Urban Fiction: "While traveling around Europe by train in 2003, Xing Danwen realized that globalization had made urban landscapes everywhere similar and blurred the boundaries between them.



The architectural structures that she photographed for Urban Fiction are all corporate maquettes made to promote real-estate developments that are being planned or built in China today. When you face these models showing such a variety of different spaces and think about the life-styles associated with them, you start to wonder: is this the picture of life today? Do we really live in this kind of space and environment?



The maquettes are inhabited by tiny figures which are images of the artist, playing different characters.

Xing Danwen's work is at the Gallery TPW, Toronto, until Jun 10, 2006. Then her photographs will be part of the New Urban Realities group exhibition at the Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen, Rotterdam, Saturday 10 June through Sunday 13 August 2006.
Via e-flux.

Related: Beijing Boom Tower, Shanghai Living, Chinese industrialization, Pop Urbanism: China Edition, and"

testing hello (photoblogging)

http://www.leoville.com

Behind the Name - the Etymology and History of First Names

All of the software found here is free. There are upgrade versions available for
many of them, and better programs available, but the software commonly recommended
is free.

Sincerely: All the volunteers at the Call For Help Message Board.


Startup Utilities

Never use MSConfig to disable startup programs no matter what others have recommended. If you use MSConfig, and then run the program, you may cause what is known as a "memory leak". Instead, use one of the following startup managers.


00Codestuff Starter.

01target="_blank">Pacs-Portal Startup.

02target="_blank">Greatis Startup.

03Microsoft Bootvis reduces boot time by rearranging the startup order.

04target="_blank">MS Bootvis Download is where you will find a copy of it.


Hardware and Software Utilities

Need to find out something about your computers hardware
or software?



10.. Aida32
V. 3.85 Reports on Hardware and give links for updates.

11.. Belarc
Advisor Reports on Software and processes.

12.. MS Windows
Memory Diagnostic Tests your physical memory

13.. PCPitstop.com
checks many things from disk fragmentation to Internet speed tests.


Internet Security


20.. Shoot
the Messenger Disables windows messenger service for you.

21.. Kellys-Korner
has a fix if you use shoot the messenger and Outlook Express or Hotmail slows
down.

22.. DCOMbobulator Disables DCOM (a security threat)

23.. www.Popuptest.com
Test your PopUp Stopper

24.. Auditmypc.com
scans your firewall for security leaks

25.. Sygate Security
Scan tests for open ports on your computer.

26.. Microsoft
Baseline Security Analyser

27.. Unplug and
Pray Disables the Rarely used UPnP service for you.

28.. DirectX
Buster fully uninstalls DirectX from your computer.

29.. Cumulative Security Update for Internet Explorer sp1. Now you can download all the updates and save them to your drive or burn them to CD.

2A.. Sun Java. More
secure than MS version of java and still supported.



Free Personal Firewalls

Never have 2 or more software firewalls running on the same
computer. They often conflict with each other and cause problems

30.. Sygate
Personal Firewall

31.. Tiny
Personal Firewall

32.. ZoneAlarm


33.. Outpost firewall




Free Web Browsers

It's generally recommended that you have more than one browser
available to you even if you use one exclusively. That way, you can check to see
if a problem is unique to your browser or a more generalised problem.



40.. Mozilla

41.. Firebird Extentions

42.. Opera

43.. Flashpeak
SlimBrowser

44.. Avantbrowser





Web based Virus and Trojan Scanners

It's always a good idea to never rely on a single anti virus
program. Especially if you have recently cleaned out a virus.

50.. Panda ActiveScan

51.. Free Online Trojan
Scan

52.. CWShredder
removes the CoolWebSearch Hijacker and it's variations.

53.. Symantec
Security Check

54.. BitDefender
Free Online Virus Scan

55.. RAV Online Virus Scanner just put in an email address and click on to continue without subscribing click here"


Local computer Virus and Trojan Scanners

These free anti virus programs give you extra protection against viruses and are updated regularly.


