No need for Temporary Internet Files

We are in the days of High-speed internet.  We don't need to cache web pages.  We can almost just as quickly get a fresh copy from the internet.  Plus you don't have an issue with pages not showing the lastest data.  

So I say we change our Internet Options setting the Temporary Internet File storage to the minimum, which is normally 8Mb, and set "Check for newer versions of stored pages" to "Every time I visit the webpage".

To get to it in Internet Explorer(IE) click Tools, Internet Options, Browser History Settings.

Access "Access Denied"

Having trouble deleting files because Access Denied.  I just take the hard drive and put it in another computer and take ownership of the folder I need to get into.

Disable Simple File Sharing in Windows XP Professional

If you are using Windows XP Professional, you must disable Simple File Sharing. Open My Computer, Click Tools, Folder Options, View, at the bottom unclick Use Simple File Sharing.  By default, Windows XP Professional uses Simple File Sharing when it is not joined to a domain. For additional information about how to do this, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

To take ownership of a file or a folder

How to take ownership of a file

You must have ownership of a protected file in order to access it. If another user has restricted access and you are the computer administrator, you can access the file by taking ownership. 

To take ownership of a file, follow these steps:

1. Right-click the file that you want to take ownership of, and then click Properties.
2. Click the Security tab, and then click OK on the Security message (if one appears).
3. Click Advanced, and then click the Owner tab.
4. In the Name list, click Administrator, or click the Administrators group, and then click OK. 
   
   The administrator or the administrators group now owns the file.

Found @ http://support.microsoft.com/kb/308421

Self Addressed Stamp Envelope (SASE)

Self Addressed Stamped Envelope doesn't mean that you addressed it yourself. You are supposed to include an envelope that is addressed to yourself and is stamped. Made that mistake trying to get free Monopoly Stamps from McDonalds via the mail. I figured they did it to slow people down. Turns out I was just and didn't know better. However, they were nice enough to cut my address off the return label and use it as my mailing address. I didn't win but I got lots of free stamps for free food.

Trip to New York City (NYC)

Just got back so I thought I would post what happened so others might know.

Flew from Charlotte(CLT) to La Guardia(LGA) it took 1:35.

We landed and took a black unmarked SUV as a taxi, which I was informed is a "Gypsy Cab," to a hotel close to Times Square.  Cost $55 not including tip(This was at midnight).

We booked reservations for the NBC Studio tour for Saturday hoping to see some SNL rehearsal. The last run on Saturday is about 3:15pm.  We took the 2:15pm and we got lucky and saw them rehearsing.(Very Cool)  To make up for the time we spent watching some SNL, we had to skip the Conan O'Brien set. Cost $20 per person.

They say there is a lottery for SNL tickets in August.  You can also try to get stand-by tickets at 7am on Saturday.  I heard that the tickets are not a guarantee, so they are like stand-by stand-by.  But if you have nothing else to do a 7am might as well try.

Went to Top of the Rock, which is the top of the GE Building in Rockefeller Center.  I like to go about 45 minutes before Sunset.  There are 3 levels. The 1st is straight out the elevator and is indoors.  The 2nd is up the escalator and is outside, but the edge is guarded by a wall of glass.  The 3rd floor is up the center stairs.  It has no glass so it is the best place for photos.  Cost $20 per person.

Went to the American Natural History Musuem.  We didn't watch any of the IMAX films but over all is was neat and lots to see.  Costs less than $15 person.  (It is a suggested price so we paid $7 per person)

Bought tickets to see a comedy show at Stand-Up NY.  It is on the Upper West Side (around 78th and Broadway).  We bought 4 tickets for $30 from a guy in Times Square.  Was pretty funny.  There is a 2 drink minimum and the drinks start at $10.  The cool thing about the venue is that it is where the stand-up part of the intro to Seinfeld were filmed.  So that was a big draw for me.  Cost $38 per person (with drinks).

Took the subway, the 1 line, from Times Squareish to 79th and Broadway.  Costs $2 per person each way.

Took a traditional Yellow Cab SUV from the hotel back to LGA.  Pretty neat.  It had GPS and other info in the back.  It also had a credit card reader and touch screen.  So that was impressive.  The driving was scary.  I just don't look straight and we seem to make it.  Costs $28 not including tip.(It was a Holiday so it may normally be alittle more)

Vehicle Registration

The late fee is assigned starting the day after your Birthday not the end of the month of your Birthday.  Also when you pay your Registration you also pay your Ad Valorem Tax which is about 1% of the car's value.

Easy way to square a number if you know another one

Let say you know 12 squared but you want to figure out 14 squared.  This way I will show is more complex looking but uses simple math.  Here is the formula: y(2)=y squared

y(2)=(y+x)(y-x) + x(2)

Here are some examples:

7(2)=(7+5)(7-5)+5(2)

7(2)=(12)(2)+25

7(2)=24+25

7(2)=49

14(2)=(14+12)(14-12) + 12(2)

14(2)=(26)(2)+144

14(2)=52+144

14(2)=196

Easy way to square numbers ending in 5

Here is the formula then I will show examples:

x(x+1)*100+25

 So you always know it will end in 25 so all you have to do is figure out what goes in front.  Which is pretty easy.  You multiply the number to the left of the 5 by the next number above it.  That's it.  Here are a few examples:

15 = (1*2)25 = 225

25 = (2*3)25 = 625

35 = (3*4)25 = 1225

45 = (4*5)25 = 2025

105 = (10*11)25 = 11025

Trouble moving large file to External HD

I was trying to copy my HD to my External and it keep blowing out.  Turns out that my External was in FAT32 and that FAT32 has a limit of a 4GB file size.  So I formatted the drive into NTFS and all is well.