This Month's: Links, Tips, News and Fun Stuff       

Inside this edition:

This Month's
Best Sites Showcase

Consumer Corner:

In the Spotlight:
« NASCAR »

DALE EARNHARDT:
« Remembering The Intimidator »

Favorite Links this month:

Fun Stuff to Email Friends:

Websites  in  Pa:

more sites
on our route53 network:

This newsletter was created with one vision in mind, to help you find information with just a single click. I personally visit each site before posting it. If you wish to show your support to help me with the cost of creating it, you can send contributions via PayPal.
Thank You.

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— a quote worth remembering —

"How long a minute is ...
depends on what side of the bathroom door you're on."
—Author: Unknown

Welcome to the February edition of Ron's Newsletter.
                Every February... candy, flowers, cards and gifts are exchanged between those who have hearts that were pierced by Cupid's arrows, all in the name of  St. Valentine. But who is this mysterious saint and why do we celebrate this holiday? Read the history of  Valentine's Day at The History Channel. Many experts also believe that St. Valentine's Day comes from the belief that this is the day in spring when birds begin their mating. However, there is another view held. You can read that here.
                — now sit back, read, click and enjoy.

— The Results are in from last months poll called —
—  Let's Play  — "I Wanna-Be Mr. Blackwell"
( Mr. Blackwell, known for his Worst-Dressed Celebrity List )
Thanks to all who responded with YOUR special list of ...

Comments invited.

C YA  nEXT mONTH,
  

«  Now, some stories in the news  »

Clay Aiken Awarded for Service Excellence... Clay has received the Worldwide Pageants Service Excellence Award. He was chosen based on his work in furthering the education and mainstreaming of exceptional young people leading challenged lives, and for creating the Bubel/Aiken Foundation. He is the first recipient of the award. And ... Clay makes a guest appearance on the NBC comedy "Scrubs!" on Feb.15th. See Clay Aiken's official website.

The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation ... needs your help. Last year they raised several thousands of dollars at their Louisville Kentucky Rocky Mountain Elk Banquet for their local elk herd located in the Daniel Boone Natural Forest area, which is the largest herd east of the Mississippi. According to Nick Thompson, "we now have an elk hunting season due to the work of the RMEF and our local fish & game commission. We also have plans of starting herds in West Virginia and other states. Our annual banquet is April 23, 2005. If you have anything that we could use for a donation such as a video, reloading item, magazine subscription, game call or any other elk, duck or deer hunting related items, we would appreciate any contribution and would be happy to write you a receipt for your donation. Items may also help to advertise your services or products to our members and can be anything of value. All sponsors and their donations are given credit at the banquet and in our brochures."
Contact Information is:
Nick Thompson 308 Dogwood Louisville, KY 40214
Call 1-502-749-4533. Or visit their website.

The second  Nextel Cup Series ... season gets under way at Daytona International Speedway when the Daytona 500 gets the green flag on Feb. 20. This month also marks the date of the death of racings' biggest icon, the Man in Black, Dale Earnhardt.

Who could ever forget ... the day The Intimdator became The Winner. He had won at this track 33 times but none of those victories were called 'The Daytona 500.' In 19 years previous, his near misses included four second-place finishes and twice leading on the final lap, but not this day. Not this time.
For today is Feb. 15, 1998. "We won it! We won it! We won it!," Earnhardt yelled as he climbed out from his car. "The Daytona 500 is ours!"
and Who could ever forget ... seeing all those crewmen from virtually every team lining up to congratulate Earnhardt, as he drove slowly down pit road towards Victory Lane, slapping his hand with high-fives and cheering. No matter which team they represented — today — they  ALL were No. 3 fans.
and Who could ever forget ... the day, February 18, 2001, when the seven-time Winston Cup Champion Dale Earnhardt, 49, was tragically killed in a last-lap crash at the Daytona 500 while attempting to hold back the pack, in order to give his son a better chance for the victory.
and Who can ever forget ... hearing these statements, "This is understandably the hardest announcement I've ever had to make. We've lost Dale Earnhardt." by Mike Helton, President of NASCAR —and— "NASCAR has lost its greatest driver ever, and I personally have lost a great friend." by Bill France, Jr., Chairman of NASCAR.

