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This Month's
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Consumer Corner:

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« Voter  Information »

In the Spotlight:
« Social Security »

Favorite Links this month:

Fun Stuff to Email Friends:

Websites  in  Pa:

more sites
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♫   Music Websites   ♫

It Happened in April:

 •  Hitler was born
 •  Paul Reveres Ride 4-18-1775
 •  The Civil War began April 1861
 •  President Lincoln's assassination - April 14, 1865
 •  The San Francisco Earthquake was on April 18, 1906
 •  The sinking of the Titanic happened on April 14, 1912
 •  Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated April 4, 1968
 •  The Oklahoma City Bombing occured on April 19, 1995
 •  The Columbine High School shooting was on April 20, 1999

— a quote worth remembering —

"The true measure of a man is how he treats those who can do him no good."
—Author: Samuel Johnson

Welcome to the April edition of Ron's Newsletter.
                April's... flower is the daisy and the birthstone is diamond.

— Everyday, somewhere, someone is celebrating something. —
APRIL is International Guitar Month and National Welding Month. April has other cool celebrations like:
April 18 Wear Pajamas to Work Day
April 24-30 is National Lingerie Week
April 30 is National Honesty Day. And don't forget, Administrative Professionals Week. It's always the last full week of April, with Wednesday being Administrative Professionals Day, (formerly known as Secretaries Day). More April holidays listed here.
My secretary, pictured here, is ahhh, taking a leave of absence ... perhaps you can help me choose a new one. I've narrowed it down to either Peggy, Rose or Kathy. ( I tease because I care.)
      — now sit back — read, click and enjoy your Internet experience!

Comments invited.

C YA  nEXT mONTH,
  

«  Now, some stories in the news  »

At the 2005 CMT Music Awards ... in Nashville, on April 11, Country music icon Loretta Lynn joined an elite circle of gifted and insightful performers when she was awarded the Johnny Cash Visionary Award. The prestigious award, originally named the Video Visionary Award, was permanently renamed in honor of Cash last year. For more than four decades, Loretta's music has confronted many of the major social issues of her time, and her life story is a rags-to-riches tale familiar to pop, rock and country fans alike.

Loretta Lynn - born April 14, 1935 in Butcher Holler, Kentucky - she arose from the poverty of the Kentucky hills to Nashville superstardom and has long been an advocate for ordinary women. Her distinctive vocal style and skill as a songwriter has garnered her numerous accolades. In 1972, she became the first woman to win the CMA's most prestigious award, entertainer of the year. In 1973 she appeared on the cover of Newsweek, in 1976 her autobiography became a New York Times bestseller and in 1980 the book was made into the film Coal Miner's Daughter starring Oscar winner Sissy Spacek. By 1982, Loretta had 55 Top 10 hits and 27 No.1's to her credit. In 1988 she was elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame. Her latest critically acclaimed album, 'Van Lear Rose', (comprised of 13 self-penned songs) has again reminded the world of her power as an established American icon and has earned her two Grammy awards. (her first since her duet days with Conway Twitty in 1972.)
For continued reading, visit  GACTV - her Opry profile - a CBS report

two minutes and eight seconds that shook the world... the first Rock and Roll record officially certified by Billboard, to reach No. 1 on the mainstream musical charts in America, was "Rock Around the Clock" by Bill Haley and the Comets.
Known today as — Rock and Roll's National Anthem — the song celebrated its 50th anniversary this month last year.
BUT, did you know? The song had failed on its original release the year prior and owes its breakthrough entirely to a film, of which it was the movie's theme song. The story behind this key moment in rock 'n' roll history began the last week of March in 1955 when the film "Blackboard Jungle" had its world premiere - and unwittingly launched the entire rock 'n' roll revolution.

The 50th anniversary of this landmark moment in popular culture is being celebrated with an impressive array of events, premieres and exhibits ... including the first-ever DVD release of "Blackboard Jungle" by Warner Home Video on May 10th. The song was chosen for the theme after it was heard among the records owned by a 5th grader, Peter Ford, the son of the films' star Glenn Ford. See the story by Peter Ford, as he explains his pivotal role of how the history of Rock and Roll might have been different, if he hadn't flipped over a record to hear its "B" side. (thank you Peter Ford!)

The Blackboard Jungle is a tense drama starring Glenn Ford as an english teacher, who has no idea what he is in for as he gets his first assignment in a rough inner-city trade school for teen boys that is 'gang-ruled'. The movie is about a battle betweeen him trying to teach these students not only english, but just decency in general and the students resisting all attempts of being reached. The verbal and sometimes physical interaction between Ford, other struggling new teachers and the students is totally compelling. The racial and ethnic diversity of the students, along with the violence and music, makes this film unforgettable and still easily relevant to today. The only typical teenage bad habit that's NOT portrayed in the movie is cursing, (because of 50s moral standards, it was not allowed on the big screen.) Sidney Poitier and Vic Morrow co-star. See a trailer.

