Tuesday, December 31, 2013

2013 Year in Review

As with any true blog it would only seem fitting to have my own year in review so here it is.

Malware, spyware and viruses... still very much a part of the internet with the emphasis on malware and spyware. It is pretty much a safe bet that if you have pop ups you have some sort of malware causing this and typically it means you have surfed a website that has latched itself on to your browser via some sort of malicious script/cookie that now also spies on you, allowing advertisers to know just what sorts of ads are perfect for you.  Facebook calls this marketing and spends their time and effort creating new algorithms that do just that.  Some will say comments like, "if it is going to show me ads based on what I am already searching for then I don't have a problem with it, after all, it's better than the "little blue pill" ads". Unfortunately however, you have lost site of the true picture here.. the fact that you are being monitored in the first place!

The old days of viruses are pretty much a thing of the past although windows machines still require having some sort of antivirus program installed.  For this I have been a firm believer in AVAST "free" antivirus.  Unfortunately, much like everything else on the internet that is 'free', this seems almost too good to be true and it typically is. Avast is no different with the fact that they will continually try to get you to upgrade to their pro version which you DO NOT need.  Other malware scanner programs like Malwarebytes also have a 'pro version' that is subscription based and along with your $20 annual fee, you have the ability to have this program not only monitor everything you do on the internet but slow your computer down in the process.. so once again you should NOT be paying for this sort of service.



Offsite Backup:  The one service that you should be paying for is offsite backup. This is by far the best thing to come along on the internet in some time.  Because your computer is basically always connected to the internet, it only makes sense to have it constantly backing up any new files you have saved to your computer, in the event of a major disaster such as fire, flood or theft. And, in the case of a theft, the crook would most likely be turning on your computer and having it show up on the internet, even for a short period of time is all the offsite backup software requires in order to track, just like the 'find my phone' apps available for your phone. Since these offsite backup programs range in price and features, finding one that works best is key and this is what I am here for.. currently BACKBLAZE is the company of choice.. with annual fees of $50 per year for unlimited data backup you really can't go wrong.  I like to think of it as the price of 1 large Starbucks coffee per month to know your data is safe, no matter what you do to your computer. Did I mention retrieval of your files, should you forget one of them while travelling? Yes, you can retrieve files from your backed up computer by simply logging in to your offsite account and downloading whatever files you need... that in itself may be worth the $50 annual fee for some!

So what does all this have to do with the year in review? Well, for starters, there are more companies providing you with that malware/spyware and even more companies that are willing to provide you with anti-malware/spyware software to not only remove but 'monitor' for any future problems you may have.. this is where you can really get taken for a ride.. when you buy a new computer, count on at least 3 hours to remove and clean up the computer from all the crapware it comes with and installing and setting up things properly, not to mention the transfer of data from your old computer, the creation of backup recovery disks, etc.. count on a full day shot before you can actually start to use that new computer you just bought.  This is where Chromebook shines.. along comes a device... a laptop that you simply turn on and sign in to your google account and everything is there waiting for you. Your mail, contacts and all your files you have saved on your 'drive'.  What other operating system do you know that actually gets faster the longer you own your computer?  I have now owned a chromebook for over a year and the Samsung unit is faster now then it ever was!  It ships with a 16gb SSD drive which to most, seem rather crazy as you would fill it in no time.. however I have probably used maybe 2 GB of the drive, since everything is stored to the Google Drive.  Yes "Cloud Computing" is the big thing.. it has been for some time, and is only now becoming mainstage. With smartphones now using quad-core processors they are very much portable computers on their own and so the ability to access files from your google drive, for example, becomes very important regardless of the device you are using.  It is therefore no surprise to see Microsoft's Christmas marketing campaign bash the Chromebook for it's lack of being a computer when it has no internet, calling it a 'brick'.. yet the numbers show that 26% of all laptop sales for 2013 were from Chromebooks.. so it's no wonder you see Microsoft in somewhat of a panic.  Personally speaking, I haven't used office in over 2 years, pretty much since I went full time with Google docs (now drive).

