CONFICKER WARNING - VIRUS ATTACK

CONFICKER WARNING - BACKUP YOUR SYSTEMS AND DATA TODAY - URGENT!
--Douglas Castle

Tomorrow -- April 1 -- is D-Day for Conficker, as whatever nasty payload it's packing is currently set to activate. What happens come midnight is a mystery: Will it turn the millions of infected computers into spam-sending zombie robots? Or will it start capturing everything you type -- passwords, credit card numbers, etc. -- and send that information back to its masters?
No one knows, but we'll probably find out soon.

Or not. As Slate notes, Conficker is scheduled to go "live" on April 1, but whoever's controlling it could choose not to wreak havoc but instead do absolutely nothing, waiting for a time when there's less heat. They can do this because the way Conficker is designed is extremely clever: Rather than containing a list of specific, static instructions, Conficker reaches out to the web to receive updated marching orders via a huge list of websites it creates. Conficker.C -- the latest bad boy -- will start checking 50,000 different semi-randomly-generated sites a day looking for instructions, so there's no way to shut down all of them. If just one of those sites goes live with legitimate instructions, Conficker keeps on trucking.

Conficker's a nasty little worm that takes serious efforts to bypass your security defenses, but you aren't without some tools in your arsenal to protect yourself.

Your first step should be the tools you already have: Windows Update, to make sure your computer is fully patched, and your current antivirus software, to make sure anything that slips through the cracks is caught.

But if Conficker's already on your machine, it may bypass certain subsystems and updating Windows and your antivirus at this point may not work. If you are worried about anything being amiss -- try booting into Safe Mode, which Conficker prevents, to check -- you should run a specialized tool to get rid of Conficker.

Microsoft offers a web-based scanner (note that some users have reported it crashed their machines; I had no trouble with it), so you might try one of these downloadable options instead: Symantec's Conficker (aka Downadup) tool, Trend Micro's Cleanup Engine, or Malwarebytes. Conficker may prevent your machine from accessing any of these websites, so you may have to download these tools from a known non-infected computer if you need them. Follow the instructions given on each site to run them successfully. (Also note: None of these tools should harm your computer if you don't have Conficker.)

As a final safety note, all users -- whether they're worried about an infection or know for sure they're clean -- are also wise to make a full data backup today.

What won't work? Turning your PC off tonight and back on on April 2 will not protect you from the worm (sorry to the dozens of people who wrote me asking if this would do the trick). Changing the date on your PC will likely have no helpful effect, either. And yes, Macs are immune this time out.

This warning appears courtesy of Yahoo!

Faithfully,

Douglas Castle
http://aboutdouglascastle.blogspot.com/






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PARADISE LOST - BETRAYALS AND BREACHES

Dear Friends:

Let's take a quick departure from tools, tips and tricks, and speak about Relationship Capital -- a subject aggressively pioneered and pursued by Adam J. Kovitz, the CEO of THE NATIONAL NETWORKER (TNNW), and a friend to many, many people... some of whom underestimate him...some of whom mistake his kindness and willingness to listen for weakness. They misjudge my friend.

The article which follows originally was posted (earlier today) in my professional blog, DOUGLAS CASTLE. I hope that you find resonance with it:
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I have heard it said that betrayal is a rape of the heart. Anyone who has had his or her trust violated by a "trusted" confidante which latter individual either 1) revealed sworn secrets to a third party, or 2) suddenly deserted that person, switched allegiances and even denounced that person in a betrayal made public to a third party or parties (for whatever reason) has felt this terrible sense of violation...of utter, shattering disillusionment.

Each of us, no matter how noble or cowardly, has an instinctive distaste for tattletales ("snitches," "rats," "informants," "whistleblowers," or even gossips) and turncoats. Our psyches are torn by these desperate persons and opportunists. Even a police detective or a prosecuter despises the informants who provide information which is their "stock in trade" to indict and convict other persons. We, in the Great Western Culture, depend upon these compromised persons to support our system of "justice" and to provide us with "intelligence." But, in the end, the thought of them sickens us.

There are two good reasons for this: namely, that 1) they would just as easily betray or inform on us, and cannot be trusted, and 2) because they are weak -- and people despise weakness, in and of itself.

If you have gained advantage by breaching someone else's trust, you have proven yourself untrustworthy, will never be trusted in the future, and will likely be used by the next "parasite" and discarded after your immediate utility is gone.

Part of your credibility rests upon your reputation for 1) being able to keep a secret (even under pressure), and 2) being steadfastly loyal...especially in the eyes of third parties who would seek to denigrate, prosecute or persecute your colleagues or friends.