The film was a smash hit, with many going to see the film simply to hear the music behind the credits. 'Teens of the day' responded to the music with raucous cheers and spontaneous dancing in the aisles to... "One, two, three o'clock, four o'clock rock - We're gonna rock around the clock tonight" ... (see the lyrics here)

However, there was a problem! As actor Howard Hesseman, of WKRP in Cincinnati fame once explained, he fell in love with the song after seeing the movie and scoured the record shops in his hometown searching for a copy -- but "nobody had ever heard of it!" His dilemma was repeated in record shops across North America, as teens scrambled to find copies of the elusive single.
Finally, Decca Records realized, the reason no one could find the record to buy was because the song was on a B-side, and so they re-issued the record, this time with it on the A-side.

Within 4 months of the release of the film, "Rock Around the Clock" was the top single in America, and it stayed at the top of the charts for eight weeks. It rapidly repeated this success in Britain and many other countries. Soon, Rock and Roll was a worldwide phenomenon and as the song says, "Rock and Roll was here to stay." America would never be the same. From this point on, only communism was more feared than was the spread of Rock-and-Roll.
(the song would later be the 1974 soundtrack for 'American Graffiti')
For more, see Alex Frazer-Harrison's The Song That Started It All.
Related Links:
Bill Haley was inducted into the Rock-n-Roll Hall of Fame in 1987.
Timeline of Banned Rock and Roll — BMI — ASCAP — Lyrics World
Alan Freed takes payola — Rhythm and Blues Foundation
Gospel Music Hall of Fame — The History of Doo Wop
Country Music Hall of Fame — Traditional Country Hall of Fame
Collins Crapo's Oldies — Search Concert Tickets
See the year-by-year list of All Inductees in the Rock Hall of Fame

Pennsylvania Pest Identification Source ... Free help identifying any type of pest. Bring in a sample of your weed, insect, or plant and have an expert examine them to help you identify the problem and find a solution. Questions on pests, disease management, plant health, soil quality, general gardening, and more can be answered at your county extension office. Analytical services for soil, plant and manure nutrient profiles are also offered. It's recommended that you call the office first if you have a sample needing examination. Find your PSU County Extension office here.
Also the Home and Garden Information Center at the University of Maryland has a Plant Diagnostic website that uses photos to help diagnose and solve plant problems.
Related Links:
Penn State Entomology — Insect Pests in the Landscape —
Insect Information — Bug ID — Pesticides & Alternatives —
Insect World — Bug Bios — Read Myths of Mosquito Control —
PA Integrated Pest Management — What is West Nile virus?

Stink bugs and Ladybugs ... Now that spring is here and the temperatures are beginning to increase, Ladybugs and Stink bugs are becoming more active. For information on managing those Asian lady beetle problems in the home, read this.
Also, see the products used for Ladybug Elimination.
More Information:
Ladybugs in the Home — Image of Ladybug — Image of Beatles —
Stink bugs — Stinkbugs discharge a foul odor — Image of Stinkbug
Other Home Related Pests:
Carpenter Ants — Ant Identification — About Ants — Ant Control —
All About Birds — Living with Squirrels — Controling House Mice —
Coping With Skunks — When Skunks Become a Nuisance —
Pest World for Kids — Snakes in Pa — Bat Management —
Termites — Spider Identification — Nuisance Wasps and Bees

an eBay Drop-Off Consignment store ... Lets Sell Your Stuff
U Drop it Off - We Auction it on Ebay - U Get a Check! Everyone knows of eBay. eBay is one of the fastest growing marketplaces in the world with over 3 million people registered to buy. But ... did you know, in central Pennsylvania, there is a retail drop-off location for selling your items on eBay. You drop off the item, they do all the work from start to finish. When the auction is over, they send you a check! Lets Sell Your Stuff is a recognized eBay PowerSeller who can auction just about anything for you. No item is too big or too small. They are located at The Film Center 3415 Pleasant Valley Blvd in Altoona, PA. Call for details at 814-944-2400.

Britney Spears' Reality Show... Britney Spears, the one-time teenybopper who sang "I'm Not a Girl, Not Yet a Woman," has apparently completed the transition with news that she's pregnant. In a posting on her Web site, Britney told fans that she and husband, Kevin Federline, were expecting their first child together. The couple were married in September 04. Magazines and tabloids have speculated for weeks that Spears, 23, was pregnant, documenting her expanding waistline and fuller figure, but she remained mum on the subject. The former teen princess became a youth icon, when at the age of 16, made her debut with the multiplatinum "(Hit me) Baby, One More Time." As she grew older, her image got sexier, and more vampish. Last week, the couple also announced they would document their courtship in a new reality series on UPN. The series will follow their courtship, engagement and wedding through private home videos, mostly shot by the couple with their own camera. The six-episode series will premiere May 17.

