Monroe

Good article from the 'other side' of blue light information. In doing more reading since I first posted and also my own thoughts ... I decided to get some glasses that reduce or almost eliminate the the blue light plus I installed f.lux on my laptops to see how it all works out. There seems to be something about eye fatigue and blue light ... maybe other long term problems ... I wonder about the kids of today already on computers at 5 or 6 years of age and what if anything will show show up in 20 or 30 years.

Why Some Computer Viruses Refuse to Die 14 August 2018 https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-44564709 There are zombies on the internet - odd, undead lumps of code that roam endlessly seeking and finding fresh victims to infect that help keep the whole ugly horde staggering on, and on. Most of these shambling data revenants are computer viruses and the most long-lived of all are worms. "Most of those worms are self-spreading - that's why we still see them moving around," said Candid Wueest, principal threat researcher at Symantec, who has hunted viruses for years. Typically, he said, when these malicious programs infected a machine, they kicked off a routine that scanned the entire net looking for other computers vulnerable in the same way as their current host. When they found one, they installed a copy that also started scanning. "All it takes is a few machines to get them moving around again," he added. The Living Dud ... One of the most active zombie viruses is Conficker, which first struck in November 2008. At its height, the worm is believed to have infected up to 15 million Windows PCs. The French navy, UK warships, Greater Manchester Police and many others were all caught out by Conficker, which targeted the Windows XP operating system. The malware caused so much trouble that Microsoft put up a bounty of $250,000 (£193,000) for any information that would lead to the capture of Conficker's creators. That bounty was still live and, Microsoft told the BBC, remained unclaimed to this day. Dr Paul Vixie, from Farsight Security, was part of the Conficker Working Group, set up when the malware was at its feverish peak. The group had managed to stem the tide of infection, said Dr Vixie, because of the way the virus worked. One of the ways it spread was by it checking one of a handful of net domains for instructions or updates every day. And the first two variants of Conficker picked one domain from a list of 250 randomly generated names. But some clever software reverse engineering worked out how the daily domains were generated. In 2008, Dr Vixie helped to run the net's Domain Name System so was able to co-ordinate a global effort to register every day's possible domains before the malware's creators did the same. And data sent from infected machines was then "sinkholed" almost neutering Conficker's ability to spread. "We got it from 11 million down to one million," said Dr Vixie. "That sounds like progress but one million is still a pretty big number." That zombie virus was still wandering around, said Dr Vixie. Statistics gathered by Symantec suggest there were 1.2 million Conficker infections in 2016 and 840,000 in 2017. India suffered the highest number of infections last year. "The population is gradually reducing in size because eventually computers wear out or they get upgraded or replaced," Dr Vixie said. And that is just as well because the concerted efforts to directly combat Conficker are all but at an end. Dr Vixie and some others still block a few of the domains its variants seeks out but only to sample the traffic they send to get an idea of the viral load Conficker places on the net. The good news was that Conficker had never been "weaponised", said Dr Vixie. His theory is that Conficker escaped too early and was too successful for its creators to risk making it more malicious. Data of the Dead ... But Conficker was not alone in persisting long after its initial outburst, said Mr Wueest, from Symantec. Its network of sensors across the net regularly catches a wide range of malware that has lasted for much longer than anyone expected. Symantec regularly sees the SillyFDC virus from 2007, Virut from 2006 and even a file infector called Sality that dates from 2003. "We do see Dos viruses now and then," he said. The disk operating system (Dos) is more than 36 years old and dates from the early days of the desktop PC. Even older versions ran on mainframes. "Our guess is that sometimes it is researchers that have found an old disk and its gets run and gets detected," said Mr Wueest. There were many others, said Martin Lee, technical, lead for security research at Cisco. "Malware samples can be long-lived in that they are continued to be observed 'in the wild' many months or years after they were first encountered," he said. One regularly caught in the spam traps by Cisco is another worm, called MyDoom, that appeared in 2004. "It's often the most commonly detected malware we get in our traps," said Mr Lee. But many viruses lived on in another fashion, he said, because of the way the cyber-crime underground treated code. "Malware is rarely static," he said, "computer code from older malware families can be shared, or stolen, and used in the development of new malware." One prime example of this, said Mr Lee, was the Zeus banking Trojan, whose source code was leaked in 2011. That code had proved so useful that it was still turning up seven years later, he said. The trend of zombie malware was likely to continue if more modern viruses were any guide, said Mr Lee. Mirai first appeared in 2016 but is proving hard to eradicate. "It has features suggesting that it will be exceptionally long lived," Mr Lee said. The bug infects networked devices unlikely to be running anti-virus software. Some cannot be upgraded to run any kind of decent protection. As the net grows and starts to incorporate more of those dumber devices, Mirai, like Conficker will probably never be eradicated. "With the source code of the malware leaked, and a simple method of propagation using default usernames and passwords to compromise devices, it is something that will be with us for years," Mr Lee said. ...