The death of Dale Earnhardt moved America like no other athlete's death ever had. Earnhardt was an original, a one-of-a-kind guy who captured the hearts of American stock car racing fans and the general public as well. With a twinkle in his eye and a devilish grin on his face, Earnhardt shoved and pushed his way to the front. With unparalleled determination, he willed his race cars to victory. He was loved not so much for the number of checkered flags and championships he won, but for the spectacular style with which he won them throughout his career.
... and Who will ever forget ... exactly six years later to the day, when his son Dale Jr. won the Daytona 500 on Feb. 15, 2004.
... and Who will ever forget ... the extended TV coverage of Dales' Memorial Service as millions of fans tuned in to share their grief, taking pause to remember and say good-bye to their champion and racings' biggest icon.   No ... I will never forget!

College Students Studying Martina McBride ... Martina is a course subject for students at Salem College, a small liberal arts school for women in Winston-Salem, N.C. Students are studying her song lyrics for core values and themes and discuss ways they, like McBride, could use their voices to address community issues. Many of her songs directly address issues that relate to women and young girls growing up in our culture. Martina doesn't write her own songs but she addresses thorny topics that deal with pain, sadness, love and hope. Her latest project is a Valentine's Day CD, "My Heart," available exclusively in Hallmark Gold Crown stores through Feb. 14. To date, she's sold over 13 million albums.

Johnny Carson, late-night TV legend ... died Jan. 23, 2005 of emphysema. He was host of "The Tonight Show" for nearly 30 years. "And so it has come to this. I am one of the lucky people in the world. I found something that I always wanted to do and I have enjoyed every single minute of it," were Johnnys' words when he closed his final show. That was May 22, 1992.
     ... But, Did You Know?

 •  Johnny started his career as a magician and ventriloquist.
 •  Served in the Navy from 1943 to 1946.
 •  Was a staff writer for "The Red Skelton Show."
 •  Made his debut as "Tonight" host on October 1, 1962.
 •  Was highest-paid performer in TV 80's with $5 million salary.
 •  Has one older brother, Dick.
 •  Was married 4 times, divorced three.
 •  His wives names were Joan, Joanne, Joanna and Alexis.
 •  Had 3 sons, Christopher (a golf pro), Rick (a photographer who died in a car accident in 1991) and Cory (a guitarist).
 •  The 1969 on-show marriage of Tiny Tim to Miss Vicki, won his shows' biggest-ever ratings.
 •  An estimated 50 million people watched his final broadcast.
 •  Was inducted into the Television Hall of Fame in 1987.
 •  His official website is www.johnnycarson.com
  Related Links:
      a CNN Report and Heeeeere's Johnny!

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) 857-5242 —or— Toll Free 877-857-5242.

Digital Music Market Booming ... The market for digital music on the Internet and mobile phones boomed in 2004, according to a report from the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry, or IFPI. Music fans legally downloaded more than 200 million tracks in 2004, up from 20 million in 2003. There are now more than 230 online sites where consumers can buy music legally, and that's up from 50 a year ago. Music on mobile phones is also becoming increasingly popular. (see Billboard's NEW ringtones chart ). However, "the legitimate growth of the digital music market continues to be threatened by piracy," says John Kennedy, chairman of the IFPI. The IFPI and its subsidiaries have launched hundreds of lawsuits against individuals it accuses of illegally sharing music through the Internet. Kennedy also said education campaigns warning people against downloading illegally and sharing music has begun to take effect. "I'd like to think people will begin to see it as a deterrent but unfortunately, it takes a volume of lawsuits before they do." read more.

HARRISBURG - Attorney General Tom Corbett ... announced on Jan. 27th that a Cambria County Internet Service Provider will issue refunds or credits to consumers who paid for Internet services that were promised but never provided. Some customers claimed that they were unable to access the internet. Other consumers claimed that while they were able to log on to the Internet, their service was frequently disconnected. In an agreement filed by the Bureau of Consumer Protection, former or existing customers who failed to receive the purchased services are entitled to a credit or refund and have until April 14 to file a complaint with the Office of Attorney General. Corbett said an "Assurance of Voluntary Compliance" agreement was reached with Never-Enuff Internet Services. The assurance resolves alleged violations of Pennsylvania's Unfair Trade Practices and Consumer Protection Law. According to investigators, 14 Cambria and Indiana County consumers filed complaints claiming that the company accepted payment for Internet services, but failed to provide those services during January, February and March 2004. Additional complaints and the full story is here. Also see http://www.attorneygeneral.gov.