The latest music-industry merger ... CD/DVD... a disc that has a conventional CD album on one side and a DVD on the other. The new format, called DualDisc, plays in most CD and DVD players and retails for $1 to $3 more than a regular CD. The discs feature a standard recording on Side A, and content such as music videos, concert footage, interviews, and photo galleries on the flip side. Record labels are hoping that a high-profile release such as Bruce Springsteen's "Devils & Dust," which will be available only on DualDisc upon its release at the end of April, will make ordinary CD buyers aware of the product's potential. Read more at CBS News.

Free Satellite Maps... Online search engine leader Google has unveiled a new feature that will enable its users to zoom in on homes and businesses using satellite images. The satellite technology, which Google began offering April 4, gives little reason for people to be paranoid about the satellite maps because the images generally are six to 12 months old. Google believes most people will like the convenience of generating a satellite image with a few clicks of a computer mouse. The company envisions people using the service as a way to scout a hotel's proximity to the beach for a possible vacation or size up the neighborhood where an apartment is for rent. Users access a traditional map first, on the new website, then you have the option of retrieving a satellite picture by clicking on the satellite button. See it here.

Looking for a Computer Repair Shop ?

» NEW WAVE ELECTRONICS «
1026 Woodland Bigler Hwy. Woodland, Pa. 16881
 · Computer Repair  · BigScreen TV Repair  · Security Systems
 · Custom Computer Building  · Home Entertainment Installations
Call (814) 761-0117.
In-Home Service Available --- Call for Details.
Editors Note: I have used their in-home service and highly recommend them.

Lawmaker Seeks to End "Sexy" Cheerleading ... Texas could soon be without bumpin' and grindin' cheerleaders. Legislation filed by Rep. Al Edwards would put an end to "sexually suggestive" performances at athletic events. "It's just too sexually oriented, the way they shake their behinds," said Edwards, a 26-year veteran of the Texas House, "the teachers and directors are helping them go through those kind of gyrations." Under the Edwards bill, if a school district knowingly permits such a performance, funds from the state would be reduced in an amount to be determined by the education commissioner. Opponets to the bill were heard saying, "Good Luck with your re-election."

    J-O-K-E  of  the  M-O-N-T-H

Harry did like he always does, kissing his wife, crawling into bed and falling to sleep. All of a sudden, he wakes up with an elderly man dressed in a hooded robe, standing in front of his bed.

"What the hell are you doing in my bedroom?.. and who are you?" he asked.

"This is not your bedroom," the man replied, "I am St. Peter and you are in heaven."

"WHAT!?? Are you saying I'm dead? I don't want to die.. I'm too young." said Harry. "If I'm dead, I want you to send me back immediately."

"It's not that easy," said St. Peter, "you can only return as a dog or a hen. You can however, choose on your own."

Harry thought about it for a while, and figured that being a dog is too tiring, but a hen probably has a nice, relaxed life. Running around with a rooster can't be too bad.

"I want to return as a hen." Harry replied. And in the next second, he found himself on a chicken farm, all nicely feathered. But suddenly, now he felt like his rear end was gonna blow ... then along came the rooster.

"Hey, you must be the new hen on the farm." said the rooster. "How does it feel?"

"Well, it's OK I guess, but it feels like my rear end is blowing up."

"Oh that!" said the rooster. "That's only the ovulation going on. Have you never laid an egg before??"

"No, how do I do that?" Harry asked.

"Cluck twice, and then you push all you can."

So Harry clucked twice, and pushed all that he was good for, and then 'Plop', an egg was on the ground.

"Wow!" Harry said, "that felt really good!" So he clucked again and squeezed. And to his amazement, there was yet another egg on the ground.

The third time he clucked, he heard his wife shout: "Harry, for Gods' sake wake up, you're shitting all over the bed.

Find the best sites fast!
Browse the Internet with our web site directory. Quick access to over 1000 hand-picked * useful links, categorized to save you time. Experience the Ultimate Road to the Internet on ... www.route53.com

« Computer Tips: »

Transfer Files to a New Computer
Moving up to a newer, faster system is exciting, but it can also be a lot of work, especially if you're upgrading the operating system too. Prior to Windows XP, there was no easy way of copying files and settings from an old computer to a new computer. XP's Files and Settings Transfer Wizard not only makes this task easier and less traumatic, but it saves you a lot of time. It also migrates some settings that you would not even had thought about, such as: whether you double click or single click an item to open it and whether double clicking a folder will open it in the same window or a new one. Other features included are the ability to save Outlook Express and Internet connection settings. For detailed instructions on how to use it, see the Step-by-Step Guide to Migrating Files and Settings at Microsoft TechNet.

