[Security] Google tags Onstage Greenbelt page as "harmful"

I was searching for the Web site of Onstage Greenbelt via Google, and was surprised that Google thinks the site may harm my computer due to harmful Web content.

So entering "onstage greenbelt" yielded this search result. Note the warning after the page name:



Clicking on the page name directs you to this warning page:



So I manually entered the URL, and I noticed that the browser window was resized, as if I clicked the Restore button. While it is a sign of malicious activity, I have noticed no further evidence that there is something suspicious. I may be wrong, though.

[Google] How to find out the Google-indexed pages in your site

Thanks to Sir Wilson Chua for this tip.

To find out what pages Google has already indexed in your site, type the following on the Google search box (whether via Google toolbar or Google.com):

site:*.yourdomain.com www

Of course, replace yourdomain.com with your URL. For example:

site:*.awbholdings.com www

For sub-domained sites like Blogger blogs, replace * with your blog URL. For example:

site:geekyguide.blogspot.com www

[Web] The Prefix "Bi"

The recent announcement about ICON Magazine going bimonthly had me thinking about that word - bimonthly - and what exactly it meant. This partially stemmed from a running joke about the office in terms of our pay cycle, which is every other Friday. Some say that biweekly is the correct terms while others argue that it's semimonthly.

Being the good trooper that I am, the words of my mother echoed in my head - look it up! She'd answer this way whenever I'd ask her the meaning of any particular word, not in order to avoid answering the question but to condition me in looking for answers to my own questions as much as possible. So let's do just that.

First I tried a Google search using the keyword "define" as in [define: bimonthly] and this is what I got:

Publication issued every two months.

Which is what I thought, so end of problem, right? However, being the thorough researcher, I tried hopping over to Word Source, my favorite social dictionary, and ended up with these definitions instead:

1. occurring twice a month; "a semimonthly publication"

2. occurring every two months; "bimonthly visits"

What gives? Two definitions, both somewhat conflicting with the other? I had to try this again, this time with biweekly:

1. occurring twice a week

2. occurring every two weeks

So it turns out that the debate at the office is moot - they're both right, to some extent. Semimonthly and biweekly technically can mean the same thing! It's amazing that the English language just doesn't make sense most of the time. Good grief.

It pays to take the time to look things up, even when you think you know what you're talking about.

[Microsoft] Pirate Us, Please

When I was still teaching, I remarked to my boss (the school director), "How come people get to be idiots when they are promoted to boss positions?" Nope, I was not pertaining to my boss, who is one of the brilliant persons I know. It's just that in the school system where I taught, I encountered a lot of people who were great when they were peons, but became idiots when they were promoted. Eaten by the system, I guess.

So imagine when I had read this headline:

"If You're Going To Steal Software, Steal From Us: Microsoft Exec"

Shiver me timbers!

Apparently, this is a marketing strategy to expose individuals to MS products and lead them to buy originals. Makes sense. A bit.

But, add the MS Genuine Advantage (WGA) tool, and it really makes sense. You know, "pirate us and we'll know, so settle or else." That nifty spyware will bring lots of cash for MS so it is OK for them to "encourage" piracy. Neat.

Wait. WGA is spyware? Just peruse this Google search and judge for yourself.