    J-O-K-E  of  the  M-O-N-T-H

Every man wants a wife who is beautiful, understanding, economical, and a good cook.
Problem is, the law allows only one wife.
—————

Two guys were discussing popular family trends on sex, marriage and values.
Stu says, "I didn't sleep with my wife before we got married, did you?"
Leroy replied, "I'm not sure, What was her maiden name?"

—————

A woman rushed home from work one day and exclaimed to her husband, "Pack your bags, I've won the lottery !"
The husband excitedly asks,
"Should I pack clothes for cold or warm weather?"
She says, "Just Pack'em all, ... you're leaving !"

(click play to listen to 'Cupid')

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: »

Improve Network and Internet Speed ...
The speed of your network connection doesn't just depend on the speed of your hardware. Windows is an operating system that is designed to work on a variety of different hardware and network setups. Because of the abstract nature of the operating system, it cannot be factory optimized for user-specific hardware setups. Depending on the type of network connection you have, you might be able to tweak your connection so that the speed of your Internet, as well as your local area network, will be faster. By hacking the System Registry and editing the TCP/IP parameters, you can fine-tune the values to take advantage of more reliable, faster Internet connections. More info at ExtremeTech.

Time for a Quiz:

What would you be saying?

— if you said this —

click here for answer

Translated, they all are saying,
"I Love You"
To say "I love you" in more languages go here.
(to hide the answer, click it again)

Did You Know?
Hallmark first offered
Valentine’s Day cards in 1913.

Send this Newsletter to a Friend!

Be Careful Removing Installed Patches from Windows Updates
You can remove Windows software updates by using the Add or Remove Programs applet in your Control Panel, however, removing updates in the wrong order can cause your system to stop working properly. You must remove updates in the exact opposite order to the order in which they were installed. For more info, read KB 823836.

A Tip regarding your PC Bios
BIOS means Basic Input Output System. The built-in software containing all the code required to control your keyboard, display screen, disk drives, etc.
Before your PC boots, press the delete button ... this should give you access to bios.
Caution: For advanced users only!
Learn more about it at Bios Central and related links and info here.

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 or family calling YOU for help with their computer! For just $24.95, it's a good investment. read more

See our Newsletter Archive

How can I clean out old data from the Registry?
Although it's possible to manually go through the Registry and delete unwanted entries, Microsoft has provided a tool to automate the process, the program is called RegClean. RegClean analyzes Windows Registry keys stored in a common location in the Windows Registry. It finds keys that contain erroneous values, it removes them from the Windows Registry after having recording those entries in the Undo.Reg file. You can download the free utility from their downloads page.
Caution: Using the Registry Editor incorrectly can cause problems!

How To Open the Registry Editor
There are several methods for starting the Registry Editor,
the simplest way is to:
-» Click on the Start button
-» then select Run
-» in the Open box type regedit
if Registry Editor is installed, it should open.

Related Links:
What is the Registry?
The Registry Guide for Windows
Backing Up the Windows Registry

How to Enable "Show Updates"
One change made by SP2 in Windows XP, is the new feature that lets you see the updates that have been installed for your application programs. This comes in handy for keeping up with the patch status of your programs, but you need to enable it. — Here's how:
-» Click Start
-» Control Panel
-» Add or Remove Programs
At the top of the Add or Remove Programs window, check the checkbox labeled "Show updates." Scroll to the program for which you want to see updates. The updates will be listed under the program name, along with the date when each update was installed.

Ad-Aware SE
from Lavasoft
is the latest version of this free spyware-removal tool. The utility scans your system for the most common types of advertising spyware and safely removes offending software. It's an essential component of any Windows system. This latest version from Lavasoft features an improved interface and a new technology to identify new and unknown variants of known targets. The help manual has been overhauled too. If you treasure your privacy, you should consider downloading Ad-Aware.
Important Ad-Aware SE may not function correctly if old versions are not removed prior to an upgrade or installing a new version. If you need help, see their support forums.

Notice to Sting Customers
in the Glendale Area
Sting Communications is working on implementing solutions to resolve the technical problems that some are having. They remain committed to delivering excellent service to all of their customers, and now have a local phone number for customer service.
672-4428.

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

Horn Broken
Watch  for  Finger.

this just in:

Regarding Computer Errors
IF after several attempts
your problem remains unsolved,
the answer may be here.

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