Now, with Avast antivirus doing a great job of preventing a virus bomb from going off on your computer, they too want to get in to your computer to do even more, with software updating and other monitoring, all of which I opt out of. I utilize other anti-malware scanning programs like malwarebytes and ccleaner which I use as tools when it is time to clean, not monitor all the time. So this hasn't changed at all.

Tablets have pretty much become common place with laptops now supporting touch screen displays and in the case of some like the Asus Transformer which is a laptop with removable screen that becomes a tablet makes things even more obviously portable for 2014. Chromebooks are now taking up over 1 quarter of the laptop market because we all know we want to be online to communicate and a very simple and inexpensive way to do this is without the exorbitant fees that Microsoft charge to use their operating system, not to mention all the malware/spyware/virus protection you need to go along with it.  The future is online and always connected and Chromebooks recognizes that.

As always I can be contacted 24/7/365 Days a Year if you have any questions or problems you need help with.


Happy New Year and may 2014 be YOUR YEAR!




No Agenda Newsletter

A short newsletter highlighting some recent discoveries and initiatives of the No Agenda Show. Listen live every Thursday and Sunday at 9:00 AM PST. Always available for download at the show page here.
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Dear Producers,

Congratulate yourselves for a great year of No Agenda support as the year 2014begins fresh.

 
Now is the time to renew your subscriptions to the show here and here. Also it’s a good time to become an executive producer by visiting dvorak.org/na .

If you have never donated to the show now is the time to remedy that with a small $20.14 contribution to celebrate the New Year. Get your No Agenda New Year's show off to a good start.
 

And note that unlike all the folks putting on re-runs and clip shows this week, No Agenda will stream live as usual on Thursday. Please support this effort. We’ll even discuss some rare tech news on The upcoming show. Here’s a story about how the Chromebook sales are exaggerated.  

So Happy New Years to the No Agenda family of patrons, producers, Knights, Dames, random royalty and supporters.

Your co-hosts,
John C. Dvorak & Adam Curry
PS. Become a Knight in 2014!!
 


Sunday, December 29, 2013

No Agenda Show for Sunday December 29th Blast Wave Accelerator

No Agenda Show for Sunday December 29th
Blast Wave Accelerator
 
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Executive Producers: Sir R. S. Bagwell, Sir David Foley Duke of Silicon Valley, Sir Brian Ferguson, James Wells
Associate Executive Producers: Sir Chevalier Jean, Nick Eizmendi, Daniel Ruden, Sir Blake Israel, Dawn Rozakis
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Knighthoods: Jean from the Hague -> "Chevalier Jean", Blake Israel -> Knight of Procrastination,Calum Mackenzie -> Sir Bert of Gitmo nation Independent wild haggis
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Saturday, December 28, 2013

No Agenda Producers Update


 
Dear Producers,

Tomorrow is the last show of the miserable year 2013 as No Agenda begins it’s lucky 7th year bring news analysis not found anywhere else. Send the show your appreciation with an end of the year contribution or grab the last Executive orAssociate Executive producership for 2013. Click here and show your generosity.

Unlike the clip shows, re-runs, and retrospectives done elsewhere, No Agenda will have abrand-new show for you tomorrow. Listen on the stream or download as soon as you can.

 

 
And have a happy and prosperous 2014.

Your co-host

John C. Dvorak
PS If you have not already, this would be a good time to begin a monthly subscription. Our most popular are $11.11 and $33.33.

 
 

TPS Consulting Daily





Thursday, December 26, 2013

No Agenda Show for Thursday December 26th 2013 Scripted Fat Talk

No Agenda Show for Thursday December 26th 2013
Scripted Fat Talk
 
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Executive Producers: James Doebbler, Sir Gene-Baron de Marriott-Sherrif of Texas, Sir Hank, Sir Dr. Sharkey
Associate Executive Producers: Sir Michael Miller, Nick Principe
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Knighthoods: Robert Tennent
Titles: Sir Dr Sharkey -> Viscount of the Tennessee Valley, Sir Hank -> baronet, Sir Micheal Miller -> Viscount of Marin
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Tuesday, December 24, 2013

Happy Holidays-A Special Thanks to Mr.Gates and You!