Yeah! Some things never die... I still think that may have been to prevent eyestrain ... a little light in the room did seem better. However, it may just be one of the 'mysteries of the universe' ... or some might say 'the ocean' ! Now I have noticed something with that f.lux software program ... after being installed, it's always trying to connect to the internet. In Options I removed the checkmark to check for Updates but it still makes an attempt every so often. I have it being blocked by the firewwall. In the 'About f.lux' there is a line with an X that I removed also. It's kind of nonsense ... about sharing your f.lux settings with others, I see no need for that. However, it still occasionally makes an attempt to connect. Also, the main f.lux folder is a 'hidden folder' ... since I could not find it anywhere until I checked to see if it was possibly hidden ... that's strange. Just a heads up on this program ... a good firewall should stop it trying to connect to the internet but the question is why ... after the checkmark and X are removed? It does seem to do the job with making the computer better for the eyes. A person will have to decide if they want all the hassle. There aren't many programs out there like it that work with WinXP. One program requires NET Framework, which I removed several years ago. Another program requires Win 7 and above ... the only three programs I can find with f.lux working with WinXP. ...

Found several sites that offer a 'test' of blue light coming out of your computer and if your glasses or screen filters actually work. Can't say for sure this is accurate but it's interesting. Just posting about two of them here: Blue light filter Test ... and How to check if my Monitor emits Blue light? https://iristech.co/blue-light-filter-test/ Another Way to Test Your Blue Light Filtering Eyewear Posted by Siriya Mitsattha on July 21, 2016 https://blueblockglasses.com/blogs/news/the-rgb-color-model-test-how-effective-is-your-blue-light-filter-eyewear ...

