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April 2014
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We have been told many times to use strong passwords. We are told not to use things like a pets name, birthday and on and on. Some people still do.
Here are the requirements from the retired military pay site.
Passwords expire every 60 days.
Your password must:
be 15 to 30 characters long
contain at least two uppercase letters (A Z)
contain at least two lowercase letters (a z)
contain at least two numbers (0 9)
contain at least two of the following special characters: # @ $ % ^ ! * + = _
change at least four characters from your previous password
Your password cannot:
contain spaces
be one of your last ten previous passwords
I need a computer to help me generate such a password. Here are some password generators.
Strong Password Generator, Generate strong, secure, random passwords. Also, learn to define strong passwords.
Use the Norton Identity Safe Password Generator to create highly secure passwords that are difficult to crack or guess. Just select the criteria for the passwords you need, and click "Generate Password(s)". Remember, the more options you choose, the more secure the passwords will be.
Gibson research Corp. Generating long, high quality random passwords is not simple. So here is some totally random raw material, generated just for YOU, to start with.
Every time this page is displayed, our server generates a unique set of custom, high quality, crystallographic strength password strings which are safe for you to use:
NOTE: you may have to cut and paste the Norton and Gibson links.
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March 2014
______________________________________________________________________From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
A password manager is a software that helps a user organize passwords and PIN codes. Thesoftware typically has a local database or a file that holds the encrypted password data for securelogon onto computers, networks, web sites and application data files. Many password managersalso work as a form filler, thus they fill the user and password data automatically into forms.These are implemented using a browser extension, smart card application or USB stick application that communicates to the browser or other application.
Here are some of the top rated password managers:
LastPass is often the first name mentioned when people discuss password managers. Founded inApril 2008, when the major contenders in end-user password management were RoboForm, 1Password and KeePass, LastPass works on virtually every operating system.Free for desktop, $12/year for mobile.
https://lastpass.com/index.php?fromwebsite=1
SplashID Safe operates differently than the browser-based plugins, requiring no installation at all.Rather, SplashData sends you a $29.95 4-GB key-shaped USB device. Simply plug the key into any computer, enter your password and SplashID Safe will launch your data. The app securely stores your usernames, passwords, account numbers, and any records you need to remember and keep secure.The desktop and mobile versions of SplashID Safe are sold separately (you don't need to have both), and the two versions sync with each other. $19.95 for desktop, $9.95 for mobile.
https://splashid.com/
If each password manager addresses a particular user pet peeve,Roboform's is the tedious process of entering usernames, passwords and other information to log into websites and fill out forms. RoboForm securely stores passwords, credit card and personal information on your computer only; it does not transfer data to the cloud. The app allows for multiple profiles -- handy for families and household use -- as well as alternate addresses and even pseudonyms. The entry-level version of RoboForm is not subscription-based, while RoboForm Everywhere starts at $9.95 annually, which lets you run RoboForm on any number of computers. RoboForm2Go, an encrypted USB drive, can be used on up to three USB keys.
http://www.roboform.com/
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February 2014
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It is tax time again, GURRR
Some of us need a CPA to do our taxes and some of us need only a little help in entering our information in the correct block.
For those of us that need only a little help there are several free sites to help.
Free File: Do Your Federal Taxes for Free
Income below $58,000: Free File Software. Use free tax prep software; Software makes taxes easier; State returns available, some are free.
TaxACT | Free Tax Preparation Software, File Taxes Online
TaxACT prepares, prints and e-files your income taxes for FREE. Free Federal Edition handles simple and complex returns, includes free-efiling.
TurboTax® Tax Preparation Software, FREE Tax Filing, Efile
TurboTax is the #1-rated, best-selling tax software. Free Edition includes free IRS efile. Easily prepare your tax return and file income taxes online.
HRBlock.com - H&R Block® Official Site
Prepare Your Taxes Today Online Or In-Office with H&R Block®
One of the most experienced tax preparation services.
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January 2014
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You say Santa misplaced you wish list. Never fear you can get the toys that you really wanted.
The easiest way to print from your Apple toy is an AirPrint printer.
AirPrint is an Apple technology that lets you create full quality printed output without the need to download or install drivers. AirPrint is built in to many printer models from most popular printer manufacturers. Just select an AirPrint printer on your local network and print from your favorite iOS or OS X app. Apple support has a LOOOONG list of AirPrint printers, organized by printer manufacturer. $50.00 and up.
BE HONEST! Do you really back-up your computer on a regular schedule? Many say they do, but have gotten around to it in a long time (tomorrow never gets here). You need an automated back-up device. Here are C|Net(s top five.
Just when most of us figured out that a (Smart Phone( is a hand held computer that you can use to make a phone call (Authors interpretation of Smart Phone terminology) along comes a (Smart TV( Find out what Wikipedia has to say about Smart TVs/
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December 2013
_______________________________________________________________________Dear Santa
I've been good all year and here are a few things that I would like for you to leave under my tree.
An action camera
GoPro Hero 3+, The camera that started a revolution. Impossibly small. Impressively high performance. Incredibly versatile. It all adds up to a camera that makes it easy for anyone, anywhere, to capture stunning photos and video of their life’s most meaningful experiences.
http://gopro.com/cameras
I’ll also need a SLR camera.
Canon is proud to present the highly anticipated EOS 5D Mark III. Special optical technologies like the 61-Point High Density Reticular AF and an extended ISO range of 100-25600 (expandable to 50 (L), 51200 (H1) and 102400 (H2) make the EOS 5D Mark III ideal for shooting weddings in the studio or out in the field, and great for still photography. Advanced professional-level high definition video capabilities make it possible to capture beautiful cinematic movies in EOS HD quality. A newly designed 22.3 Megapixel full-frame Canon CMOS sensor, Canon DIGIC 5+ Image Processor, and shooting performance up to 6.0 fps provide exceptional clarity and sharpness, even when capturing rapidly-unfolding scenes.
http://shop.usa.canon.com/shop/en/catalog/cameras
I’ll need something to print my pictures.
The HP LaserJet Enterprise 500 Color Printer M551dn color laser printer provides a winning mix of high speed, above-par output quality, and reasonably low running costs.
http://www.hp.com/country/us/en/hho/welcome.html
I’ll also need a tablet to show my pictures.
iPad Air weighs just one pound, and it’s 20 percent thinner.2 But even though it’s extremely light, it has a refined aluminum unibody enclosure that feels solid and durable in your hand.
Photos and videos look incredibly detailed and text is razor sharp on the stunning Retina display, which features over 3.1 million pixels — a million more than an HDTV.
http://store.apple.com/us/buy-ipad/ipad-air?afid=p219%7CGOUS&cid=AOS-US-KWG-HOLIDAY14
I’ll need a computer to process my pictures, please include PhotoShop, elements will be fine.
Empower your creative vision with photo editing options for every user level, and turn ordinary snapshots into something spectacular. Easily organize, edit, and create brilliant photos to share via print, the web, Facebook, and more. And now, take your Elements photos with you, wherever you go, on your smartphone or tablet.
http://www.adobe.com/products/photoshop-elements.html
Dell XPS8700 4th Generation Intel® Core™ i7 Processor Windows 8 8GB Memory 1TB Hard Drive Improved performance with an upgraded processor to maximize your media experience. Choice of Windows 7 Home Premium or Windows 8.
http://www.dell.com/us/p/desktops?~ck=mn#!desktops-performance