Your Relationship Capital increases with your demonstrated reputation for keeping your own counsel and for being loyal.

Two questions:

1. Can you be trusted?

2. Are you loyal?

And, two more:

1. Can your new contact be trusted?

2. Will your new contact remain loyal?

Your value as a Human Asset, whether, maven, connector or promoter is dependent upon these factors. Don't be foolish enough to think otherwise.

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Faithfully,

Douglas Castle

PRESS OUR BUTTONS!






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IT'S NOT PERSONAL...

The content which follows was originally published at DOUGLAS CASTLE, earlier today.

Any interaction between two or more persons is, by definition, personal. When someone makes a decsion or takes an action which he or she realizes will affect you, it is not only personal -- it is an exercise of free will and judgment on that other person's part.

When someone says to you (usually while in the process of causing you injury or loss), "This is nothing personal. This is business," he or she is rationalizing or trying to justify (to his or her own conscience) an action that is ethically reprehensible. And that action is always personal. Adding further traction to this fact is that people are so obsessed with making this ridiculous pronouncement.

When a damaging and surprising act of betrayal is imposed upon you, your tormentor will invariably cite the defense (if asked), "It was a business decision."

You cannot abdicate personal judgment and culpability when you are causing any other Human Being pain or loss. Whether invoking "business decision" or just remaining coldly silent and leaving you in the wake of staggering disillusionment, the other person has committed a personal act. And somewhere inside, that person is fully aware of this fact.

How about this? I was only following my orders.

I am ultimately responsible for what I do, and for what I consciously put into motion.

Faithfully,

Douglas Castle

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THREE DECISIONMAKING KEYS

Dear Friends:

There are three components of your consciousness that must be satisfied if you are to make good decisions:

1. YOUR MIND: The chosen course of action must make logical sense. It should be properly thought out.

2. YOUR HEART: Your metaphorical heart, that romantic and compassionate part of you wherein decency dwells, must feel "righteous" about the longer-term effects of the course of action that you have chosen.

3. YOUR GUT: Your intuition and your instincts (those unexplainable "senses" that you "feel" about what you are doing) are your highest analytic resources. They are deeply wired into you for your own preservation, and they are also receptive to the collective mind, and to subtle energies. If your gut says that a choice is wrong, it must be permitted to take precedence over both your Mind and your Heart.

Faithfully,

Douglas Castle
Grouply, Yahoo, Google, McCain, Obama, command,control, leadership, decsionmaking, The National Networker, Internal Energy Plus, Humanitas Maximus, The Internal Energy Plus Forum, control, public service, inspiration, survival, uniting, dividing, conquest, growth, personal growth, self-improvement, personal development, networking, Mixx, Zimbio, Digg, Technorati, Associated Press, LA Times, Fox News, Reuters, alpha, education, leadership crisis, personal power. humanitarianism, The Global Futurist, The Internationalist Page, Braintenance, CIOF On Current Events, blogs, bloggers, news, news releases, Douglas castle, intelligence, cognitive enhancement, advice, help, psychology, focus, technology, seduction, manipulation, debate, education, hypnosis, NLP, RET, articles, Linked In, Microsoft, SEO, fitness, longevity, creativity, meditation, media, YouTube, organizational engineering, winning, success, telepathy, trends, predictions, commentary, blogosphere, relationships, children, fitness, independence, mind, brain, thought, entrainment, Facebook, Naymz, downloads, CDs, tapes, instruction, competition, martial arts, politics, management, widget, blidget, social networking, nanotechnology, weight-loss, humor, alternative energy, philanthropy, not-for-profit organizations, volunteering, interrogation, trade, commerce, personal dynamics, personal coaching, leadership training, mind-body connection, nootropics, longevity, social groups, business groups, marketing, ecommerce, Feedburner, RSS, newsletters, writers, co-operative advertising, leverage, survivalism, viral marketing, public relations, advertising, promotion, image-development, videos, gaming, AI, social awareness, pursuasion, theology, logic, alliances, reputation, ratings, polls, standing, positioning, self-help, metrics, design, interactivity, campaign, Wikis, chat rooms, interactive forums, mentoring, modeling, mind expansion, brainwaves, motivation, current events, press releases, keywords, adwords, economics, geopolitical economics, conflict resolution, activism, achievement, subconscious, collective mind, self-defense, martialk arts, crisis management, team-building, conflict resolution, building vocabulary, self-growth, instinct, intuition, health, wellness, self-mastery, dim mak, Magnolia, Delicious, news alerts, personal coaching, mentoring, stress-reduction, accomplishment, success, wealth-building, rapid learning systems, educational technologies, weight loss, bodybuilding, nutrition, personal power, networking, relationship-building, humor, internationalism, futurism, Humanitas Maximus, Widgetbox, search engine rankings, visceral learning, genetic memory, winning, victory, business development, strategic planning, wealth-building, Sphere, blogosphere, Sphere: Related Content