i430VX ... thanks for the information on the 'slider bar' ... I saw that bar but did not realize it was a 'slider' bar. That's handy to adjust the light on my computer quickly. I am still working and learning with it. I really feel my eyes felt better after putting it on my computer last night ... less eye strain. However, it's been less than 24 hours and it may be all in my head. I will know after more use. You mention your iPhone ... there seems to be a f.lux version for everything ... the list: Download f.lux Free for macOS Download f.lux Free on Windows, for personal use Download f.lux Free for Linux Download f.lux Free for iPhone and iPad Download f.lux Free for Android * I just noticed this at a web page on 'blue light'. It may be old news: Blue Light News Apple Released Blue Light Filter In iOS Update For iPhones And iPads 7 Blue Light Facts: How Blue Light Is Both Bad and Good For You By Gary Heiting, OD https://www.allaboutvision.com/cvs/blue-light.htm --------------------------------------------------------- Tripredacus ... I don't ever remember anything about blue light with the older TV sets. As I remember, the real problem with those 'older' sets was radiation ... until better shielding was made on newer sets. Remember always being told to not sit too close to the TV ... not good for the eyes, but now I read that there was no harm to the eyes in that regard ... just from the radiation. In answer to your question however, maybe having some light on with the TV was for preventing eyestrain ... I remember it being said that not much light was needed, just some light while the TV was on. Not real sure but it could have been for preventing eyestrain. However, the newer screen TVs are harmful with blue light, so I'm reading. This is from the article link from above: 7 Blue Light Facts: How Blue Light Is Both Bad and Good For You By Gary Heiting, OD 1. Blue light is everywhere. Sunlight is the main source of blue light, and being outdoors during daylight is where most of us get most of our exposure to it. But there are also many man-made, indoor sources of blue light, including fluorescent and LED lighting and flat-screen televisions. Most notably, the display screens of computers, electronic notebooks, smartphones and other digital devices emit significant amounts of blue light. The amount of HEV light these devices emit is only a fraction of that emitted by the sun. But the amount of time people spend using these devices and the proximity of these screens to the user's face have many eye doctors and other health care professionals concerned about possible long-term effects of blue light on eye health. 2. HEV light rays make the sky look blue. The short-wavelength, high-energy light rays on the blue end of the visible light spectrum scatter more easily than other visible light rays when they strike air and water molecules in the atmosphere. The higher degree of scattering of these rays is what makes a cloudless sky look blue. 3. The eye is not very good at blocking blue light. Anterior structures of the adult human eye (the cornea and lens) are very effective at blocking UV rays from reaching the light-sensitive retina at the back of the eyeball. In fact, less than one percent of UV radiation from the sun reaches the retina, even if you aren't wearing sunglasses. (Keep in mind, though, that sunglasses that block 100 percent of UV are essential to protect these and other parts of the eye from damage that could lead to cataracts, snow blindness, a pinguecula and/or pterygium, and even cancer.) On the other hand, virtually all visible blue light passes through the cornea and lens and reaches the retina. 4. Blue light exposure may increase the risk of macular degeneration. The fact that blue light penetrates all the way to the retina (the inner lining of the back of the eye) is important, because laboratory studies have shown that too much exposure to blue light can damage light-sensitive cells in the retina. This causes changes that resemble those of macular degeneration, which can lead to permanent vision loss. Although more research is needed to determine how much natural and man-made blue light is "too much blue light" for the retina, many eye care providers are concerned that the added blue light exposure from computer screens, smartphones and other digital devices might increase a person's risk of macular degeneration later in life. 5. Blue light contributes to digital eye strain. Because short-wavelength, high energy blue light scatters more easily than other visible light, it is not as easily focused. When you're looking at computer screens and other digital devices that emit significant amounts of blue light, this unfocused visual "noise" reduces contrast and can contribute to digital eye strain. Research has shown that lenses that block blue light with wavelengths less than 450 nm (blue-violet light) increase contrast significantly. Therefore, computer glasses with yellow-tinted lenses may increase comfort when you're viewing digital devices for extended periods of time. 6. Blue light protection may be even more important after cataract surgery. The lens in the adult human eye blocks nearly 100 percent of the sun's UV rays. As part of the normal aging process, the eye's natural lens eventually blocks some short-wavelength blue light as well — the type of blue light most likely to cause damage to the retina and lead to macular degeneration and vision loss. If you have cataracts and are about to have cataract surgery, ask your surgeon what type of intraocular lens (IOL) will be used to replace your cloudy natural lens, and how much blue light protection the IOL provides. After cataract surgery you might benefit from eyeglasses that have lenses with a special blue light filter — especially if you spend long hours in front of a computer screen or using other digital devices. 7. Not all blue light is bad. So, is all blue light bad for you? Why not block all blue light, all the time? Bad idea. It's well documented that some blue light exposure is essential for good health. Research has shown that high-energy visible light boosts alertness, helps memory and cognitive function and elevates mood. In fact, something called light therapy is used to treat seasonal affective disorder (SAD) — a type of depression that's related to changes in seasons, with symptoms usually beginning in the fall and continuing through winter. The light sources for this therapy emit bright white light that contains a significant amount of HEV blue light rays. Also, blue light is very important in regulating circadian rhythm — the body's natural wakefulness and sleep cycle. Exposure to blue light during daytime hours helps maintain a healthful circadian rhythm. But too much blue light late at night (reading a novel on a tablet computer or e-reader at bedtime, for example) can disrupt this cycle, potentially causing sleepless nights and daytime fatigue. Blue Light Filters And Protective Eyewear If you are using your phone constantly — especially if you use it primarily for texting, e-mailing and web browsing — a convenient way to reduce your blue light exposure is to use a blue light filter. These filters are available for smartphones, tablets, and computer screens and prevent significant amounts of blue light emitted from these devices from reaching your eyes without affecting the visibility of the display. Some are made with thin tempered glass that also protects your device's screen from scratches. Examples of blue light filters for digital devices include: Eyesafe (Health-E), iLLumiShield, RetinaShield (Tech Armor), Retina Armor (Tektide), Frabicon and Cyxus. As mentioned above, computer glasses also can be helpful to reduce blue light exposure from computers and other digital devices. These special-purpose glasses are available without an eyeglass prescription if you have no need for vision correction or if you routinely wear contact lenses to correct your eyesight. Or they can be specially prescribed to optimize your vision specifically for the distance from which you view your devices. If you have presbyopia and routinely wear progressive lenses or bifocals, prescription computer glasses with single vision lenses give you the additional benefit of a much larger field of view for seeing your entire computer screen clearly. (Keep in mind, though, that this type of computer eyewear is exclusively for seeing objects within arm's length and cannot be worn for driving or other distance vision needs.) Also, a number of lens manufacturers have introduced special glare-reducing anti-reflective coatings that also block blue light from both natural sunlight and digital devices. You also may want to consider photochromic lenses, which provide seamless protection from UV and blue light both indoors and out and also automatically darken in response to UV rays outdoors to increase comfort and reduce glare. Ask your eye doctor or optician about which type of vision correction and lens features best suit your needs for viewing your computer and other digital devices and protecting your eyes from blue light. -------------------------------------------------------------- I read some about this maybe two years but didn't follow up on it until last evening when the article I read brought it back into my head. This 'blue light' sounds like a real problem for everyone, maybe especially for young children. The 'macular degeneration' that some adults get later in life, maybe a connection or brought on by excessive blue light from electronic devices. I have to read more, I probably will invest in some blue blocking glasses. Those would stop the blue light from getting into a person's eyes. I'm not sure if that computer program actually eliminates blue light from the computer screen or just changes to an orange color but the blue light is still there. ...

