It's 12 Noon, Do You Know Who's Using Your Network?

lounging by the pool, text or instant messaging while doing the laundry, or lounging in the Jacuzzi listening to your MP3 collection is appealing to us all.

Unfortunately, many, or even most, wireless units don't come with security features already functioning. This may not seem like a big issue to someone who is simply setting up a home network, but there are a number of potential problems you should consider.

The most serious problem is the increase in identity theft. If your network is unsecured, the personal data on your wireless electronic equipment is also unsecured. The order you just placed for a book at Amazon may have given your contact and payment information to an unscrupulous hacker!

Nearly every town in which "WiFi" is common will have "War Drivers" and "War Chalkers" at work. These are people who walk or drive around town with wireless equipment, searching for unsecured networks. The "Chalkers" then live up their name, marking curbs and other public items with chalk so that others can more easily find and exploit your network.

Not all "War Drivers" are hackers, of course. Many just want to use your network for free, but the risk is high if you don't learn how to protect yourself. You can usually find quite a bit of free information as to how to secure your network at the website of your router's manufacturer, or by doing a search in a search engine for a phrase like "secure home wireless."

Beyond the truly malicious, there are also your neighbors who may find your network by accident and enjoy nosing into your activities and using your Internet access at will, slowing down your network speed in the process.

Even many businesses use cheap, home-use quality equipment for their company networks. With the poor security often found on small business networks, anyone with a basic knowledge of wireless can access sensitive company and customer data.

If you are unable to secure your network yourself, there are many service companies who will do it for you. A search of your local yellow pages or an inquiry at your neighborhood computer store should yield professional help and get your private data private again

A Crack in the Teacup - Book Review

The Crack in the Teacup, by C.M. Albrecht, is a mystery fiction novel with a slight seasoning of romance and suspense to spice things up. The story line is centered in a small Californian town where an 11-year-old boy, Jerry Beakey, goes missing on his way to a music lesson. Author C.M. Albrecht skillfully walks the reader through every aspect of the case and what happens in police departments, support centers and within the family of the missing person. 

There are two main characters in The Crack in the Teacup. Detective Steve Music and his co-workers butt-heads with the FBI while working on the case. Lovely, and sympathetic, Shelly Lambert guards an awful secret and harbors a guilt that drives her to volunteer at the Missing and Exploited Children Coalition whenever she could get away from her job as a Notary.

Whenever Detective Music and Shelly meet during the investigation, something deeper between them happens. Neither of them seems to know what to do about it. Steve discovers Shelly’s secret when he looks into her past and creates a huge rift between them that could destroy their romance. 

A classic who-dun-it written in the Agatha Christi style with a very unusual motive for child kidnapping. I suspected nearly everyone involved at some point in the book and I liked that the characters represented true society, with people of different races, ideals and backgrounds. The Crack in the Teacup has very little violence, but a lot of mystery and a happy ending.

ISBN#: 1-59466-037-9

Author: C. M. Albrecht

Publisher: Port Town Publishing

115 Ways to Reduce Anxiety – Book Review

Mike Marcoe writes from first hand experience in his book 115 Ways to Reduce Anxiety, providing advice from the view of one who has traveled the road of anxiety for a long time, undergoing therapies and combing through mountains of research. His experience has resulted in this self-help guide to people looking for ways to manage their condition in a proactive and healthy manor.

Mike has a passion for non-fiction educational and self-help genres. He has attained a BA in English and has been in the writing industry for a number of years performing as an author, copy editor, proof-reader, a database guardian and has also worked for a newspaper.

115 Ways to Prevent Anxiety will provide readers with wise nutritional advice, herbal remedies that may ease anxiety symptoms and plenty of positive, proactive attitude enhancement skills. The author provides excellent tools for getting peace from anxiety disorders.

News to me was how dehydration plays a part in nervous disorders – something I will be much more aware of in the future. I am completely curious about how philosophy can play a part and I intend to investigate this possibility when I have more time. Also, I am encouraged by having it confirmed that taking up a variety of activities - drumming, living an active life, regularly doing meditative and breath enhancing yoga, walking the dog and gardening – has been a good step in the right direction for me. I truly feel like I am on the right track to taking the power into my own hands to live a life free of anxiety. 

There are no wasted words here. At only 88 pages, the text can be considered short and sweet. The author’s intent for his book is to entice readers to delve deep inside and discover what triggers their anxiety, why this happens and learn how to prevent reoccurrence.

Individuals can reap rewards from this self-help, non-fiction guide – however, educators would certainly benefit in using this as a workbook in anxiety support groups. This book is also available in print and electronic formats to fit a variety of needs.

ISBN#: 1-59113-872-8

Author: Mike Marcoe

Publisher: