Trouble Playing Flash? Here's a Step-By-Step Fix

"I'm sure all the YouTube videos you mention are great, but I've tried everything, but I can't get the Flash player to work on my PC."

That was from Frank D., who continued wailing:

"I'm using WinXP Pro SP2, Internet Explorer 6, Mozilla Firefox, and each is up to date. But every time I go to view a YouTube video, I get the same message: "Hello, you either have JavaScript turned off or an old version of Adobe's Flash Player. Get the latest Flash player."

There are a few things Frank -- and any of you having trouble playing videos with the Flash player -- can do.

1. Make sure you have the most current browser version -- Internet Explorer 7.0.5730.11 and Firefox 2.0.0.13.
2. YouTube videos use Adobe's Flash player. So start by verifying that it's really a Flash problem -- or something else blocking Flash. Scroll to Adobe's Test Adobe Shockwave & Flash Players site. If you don't see an animation, it might be Flash was never installed -- or a component is corrupt.


Flash test in action




3. You'll need to uninstall Flash before reinstalling the latest version. (BTW, the current version is 9,0,115,0.) Use Adobe?s uninstaller.
4. Once Flash is uninstalled and you've restarted your browser, follow Adobe?s instructions for reinstalling Flash.

If you're using Vista and Flash doesn't uninstall or reinstall, you'll have to tweak Vista's permissions. Use Explorer, navigate to C:\Windows\System32\Macromed\Flash\, and right-click on the file -- FlashUtil9b.exe or FlashUtil9e.exe -- that exists in that folder. Select "Run as Administrator."

5. Repeat the test in step one. If you still can't see the animation, temporarily disable your pop-up blocker, restart your browser, and try the test again. If that fixes the problem, you'll need to fiddle with your pop-up blocker in order to left Flash slip through. Otherwise, go to the next step.
6. No luck? Download and install an ActiveX version of Flash 9 just in case it didn't install properly using the version in step 4.
7. If Flash still isn't doing what it should, try reinstalling Java for Windows.

If all is well, watch this video of the now famous Doberman who loves getting into the pool using the slide.

Great Sunday Video: "Can I have a napkin. . . Please?"

The very best musicals are impromptu. [Warning: Sound]

Friday Roundup of Time Wasters

It's Friday and you know I spend the week finding things to amuse you -- and to keep you away from important projects. So here's this week's roundup of time killers.

How many cannibals could your body feed? Well, it kinda depends on whether you keep kosher or have decided to go vegan. Wait until after lunch to find out.

Take careful aim and see if you can avoid what I did -- missing the apple.

Ready, aim, and duck...

As a birder, there are a few golden rules. Number one is the adage that you can look up at birds, but always keep your mouth closed.

It's hard to believe anyone would spend the time grabbing what looks like, I dunno, 30,000 URLs and matching logos. But AllMyFaves has done it[Thanks Tom Lenzo.]

Whatever you need seems to be on AllMyFaves.

Here's a vid of a decent illusion from one of those wacky Japanese TV celebrity shows. I have to give 'em credit -- it sure looks like he's walking through the table.

"If you think this is cool -- it is!" At five minutes, this plane vs. auto (doing 198 mph) drag race is a little long. But totally great to watch. [Thanks Gus.]

You have yahoos speeding up your street? Try to get hold of this new type of speed bump. It appears to be quite effective.

Remember when smoking was cool and ads actually proclaimed that "More Doctors Smoke Camels"? Amazingly enough, I do.

Time Inaccurate? Change Your Battery

I get lots of e-mail asking for help. Yesterday, Cynthia M. fired off a note asking why the time on her PC was erratic.

"So today, my normally-reliable computer at work starts changing the time. First it thinks that it's 5 p.m. on Monday. Unfortunately, it's already Tuesday. Oddest thing, though, it correctly identifies that I'm on Pacific Daylight Time. Fast forward through several resets, reboots, McAfee Virus Scans, and deleting and reinstalling the Windows Daylight Savings Time patch. Better, but no cigar: Now the time is resetting back to 10:25 a.m., although it's at least recognizing it is Tuesday."

The problem, I told her, is a weak system battery. The symptoms can also exhibit as a temperamental PC, say, booting to a simple, but horrifying message that the hard drive doesn't exist. The next boot, however, will be normal.

A battery stores a PC's CMOS settings, the time and date, among other things. A dying battery confuses the settings. Changing it is straightforward, but time consuming.

First record your computer's existing CMOS settings. Boot up and head for your system's Setup screen. Do that by watching the screen for instructions. For instance, my PC wants me to hit the Delete key; my notebook tells me to use F10.

Once the Setup's visible, use a digital camera to snap an image of each page; the other option is to jot the info down using pencil and paper.

BTW, some computers come with a handy program for saving your CMOS settings. You'll have to hunt around in your PC's manual to see if you're one of the lucky ones. Read Make a Backup of Your CMOS for details.]

Once you've recorded the CMOS settings, turn off and unplug the PC, take off the cover, and check the tutorial at LiveRepair. They'll show you, step-by-step, how to pop out the battery. You can pick up a new coin cell battery for under $7 at any electronics store.

Boot your system, step through each page of the setup, changing the settings to match your original settings, and you're good to go.

CMOS battery hanging around a systemboard

FlashGet's Security Hole Delivers a Trojan

I just uninstalled FlashGet, my favorite downloading program. It's got a big, inviting security hole that can -- and did -- let a nasty Trojan worm its way onto my system. I'm not the only one having to fend off the attack. Users on the FlashGet and Kaspersky Labs first raised the flag.

My at-the-moment favorite anti-virus program, Kaspersky, spotted and deleted the Trojan-Downloader.Win32.Agent.kht. I didn't give it a second thought -- some of the files I download are, to say the least, suspect. [You, too. --Editor] And I didn't connect the Trojan with FlashGet.

Kapersky immediately detected the Trojan FlashGet let through.

But the next day, Kaspersky hollered again, and this time it was just after launching FlashGet. So I did some digging and found what I was looking for: A Viruslist blog entry that explained the FlashGet exploit.

Come On Through
FlashGet's servers appear to have been infected and FlashGet merrily passed along the Trojan to users. That's why even though Kapersky caught it the first time, FlashGet let it through again.

Rather than continue paraphrasing, I've excerpted the salient points from the post; you can read Aleks Gostev's entire explanation at Viruslist.

So how was FlashGet turned into a Trojan-Downloader? There's one obvious answer ? the developer?s site was hacked and someone managed to substitute the standard configuration file and link it to a Trojan located on the site. Why the hacker didn't use a different site isn't clear. Maybe this was deliberate stealthing, as a link to FlashGet in the configuration file isn't likely to arouse suspicion). We decided to check whether it would be possible to use this technique to download any file from any site. The answer? Yes, it is.

All you need to do is add a link (which can point to any file you want) to the FGUpdate3.ini file and it will be automatically downloaded to your computer every time you launch FlashGet. Even if you don?t press ?Refresh?, FlashGet uses the information from the .ini file. This ?vulnerability? is present in all versions of FlashGet 1.9.xx.

So, in spite of the fact that the site is no longer ?hacked?, users are still vulnerable. Any Trojan program could modify the local .ini FlashGet file, causing it to function like a Trojan-Downloader. And it's worth noting here that FlashGet is usually treated as a trusted application, consequently, network activity caused by the application or requests to sites won't be flagged as suspicious, and users won't be alerted.

What's a Downloader to Do?
The problem is that FlashGet's security breach hasn't been fixed and for all I know, their site might be attacked again, with FlashGet users still at risk. So far there hasn't been an acknowledgment of the problem on the FlashGet site and the Chinese developer hasn't replied to my request for comment.

I just uninstalled FlashGet and I recommend you do, too. There are downloading alternatives -- Download Accelerator Plus, Fresh Download, Crawler Download Manager, and Free Download Manager. I prefer FlashGet, sure, but I also like a Trojan-free PC. You can read about them, as well as other downloading tips, in Top Tricks for Safe, Smart Downloads.

Talkback
Have something to say -- or have a favorite download manager? You can use Comments below or if you'd prefer, fire an e-mail right into my inbox.

"Disk Not Found" and Other Hard Drive Booting Errors

It happens to all of us: You turn on your system and see the stomach churning "disk not found" error.

It's really not surprising considering hard drives fail -- more often than you might think. You don't believe me, I know, so look at Study: Hard Drive Failure Rates Much Higher Than Makers Estimate.

Feeling SMART? Maybe Not
Some of you may use a program to monitor your drive's health as a way to help predict when your hard drive is about to hit the ubiquitous bit bucket. For instance, the $40 Hard Drive Inspector (15-day trial) does a terrific job providing the most intimate details about all the hard drives on your system. It also supports S.M.A.R.T. (Self-Monitoring, Analysis, and Reporting Technology) which tries to detect disk failure. Unfortunately, S.M.A.R.T. technology isn't always accurate. See It isn't smart to rely on SMART for the platter-shattering details.

Hard Drive Inspector tells you all about your drives.

Outsource Your Troubles
Tomorrow, I'll talk about some of the ways you can revive, resuscitate, and maybe even resurrect your ailing drive.

However, if your drive goes south before then, you can always take it to a chain's repair service. Then again, after watching this Computer Repair Undercover Investigation video, maybe not...

Hand over your money and get not-so-terrific advice.

Talkback
Tomorrow: More on hard drives. In the meantime, do you have something to say about hard drives -- or outsourced repairs? You can use Comments below or if you'd prefer, fire an e-mail right into my inbox.

Still Unhappy With RealPlayer? Try Real Alternative

I'm guessing some of you haven't installed the BBC version of RealPlayer I talked about last week. That may be a good thing, because today I have an off-the-wall alternative to RealPlayer.

Michael M., from Dripping Springs, Texas, reminded me about Real Alternative, which comes with Media Player Classic. Both of the apps are free and have no known adware or spyware. In combination, they play all of the Real media files; the package includes plug-ins for Internet Explorer, Opera, Netscape, and Mozilla, so you can play music and videos right off the Web.

Real Alternative does a good job playing Real media files.

While you're here, you might as well think about grabbing free QuickTime Alternative as well. With it installed, you won't need to have Apple's bloated QuickTime player, either.

Friday Roundup of Weird Stuff

I'm just back from a long vacation and I'm exhausted. So now that I've posted this blog, I'm taking the rest of the day off. (You do, too...)

Remember this commercial? Here's a site with other retro ads that are sure to offend someone...

Snowball Fight is a cute and addictive Shockwave game. I got to level three. Use the cursor to position the red players and release the button to throw. Don't worry, the file the site's asking you to download is a safe plug-in. I know, you've already got Flash and Shockwave, so I haven't a clue why it's necessary.

They're cute -- and so are their giggles.

Want to scan across 360 degrees of landscape from the top of Mount Everest? Head for Panoramas.dk and you'll be above the cloud cover. Move your mouse side to side (or up and down) while holding down the left mouse button -- and hold onto your seat. For more dizzying panoramas, zip over to the home page. [Thanks, Sandra C.]

Charmed Labs has a gizmo that uses a standard digital camera to capture astonishingly high-resolution images. No, I mean very hi-rez. As you zoom in on an image, you'll find yourself astonished by the details. Try this image; after it loads, click on one of the thumbnails at the bottom of the screen. Have patience, though: All of these images take forever to load, even with lots of bandwidth. There are plenty more to see on the Gigipan "Most Popular" page. [Thanks, Guido.]

Run, I say, run quickly, because "The 6 Cutest Animals That Can Still Destroy You are on the loose..." It's fascinating stuff, for sure, but the language in the narrative is occasionally a little crass (yet funny).

Park ranger heading for, well, anywhere the hippo won't.

Here's a taste of the next round of gasoline price hikes...

Thinking of buying a new Ford Mustang? You might want to get a horse instead.

Some of you have to spend time on the phone. When things get boring, fire up Ze Frank's kaleidoscope and cook up some colorful and dazzling patterns.

Spend some time creating your own kaleidoscope.

Installing the BBC's No-Nag RealPlayer Version

Yesterday I told you about the special ad-free version of RealPlayer that's distributed by BBC Radio. Now I'll take you through the installation process.

1. An amazingly polite "Select program location and desktop settings" dialog asks where you?d like to see RealPlayer icons. Uncheck both of the options; there's no need to have RealPlayer in your Quick launch toolbar and certainly not on the desktop. You'll still see RealPlayer when you click the Start menu and open All Programs. (I've removed it from there, too. That's because the only time RealPlayer is needed is when you click on a file that uses the player -- which forces it to open.)


Uncheck everything to keep your system uncluttered.

2. In the Universal Media Player dialog, choose "Select media types for RealPlayer from a list," then deselect everything on the next page. Now scroll to "RealAudio and RealVideo" and select everything in that category. Click Finish. Now RealPlayer will recognize only its files and leave your other media player settings alone.



3. A dialog appears offering the Weather Channel toolbar. Close it unless you want more junk in your system tray.
4. RealPlayer loads and a window appears on screen, as does the annoying Real Message Center, plus a RealPlayer icon in the System tray. In the RealPlayer window, choose Tools, Preferences, and scroll to "Internet / Privacy" in the Connection category. Under Privacy Settings, deselect all selected items. Click "Clear List" in the Scripts Command area. Select the CD category and deselect "Start Playback" and "Prompt to Save CD."
5. You're almost done. Go to the Automatic Services category and click Configure Message Center. Deselect every checked box and click OK (this will handle the icon in the System tray).
6. Go to the Automatic Services category and select AutoUpdate, then deselect "Automatically download and install important upgrades." Click OK to close Preferences and close RealPlayer. If you're prompted with an upgrade dialog, take them up on the offer.
7. Right-click the RealPlayer icon in the System tray and close the Message Center.

That's it -- RealPlayer's loaded and you're good to go.

Is RealPlayer Badware? Grab This Free Replacement

I fell into the RealPlayer quagmire minutes after I sent some friends a link to the sandhill crane webcam. They were kvetching because the webcam uses RealPlayer to stream the media -- and no one wanted to install the bloated, ad-encumbered program.

I don't blame them. Except for when some loopy editor asks me a question about RealPlayer, I keep it off my system.

I'm not the only one with this attitude Tom Spring, one of our news guys, recently reported that anti-spyware group StopBadware has RealPlayer in its sights. Read RealPlayer Gets Slapped with "Badware" Label for details.

Instead of bothering with the official version of RealPlayer, I have an alternative--a special version that doesn't have adware or other annoyances.

Welcome Back to RealPlayer

Here's the skinny: You can safely download a special version of RealPlayer, one that hasn?t a bit of adware, never nags you, and doesn?t litter your system with icons. It's not stripped down, either; it?s just missing all those annoyances.

You can get this version of RealPlayer from a perfectly legit source: the BBC. What's cool is that few people know that this version is different. The unofficial story, according to one source, is that the BBC?s charter prevents it from ?showering their viewers with craptastic ads for random American companies,? so to get the BBC to Webcast in RealPlayer format, RealNetworks had to produce an ad-free player. Whether that story is true or not, the RealPlayer that the BBC Radio site offers is the real thing, just without the adware. Read the details here and then download the player. (You'll eventually land on a Real.com page, but you'll be downloading the BBC version.)

But don't install the BBC RealPlayer yet. Tomorrow I'll give you a step-by-step for the cleanest, leanest installation.

Talkback
Have something to say about RealPlayer? You can use Comments below or if you'd prefer, fire an e-mail right into my inbox.

Switching to a Mac: Is It a Trend?

"I'm switching..." At CES, I heard it everywhere: In hallways, on the exhibit floor, and at the press events. Journalists were talking about how they were leaving their PCs and migrating towards Macs.

Even Chris Pirillo, a diehard PC user, made the jump in February. So long, Chris, nice knowing 'ya.

I've been thinking of picking up a Mac, maybe one of those nifty PowerBook G4s, to see what the fuss is all about.

Seriously, I've toyed with the idea, knowing that I can still comfortably use all my PC apps. The cost is one consideration (LOL -- PC World won't buy me one, right, Harry?); the other roadblock is learning how to use the beast. My friend Thom switched after his PC died and when I tried it, I was surprised at how unintuitive it was. Ctrl-A to highlight all the files? Couldn't get that to work. And Thom is too cheap to buy a Logitech mouse, so my right-clicks kept screwing up things on the desktop.

What's the Riff?
I sometimes wonder if some of the animosity between Mac and PC users have to do with some underlying feelings of inadequacy on the part of one group of computing loyalists. I'm not going to get more specific and risk the wrath of those one-buttoners.) Tom Lenzo, a buddy of mine, sent me this clip with some research about Mac and PC user attitudes.

We also ran a news piece on this: 'Mac People' More Open, Liberal Than PC Users?

I'm dying to hear what y'all think, so I cooked up a PollDaddy survey. Even though it has the approval of the Bass International Polling Lab, I agree, it's kinda biased and somewhat unscientific (ha!). Use the "other" spot to stick in your thoughts. And who knows, it might give us a little insight into the mindset of the 15 of you reading my blog.

Top 5 Little-Known Research Web Sites

AskNow lets you ask a librarian a question. If they ask you where you live, say California.

OWL, the Online Writing Lab, gives you a way to look up the whys and wherefores of grammar.

The Phrase Finder is a handy thesaurus for phrases.

Need a fact checker? Refdesk.com has all the facts -- or links to them -- you'll ever need.

Visiting the LibrarySpot is like walking in to the local library and walking into the reference room. The site's part of the StartSpot Network which includes HomeworkSpot and MuseumSpot.

Talkback
Have a site I missed? You can use Comments below or if you'd prefer, fire an e-mail right into my inbox.

Friday Roundup of Weird Stuff

Here's the week's roundup of time killers, things to help you avoid deadlines and keep from finishing important projects.

• I always get a kick out of the way the folks at Google occasionally transform their logo to match up with the day. Here are some of the Google logo rejects.
• Take a deep breath -- and good luck!
  

This looks like the Netherlands, but your guess is as good as mine




• Tempted to buy a set of those newfangled color-pencil input devices? Be sure to read the review first -- it looks at advanced features, usability, and, no surprise, bugs.
• Sometimes what you need is a shoot-'em-up game. No thinking, no complex labyrinths, just a lot of firepower -- and lots of enemies.






• The Front Fell Off -- or maybe Abbott & Costello meet the Marx Brothers. My editor started kvetching that while hilarious, it also looks quite plausible. And that the two guys aren't getting the credit even though there are lots of clips floating around the 'net. A search reveals the guys are Australian comedy team Bruce and Dawe.




• Oh, how I would have loved being in Plaster City, California to watch the launching of a 21-foot-long X-Wing rocket.--and then run for cover as it exploded and fell to the ground, almost taking one poor soul to Mission Control heaven. Watch the video -- and don't forget to duck.
• Whenever I go to CES in Las Vegas, my first stop's the craps table for some fast action -- and if the table's hot, a chance to make a couple of bucks. Yet after watching these videos of Texas Hold'em -- the game that "takes five minutes to learn and a lifetime to master" -- I may have to find a low-stakes game.
• "This one's STUPIDLY SIMPLE, people!!!" It's true, it really is, but for what it's worth, I often use the wrong one. [Oh, I love it. Another pet peeve is when people use apostrophes in their own names, as on cutesy house signs: "The Smith's" -- Editor]
• Try your hand -- or cursor keys -- at fishing. You'll need patience and a steady hand.
• Remember the image below? It looked Photoshopped, but sadly, it was the real thing. (Ah, the loss... ) Well my buddy, Phil Barnes-Roberts sent me the ultimate truck crashing site -- Truckspills. Overturned trucks with potatoes, flour, glue, garlic, milk, and peanuts, not to mention concrete blocks, goats, and, yes, a house. (The site's often overloaded, so you may get "Service Temporarily Unavailable." Might even be a server spill?)


Got beer?


Newton's first law in action

Comments
Tell your editor you could make an argument for using "the Smith's" on a cutesy homeowner sign. You'd be wrong, because under that argument, it would still be "the Smiths'." But thanks for the comic. Apostrophes that don't belong are one of my biggest pet peeves and it's probably the one that gets attacked most these days.
Gesualdo
March 14, 2008
2:07 PM PT
Thanks Steve for linking to my article about the best Australian and US comedians
One small error - the comedy duo you refer to is John Clarke and Bryan Dawe (Clarke and Dawe) not Bruce and Dawe :-)
neerav
March 14, 2008
8:32 PM PT
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Save Ink: Preview Before You Print

Not long ago, I blogged Three Smart Tools To Reduce Printing Costs and mentioned GreenPrint, a print previewing tool.

When it was first released it cost $30 and I wasn't sure it did enough for the price. But now there's GreenPrint World, a 100-percent free, ad-based version available for download, so you'll not only be saving money, but saving the environment as well.

And you may not know it, but Internet Explorer 7 has a print preview function. Not to be outdone, Firefox has a Print/Print Preview add-on.) But both of these options are dreadfully deficient, primarily because you can't delete any pages before printing. About the best you can do with IE7's preview is changing the margins, which may be enough to reformat the document and remove a pesky last page that has only a few lines.

A right-click brings up IE7's Print Preview

More Fun With Google

After the last two days, you probably think there's not much more to say about Google. Nope, there's still lots.

Start by downloading the Google Cheat Sheet, a two-page PDF with lots of valuable Google shortcuts, search and query examples, and services.

Even better is 55 Ways to Have Fun with Google, a free e-book with Google trivia, games, and nonsense, enough to kill an afternoon (I did). Actually, the more I explored, the better I liked this 228-page book. For instance, I wasted time with Bemmu?s Cure for Google Irritation, a particularly annoying game. [And really weird -- a DHTML typing game. --Editor] The Image Quiz, which has you guess the Google search term for a bunch of images, had me thinking oh, it's on the tip of my tongue way too many times.

I also picked up a nifty Google magic trick, learned how to find world records, read IRC chat logs people didn't know were public, and browsed or some very funny Google parody sites, such as UnderGoos, the underwear search site, and Cthuugle, the complete Lovecraft search engine.

You can also buy a hard copy for about $20

Talkback
Have something cool about Google I missed? No doubt. You can use Comments below or if you'd prefer, fire an e-mail right into my inbox.

Four Nifty Google Tricks

Here are a few ways to exploit Google and make your searching more productive.

Sights on Google: My buddy Leo F. sent a note asking if I wanted to create a quick Web page, or something fairly complex, with just novice skills. "Google Sites is fun to play with," Leo said, "and even makes a useful Web page, too. Of course, it's free."

Ongoing Experiments: If you like poking around with cutting edge stuff, you need to explore Google Labs. For instance, Experimental Search gives you five new ways to search, each aimed at tightening and focusing on specific results. "Keyword suggestions" pops up alternative search suggestions; "Keyword shortcuts" lets you use single letters to select the next or previous search result, open the result, or move the cursor to and from the search field.

Hello, Google? If you're using Firefox and find something cool on the Web, you can use Google Send to Phone to pass the info along to a U.S.-based cell phone. It's a nifty service that's really useful for, say, sending a map to a lost buddy. Check the FAQ for details.

