Alert: BOGO Funding - IMG spamming emails

I received a couple of emails with the subject “New AU & NZ crowd funding site coming soon...” send by the IMG Marketing Group Ltd. One of the emails addresses only appears in code and not made public which means it has been harvested.

The IMG Marketing Group Ltd is a spammer. Even if BOGO funding is legitimate, any business that uses spammers I would recommend is a business you should avoid.

I’d recommend that you delete any emails from the IMG Marketing Group Ltd and by association disregard anything regarding BOGO Funding.

 

Kelvin Eldridge

Online Connections

www.OnlineConnections.com.au

Call 0415 910 703 for computer advice and support.

 

Fuel consumption Toyota Avensis

When I purchased the Toyota Avensis I’d get around 500km by topping up the tank with 50 litres of petrol. Five years later I now get around 450km which provides and indication of how the fuel economy of a car decreases over time even with regular log book servicing.

To use the Petrol Cost Calculator you need to determine your fuel usage. The standard used is litres per 100km. For the Toyota Avensis the fuel economy is 11.11 litres per 100km. I explain in the notes for the Fuel Cost Calculator how to determine the litres per 100km value. If you use the same approach with your car you can then plug in your values into the Petrol Cost Calculator and determine the cost of petrol for a trip.

Kelvin Eldridge

Online Connections

www.OnlineConnections.com.au

Call 0415 910 703 for computer advice and support.

 

In the site log for one of my sites today I noticed Google image robot (Googlebot-Image/1.0) trying to access images that aren't even on my site.

I recently set up the site www.PetrolCostCalculator.com.au as a calculator for others to access and determine the cost of petrol for a given distance. What was weird is that when I checked the logs for the site I see entries such as /images/numbers/red/9.png with the agent string being Googlebot-Image/1.0. The Google image robot can’t find the files because they aren’t there and in fact they’ve never been there.

At first this was a concern as how could Google possibly think those files exist on my site when no such files ever existed.

The answer to this perplexing problem is provided in MyAnswers solution 2320 which can be found here.

Kelvin Eldridge

Online Connections

www.OnlineConnections.com.au

Call 0415 910 703 for computer advice and support.

 

Alert: Re: End of Aug. Stat. Required

I’ve received a couple of unusual emails which are obviously malicious in intent and thought it would be a good idea to warn others.

The emails have the subject “Re: End of Aug. Stat. Required” and have an attachment which aims to appear as an invoice. The body of the message is:

Hallo,
as reqeusted I give you inovices issued to you per jan. (Microsoft Internet Explorer).
Regards

CHARMAINE Conn

As you can see the poor English is a good indication the email may not be legitimate. Also the name changes in each email. The attachment is a html file which has a coded routine in it making it difficult to read, but in essence, if you run the web page the end result is there is a reference to a site with a Russian domain. I didn’t investigate what the site was about.

I’d suggest deleting these or similar emails.

 

Kelvin Eldridge

Online Connections

www.OnlineConnections.com.au

Call 0415 910 703 for computer advice and support.

 

Internet Explorer 10 for Windows 7 is now available for Australians.

Exciting news.

Internet Explorer 10 for Windows 7 has now been released by Microsoft and is available for download. I’ve downloaded and installed Internet Explorer 10 and also installed the preferred Australian English spelling file I provide to clients and it works as expected. Now thousands of secondary spelling variations which exist in the standard Australian English dictionary provided by Microsoft, will be marked as spelling errors. Now “mom” for example will be marked as a spelling error, as will the many “ize” spelling variations, American spellings and errors I’ve identified in the standard dictionary.

At last the preferred Australian English spelling can now be made available to Internet Explorer 10 users on both Windows 7 and Windows 8.

In the next couple of days I’ll update the instructions for Windows 7, but for those who can’t wait, go to http://www.australian-dictionary.com.au/internet-explorer/ and purchase a copy of the preferred Australian English spelling file. The steps to install the file are the same.

 

Kelvin Eldridge

Online Connections

www.OnlineConnections.com.au

Call 0415 910 703 for computer advice and support.

