Finding Stolen Laptop

Prey is a free piece of software at http://preyproject.com that you can install on your laptop and then forget about. If your laptop is stolen, you can - when it connects to the net - start it running by inputting a command on another machine.

It can then do some fascinating things, such as taking a photograph of the person who is using it, grab screenshots of active sessions, locate via GPS or wifi hotspots and you can also lock it.

A fascinating tool, but hopefully you'll never need it.

Phil Bradley in CILIP Update

Questions GPs Ask

At the GP surgery you may well get asked the following questions, so it is worthwhile finding out the following:

• When was your last period? Tracking periods is vital, not just for fertility reasons, but because your menstrual cycle can be linked to conditions such as acne, depression and migraines. If you are suuffering from any of these, your GP will ask you to keep a diary to identify if the problem is hormonal. So why not keep a diary now.
• Do you have a family history of ... stroke? heart problems? miscarriage? diabetes? female cancers, like ovarian or breast cancer? If so you could be at greater risk, so your doctor needs to know. Ask your parents for all the facts if you don't know. many allergies (e.g. for peanuts or penicillin) can be inherited, so check that too.
• Are you up to date with your jabs? Knowing what vaccinations and immunisations you have (and haven't) had helps to rule out certain illnesses if you are sick. Your parents will have been given a record of your childhood immunisations, but if it's long gone, request one from your GP surgery.
• How many units of alcohol do you really get through? No fibbing on this one. Alcohol consumption is linked to a number of conditions, such as reflux, low mood and sleep problems, so if your doctor is going to treat them, they need to know the truth.
• What medications are you taking? This is important and pharmacists may ask you as well. It stops GPs prescribing anything that could interactwith a medication and lets them keep an eye on side effects. Herbal remedies and supplements (e.g. St John's wort, black cohosh) count too.
• Have you ever had anything removed? Whether it was your tonsils, spleen, appendix or just a mole, mention it. It doesn't matter if it was a long time ago, or turned out to be benign, it could be relevant. For example, people who have had their spleen removed are more likely to get infections.

 Glamour magazine, April 2014

New Uses - For Old Clothing

We need to recycle and re-use as much as possible, rather than just send stuff to landfill. But sometimes it's difficult to know what to do with some things - like old tights. Here are a couple of ideas.

• Store sheets of wrapping paper in a leg cut from an old pair of tights and it won't unravel (better than an elastic band, as it won't shrivel and snap.
• Use strips of old tights to tie young plants to a stake.
• To locate a lost small item, use a rubber band to fix a sheer stocking to your vacuum's hose, then as you vacuum you can find the item and pick it up without sucking it into the machine - great for finding missing earrings.
• Use a cotton t-shirt rather than a towel to dry your hair, especially in winter. It creates less friction, which helps prevent frizz.
• Unwanted t-shirts can be cut up to use as dusters.
• To remove deodorant marks from clothing, rub another part of the item onto the mark to dust it away.
• An old rubber glove that has been heated up by plunging it into hot water can whisk away errant pet hair in a flash - handy for upholstery.

Various sources: 2014, 2017

Putting Silicone Along Bath Top

Where the bath meets the wall tiles is usually made waterproof with silicone from a tube. If this is done when the bath is empty, the silicone may pull away from bath or tiles when the bath is filled with water - and is therefore heavier. Tip: Fill the bath with water before sealing with silicone.

Fake Emails, Scams and Viruses

Someone phones you to say your computer has been identified as vulnerable and asking you to go to a specific website. Just put the phone down - they want your details. Read more at Microsoft security queries.

You get an email telling you your banking details are incorrect and that you need to go to their website to correct them. Delete the message - they are trying to get your details. Read more at Microsoft security tips.

Something has taken over your internet settings so you automatically get taken to (e.g. a rubbishy shopping-type home page) and all attempts to re-set the default come to nothing next time you log on. The likely cause is that you have downloaded some software that had hi-jack software contained within it. Firstly, see if you can recall what you've downloaded in the recent past. Then go to Google Groups and run a search and see if other people have reported the same thing, and they may have suggestions for getting rid of it. Alternatively, do a search on the name of the page that your browser is now defaulting to  in order to see if anyone has reported the same thing. It's also worth getting a copy of Ad Aware (free) from LavaSoft (www.lavasoftusa.com/) and running that. It should tell you if you've got spyware and so on onstalled and should help yu get rid of it; it's very simple to use and and doesn't require any technical knowhow. Alternatively, try Spybot (www.safernetworking.org/)

Getting emails from FindTheDirt.com? Ignore them. These emails tell you that some of their members were trying to find out information about you. If you visit the site you're told that in order to view the request or the information about you, you need to register. This of course is not free but when you have paid, you find that there is no information about you or that it is very basic, such as your email address.

Phil Bradley in CILIP Update (various dates)