I'm posting this for discussion ... I've read about the 'blue light' hazard from computer screens for several years, now they've added phone screens. I am sure there are some members here who have researched this subject and can make some comments. In my case there does seem to be eye strain with to much time looking at a computer screen and there are glasses that will filter out the 'blue light'. After searching around tonight I found a program to put on a computer to reduce eye strain if you are on the computer at night. There are several things being said about 'blue light' and it's effect on the eyes and human body. This short article I just read tonight dealing with blindness and then I found other articles mentioning blue light and sleep patterns. They indicate that blue light should be blocked at early evening and night if you are on the computer and even smart phones I guess. New Research Shows Blue Light from Electronics Leading to Blindness http://www.wtol.com/story/38852544/new-research-shows-blue-light-from-electronics-leading-to-blindness By Amanda Fay, Anchor TOLEDO, OH (WTOL) - Our cell phones are practically connected to us. Now, scientists at the University of Toledo say the blue light that comes from electronics is doing permanent damage to our vision. A dark room at the University of Toledo is where researchers have found blue light, specifically, leads to macular degeneration. "Macular Degeneration is one of the leading causes of blindness in the United States and all around the world," said assistant professor in the UT Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Ajith Karunarathne. That's right. According to this new research, blue light can makes us blind. The researchers said molecules that we need to be able to see, called retinal, turn into cell killers when they interact with blue light. "We don't really at this point know what is the major cause. We know how it happened because there are multiple paths that lead to the cell death," said Karunarathne. The researchers want to get to the bottom of that and develop some sort of eye drop to reduce damage. In the meantime, they suggest avoiding looking at your phone in the dark. "It's definitely eye-opening, in a pun sense. Wow, seeing that new research is definitely going to make me consider a lot on how much time I spend on my phone and looking at the screen," said UT student, Jordan Guyton. Copyright 2018 WTOL. All rights reserved. ... then I found this article from 2017 going into detail about blue light being harmful and using 'blue light blocking glasses' to help with the situation and also this free computer program is mentioned. I have been using it on my computer for several hours now and my eyes are feeling better with less strain. It takes a little time to figure the program out (10 or 15 minutes) and the various light settings ... I am currently using 1900k Candle Light and it seems to work OK. There are seven settings and extra effects and other settings ... plenty of settings to experiment with. How Blocking Blue Light at Night Can Transform Your Sleep https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/block-blue-light-to-sleep-better Written by Kris Gunnars, BSc on June 4, 2017 The article is long but here are some lines from it: "It turns out that perhaps the single biggest contributor to our collective sleep problems, is the use of artificial lighting and electronics at night. These devices emit light of a blue wavelength, which tricks our brains into thinking that it is daytime (5). Numerous studies suggest that blue light in the evening disrupts the brain's natural sleep-wake cycles, which are crucial for optimal function of the body (6, 7)." "Poor sleep is linked to heart disease, type 2 diabetes and depression. It is also one of the strongest risk factors for obesity (1, 2, 3, 4)." "Fortunately, this problem has a simple solution and there are a few actionable steps you can take to get rid of that blue light in the evening, potentially improving your health at the same time." "Blue Light Is Crucial in the Daytime... But a Disaster at Night" "Keep in mind that sunlight and white light contain a mixture of various wavelengths. There is a lot of blue light within (10). Getting blue light (especially from the sun) in the daytime is very important. It helps us to stay alert, while improving performance and mood (11). There has even been some success using blue light therapy devices to treat depression, and blue light bulbs in an office can reduce fatigue and improve the mood, performance and sleep of workers (12, 13, 14). But even though blue light is incredibly beneficial during the day, it can be a complete disaster if we are exposed to it in the evening. The problem is that modern light bulbs and electronic devices (especially computer monitors), also produce large amounts of blue light and "trick" our brains into thinking that it is daytime. When it gets dark in the evening, a part of the brain called the pineal gland secretes the hormone melatonin, which signals to our bodies and brains that it is time to get tired and go to sleep. Blue light, whether from the sun or a laptop, is very effective at inhibiting melatonin production (15, 16). This means that our bodies don't get the proper signal that it's time to go to sleep, reducing both the quantity and quality of our sleep. Studies have linked melatonin suppression in the evening to various health problems, including metabolic syndrome, obesity and cancer, as well as mental disorders like depression (17, 18, 19, 20)." "Using Blue-Blocking Glasses at Night Is a Simple Way to Solve This Problem The easiest and most effective way to avoid blue light in the evening, is to use amber-colored glasses. These glasses effectively block all blue light, so your brain doesn't get the signal that it is supposed to stay awake. Studies show that when people use blue-blocking glasses, even in a lit room or using an electronic device, they produce just as much melatonin as if it were dark (21, 22)." ---------------------------------------------------------------- ... this part is also from the article and mentions the computer program called 'F.lux'. "Other Ways to Block Blue Light If you don't want to use these glasses every night, then there are a few other ways to reduce blue light exposure in the evening. One popular way is to install a program called F.lux on your computer. This program automatically adjusts the color and brightness of your screen based on your timezone. When it is dark outside, the program effectively blocks all blue light from your computer and gives the screen a faint orange color. Although I'm not aware of any study on it, many people who use the computer a lot in the evening claim that this program helps them fall asleep." --------------------------------------------------------------- As I said earlier, the article is long but it has a lot of information and a chart. Here is the web site for 'F.lux' ... https://justgetflux.com/ "Ever notice how people texting at night have that eerie blue glow? Or wake up ready to write down the Next Great Idea, and get blinded by your computer screen? During the day, computer screens look good—they're designed to look like the sun. But, at 9PM, 10PM, or 3AM, you probably shouldn't be looking at the sun. f.lux f.lux fixes this: it makes the color of your computer's display adapt to the time of day, warm at night and like sunlight during the day. It's even possible that you're staying up too late because of your computer. You could use f.lux because it makes you sleep better, or you could just use it just because it makes your computer look better." ---------------------------------------------------------------- ... any comments or blue light experience would be welcome ... I remember those old TV ads years ago about amber blue blocking glasses for driving ... before the home computer was all the rage. I think they were for blue light but maybe not. They were blocking something.