 

How much energy is used to make a new aluminium can and a recycled aluminium can?

Good information on the internet can be quite tricky to find and also often it is difficult to verify the information with regards to the energy used to make a new aluminium can. I decided to focus on the following information which references the CSIRO because if the reference is correct, the information is likely to be better.

CSIRO calculate that the embodied energy (all the energy used to make the material) for aluminium is 211 GJ per tonne... Read More

Based on the CSIRO calculation of 211GJ per tonne, where a tonne is 1,000kgs, this gives us 211MJ per kg. The next step is to use the figure from 2005 (www.aluminium-cans.com.au) where an aluminium can weighs 14.7g giving us 68.03 cans per kilogram. Thus the amount of energy to create a single new can is 3.101MJ.

A common unit of measure for costing electricity is kWh. MJ or mega joule is an amount of energy, whereas kWh is the amount of energy used over an hour. One joule per second is one watt. To determine the energy used to make a single can we take 3.101MJ and use the energy over an hour. There are 3,600 seconds in one hour. Thus 3.101MJ/3600s gives us 861Wh of energy usage or 0.861kWh.

This is a good figure because we can now plug that figure into the Energy Cost Calculator which shows if we used this energy in one hour at domestic rates, the cost per can for the energy would be 22 cents. Of course an aluminium smelter wouldn’t pay this type of money. I don’t know what they pay but it would be at a considerable discount.

The next figures of interest is that in 2005 71.3% of cans were recycled and it only costs 5% of the energy to create a can from recycled material as it does to create a new can. Thus if only using recycled cans the cost of energy at retail rates would be 1.1 cents. If using 28.7% new cans and 71.3% of recycled cans which means at domestic electricity prices the average cost of electricity to produce at can would be around 7.1 cents. I can only guess the rate aluminium smelters pay for their electricity, but I suspect it would be in the order of half to a quarter of what a consumer would pay. Thus an average can would cost perhaps 2-3 cents to create.

In summary the energy used to manufacture a new can is around 861Wh and the energy to make a can from recycled cans would be around 43Wh.

I hope others find this information interesting.

- Kelvin Eldridge
www.OnlineConnections.com.au
Call 0415 910 703 for help with your computer problem.
Servicing Templestowe, Doncaster, Eltham and the surrounding area.

Petrol Cost Calculator now live

The Petrol Cost Calculator is now live and available on the main page of JustLocal, or directly at http://www.petrolcostcalculator.com.au.

JustLocal is about encouraging people to buy local, but ultimately people shouldn’t be disadvantaged by buying local. I remember one business saying they charge customers more because they’re local and pay staff less because they’re local. To me that was poor logic. Eventually customers will look around for a better price and staff will look around for a better job.

Often however we end up shopping all over the place without thinking about the hidden costs. It is quite difficult to determine the costs of using a car because many of the costs are incurred whether the car is used or not. The one cost which is easy to determine is the cost of petrol for a trip. At least knowing that cost can assist in making better decisions.

Kelvin Eldridge
www.OnlineConnections.com.au
Call 0415 910 703 for computer support.
Servicing Templestowe, Doncaster, Eltham and the surrounding area.

 

Mobirewards.org pop-up on the Apple iPhone and how I bypassed the problem is explained in MyAnswers solution 2316.

Today a pop-up for Mobirewards.org appeared on my iPhone and the only option available was to click on OK. In the MyAnswers solution 2316 (click here to obtain the solution) I explain the steps I took to bypass the pop-up which was stopping me from using the browser on the Apple iPhone.

 

Kelvin Eldridge

Online Connections

www.OnlineConnections.com.au

Call 0415 910 703 for computer advice and support.

 

Qantas Cash - Take care when loading currencies with BPAY

A few years ago I had a bad experience with BPAY. I paid late one night before a long weekend. My credit card payment was late so I was expecting to pay interest. What I wasn't expecting was additional banking fees for late payment. The reason is whilst I paid in the Friday, it was past the banks cut-off time for the day which I didn't know. Thus the payment didn't get processed as having been paid until the following Tuesday. The late payment was due on the Monday, but because the BPAY transaction didn't go through until the next banking day I was charged a late payment fee.