Goog411 is a lab graduate and a great service. Read about how it's replaced traditional 411 in a blog I posted last year.

Tomorrow: Two free and terrific resources with things about Google you'll want to try.

Comments

I wish they would focus on getting their broken apps to work right. Google Groups has been in meltdown since January, leaving group admins unable to update content on their group pages. Google Sites are based on the same technological platform.

bridgman

March 11, 2008

3:50 PM PT

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Things You Didn't Know You Could Do With Google

Every time I turn around, Google's come up with something new, cool, or innovative. It's no wonder it has Microsoft on the run.

Here are a few Google features you might not have known about.

• Calculate This: You can use Google Calculator to crunch numbers and figure out conversions. Try entering 12*12 or 16+16+16 or even 12*12+16+16+16+8-100 and see what happens; you can also run more complex equations, like G*(6e24 kg)/(4000 miles)^2). Google Calculator handles conversions of all types, such as 3 ounces in tablespoons, 16 dollars in euros, or 19999GB to MB).
• Find That Number: You can track FedEx, UPS, and U.S. Postal Service shipments just by sticking the tracking number into Google's search field; do the same with zip and area codes, vehicle IDs, patent numbers, airplane registration numbers, and even UPC codes.
• Make Me Special: Google has special sites just for you. There's one for Firefox users, another for Linux users, and a spot for those of you who can't get enough of Microsoft

Alert Me! Google sends me an e-mail every time it sees a new occurrence of "steve bass PC World," "steve bass PC Annoyances," or keywords about my various hobbies and interests. If you haven't tried Google Alerts, you're missing out on a terrific service.


Get daily, weekly, or immediate search results with Google Alerts

Tomorrow: More from Google.


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Friday Roundup of Weird Stuff

It's Friday (already!) and you know I spend the week finding things to amuse you -- and keep you away from important projects. So here's this week's roundup of time killers.

• After I went to the Tournament of Roses Bandfest this past January (do it if you're ever in California to see the big parade), the Cheerleader Bloopers video just seemed extra funny.




• This is one flight I'm glad I missed. [Thanks to MCraig in AZ.] The other video -- below -- had me going until the passengers jumped out of the plane...




• On your salary, how long do you think it'll take to buy that new flat-panel plasma TV? Less important, but substantially more interesting, is, how long will it take Paris Hilton to get one? Find out on the Money Meter. [Thanks, Jeff H.]
• Here's a safety video entitled: "How to Not to Remove a Tree." Step one: Always hire a professional. [Thanks, Brad.]
• You may not be old enough to remember "Soap," the LOL TV spoof from the seventies. So here's a short video excerpt of "Chuck and Bob Mindreading." (I remember this one! Too funny... --Editor.] [Thanks, Jon B.]




• Take a gander at these amazing holes in the ground. Doesn't sound very interesting, I know, but wait until you get a load of these images. Here's a taste of one. [Thanks, Sandra C.]


Careful where you step...

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Trulia's Hindsight: Watch Cities Grow

I was poking around Trulia, a real-estate site, because we're thinking of selling our overpriced home and moving to an atoll somewhere in the Pacific. No, not really, but I just finished The Sex Lives of Cannibals, a deliciously readable book about a two-year stay in Kiribati. (There's more about the atoll on the CIA's site). So I was dreaming -- and digressing.

I discovered Trulia Hindsight, a nifty site that provides an interactive, yearly chart on the population growth in most parts of the U.S. Trulia calls it "maps of properties through time" and that description is apt.

Once you're on the site, click on Plano. You'll see a city map paint on the screen and a timeline at the bottom of the page will begin to advance. As it goes through time, the map begins to populate, showing how the area developed over time.

Use the contrast slider on the bottom right to adjust how much of the background you want to see and the slider on the bottom left to zoom in or out of the map.

Once you get your bearings, grab the timeline slider, move it to the left, then slowly move it to the right. Type a city and state into the search field at the top to find your home town. Unfortunately, not every area has data. If your town isn't on Trulia's radar, try Pasadena or downtown Los Angeles.