As it is once again the time of year for sharing good tidings to all I send my own personal blessings to everyone who helped me make it  through another year of computer hell!   Of course I first must thank Mr.Bill Gates for creating such a wonderful operating system that took the world by storm back in the early 90's because if it weren't for him, I wouldn't have the mess to clean up as I often do.   It also gives me great joy in knowing that my research in to the problem technology may help others and if nothing else, make it easier for you to use in the end.  So without you, what is referred to as the end-user but for me, my client and most importantly my friend, I certainly would not have made it through 2013!

If you know me, as most of you reading this do, you understand this is my lifestyle and living and breathing tech is what I enjoy most. The satisfaction for me is when I learn that my help has prevented one more grey hair on your head or another destroyed keyboard from being broken over your desk.  Trying to keep it simple when dealing with tech is not always an easy task but it is the challenge I look forward to!

Just knowing I have put a smile on your face when that stubborn device begins to work the way it was intended to. From a little tweak here or there, or maybe a simple sentence or two I have put together in a response to a very frustrated email message I received from you,makes my day, no, it my year complete!

Thank you for your continued patronage.

I hope you and those nearest and dearest to your heart have a warm, safe and most enjoyable Holiday Season and a very Healthy and Prosperous New Year!



Monday, December 23, 2013

No Agenda Show for Sunday December 22nd 2013 Mysterious Erratic

No Agenda Show for Sunday December 22nd 2013
Mysterious Erratic
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Executive Producers: Sir Grand Duke Steven Pelsmaekers, Sir David Foley Black Baron of Silicon Valley, Sir Rick Zanotti of the North, Sir Incognegro, Sir Theodore Hosmann, Sir Charles Jordan, Dame Francine Hardaway, Sir Richard Garrett, Sir Semi Anonymous, Monica Lansing
Associate Executive Producers: Kevin Hart, Miquel Espinal, Donald Kuehl, Michelle & Adriel Cartmell, Peter C. Norwood, Zach Morrison, Sir Kent O'Rourke, Armando Guerra, Neil Liston, Dave
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Knighthoods: *Rick Zanotti -> Sir Rick of the North, Incognegro -> Sir InCogNegro, Theodore Hosmann -> Sir Theodore Hosmann, Semi-Anonymous -> Sir Semi
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Saturday, December 21, 2013

No Agenda Producers Note

Dear Producers,

It’s Christmas week and the No Agenda Show continues with new and originalmaterial because the news cycle never stops.

There will be real shows for the next two weeks. And this makes it the perfect time toshow your appreciation for the show and the ones you love by giving a holiday or Christmas gift with a special donation to the show on behalf of one you love.Click here.

 

Not a lot of people care much for media during these holidays, preferring to spend more time with their families. You know the show will not get as much financial support during these two weeks.

So if you appreciate this effort then you are encouraged to give back during the last two weeks of 2013 with a generous end-of-the-year contribution by clicking here.

Or become a 2013 Knight.

 

There are some interesting stories developing for tomorrow’s show including the fact that the Gates Foundation is investing in private prisons. How nice.

 
And did any of you read this scathing indictment of Jon Stewart by one of his former writers here?  When you read this and note the No Agenda assertion that Bill O’Reilly is really a Democrat pretending to be a Republican, you really have to wonder about the Mainstream Media of which these two are deeply embedded. You cannot trust any mainstream media that is compromised by advertising. It’s just not possible any more.
 
 
That’s why we have developed a model you can trust. YOU directly support the show. It is that simple. Help the No Agenda Show finish the end of the year in good shape by contributing today.
 
Thanks,
Your cohost,


John C. Dvorak
PS I’ll try and jazz up the support page here, for the holidays.