That taught me an important lesson. You have to allow plenty of time if you make a payment by BPAY. Pay on a weekday before the banks cut-off time and things are OK. But pay after the cut-off time, particularly before weekends or public holidays and it could take days before the money arrives.

What concerns me with Qantas Cash is the first line of their "Brief snapshot of benefits" which is, "Load up to 9 different currencies simultaneously via BPAY".

BPAY states available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. It is, but the transaction doesn't occur 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. For example load money late on Thursday before Easter and the money may not be available until possibly Thursday the following week.

A considerable amount of travel is done around public holiday and weekend periods. You don't want to think you have transferred money when it actually may take days before it is available to you.

Kelvin Eldridge
Online Connections
www.OnlineConnections.com.au
Call 0415 910 703 for computer support.
Servicing Templestowe, Doncaster, Eltham and the surrounding area.

Check the spelling of a word using Word Check for free.

To my knowledge, the Word Check tool I've created and provide for free on the internet, is the only tool which enables people to check the Australian English spelling of a word and then easily look up the meaning of the word. In addition, Word Check is the only online tool to provide the preferred Australian English spelling.

Many people will dismiss the importance of good or even reasonable spelling. The following article shows that 54% of recruiters frown on poor spelling (second to profanity at 61%) on the social media sites of potential candidates

Want a job? Check the spelling on your Facebook profile... Read More
If you're not sure of the spelling of a word, check the spelling using Word Check, which is available at http://www.australian-dictionary.com.au/wordcheck/.

Two other tools you may find of interest are the preferred Australian English spelling for Microsoft Office and the preferred Australian English spelling for Internet Explorer 10. When spelling really matters, using the preferred Australian English spelling will give you the best result. The preferred Australian English spelling is only available from Online Connections. I created and maintain the preferred Australian English spelling because to me it matters.

So for those who wish to keep their online presence as professional as possible and increase the chances of landing that ideal job, add the preferred Australian English spelling to Internet Explorer 10 and update your social media sites knowing you're using the preferred Australian English spelling. Since the preferred Australian English spelling is only available for Internet Explorer 10, those using Google Chrome, Firefox or Safari will be at a disadvantage and for you that's a bonus.
Kelvin Eldridge
Online Connections
www.OnlineConnections.com.au
Call 0415 910 703 for computer support.
Servicing Templestowe, Doncaster, Eltham and the surrounding area.

Ring Road roadworks closes section this weekend.

There is no doubt the roadworks on the M80 Ring Road can be frustrating.

This weekend the section of the Ring Road between Sydney Road and Pascovale Road heading west, will be closed from 8pm Saturday night until 5:30am Monday morning.

I read the roadworks are costing $2.2 billion and expected to take 8 years to complete.

Why the government has to do upgrades in both directions and on most sections, even though they are unrelated, makes no sense to me.

I've lost faith in the Ring Road sometime ago. I find you never know if you'll end up at a dead stop or not and that can be pretty stressful. Without notice or an signs, they blocked to exit to the airport and their detour signs led to nowhere.

I can't help feeling one section at a time, on one side at a time, would have caused far less inconvenience and made it far easier for drivers to plan for.

Kelvin Eldridge
www.OnlineConnections.com.au
Call 0415 910 703 if you require help with your computer.
No problem too small.

RSPCA Burwood adoption fees.

I have to admit I was quite surprised to see the quite expensive adoption fees for animals from the RSPCA in Burwood. The fees came to my attention because a couple of pensions I know decided they'd adopt a dog rather than purchase one from a retailer . Once they found out the price that put a stop to that idea.

I had a guinea pig and it was be a lovely pet. The price for a guinea pig at $50 if I'm correct, far exceeds the cost from the pet shop at Greensborough.

I have to wonder how many unwanted animals end up getting put down because of the adoption fees.