60.. Avast,
Home Editon

61.. AVG
AntiVirus

62.. Mike
Lins Startup Monitor alerts you if any programs like trojans, viruses,
or hijackers register to run at startup.

63.. Winpatrol
also alerts you to programs that are installed on your computer without your knowlege.




Links to common virus removal instructions



70.. Symantec
w32 blaster worm information

71.. Symantec
w32 blaster worm removal tool

72.. Symantec
qhosts worm information

73.. Symantec
qhosts worm removal tool

74.. McAfee Qhosts-1 information and removal instructions


Adware, Spyware, and Hijacker Scanners

If your anti virus program finds nothing and you are experiencing
virus like symptoms or unwanted advertisements, these programs may help.




80.. Spybot Search and Destroy
removes advertising and spyware from your computer.

81.. AdAware
removes advertising and spyware from your computer.

82.. Hijack This is a highly useful program for finding and removing computer hijacking.

83.. Spyware
Blaster prevents some spyware from being installed in the first place.


84.. Browser
Hijack Blaster prevents some browser hijacking.

85.. KazaaBeGone
removes Kazaa and all of its spyware components.

86.. IE Spyad places advertisement sites in the restricted zone and disables many of the tools they use to hijack your computer.



PopUp Stoppers

90.. EMS Freesurfer

91.. Google Toolbar





Web Sites with Useful information

These web sites have information that can help people diagnose many common problems on their computers. They also have information that people commonly ask about.



A0.. Doxdesk.com/parasite
lists information about software parasites.

A1.. SpywareGuide.com
lists information about spyware.

A2.. Spywareinfo.comalso
lists information about spyware

A3.. Answersthatwork.com
lists common tasks that are running on your machine.

A4.. BlackViper.comgives
information about windows services.

A5.. BIOS Power
On Self Test (POST) Beep Codes

A6.. Fdisk Radified
gives information on how to use the Fdisk utility.

A7.. Annoyances.org
has a lot of information and tip on many subjects.

A8.. Password
Recovery for Windows XP, 2000, NT. Make sure you
read the FAQ Before you do anything


Microsoft Knowledge Base Articles

These articles by Microsoft resolve issues that we often
see on this board.

B0.. Windows
"Software Update incomplete, This Software Update Did Not Update Successfully"
Error Message When You Visit the Windows Update Site

B1.. 281679
You Cannot Open New Internet Explorer Window or Nothing Happens After You Click
a Link

B2.. 306615
The Computer Always Starts in Safe Mode

B3.. 308421 How To Take Ownership of a File or Folder in Windows XP

B4.. 148919
Windows Restarts Continuously

B5.. 311806
Windows Restarts When You Try to Shut Down Your Computer

B6.. 314057
NTLDR Is Missing Error Message When You Upgrade or Install Windows XP Over Windows
95, Windows 98, Or Windows Millenium

B7.. 321305
How to Log On to Windows XP If You Forget Your Password or Your PassWord Expires


B8.. 302089 How to Prevent Windows Messenger From Running on a Windows XP Based Computer



Windows Installation Helpful How To Sites

These sites offer good information on how to install and
repair Microsoft Windows.



C0.. XP
Clean Install

C1.. How
To Repair XP

C2.. How
to Install Windows 98 on a Computer With No Operating System

C3.. How
to Use the Fdisk and Format Tools to Partition or Repartition a Hard Disk






Registry Cleaners, file shredders, and file recovery


Securely deleting files, recovering deleted files, and cleaning the registry are common issues many people have asked about.


D0.. Regseeker
is a registry cleaner

D1.. Eraser is the most recommended file shredder

D2.. AnalogX
Supershredder

D3.. Ultrawipe


D4.. Cuteeraser
is more of an internet privacy utility

D5.. MRUBlaster
cleans up Most Recently Used entries for privacy on public computers

D6.. Active@Killdisk hard drive eraser will wipe the entire hard drive completely

D7.. PC
Inspector emaxx will wipe a hard drive well enough for the defence department.


