Phishing For Your Identity

Who hasn’t received an email directing them to visit a familiar website where they are being asked to update their personal information?  The website needs you to verify or update your passwords, credit card numbers, social security number, or even your bank account number.  You recognize the business name as one that you’ve conducted business with in the past.  So, you click on the convenient “take me there” link and proceed to provide all the information they have requested.  Unfortunately, you find out much later that the website is bogus.  It was created with the sole intent to steal your personal information.  You, my friend, have just been “phished”.

Phishing (pronounced as “fishing”) is defined as the act of sending an email to a recipient falsely claiming to have an established, legitimate business.  The intent of the phisher is to scam the recipient into surrendering their private information, and ultimately steal your identity.

It is not at easy as you think to spot an email phishing for information.  At first glance, the email may look like it is from a legitimate company. The "From" field of the e-mail may have the .com address of the company mentioned in the e-mail.  The clickable link even appears to take you to the company's website, when in fact, it is a fake website built to replicate the legitimate site.

Many of these people are professional criminals.  They have spent a lot of time in creating emails that look authentic.  Users need to review all emails requesting personal information carefully.  When reviewing your email remember that the "From Field" can be easily changed by the sender.  While it may look like it is coming from a .com you do business with, looks can be deceiving.  Also keep in mind that the phisher will go all out in trying to make their email look as legitimate as possible.  They will even copy logos or images from the official site to use in their emails.  Finally, they like to include a clickable link that the recipient can follow to conveniently update their information.
A great way to check the legitimacy of the link is to point at the link with your mouse. Then, look in the bottom left hand screen of your computer.  The actual website address to which you are being directed will show up for you to view.  It is a very quick and easy way to check if you are being directed to a legitimate site.

Finally, follow the golden rule.  Never, ever, click the links within the text of the e-mail, and always delete the e-mail immediately. Once you have deleted the e-mail, empty the trash box in your e-mail accounts as well. If you are truly concerned that you are missing an important notice regarding one of your accounts, then type the full URL address of the website into your browser.  At least then you can be confident that you are, in fact, being directed to the true and legitimate website.

Organized garage

The garage is that one place where we all seem to love to be
disorganized, however the sooner you get organized, the sooner
you can make better use of that space. Organizing your garage
can be a tiresome task for many homeowners. When you think
about organizing your garage you should keep in mind that this
activity means to find a designated place for everything while
keeping your goods available for everyday use. The following
five steps compromise a simple system for garage organization.

Sort your garage items.
First of all sort and categorize all the items in your garage, for
this you should empty your garage and start sorting everything
into categories. Separate the tools from sporting equipment,
electric tools, etc. You will realize how much stuff you have
and only then you will be able to determine the best ways to
organize and store everything.  Misplaced items in your garage
should be returned to their proper place. Also you should sort
the things that should be in the garage from the things that
should actually be in the basement, attic or better, sold at a
garage sale. Remember to recycle everything that you decide to
throw away.

Separate seasonal items and equipment.
A special rack should be installed to hang lawn maintenance
tools and to keep them accessible yet out of the way. If it is
near winter place snow related tools like snow blowers, ice
scrapers, snow shovels and also skis, snowboards and sleds
grouped together. Also the items for warm seasons should be
stored in a special cabinet. Near the beginning of every season
you should plan this activity and rotate the cold and warm
items places in the cabinet. For the other sporting equipment,
shelves and drawers should be designed.

Additional shelving and cabinets.
While organizing you should consider adding additional
garage storage space to help you maintain the organization.
Shelves and cabinets should be mounted on the walls. The
basic principle is to store the items that you use on a regular
basis in a way that makes them accessible every time you need
them.

Create efficient working area.
Installing a bench or a table would be a good choice if you use
your garage as a workshop. A sturdy tool chest and a pegboard
are great in storing your tools and keeping them easily
accessible.

Relocate trash and recycling bins nearby the garage.
To easily dispose unwanted items from your garage a good
idea is to relocate the trash and recycling bins near to your
garage entrance.  This way you won’t be tempted to keep
certain items because the trash bins are too far away.