If you're thinking about a pet make sure you think long and hard about the commitment and the cost. Not just the upfront cost, but the ongoing cost including the unexpected and very high Vet costs if required. We sat in a vet recently and the people we saw were all getting charged $300 or more. Our two visits cost us around a $1,000. So make sure you're ready for the commitment and the cost. A pet becomes a very special friend.

Kelvin Eldridge
Online Connections
www.OnlineConnections.com.au
Call 0415 910 703 for computer support.
Servicing Templestowe, Doncaster, Eltham and the surrounding area.

The Personally Controlled eHealth Records System letter arrived today.

Today in the mail I received a letter regarding The Personally Controlled eHealth Records System initiative by the Australian Government. The idea of having our health records centrally located concerns me on a number fronts.

Recently we saw (blog post on February 8th 2013) the Australian Tax system had been infiltrated by criminals. We've seen the most technologically advanced companies in the world compromised. Anything can be hacked. In addition real humans are involved and if we listen to the homeland security stats where 3% of the population aren't allowed onto aircraft and up to 10% would be stopped, if we think about the large number of people employed by the many government agencies, some of those people will be involved in criminal activities.

We're not only limited to our borders. The exchange of information between government organisations from different countries occurs and we have no idea how that can affect us.

Personally I'd prefer to be able to get a full copy of my records for my own storage. I appreciate there are advantages of having the information centrally stored, and in an ideal world that would be great, but this isn't an ideal world.

Some people will see the benefits outweigh the disadvantages. Each person will have to decide for themselves if the advantages outweigh the disadvantages.

Kelvin Eldridge
Online Connections
www.OnlineConnections.com.au
Call 0415 910 705 for computer support.
Servicing Templestowe, Doncaster, Eltham and the surrounding area.

Offence or offense?

Recently for some reason, I thought about the spelling variations offence and offense. I don’t know why, but I wondered how confusing the spelling of this word could be. We are so used to seeing similar words such as licence and license, that it would be easy to use the incorrect spelling. Luckily the situation in Australia is very clear.

The spelling in Australia is offence. Offense is the American spelling.

Interestingly, if you perform a search using Google for just pages from Australia, for “I took offence” and “I took offense”, the number of results returned are 33,300 and 162,000 respectively. That means a staggering proportion of over eighty per cent of pages on Australian sites are using the incorrect spelling.

If you’re in doubt about the correct or preferred Australian English spelling of a word, you can use my Word Check tool located at http://www.australian-dictionary.com.au/wordcheck/. If you’d like to use the preferred Australian English spelling with Microsoft Office or Internet Explorer 10, you can find products on the Australian Dictionary site www.Australian-Dictionary.com.au.

Kelvin Eldridge
Creator and maintainer of the preferred Australian English spelling dictionary.
www.Australian-Dictionary.com.au

 

UPDATE: The results from Google just didn't feel right. I decided to redo the test using my Custom Search Engine (which uses Google services) and limits pages to domains ending in .au. The search engine can be found at http://www.justlocal.com.au/search/australia/. This test shows most pages use the correct spelling. Not really sure what Google is then displaying when it comes to pages from Australia.    

Koalaing suggested by Ellen DeGeneres

This morning I noticed on the morning show a grown man jumping on the back of another and thought how silly it was and how someone could easily get hurt.

It turned out Ellen in her show has asked her viewers to send in videos of themselves "koalaing" to promote her upcoming visit to Australia.

Here is a link to Ellen's video on koalaing.

Have fun koalaing, but do be careful and don't hurt yourself or anyone else.

Kelvin Eldridge
www.OnlineConnections.com.au
Call 0415 910 703 if you require help with your computer.
No problem too small.

Alert: You've sent a payment - service@paypal.com.au

Shortly after reviewing the malicious email with the subject "Your American Express Statement is now ready to view", I then received a couple of emails with the subject "You've sent a payment". These are fake transactions made to appear to come from PayPal.

What was interesting is the domains used for the links in these emails was the same as the American Express emails. That means these emails are most like attempting to use the Adobe Flash Player download approach to infect a users machine.

