Entry bubble Tips for Staying Safe Online

By: Stephanie | October 16, 2009 | Category: Home and Family

computer key with virus written on itDo you want to learn how to protect your computer from viruses and other threats, but don't know where to look? October is National Cyber Security Awareness Month, and it might be a good time to take a look at some of the tips and facts offered by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Computer Emergency Readiness Team (US-CERT).

Apparently hackers have been busy. According to US-CERT, if you're connecting a new computer to the Internet, nowadays it can take only minutes for a hacker to exploit the security on some networks. See the Tech Tip for how to protect your new computer before connecting it to the Internet.

Some tips to keep your computer secure:

And if the security of your computer has been compromised, see how to recover from a Trojan horse or virus (pdf), report a phishing site, or notify federal law enforcement if you're a victim of Internet fraud.

For more information on common online threats, protecting your privacy and maintaining your security, and reporting Internet fraud and Internet-related crime, visit USA.gov's FAQ and the Federal Citizen Information Center's publications.

| Post a Comment | View Comments [1] | envelope E-mail This Entry | Tags: cyber_security   cyber_security_awareness_month   fraud   internet   online   phishing   privacy   safety   scams   spam   stephanie   threat   us cert   virus  

 

Entry bubble Is It a Cold or the Flu?

By: Joanne | September 15, 2009 | Category: Health

a mid adult man sneezing into tissue

Last night I hardly slept because my little one is sick. She was snuffling and snorting, tossing and turning, moaning and groaning and it certainly didn’t help that her darn unicorn was poking its horn into my side.

Ah, the joys of parenthood. My kids are just starting their third week of school and you know what that means – it’s time to catch a cold. It never fails. Send them to the germ factory, I mean elementary school, for a week or so and they’re bound to come home sniffling and coughing.

This year everyone’s on edge about the swine flu, so it’s more important than ever to know what we’re dealing with, and what to do when we get sick. So how do you know if it’s a cold or the flu?

The truth is, it can be hard to tell because the symptoms are so similar. Both commonly cause a runny nose, sore throat, sneezing and coughing, but the flu is generally worse and usually causes exhaustion, high fever and body aches. It can also lead to complications and can be so serious that it leads to thousands and thousands of hospitalizations and deaths each year.

The best we can do is try to prevent colds and flu, take care of ourselves when we do get sick, and seek medical advice when we need it.

| View Comments [2] | envelope E-mail This Entry | Tags: cold   flu   joanne   sick   virus  

 

Entry bubble Winter Colds and Flu

By: Joanne | November 18, 2008 | Category: Health

a mid adult man sneezing into tissue

My nose is running, my ears are clogged and I’m coughing. Ah yes, the beginning of another cold and flu season is upon us. Every other week my daughter brings home a new and exciting virus from the germ factory (that’s how I like to refer to the elementary school at this time of year). Bailey brings home the cold and is sick for a few days, then her little sister picks it up and she’s sick for a few days and it seems like my husband and I are constantly battling a virus. Sometimes we get it and sometimes we don’t. Does this sound like your house? I suppose we’re not alone.

It's important to know the difference between colds and flu and try to prevent colds and flu by following the advice of the experts. I eat really well, exercise, drink plenty of fluids and even take a multi-vitamin regularly, just to be sure I’m getting the nutrients I need. I try to get enough rest, but with a full time job and two little kids, sometimes I have trouble getting the rest I need. I’m even an almost compulsive hand washer, and still, I get sick.

So what do I do? I stay warm, I drink plenty of fluids. I especially like nice, warm cups of tea. Green tea, white tea, red tea, herbal teas with honey and lemon are soothing and I drink tea all day long. Our old family remedy for, well anything, was whiskey with honey and lemon, but I don’t find that to be a very good prescription on a work day. I’ll stick with my tea and hope that one of you has a comforting cold remedy for me to try.

| View Comments [6] | envelope E-mail This Entry | Tags: cold   flu   health   illness   joanne   virus  

 

Entry bubble Antibiotics

By: Joanne | October 14, 2008 | Category: Health

Technician Looking at Petri DishMy daughter was sick this week. Because she had a fever for a few days and a persistent sore throat, we thought we better take her to the doctor to see if she had an infection and needed an antibiotic. The doctor did a strep test and it looks like her discomfort is just the result of the virus, so no antibiotic for her.

Remember that antibiotics aren’t miracle drugs that cure everything. They’re not going to help a virus like a cold or flu or even most sore throats. But if you’ve got a bacterial infection, like strep throat, an antibiotic should do the trick.

Winter is coming and we’ll have plenty of illness to go with it. It’s important that we’re all smart about antibiotic usage, and we only use them when it’s appropriate. If we misuse antibiotics, we run the risk of antibiotic resistance. Antibiotics normally work by killing bacteria but if you use the wrong antibiotic or don’t take the full course, you might not kill all the bacteria. They grow and spread and now they're harder to kill.

The more often you use an antibiotic, the more likely it is that the germs will resist it. This can make some diseases very hard to control, like MRSA. So try to stay well this winter and remember that if you don’t have a bacterial infection, forget about the antibiotics! Turn to over-the-counter medications to ease your symptoms, or rely on good old home remedies like tea with honey, which is my favorite. What’s yours?

| View Comments [1] | envelope E-mail This Entry | Tags: antibiotic   bacteria   joanne   mrsa   strep   virus