Los Angeles growth in 1906

Get Voice and Text Reminders on Your Phone

You get old. You forget things, like anniversaries and birthdays. You get into trouble. (Right, not you.)

I've set up eight reminders on Rminder (the limit on a free account). On the specified date and time, a disembodied, robotic voice will call my wife's cell phone and tell her I absolutely haven't forgotten our anniversary and that I planned a lovely night out with dancing and drinks, and a wonderful dinner. She'll roll her eyes when she hears it, knowing it's all BS (smart gal, my wife), but at least she'll know I didn't forget. BTW, I'm able to send reminders to any U.S.-based phone.


Get a reminder from Rminder's disembodied voice

If you don't like Rminder, or its silly spelling, I have more ways for you to jog your memory while mobile.

Try bitBomb. Like Rminder, it's free, and you can set up recurring and group reminders. Use it worldwide, though it's limited to sending reminders to SMS-capable cell phones.

TextMemos.com lets you set up text messages to be sent to your cell phone on specific days and time. It's a quick way to send yourself a reminder without having to sign up or register.

Talkback
Have a better reminder program? You can use Comments below or if you'd prefer, fire an e-mail right into my inbox.

Find the Dirt on Your Neighbor

With two free Web services, I found the address of a neighbor, his first and last name, his phone number, and how much his home is worth. If Zillow would only update their images, I could even tell you if he hangs his laundry out in the backyard.

What's His Name?
I met a neighbor while walking the dogs, and we chatted a while. When I got home, I decided to pop something in the mail. (It was some census tract stuff if you must know.) He lives about two blocks down the road, but for the life of me, I couldn't remember the guy's name or his street address. (Okay, sure , I could've just dropped by his house. But what would I have to write about today, eh?)

I popped open Zillow and searched on my neighborhood until I found the image of his house and then clicked on it. Zillow told me lots of stuff about the value of his home. What I needed -- and got -- was his street address.

BTW, Zillow has lots more to offer than when I first wrote about it last year. For instance, zoom to the City view and click Heat Map in the upper right corner to get a comparison of neighborhood values.

Learn about property values with Zillow

Now that I had his street address, I went to the Reverse Lookup tab at 411Locate, entered info in the Reverse Address Lookup section , and got lucky. In a second, I had Jess's name. You might not be so fortunate -- 411Locate doesn't always come up with the right person.

BTW, I sent him the docs, but never told him I couldn't remember his name.

Talkback
Have something to say about using the Web to find out things about people? You can use Comments below or if you'd prefer, fire an e-mail right into my inbox.

Free and Low-Cost Polls and Surveys

The other day a buddy asked if I'd take a survey. It got me to thinking how effective these free online surveys are for getting quick and valuable feedback.

I've created polls and surveys a couple of times on the PC World blog and while they're definitely not scientific (neither am I, for that matter), it gives me a sense of what readers think.

For instance, here's a Polldaddy poll I cooked up -- in less than two minutes. PollDaddy is free and their latest iteration is a snap to use. And if I had the JavaScript smarts, which I don't, I could embed the survey right into this blog.

My buddy Suzanne L. said she likes polls that she can put right on her own site, so she uses Snappoll. I like it, too, because it's quick to produce a poll and easy to embed. (see poll below.)

Take a Bass Poll How often do you read my blog? Daily Weekly When someone forwards me the link Blog? Whaddya talking about!? view results

Susanne also uses Mister Poll. Unfortunately, I couldn't find a way to embed it into the blog. Check it here.

If you're a member of the Twitter generation, my buddy Bill W. suggests you try StrawPoll. Me, I don't Twitter.

However, for a more sophisticated survey, rather than a poll, you might want to try SurveyMonkey. The free version limits you to 100 responders, but you can do lots with it, such as collect responses by e-mail, customize reports, and validate responses.

Talkback
Have something to say about surveys or polls? You can use Comments below or if you'd prefer, fire an e-mail right into my inbox.