Currently most of the antivirus programs do not detect the downloaded file as malware. The only protection you have is you and common sense. Unfortunately some people will get tricked.

Take care on the internet as in this day and age we are being attacked everyday by someone trying to scam us in some way. Make sure your antivirus software is up to date, be suspicious with emails and when using the internet be cautious. 

Kelvin Eldridge
Online Connections
www.OnlineConnections.com.au
Call 0415 910 703 for computer support.
Servicing Templestowe, Doncaster, Eltham and the surrounding area.

Alert: Your American Express Statement is now ready to view - American Express On-line Services

I received three emails today with the subject "Your American Express Statement is now ready to view". These are obviously malicious in intent, but what I thought was interesting is the links in each went to three different domains. This isn't just one email but a number of emails with a slight variation.

I decided to check out what would happen by clicking on the link. Please note I don't do this using my computer as I normally would. I set my computer up in a secure manner using a special boot disk (also available to clients) which means my computer won't get infected or changed should I click on anything malicious.

What was then quite concerning is by clicking on the link the site popped up a message to download and update Adobe Flash Player. Checking the file reveals the file contains malware. I don't know if this was a modified version of Flash or just a file which if run would infect the computer. It does open the question in my mind have users downloaded and installed a modified and infected version of Flash. The version was 11.2 whereas the current legitimate version is 11.6.

If you are in doubt remove and reinstall Flash directly from the Adobe site.

If you receive any similar email you should delete it. I suggest that if you do receive an email with a link, don't click on the link, but go to the web site and check the information from their. If you do inadvertently click on a link in an email or a web page and you start getting requests to install something don't. Close your browser just in case.

Kelvin Eldridge
Online Connections
www.OnlineConnections.com.au
Call 0415 910 703 for computer support.
Servicing Templestowe, Doncaster, Eltham and the surrounding area.

Australian cattle dog driving electric car.

When I saw this news article I couldn’t help but think about Herding Dog Training. Herding Dog Training enables dog owners the opportunity to experience a fun new activity with their dog and participate and learn how to herd sheep. With training in Melbourne East Herding Dog Training is convenient to Melbourne dog owners.

Now I really don’t think Charlie of Herding Dog Training can help your dog to drive an electric car, but herding sheep is another matter.

To check out Herding Dog Training and their videos click here.

To check out the Australian cattle dog driving an electric car click here.

Kelvin Eldridge
www.JustLocal.com.au
Helping local business with cost effective local advertising.

Alert: Qantas Telephone Sales Australia - Itinerary And Travel Details

I received a couple of emails this morning with the subject "Qantas Telephone Sales Australia - Itinerary And Travel Details". Attached to the each email is malware which isn't currently detected by most of the antivirus programs people in Australia generally use.

The attachment is designed to appear to be a PDF with a filename of "QANTAS7769043.pdf.exe" or similar. By default in Windows, you won't see the .exe in filenames.

I suggest changing the default setting in Windows so the filename extension is visible. Doing this can provide a better clue that an attachment is malware.

You should delete these emails.

Kelvin Eldridge
Online Connections
www.OnlineConnections.com.au
Call 0415 910 703 for computer support.
Servicing Templestowe, Doncaster, Eltham and the surrounding area.

Petrol Cost Calculator

If you want to work out the cost of petrol for a given trip, try the Car Cost Calculator.

Car Cost Calculator

As an example I worked out the return trip to my bank was 9.3km. If I plug this distance into the Car Cost Calculator, the cost of petrol for the trip is $1.45.

Much less than the bus and takes about 15 minutes compared to 1.5-2 hours by bus. Also since most of the buses run around nearly empty, the car is more efficient than the bus.

Don't forget to plug in the cost of petrol and your fuel economy as explained on the page. Also in the notes I explain how you can save the bookmark to use you default values.


Kelvin Eldridge
www.OnlineConnections.com.au
Call 0415 910 703 if you require help with your computer.
No problem too small.