I have been looking for a simple tool or program that I could install into New Moon to turn JavaScript 'on and off' easily and quickly. Someone at the K-Meleon forum gave me a heads up on a tool called JS Switch that works in Pale Moon ... I didn't exactly find that one with a Google search but instead found this one called 'Toggle JavaScript'. Seems to be the same program and simple to install. It also seems to work just fine with UBlock Origin installed. Seems to work with both NM 27 and 28. I will post the link if anyone else is interested. Toggle JavaScript https://addons.palemoon.org/addon/togglejscript/ ...

Mathwiz ... thanks for moving some of the topic as heinoganda suggested. I did add uBlock Origin to Basilisk (Serpent) and will add it to NM 28 also. I may also add it to K-Meleon, the version that roytam1 is working on. I'm not sure how it works so I can have it installed and check the results over time. Also, thanks for this information and the user agent ... I will use it. ...

Well, I was just confused with all the posts running togther and that they were connected in someway with certutil.exe and certadm.dll and Certificates Updater v1.3. After I did not find certutil.exe and certadm.dll on my machine after doing a 'search', I wasn't too concerned that any of this applied to me so I didn't check it out very much more. I have a Pentium M CPU with MMX, SSE and SSE2 support. I did get some assistance from Yogi at the K-Meleon forum as to why I could not install uBlock Origin to New Moon 28. He posted this: Posted by: Yogi Date: August 01, 2018 Web extensions work only with Firefox Quantum. Keep in mind that web extensions are less powerful than legacy extensions used to be since Mozilla doesn't provide the neccessary APIs anymore. Often legacy extensions are only a bad joke compared to what legacy extensions used to be. This is the legacy extension of uBlock which works with Firefox 52 and probably with its forks depending on how old the code of those forks is. https://github.com/gorhill/uBlock/releases/tag/firefox-legacy-1.16.4.4 I don't use that extension so I can't serve you with more informations. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- However, siria, who also posts here at MSFN made a discovery about using an older version K-Meleon 1.6 with zippyshare ... and it seemed to work OK. Posted by: siria Date: August 01, 2018 Hmm.... now I'm confused. Mighty... It's been awhile that I've given up on zippyshare already, and at the time it drove me mad too, but out of curiosity now took another look again. Just googled for some random zippy link on msfn for testing. And am shocked - no Ads in my KM1.6! And only 1 single download link, no others to be found anywhere. This button is BIG and ORANGE though, usually screaming "Download Me! I'm fake!", but looks almost exactly as the screenshot over at MSFN (https://img2.picload.org/image/dlailwwl/certinfo.jpg), except for 3 small empty rectangles with "Advertisement" written over them. And that download link even works with minimal JS, only from inside the page, no external js-files needed, no Ajax, not even cookies or referer! Have even disabled "adblock.css", but still same result. Have renamed my HOSTS file and reloaded - still same result. Have allowed foreign iframes - still same result. Empty little rectangles, no popups or junk anywhere. But cannot toggle permissions.sqlite during session, and no idea if possible? Also, keep Popups blocked with a more restrictive whitelist, as once advised by JohnHell: dom.popup_allowed_events = change click dblclick #mouseup reset #submit #touchend dom.server-events.enabled = false And have only tested with minimal javascript for zippy, but for other sites have toolbar buttons for quickly toggling those on again if needed: javascript.enabled = true permissions.default.script (INT) = 2 (block all) permissions.default.xmlhttprequest (INT) = 2 (block all, ajax) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- So I am going to put an older version of KM on my computer to experiment with this ... maybe I can just keep an older version of KM handy for all zippyshare downloads. ...