D8..
PC Inspector File Recovery

D9.. Restoration
- File Undelete Utility will recover files after they were removed from
the recycle bin.

D10.. ISO Buster
will allow you to recover lost data or files from CD's or DVD's.

D11.. Autoclave wipes the entire hard drive clean



Video conversion and editing

These websites give excellent information about converting video and making DVDs, VCDs, and SVCDs.


E0.. DVDRhelp.com
has information on making DVDs, VCDs, and SVCDs.

E1.. DVDRhelp convert
has information on converting files into DVD, VCD, and SVCD formats.

E2.. TmpGenc video conversion program.

E3.. Irfanview
will display pictures and video in most formats.




Other, Uncategorized Links

F0.. www.dllfiles.com
find missing dll files here.

F1.. missingfiles
has many of those files that your computer may be missing.

F3.. Winzip
compresses and decompresses most file formats.




Tweak Sites

G0.. Kelly's Korner

G1.. PurePerformance.com


G2.. Overclockers.com

G3.. PC Pitstop
can test your computers performance.

G4.. Xteq Xsetup has lots of tweaks. Don't forget to get the extra plugins.

G5.. Jv16 utilities
has many tweaks available for your system.



Just realized these were omitted



The following are the network downloads so you can save them and burn to cdr so
you have these updates in case you ever need to reinstall windows XP , so you
will have them before you go online.



Windows
XP Service Pack 1a downoad

826939
- Update Rollup 1 for Windows XP Is Available

Nov2003
Download details Cumulative Security Update for Internet Explorer 6 Service Pack
1 (KB824145)



Amended by petecovell on 11/26/2003 at 6:03 p.m.


-->http://www.microsoft.com/windows98/downloads/corporate.asp

So you can download all the windows 98 updates and burn them before they
end support for win98 .



Amended by petecovell on 11/26/2003 at 6:37 p.m.

-->http://www.my-etrust.com/microsoft/




Free one year of Etrust Armor from Computer associates Antivirus and firewall




Amended by petecovell on 11/26/2003 at 6:38 p.m. Starting today,
CA will offer its eTrust EZ Armor consumer anti-virus and firewall desktop security
suite, including free updates and signatures for a year. The special CA offer
includes one year of personal firewall and antivirus protection, including daily
virus signature updates. The free software will be available for download through
June 30, 2004, from the CA Web site and can be accessed via a link from Microsoft
Protect Your PC Web site. CA joins other leading vendors working with Microsoft
to increase awareness and education about PC security among customers.




Here is another one that can be added.

Drivers Headquarters (Free check to see if you drivers are up to date)



Click here



They will charge you to get them, but the check is free.

// posted by Saskia @ 6:34 PM

TechTV | How the Department of Energy Stays Secure

ThinkGeek

Stop XP's Messenger From Loading: "Stop XP's Messenger From Loading
Keep Windows XP's Messenger from loading every time you open Outlook (By Morgan Webb)

Stop XP's Messenger in Its Tracks

If you don't use Windows Messenger, you may find Windows XP slightly annoying. Windows XP really wants you to use Messenger, not in an evil plot to decrease productivity but to get you used to one of the major players in the .Net platform.
Consequently, even if you have purposely exited the Messenger, when you open Outlook or Outlook Express a glance into your system tray will show the little program back again. There is a solution, and it doesn't include any drastic, deleterious steps.
-Make Messenger scram
-Go to your Programs folder.
-Rename the Messenger folder to MessengerNo or MessengerIHateYou or MyNameIsMrHappy. Messenger will no longer load when you open Outlook.

+To get your Messenger back, just rename GodzillaAteMyPants back to Messenger and all will be restored. Especially your dignity."