.  It is easy.  SlingTV, Playstation Vue and soon, believe it or not, DirecTV is going to be offering 100 channels over the Internet.  Rummer is that it will be $30 a month.  We shall see soon.  Rummer is the announcement will be Nov 10th.  Also another good one it CBS all Access.  It costs $9.95 a month but it is all your favorite CBS show without commercials.  Well worth the money.  Check back soon, after Nov 10th, and I will fill you in.

Another year has gone by.

And yet another year goes by.  Sure one hell of a way to run a blog or maybe I just don't have a lot to say.  At any rate I am still here kicking and only God knows how much longer I have left of this green earth.  My web design business continues and with the yard work that keeps me busy.  So, check back in a year and see if I am still here.  Other than that come on over and get a free website from me: http://websitesbycook.com.

WOW! Been over a year without a post? That really sucks. Many things have changed. We are now in iPhone 6 and 6Plus, wearing a Apple watch and have discovered how great a Google Chrome book is. If I did not do websites I would use the Google Chrome book all the time.

If you have an eBay account you should know that it was hacked during the last week in May and lots of person information was exposed. If you have not already done it you need to change you PASSWORD NOW.

New smartphone

After 7 years of iPhone I have changed to a Samsung Galaxy Note 3. Easier on old eyes. Android has come a long way.