Now would be the time to hire a handyman to have cabinets,
closets and shelves built right into your garage. Invest in some
good storage units as described before and start organizing,
sorting and storing.

Caterpillar Equipment

Caterpillar Incorporated, also known as CAT is a
United States based corporation that is based in
Peoria, Illinois.  The company commonly known as CAT
is known around the world as the largest manufacturer
of construction and mining equipment, diesel and
natural gas engines, and industrial gas turbines.

Well known and famous for their products that feature
the Caterpillar track and distinctive yellow paint,
CAT produces a wide range of heavy equipment for
all types of jobs, including the very popular
Caterpillar D9 bulldozer.

History
The story of CAT dates back to the late 19th century,
when Daniel Best and Benjamin Holt were experimenting
with different ways to fulfill the promise that
steam tractors held for farm work. Prior to 1925,
the Holt family had pioneered track tractors and
gasoline powered engines.  After the companies of
Best and Holt were merged, the company went through
several changes then at the end of World War 2,
they began to grow at a very fast pace, launching
the first venture outside of the country in 1950,
which marked the beginning of CAT development into
a big corporation.

CAT equipment ranges from track type tractors to
hydraulic excavators, backhoes, motor graders, off
road trucks, wheel loaders, tractors, diesel and
gas engines, and gas turbines.  CAT equipment is
used in construction, excavation, building roads,
mining, energy, forestry, transportation, and
material handling companies.

Sales
Over half of CAT's sales are to customers in overseas
areas.  CAT products are sold in almost 200 different
countries.  The company has a worldwide network
of over 200 dealers - 63 in the United States and
over 150 in other countries.  CAT equipment and
components are manufactured in 42 plants in the
United States and 58 plants in Australia, Belgium,
Brazil, Canada, England, France, Germany, India,
Japan, Mexico, and several other countries.

Labor
CAT almost went down in the early 1980s due to
the massive union strikes and a down turn in product
demand.  At the time, several news reports indicated
that products were piling up so high in facilities
that temporary workers hired to work the lines
could barely get to their stations to perform their
jobs.

In the 1990s, CAT suffered yet another long strike
in which the company hired what it deemed to be
permanent replacements for union workers that
were on strike.  During both strikes, jack rocks
were placed in the home entrances of many of
CATs top executives and employees, puncturing
the tires of their vehicles and making things
worse for the company.

Not long after the strike of the 1990s ended
and the economy started to get back up again, CAT
adopted the "6 Sigma" quality management program,
to help reduce costs and inventory and identify
and correct the defects in processes and products.

Family Fun In Newport Beach

No matter what type of family getaway you have in mind,
you'll always find something for everyone throughout
Newport Beach.  From young to old and everyone in
between, Newport Beach easily combines the best of family
fun with activities to keep everyone entertained for
hours and hours.

One of the most popular family activities in Newport
Beach is going to the beach.  During the summer months,
the beach is a very popular resort and getaway spot for
the entire family.  You and your wife or your friends can
enjoy swimming, boat riding, or even hitting the waves on
a jet ski.  With temperatures in the summer hitting 75
degrees and above, nothing breaks the heat better than
the beach.

For the kids, the beach holds many different activities.
They can build sand castles in the sand, play around in
the water, or simply bask in the glorious sun.  If they
get tired of playing in the sand, you can simply go back
to your hotel room and enjoy the fun of the safe yet
confined swimming pool.

Another popular activity in Newport Beach for the family
is the Balboa Fun Zone.  There is something here for
everyone, with the Fun Zone keeping kids entertained the
entire time they are there!  If you've never experienced
the Fun Zone before, you'll be in for the treat of a
lifetime!

The Balboa Fun Zone is comprised of many different areas,
including restaurants and beaches.  There is so much to
do here that you'll probably have to come back over the
course of several days to see everything that the Fun Zone
has to offer.