Time for a Quiz:
♫
The songs listed below
have WHAT in common?

click here for answer

They are all songs by the
2005 Inductees
to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
The O'Jays - The Pretenders
Percy Sledge and U2

See the entire list of inductees.
Or visit the museum in Cleveland.

(to hide the answer, click it again)

Did You Know?

the Cleveland disc jockey
Alan Freed
who coined the term, "rock 'n' roll"
was born near Johnstown, PA.
He was posthumously inducted into the Rock Hall of Fame in 1986.

Click here!

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MUSIC TRIVIA

♫ "Rock Around the Clock" was originally released by Decca Records in 1954 as a B-side to "Thirteen Women."

♫ "I Saw Her Standing There" by The Beatles was also a B-side record.

♫ Rhythm and Blues was formally known in the 1940s as "race music"

♫ The 1st awarded Gold single by the RIAA was "Catch A Falling Star" by Perry Como in 1958.

♫ The RIAA 1st Gold Album was "Oklahoma" by Gordon Macrae.

♫ The first Platinum single was "Disco Lady" - Johnny Taylor - 1976.

♫ The first Platinum album was by The Eagles' - Their Greatest Hits 1971-1975.

♫ On April 4, 1964, the Beatles had the top five songs on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart -- an achievement never equaled again.

The 5 songs were:

1. "Can't Buy Me Love"
2. "Twist and Shout"
3. "She Loves You"
4. "I Want To Hold Your Hand"
5. "Please Please Me"

Automatic Debit Scams
Fraudulent telemarketers have found yet another way to steal your money, this time from your checking account. Automatic debiting of your checking account can be a legitimate payment method, many people make payments this way. But the system is being abused by fraudulent telemarketers. Therefore, if a caller asks for your checking account number or other information printed on your check, you should follow the same warning that applies to your credit card number - do not give out checking account information over the phone unless you are familiar with the company and agree to pay for something. Remember, if you give your checking account number over the phone to a stranger for "verification" or "computer purposes," that person could use it to improperly take money from your checking account. Continue reading.

Do it yourself:
Upgrade, Repair and Speed Up
Your Computer
ComputerHelp.com offers a step by step computer training video which shows computer users how to solve the most common computer problems as well as how to upgrade and add different types of hardware and software. Does your computer crash and freeze every now and then? Learn how to understand and solve those annoying errors that show up on your computer. Imagine your friends calling YOU for help with their computer! For just $24.95, it's a good investment. read more

See the Ron's Newsletter Archive

How To clear browser cache in IE
-» Click the 'Tools' menu at the top of your browser
-» then select 'Internet Options'
-» On the 'General' tab (by default)
-» Click 'Delete Files' under Temporary Internet files
-» Select 'Delete all offline content' by checking in box that popped up.
-» Click 'OK' and you did it.

How to disable Local Shared Objects
The company behind those floating ads that dance across Web pages has developed a way to restore the data profiles that many privacy-conscious users try to delete from their computers. United Virtualities calls the product Persistent Identification Element. It taps a separate profile system that's found in Macromedia's Flash and that's not generally affected by antispyware programs. Macromedia responded by issuing instructions for turning the profile system off.

How To make XP open previously-opened windows when you log on
Do you want XP to "remember" the folder windows that you had open when you logged off, and open them up again automatically when you log back on? By default, XP doesn't do this, but here's how you can do it:

-» Right click the Start button and click Explore
-» On the Tools menu, select Folder Options
-» Click the View tab
-» Under Advanced Settings, scroll down and check the box for "Restore previous folder windows at logon."

Now XP will reopen any windows you had open when you logged off.

Did You Know?

the average monthly retirement benefit in 2003 was $879.70
... and ...
you should receive a Social Security Statement about 3 months before your birthday each year.

How to Disable Automatic Search for Network Printers and Folders
XP automatically searches, on a periodic basis, for new printers and folders shared on the network. This can be handy, but uses some system resources and may not be necessary. If you want to disable this automatic search, here's how:

-» Right click the Start button and click Explore
-» On the Tools menu, select Folder Options
-» Click the View tab
-» Under Advanced Settings, scroll down and uncheck the box labeled "Automatically Search for Network Folders and Printers."

Notice
Any computer that doesn't have all the latest Windows patches can become virus-infected, simply by being online. Get updates at windowsupdate.microsoft.com

====================
Bumper Sticker Sighting:
====================

I used to have a handle on life,
but it broke.

this just in:

HELP WANTED: job scams
If you're looking for a job,
you should be looking at this.

Click here!

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