 

Friday, December 20, 2013

TPS Consulting Daily





Thursday, December 19, 2013

No Agenda Show for Thursday December 19th 2013 BIOS Brick

No Agenda Show for Thursday December 19th 2013
BIOS Brick
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Executive Producer: Dennis Nutting
Associate Executive Producers: Sir Brian Kaufman, Christopher Grimm, Mike Sabers, Charles Gene Kohler
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Wednesday, December 18, 2013

No Agenda Newsletter

A short newsletter highlighting some recent discoveries and initiatives of the No Agenda Show. Listen live every Thursday and Sunday at 9:00 AM PST. Always available for download at the show page here.
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Producers,

The show has been lagging in producer-ships during the Holiday season and if you haven’t contributed to the show recently, you need to step up and be more involved. A lot of effort goes into your No Agenda Show, but this has not been reflected in the donations.Please help by clicking here and contributing to your show.

 

As you know, No Agenda has been predicting these nationwide horrible incidents every six weeks. You have to wonder what the authorities who rescued the Cobalt-60 in Mexico are thinking. They are involved in a deadly shootout, according to No Agenda sources, and there is zero media coverage. Meanwhile, a random kid shoots himself in Colorado, while some dummy is suckered by the FBI to drive on to an airport tarmac and the media is all over it. WTF?
 

It’s now apparent that all the news the public is going to get, worldwide, is justorchestrated and controlled news.

This means news with a purpose. News with an agenda. You can make the argument that from a government perspective this is all the news you really need. News designed to control your thinking.
 
You do not need to know about real problems. If you were actually aware, then you mightvote corrupt politicians out of office. Oh no!
 

The eventual problem with media control like this is not good.  You end up with a populous (unlike No Agenda listeners) burnt-out and whacked-out from bad information. The information does not set well within the heart and soul. These people know something is wrong. Something is amiss. But they do not know what or why. They too often end up becoming an unsalvageable mess, lost. You see them everywhere, baffled by it all. Doing what they are told. Thinking the way they are told to think. It's a frightening sight.
 

 
No Agenda clears the air, asks the right questions without selling you stuff. No seeds, water purification systems, gold coins. There is no conflict of interest, ever. This is the key. This approach is important.

You pay for the show. You produce the show. You provide real boots on the ground reporting to the show. The show is for you. Please become an executive producer before the end of the year.

Your co-hosts,
John C. Dvorak & Adam Curry
PS Revisit the support page today!
PPS The Thursday show will have a great take on the NSA "Special" on 60 Minutes. Hilarious.
 

 

Sunday, December 15, 2013

No Agenda Show for Sunday December 15th 2013 Make Happy

No Agenda Show for Sunday December 15th 2013
Make Happy
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Executive Producers: Sir Eric M the Asshole
Associate Executive Producers: Chris Speers, Alexandr Seleznyov
Become a member of the 575 Club, support the show here
Knighthoods: Sir Eric M the Asshole
Titles: Sir Philip Meason -> Sir Philip Meason - Knight Sequestered Baronet of Powys
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Saturday, December 14, 2013

Evernote for all!



When it comes to keeping track of things, writing down a quick note or better still, taking a quick picture of it from your phone while on the fly doesn't get any easier than with Evernote.
Since you can install Evernote on any device (and you should), all of the things you jot down are instantly available on the other devices. Quite simply Evernote is the first app you should be installing on any new device. 
Go and get Evernote now from my referral link!


No Agenda Producers Update

Dear Producers and Supporters,

By now you all know that there was a kind of double-witching week regarding the predicted six-week cycle, almost to the exact day.  Both of us have already developed material regarding these events that you will never find on the mainstream media.
 

Kids All Perp-Walked for Humiliation and Slave Training

Overlooked during these events was an obscure little reported (except on Military.com here ) House subcommittee meeting whereby experts came out and advocated a pre-war build-up of munitions for a war with China. To wit:

Seth Cropsey, a senior fellow at The Hudson Institute, told the subcommittee that the U.S needs a detailed war plan for China in the event that conflict arises. “Chinese leaders are ambitious and they are moving toward great power status. The U.S. is not taking this possibility as seriously as it should,” said Cropsey.

 

There is a lot of news to discuss on Sunday and want to remind you to tune-in if want to listen live at noagendastream.com.  We have returned to our normal time of 9 AM PST.

And remember we do need continuing support like any other show. Please contribute today with a generous contribution here or here on the support page.

Your co-host,

John C. Dvorak
PS The most popular monthly No Agenda subscription is actually $33.33. It’s linked here.