Another activity that yields a lot of fun in Newport Beach
is rollerblading.  You can rent rollerblades from many
different providers, from kids sizes to adults.  There are
also many places to use your rollerblades, including the
sidewalks along the beach.  If you like rollerblading,
Newport Beach helps to set a new standard of fun.

When it comes to the kids enjoying themselves, nothing
will please them more than the Toy Boat.  Located at 3331
East Coast Highway, the Toy Boat is the best place in
Newport Beach to take the kids.  There are hundreds of
thousands of toys and activities here to keep your kids
and probably yourselves entertained for hours.

After you have a day of family fun in Newport Beach or
the surrounding areas, you can stop and have a relaxing
meal at one of the fabulous restaurants.  The food here is
to die for, giving everyone in your family a chance to
eat their favorite food.

With something for everyone, it's hard to believe that
Newport Beach is actually an undiscovered vacation spot
for many.  The area has so much to offer, that it's just
a matter of time before people start to discover
everything the area will provide them with.  When the time
comes for your getaway - make sure you give Newport Beach
a try - you'll be glad you did!

Porsche turbo 1975 - now

In 1975 Porsche introduced the first Turbo. The engineers
experienced this new engine and Chairman Ernst Fuhrman
decided that they could use a turbo on a production car. The
first prototype was displayed at several European shows in
1973. In 1974, “911 Turbo” went on sale and at the time it had
a 3.0 liter 260 bhp engine.

The new Porsche was full of luxury. The standard Turbo had
air-conditioning, electric windows, tinted glass, headlamp washers,
a leather interior and Bilstein shocks. Originally, it was supposed
to be a limited edition, with only 500 models to be sold. However,
the demand was so high that more than 1000 cars were sold. It was
now clear that Turbo would have a secure future.

What attracted so many customers was its huge rear wing, widened
wheel and big tires. This great look combined with the powerful engine
made the Turbo look faster than any other 911.

In 1978, the model was improved by the increase of the engine
capacity to 3.3 liter and some other modifications. Now the engine
produced 40 bhp more. The rear wing was also revised: the two
separate grilles were replaced by one larger smooth surface, placed
a little higher in order to make room for an intercooler.

In 1979 though, the Turbo was withdrawn from US and Japan, as a
response to the second energy crunch.

In 1986, Turbo became again available in the US. This was the first
year Porsche used flares that were created in the stamping – process
of the fenders.  In 1992 Porsche showed the Turbo S at Geneva's
Motorshow. It’s engine delivered 381 bhp. The car weighted 120
kg less then the standard Turbo and this helped making Turbo S
really fast. There were built only 80 Turbo S.

In 1993, the engine capacity was increased again, now reaching 3.6
liter.  It was easily recognized by the Turbo 3.6 badge. Also, there was
a 93 Turbo 3.6 based 911 Turbo S built.

In 1996 Porsche launched yet another Turbo, based on the 993 series.
Its engine produced 408 bhp, featuring a six-speed gearbox and
four-wheel drive. It looked more elegant thanks to the less evocative
rear-wing. The wheels are 18 inch in diameter. It saves 20% of the
weight because the five spokes are hollow. The front wing has
air-ducts that lead extra cooling air to the brakes, making them more
powerful than before. They can stop the Turbo from 100 hm/h in 2.6
seconds and from 200km/h in just 5 seconds, increasing car’s safety.

Porsche has recently introduced the 996 Turbo. The styling is different
from the previous Turbo models. Its aerodynamics are improved, making
it much faster than the 993 Turbo. It gets to 100 km/h in only 4.2
seconds and has a top speed of 305 km/h. The new Turbo has a few
details that make it easy to recognize: bi-xenon headlights, air intakes
behind the doors and a movable rear-spoiler.

Look before you take the leap into pre-paid legal services

Choosing a pre-paid legal plan is a good way to save big bucks, but
choosing a plan you need and a provider you can trust is a different
matter. Here is a number of things to look for in a legal plan from the
very start:

Look for what’s covered: Legal plans are offered in different models and
differ in the specifics of what they cover. While phone consultation and
simple drafting and reviewing of simple contracts are included across the
board, more elaborate and complicated legal matters are not covered.
It’s best to review your own legal needs before you choose a legal plan.
Ask which legal services will you need most and then choose a plan that
provides the best coverage given those needs. For instance, if you are a
business owner, lawsuits, lease and contract negotiations could be high on
your list and you would be looking for a legal plan that provides coverage
accordingly.