CHRISTINE SOTMARY RADIO INTERVIEW

THE NATIONAL NETWORKER (TNNW) is honored to invite you to a radio show featuring an interview with TNNW Member CHRISTINE SOTMARY, author of the newly-released and critically-acclaimed book LIVING ON THE VERGE OF INSANITY. The show, hosted by Paul Morris, will be aired Wednesday, March 25th, from 4:00 pm to 5:00 pm (Eastern Time) at www.blogtalkradio.com/the-self-bonding-hour.

You can order Christine’s book directly at http://christinesotmary.blogspot.com/.

More info?: Click for download http://www.mediafire.com/?ynnzgbgyk2m





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FREELANCE WRITERS PUT DOUGLAS CASTLE IN HIS PLACE

Dear Friends:

So many people are so busy venting their hostilities, that they may unknowingly be burning bridges and missing out on opportunities.

Click on the following link and have a laugh at my expense:

http://www.mediafire.com/?ooomyli4crk

Faithfully,

Douglas Castle



Grouply, Yahoo, Google, McCain, Obama, command,control, leadership, decsionmaking, The National Networker, Internal Energy Plus, Humanitas Maximus, The Internal Energy Plus Forum, control, public service, inspiration, survival, uniting, dividing, conquest, growth, personal growth, self-improvement, personal development, networking, Mixx, Zimbio, Digg, Technorati, Associated Press, LA Times, Fox News, Reuters, alpha, education, leadership crisis, personal power. humanitarianism, The Global Futurist, The Internationalist Page, Braintenance, CIOF On Current Events, blogs, bloggers, news, news releases, Douglas castle, intelligence, cognitive enhancement, advice, help, psychology, focus, technology, seduction, manipulation, debate, education, hypnosis, NLP, RET, articles, Linked In, Microsoft, SEO, fitness, longevity, creativity, meditation, media, YouTube, organizational engineering, winning, success, telepathy, trends, predictions, commentary, blogosphere, relationships, children, fitness, independence, mind, brain, thought, entrainment, Facebook, Naymz, downloads, CDs, tapes, instruction, competition, martial arts, politics, management, widget, blidget, social networking, nanotechnology, weight-loss, humor, alternative energy, philanthropy, not-for-profit organizations, volunteering, interrogation, trade, commerce, personal dynamics, personal coaching, leadership training, mind-body connection, nootropics, longevity, social groups, business groups, marketing, ecommerce, Feedburner, RSS, newsletters, writers, co-operative advertising, leverage, survivalism, viral marketing, public relations, advertising, promotion, image-development, videos, gaming, AI, social awareness, pursuasion, theology, logic, alliances, reputation, ratings, polls, standing, positioning, self-help, metrics, design, interactivity, campaign, Wikis, chat rooms, interactive forums, mentoring, modeling, mind expansion, brainwaves, motivation, current events, press releases, keywords, adwords, economics, geopolitical economics, conflict resolution, activism, achievement, subconscious, collective mind, self-defense, martialk arts, crisis management, team-building, conflict resolution, building vocabulary, self-growth, instinct, intuition, health, wellness, self-mastery, dim mak, Magnolia, Delicious, news alerts, personal coaching, mentoring, stress-reduction, accomplishment, success, wealth-building, rapid learning systems, educational technologies, weight loss, bodybuilding, nutrition, personal power, networking, relationship-building, humor, internationalism, futurism, Humanitas Maximus, Widgetbox, search engine rankings, visceral learning, genetic memory, winning, victory, business development, strategic planning, wealth-building, Sphere, blogosphere, Sphere: Related Content

MIND OVER MATTERS

Dear Friends:

Before I launch into my diatribe, I wanted to remind you to be certain to subscribe to (either via email or RSS feed) BRAINTENANCE (http://braintenance.blogspot.com/) and DOUGLAS CASTLE (http://aboutdouglascastle.blogspot.com/) for daily exercises and items to provoke mind-expanding thought.

Be certain, as well, to keep up to date with our IEP online community at http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/INTERNAL_ENERGY_PLUS/ (join us, if you haven't already become a member) and to visit our website at http://www.internalenergyplus.com/. The products and programs there are life-altering and transformative. These may well be the only sure investments which you can make in these uncertain and stressful economic times.