Well I tried to install uBlock Origin to New Moon 28 and I got this message: The add-on downloaded from addons.mozilla.org could not be installed because New Moon does not support WebExtensions. This is the link I was at ... https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/ublock-origin/ Also, I will add, the newer version of Certificates Updater v1.3 does not work for me. A little box opens with this information: "HTTPDL.exe has encountered a problem and needs to close. We are sorry for the inconvenience." The CU version 1.2 works just fine so I will continue to use it. I have never added the newer POS Ready updates to WinXP so I don't have any real problems with XP for now with everything being discussed dealing with certutil.exe and certadm.dll. I just thought I should probably update the Certificate Updater to the latest version 1.3 ... in fact I don't even have certutil.exe and certadm.dll in my WinXP setup. Nothing was found anywhere in a 'search' and I did not add those two items to my XP setup. I guess all this information and discussion about certutil.exe and certadm.dll is only for people using the POS Ready updates. ...

Dave-H ... thanks for the information. Just wasn't sure why I was having so many problems this time with zippyshare. I have been there before a few times and didn't have the problems like I did last night. They may have added more ads ... it is nice to have a place to get downloads from people and nothing is exactly free these days but it was a real 'knock-down' last night. I'm anxious to look into everything Mathwiz just posted about New Moon 28, maybe that will fix things for the future. Monroe

Mathwiz ... I just started to use New Moon 28 this past week-end with the latest update from roytam1. I am using NM 27 at this time but I will use NM 28 more and see how it works. I will check uBlock Origin out ... I am not familiar with it. I take it is a Firefox add on . I will check it out on Google and try to get it added or in place with New Moon 28. After my experience last night with zippyshare ... I want it installed or some form of ad blocking. That was sort of wild with things popping up everywhere. ...

Thanks heinoganda and Mathwiz for the assistance. Heinoganda ... I don't know why I had a problem with your download this time, I have downloaded your downloads before from zippyshare with no problems. I use the New Moon browser from roytam1 and I don't think it has an 'ad blocker' of any kind, but I could be wrong. I was sent a link and I got the download OK. Mathwiz, I am a little familiar with zippyshare and the crazy ads ... have only downloaded a few times there ... but this time was 'no go' for me trying to find the right link. Again thanks for the help to both of you. Monroe

I am not able to correctly find the latest update for heinoganda's Root Certificates and revoked certificates updater. update 06/29/2018 Version 1.3 Added feature, more information in "Info Version 1.3.txt" in the download. Please show me the correct link ... I only see two 'Download' tabs and only get a music player download or crazy ads from the other. I'm being told my 'flash' is 'out of date', which it is not. All kinds of crazy ads and 'junk' trying to be downloaded on my computer from that link. It must have been hacked in some way since there is no download from heinoganda that I can find ... just a bunch of silly ads. thanks,

What you posted is what I'm more familiar with from posts by Bersaglio ... IE ActiveX and NPAPI . These flash downloads can be confusing to me. I guess these newer downloads are still working with a Pentium M processor ... I show MMX, SSE and SSE2 with CPU-Z. ...

I doubt that I will ever buy another CD ... having music on a flash drive is more convenient these days for me. ...

There was a new version of Shockwave Player 12.3.3.203 released on or around May 22, 2018. ...

I am reading that it says 'latest version' and not 'last version' for WinXP ... you may well be right, I guess we'll know for sure with the next release. I almost read it as 'last' myself for a few seconds. Maybe it says 'last' somewhere else that I did not see. "Version 13.8 of K-Lite Mega Codec Pack is the latest version compatible with Windows XP." ...

roytam1 ... thanks again for the New Moon browser update ... nice browser for WinXP. Enjoy your vacation and the Lunar New Year ...

