Handy How-To's

A Brief Guide for Keeping Your Computer and Smartphone Malware-Free An infected computer or smartphone is unsafe to use, especially for shopping, banking and other important online transactions. Some malware can even cause a computer to become part of a "botnet" that is used by criminals to perpetrate certain types of attacks on the Internet. To keep your device malware-free, take these essential precautions. General Precautions Keep the operating system (Windows, Android, iOS, etc.) updated. If your device is no longer receiving security updates, replace it with a new one. Uninstall or deactivate apps that you don’t use. Install an app only if you need it. Don’t let children and other people who are not security-aware tinker with the device, because they might change an important setting, connect to an open network, or use it to visit a malware-infected site or download an infected file or app. Lock the device before leaving it. Also, set your device to lock i

Need help with your passwords? Here are two good ways to generate and protect strong passwords. Method 1: Use a Password Manager App A password manager app offers security, convenience and accessibility. Download a password manager app into your computer or smartphone, sign up for an account, and start using the app to store your usernames and passwords. When it’s time to change a password, it can generate a strong password for you. Now, you only need to memorize one password, which is the password or PIN of your password manager app. As a bonus, your password manager can also automate the sign-in process for you. A password manager is clearly better than a plain old password list, but it does have some drawbacks. Let’s have a look at them: A password manager is not immune to security risks. First, if a thief manages to steal your password manager and its password, he gains control of all the passwords you stored in it. Second, if you forget the password of your password man

I was able to lose almost ten pounds in about three months. All it took was a modest and gradual change in my eating habits.  Here's how I did it. With a little patience, you will achieve a similar result. A surprisingly simple and sustainable weight-loss strategy  This weight-loss technique is like judo: gentle but effective.  Crash dieting and strenuous exercise are not necessary. In fact, they may be counterproductive because you may end up fighting a more intense level of hunger every day. Also, a drastic change in diet and physical activity can be downright harmful to your health. The body responds better to gentle taps than to hammer blows.  Shed your excess pounds by gently nudging your body towards your target weight. All you have to do is to gradually work these habits into your daily routine: Around five minutes before meal time, drink a full glass of water. The water will take some of the edge off your appetite. Fill your plate with one or two spoonfuls less

For those of you who are on Facebook, I created a short video that explains how you can fine-tune your Facebook account's privacy settings. "Why bother changing something that already works?," you may be wondering. Well, it’s to suit the way you use Facebook. If you are among the great majority of users who just want to reconnect and share with people who already know you, then you probably need to change some of the default settings in Facebook from “Public” or “Everyone” to “Friends” or Only me.” For you, it’s important to lock down the privacy settings to protect yourself and your loved ones from information thieves who have no qualms about faking your account, harvesting information about you and your friends, and using this information for nefarious purposes. Conversely, if you are using Facebook as a marketing tool, then you might want to open up the privacy settings even more. What sort of privacy information can you control in Facebook? Here are some exampl

Consider all of the sensitive personal information about yourself that Facebook has. It may include your name, street address, email address, phone number, credit card information, and birthday. In addition, your profession, lifestyle, social status, political opinions and circle of friends are also evident through the pictures and stories that you and your friends have posted on your Facebook timeline. All of that can be used by criminals to hijack your identity, steal your property, ruin your credit and smear your reputation. But that’s not all. If your Facebook account gets hacked, your friends will also be vulnerable to attack. Clearly, with so much at stake, you should take every possible measure to prevent criminals from hacking into your account. Fortunately, a security technique called Two-Factor Authentication is available in Facebook. With Two Factor Authentication, logging on to your Facebook account will require you to enter your username and password, as usual, plus a s

Transferring the ownership of a motor vehicle was a frustrating experience for me. This was because I was not thoroughly familiar with the requirements and the process. I would like to share how I should have done it so that other first-timers will have a more streamlined and pleasant experience. The procedure described below applies to the case where a privately owned motor vehicle is sold by its owner to a buyer. If your case is different, please look for the applicable procedure on web site of the Land Transportation Office: http://www.lto.gov.ph/motor-vehicle-registration/307-transactions-requiring-change-of-certificate-of-registration.html If the seller has just completed all of his mortgage payments, the car needs to be released from its chattel mortgage before it can be sold. Please read this article: What to Do Next After Paying Off Your Car Loan . Let’s begin with some preliminary notes: a) The seller should take the lead in this process. He should see to it that

Congratulations! You have just made the final payment on your car’s mortgage. But don’t relax just yet because the record needs to be set straight at the Registry of Deeds (RD) and at the Land Transportation Office (LTO). Your mortgagee may or may not handle the records updating for you. In case you have to do it yourself, here’s how. Why bother at all? One good reason is that without updated records you won’t be able to legally sell your car. And, just as importantly, don’t you want to be the official owner of your car? Your first objective is to obtain a Release of Chattel Mortgage, duly stamped “Received” by the RD. This is one of the documents you need for your transaction with the LTO. Here are the steps involved: 1. Claim the following from the mortgagee: a. Release of Chattel Mortgage and Promissory Note b. Your car’s original LTO Certificate of Registration (CR) c. Your car’s original LTO Official Receipt (OR) 2. At the branch office of the Registry of Deeds whe

I would like to share how I fixed my Canon E610 printer’s paper feed problem. This technique might work on your printer, too. A typical printer uses a one or more paper feed rollers. In order to do their job well, the rollers’ surfaces must be clean. The trouble is, they pick up bits of paper dust and dirt from the paper. Paper feed issues begin to appear when the rollers become too dirty and slippery. Make a homemade pickup roller cleaning board A peek inside my Canon E610’s paper entrance showed me where they are located. In the picture below, the pickup rollers can be seen inside the yellow rectangle.  Knowing where the feed rollers are, the next step is to make a feed roller cleaning board which you will slide into the paper tray just like a regular sheet of paper. Trim a piece of thin cardboard (such as a file folder) to approximately 8.5 by 11 inches. Attach several rows of thin double-sided tape to it. Put the tape where it is sure to make contact with the feed r