MIND OVER MATTERS

Mother was indeed right. What you think about most, is what you tend to attract. If you are immersed in thoughts of failure, gloom and doom, you will tend to attract those sorry outcomes. There are two reasons for this, and both are quite simple: Firstly, there is The Law Of Attraction (put simply, misery loves company, and success tends to breed success); Secondly, there is the simple psychological effect of the Self-Fulfilling Prophesy (put simply, if you think that you are incapable and will fail, you are defeaating yourself before you start).

Matters within the scope of your control will be products of thoughts, which lead to our actions. Matters beyond the scope of your control should be perceived as lessons and challenges to your ability to be flexible, to adapt and to learn. No experience which leaves us still alive, is totally negative.

To have the life that you truly desire (that wonderful life that you dream or fantasize about when you put aside your self-limiting beliefs), you must control your thought processes first, and foremost. INTERNAL ENERGY PLUS has all of the tools necessary to achieve this crucial step. Right-minded thinking attracts opportunity, success, friendship, wealth and health...and right-minded thinking begins with training and entrainment -- the tools of INTERNAL ENERGY PLUS.

I urge you to visit http://www.internalenergyplus.com/ today, to take a tour, and to pick out at least one tool for making your mind into your ally...whether it is a CD a DVD a Script, a book...MAKE AN INVESTMENT IN YOURSELF THAT YIELDS INTEREST AND DIVIDENDS FOREVER.

Don't hoard your limited funds. Don't squander, gamble or waste them on instant gratification or foolish riskiness in the madness of the moment. INVEST IN YOURSELF with IEP.

Your thoughts control your actions, and your actions control your fate.

Go to http://www.internalenergyplus.com/, invest in yourself, and spend some time away from the negative media pepetuation of the worldwide economic recession. stop letting others control what you think, what you do, and what you achieve.

Don't waste any more time. Take a quick, inexpensive action to dramatically improve your life.

Faithfully,

Douglas Castle

Grouply, Yahoo, Google, McCain, Obama, command,control, leadership, decsionmaking, The National Networker, Internal Energy Plus, Humanitas Maximus, The Internal Energy Plus Forum, control, public service, inspiration, survival, uniting, dividing, conquest, growth, personal growth, self-improvement, personal development, networking, Mixx, Zimbio, Digg, Technorati, Associated Press, LA Times, Fox News, Reuters, alpha, education, leadership crisis, personal power. humanitarianism, The Global Futurist, The Internationalist Page, Braintenance, CIOF On Current Events, blogs, bloggers, news, news releases, Douglas castle, intelligence, cognitive enhancement, advice, help, psychology, focus, technology, seduction, manipulation, debate, education, hypnosis, NLP, RET, articles, Linked In, Microsoft, SEO, fitness, longevity, creativity, meditation, media, YouTube, organizational engineering, winning, success, telepathy, trends, predictions, commentary, blogosphere, relationships, children, fitness, independence, mind, brain, thought, entrainment, Facebook, Naymz, downloads, CDs, tapes, instruction, competition, martial arts, politics, management, widget, blidget, social networking, nanotechnology, weight-loss, humor, alternative energy, philanthropy, not-for-profit organizations, volunteering, interrogation, trade, commerce, personal dynamics, personal coaching, leadership training, mind-body connection, nootropics, longevity, social groups, business groups, marketing, ecommerce, Feedburner, RSS, newsletters, writers, co-operative advertising, leverage, survivalism, viral marketing, public relations, advertising, promotion, image-development, videos, gaming, AI, social awareness, pursuasion, theology, logic, alliances, reputation, ratings, polls, standing, positioning, self-help, metrics, design, interactivity, campaign, Wikis, chat rooms, interactive forums, mentoring, modeling, mind expansion, brainwaves, motivation, current events, press releases, keywords, adwords, economics, geopolitical economics, conflict resolution, activism, achievement, subconscious, collective mind, self-defense, martialk arts, crisis management, team-building, conflict resolution, building vocabulary, self-growth, instinct, intuition, health, wellness, self-mastery, dim mak, Magnolia, Delicious, news alerts, personal coaching, mentoring, stress-reduction, accomplishment, success, wealth-building, rapid learning systems, educational technologies, weight loss, bodybuilding, nutrition, personal power, networking, relationship-building, humor, internationalism, futurism, Humanitas Maximus, Widgetbox, search engine rankings, visceral learning, genetic memory, winning, victory, business development, strategic planning, wealth-building, Sphere, blogosphere,

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