This is having a lot of fun if you can afford to launch your car into space ... a must see picture !!! "Elon Musk, the CEO of SpaceX and Telsa, on Wednesday posted the final photograph of the Tesla Roadster" Elon Musk Posts Final Photo of Tesla Roadster Headed to Asteroid Belt http://www.foxnews.com/tech/2018/02/08/elon-musk-posts-final-photo-tesla-roadster-headed-to-asteroid-belt.html Elon Musk, the CEO of SpaceX and Telsa, on Wednesday posted the final photograph of the Tesla Roadster that was launched into space on a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket and is headed to the asteroid belt. Musk wrote in the Instagram post, “Last pic of Starman in Roadster en route to Mars Orbit and then the Asteroid Belt.” Tuesday's launch marked the rocket’s first test flight and is the most powerful rocket since the Saturn V was used in the Apollo missions. Third burn successful. Exceeded Mars orbit and kept going to the Asteroid Belt. pic.twitter.com/bKhRN73WHF — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) February 7, 2018 Test vehicles usually carry concrete or steel blocks, but Musk said that would be “extremely boring.” “We decided to send something unusual, something that made us feel,” Musk was quoted as saying. SpaceX expected the battery in the car to last 12 hours, but it lasted just 4 hours, according to USA Today. Scientists believe that radiation will tear the car into pieces within a year. View from SpaceX Launch Control. Apparently, there is a car in orbit around Earth. pic.twitter.com/QljN2VnL1O — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) February 6, 2018 Cameras mounted on the car fed stunning video of “Starman” tooling around Earth, looking something like a NASCAR racer out for a Sunday drive, with its right hand on the wheel and the left arm resting on the car’s door. A sign on the dashboard read: “Don’t panic!,” while David Bowie’s “Life on Mars?” played in the background at one point. A Hot Wheels roadster was also on the dash with a tiny spaceman on board. The Falcon Heavy is a combination of three Falcon 9s, the rocket that the company uses to ship supplies to the International Space Station and lift satellites. SpaceX is reusing first-stage boosters to save on launch costs. Most other rocket makers discard their spent boosters in the ocean. Following the launch, SpaceX was able to recover the two side boosters, landing them safely at Cape Canaveral. However, the central core did not stick the landing on a floating drone ship 300 miles off the Florida coast. Musk said late Tuesday the booster hit the water at 300 mph because it could re-light only one of the three engines needed to land. Unlike most rockets out there, the Falcon Heavy receives no government funding. The hulking rocket is intended for massive satellites, like those used by the U.S. military and communication companies. Even before the successful test flight, customers were signed up. “It was awesome, like a science fiction movie coming to reality,” said former NASA deputy administrator Dava Newman, Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Apollo professor of astronautics. “They nailed it. Good for them.” Given the high stakes and high drama, Tuesday’s launch attracted huge crowds not seen since NASA’s final space shuttle flight seven years ago. While the shuttles had more liftoff muscle than the Heavy, the all-time leaders in both size and might were NASA’s Saturn V rockets, which first flew astronauts to the moon in 1968. Containing 27 engines, the rocket had a thrust able to generate more than 5 million pounds, akin to the equivalent of 18 Boeing 747 aircraft. It was able to lift a payload of more than 64 metric tons (141,000 pounds) into orbit, twice as much as the Delta IV Heavy, at one-third the cost, according to SpaceX. The flight was originally scheduled for 1:30 pm ET, but was pushed back to 3:45 pm ET due to wind shear. It fired from Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy Space Center in Florida. On the eve of the flight, Musk said the company had done all it could to maximize success. Musk has plenty of experience with rocket accidents, from his original Falcon 1 test flights to his follow-up Falcon 9s, one of which exploded on a nearby pad during a 2016 ignition test. “I’ve seen rockets blow up so many different ways, so, yeah, it’s a great relief when it actually works,” Musk said after liftoff. ...

I thought this was a joke but I guess not ... there is a picture of it in space in the article with someone (dummy ?) in a space suit sitting in the car ... have not seen the video. SpaceX Successfully Launches Falcon Heavy Rocket Carrying Tesla Roadster http://www.oann.com/spacex-successfully-launches-falcon-heavy-rocket-carrying-tesla-roadster/ OAN Newsroom Tues. February 6, 2018 SpaceX launched its Falcon Heavy rocket for the first time with a Tesla roadster on board. The highly anticipated launch took place Tuesday at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The Falcon Heavy rocket features three boosters and 27 engines to give it a powerful thrust. SpaceX owner Elon Musk said he used the rocket to send his Tesla roadster into orbit as a mock payload. Musk said he wanted to add some dramatic flair to the mission, which will take the car around the sun in a long, oval orbit. After the successful landing of its two side boosters, the SpaceX rocket is now the most powerful rocket in operation in the world, and the Tesla roadster is hailed as the first automobile in space. ...