Know what legal coverage you already have Don’t pay for coverage twice! If
you have car insurance, then you are covered for liability and medical
protection, home insurance covers you for injuries sustained on your
property… Your existing insurance policies already cover some of your
legal costs and there is no need to pay for that coverage when you select
with a legal plan.

Does the company have an in-house procedure to handle complaints? One of
the stumbling blocks of pre-paid legal services is quality of service.
Newly-licensed attorneys, phone calls not getting answered and that
ointment on any client –lawyer relationship: fee disputes, typically
involving bills made to your credit car to cover for services not included
in your contract… This is just a specimen of the many problems people face
with their plan providers.
Make sure you select a plan that has clear guidelines as to how to settle
dispute when they arise. A company that has a good in-house mechanism to
handle complaints will generally assign a senior attorney with the
authority to handle customer complaints of and disputes with any attorneys
in the network. Secondary sources of resolution may include your state
insurance department or bar association. Check their outlet for complaints
against pre-paid services.

Checking out the business you’ll need to do some homework before you
select your legal provider. Ask these questions: What’s the firm’s
reputation in my area? How many years have they been in business? Have they
been operating in my local area for at least a year without complaints? How
skilled are they attorneys? Do they cover the locale where my business
operates? Some good places to start your background research are your state
bar association, the Better Business Bureau and the Consumer Affairs
Office.

HOW BLUETOOTH WORKS

Bluetooth devices will normally operate at 2.4 GHZ
in the license free, globally available ISM radio
band.  The advantage to this band includes worldwide
availability and compatibility.  A disadvantage to
this however, is that the devices must share this
band with other RF emitters.  This includes
automobile security systems, other wireless devices,
and other noise sources, such as microwaves.

To overcome this challenge, Bluetooth employs a
fast frequency hopping scheme and therefore uses
shorter packets than other standards within the
ISM band.  This scheme helps to make Bluetooth
communication more robust and more secure.

Frequency hopping
Frequency hopping is basically jumping from frequency
to frequency within the ISM radio band.  After a
bluetooth device sends or receives a packet, it
and the device (or devices) it's communicating with
hop to another frequency before the next packet is
sent.  This scheme offers three advantages:
1.  Allows Bluetooth devices to use the
entirety of the available ISM band, while never
transmitting from a fixed frequency for more than a
short period of time.  This helps insure that
Bluetooth conforms to the ISM restrictions on the
transmission quantity per frequency.
2.  Ensures that any interference won't
last long.  Any packet that doesn't arrive safely
to its destination can be resent to the next
frequency.
3.  Provides a base level of security as
it's very hard for an eavesdropping device to predict
which frequency the Bluetooth devices will use
next.

The connected devices however, must agree upon the
frequency they will use next.  The specification
in Bluetooth ensures this in two ways.  First, it
defines a master and slave type relationship between
bluetooth devices.  Next, it specifies an algorithm
that uses device specific information when
calculating the frequency hop sequences.

A Bluetooth device that operates in master mode can
communicate with up to seven devices that are set in
slave mode.  To each of the slaves, the master
Bluetooth device will send its own unique address
and the value of its own internal clock.  The
information sent is then used to calculate the
frequency hop sequences.

Because the master device and each of the slave
devices use the same algorithm with the same initial
input, the connected devices will always arrive
together at the next frequency that they have agreed
upon.

As a replacement for cable technology, it's no
wonder that Bluetooth devices are usually battery
powered, such as wireless mice and battery powered
cell phones.  To conserve the power, most devices
operate in low power.  This helps to give Bluetooth
devices a range of around 5 - 10 meters.

This range is far enough for wireless communication
but close enough to avoid drawing too much power
from the power source of the device.