Well later this afternoon the asteroid is doing it's flyby ... around 2:30 PM EST. http://www.kcentv.com/article/weather/whats-on-your-radar/whats-on-your-radar-episode-5-asteroid-passes-earth-before-super-bowl/500-514047299 Asteroid passes Earth before Super Bowl While Americans get ready for the Super Bowl, another big event is happening a couple million miles away. Author: Stephen Adams, Meagan Massey, Zachary Scott February 2, 2018 An asteroid is going to whiz by Earth at 76,000 mph on Super Bowl Sunday. But, don't worry. It won't be close enough to hit anything. Asteroid 2002 AJ129 -- yes, that's its name -- will soar safely past our planet at 3:30 p.m. CST on Feb. 4. At its closest, NASA says the asteroid will be no nearer than 10 times the distance between the Earth and Moon. That's roughly 2.6 million miles -- fairly close in outer space terms, but not near enough to hurt us. ... mote at the link

Best Buy to Stop Selling CDs Starting July 1 https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2018/feb/3/best-buy-stop-selling-cds-starting-july-1-report/ By Andrew Blake - The Washington Times - Saturday, February 3, 2018 Best Buy is reportedly slated to stop selling compact discs this summer, pressing pause amid years of slumped sales at its stores and others. Billboard reported Friday that Best Buy plans to stop carrying CDs at its retail stores effective July 1, citing undisclosed sources. Best Buy did not immediately return a message seeking comment, and the music magazine’s report could not be independently verified. CD sales have been on the decline in the U.S. for years, however, and lately the business has only generated Best Buy about $40 million annually, Billboard reported — a far cry for what used to be one of the nation’s biggest music retailers. CD sales in the U.S. market dropped by 16.3 percent from 125 million copies in 2015 to 104.8 million in 2016, according to an annual end-of-year Nielsen report released in early 2017. Taking into consideration CDs, cassettes and vinyl records, physical album sales at mass-merchant retail chain stores decreased by 24.5 percent during that same span, the report said. Nielsen’s latest annual year report, report released last month, did not account for CD sales specifically but said that total physical album sales had dropped 16.5 percent since 2016, down to 102.9 million copies in 2017. About 14.3 million of those albums were vinyl, according to the latest report. Best Buy plans to continue carrying vinyl records, but will start selling albums alongside its turntables, Billboard reported. Headquartered in Richfield, Minnesota, Best Buy operated slightly more than 1,000 retail shops in North America as of late 2016. The company started off as an audio-video retailer before morphing into the so-called “big box” store it is today, and Billboard said the chain was at one point “the most powerful music merchandiser” in the country. ...

Would like to know the location of the default New Moon user agent. I am not able to find it in 'about:config' ... I am getting this reading at a user agent ID site: Mozilla/5.0 (Windows NT 5.1; rv:52.9) Gecko/20100101 Goanna/3.4 Firefox/52.9 PaleMoon/27.8.0a1 ...

Microsoft Issues Update to Disable Intel’s Buggy Spectre Patch http://www.oann.com/microsoft-issues-update-to-disable-intels-buggy-spectre-patch/ January 30, 2018 (Reuters) – Microsoft Corp issued an emergency security update on Monday to plug Intel Corp’s buggy Spectre firmware patch after the chipmaker’s fix caused computers to reboot more often than normal. Microsoft said it was rolling out an out-of-band update that specifically disables Intel’s Spectre variant 2 patch. The latest update comes nearly four weeks after Intel confirmed that its chips were impacted by vulnerabilities known as Spectre and Meltdown, which make data on affected computers susceptible to espionage. The Windows maker said system instability triggered by Intel’s faulty patch can in some cases cause “data loss or corruption”. (http://bit.ly/2rW1bYL) Microsoft said its latest update prevented computers to reboot unexpectedly and urged affected customers to manually download it from the Microsoft Update Catalog website. Meltdown was specific to chips from Intel as well as one from SoftBank Group Corp’s ARM Holdings. Spectre affected nearly every modern computing device, including ones with chips from Intel, ARM and Advanced Micro Devices Inc. Last week, Intel said that patches it released to address the two high-profile security vulnerabilities in its chips are faulty, advising customers, computer makers and cloud providers to stop installing them. (Reporting by Subrat Patnaik in Bengaluru; Editing by Gopakumar Warrier)