It”s almost getting to be old news.

We have another critical Windows flaw, this one with the Windows graphics format called Windows Metafile Format. As usual, this involves a buffer overflow in the Windows code that handles the graphics file — and can give a remote user the ability to execute code of this choice on the victim”s computer.

What does it take to be a victim? Just visit a malicious web site that wants to show you a specially-crafted picture file — or get it in as an attachment to an email - or even embedded in an email.

All you have to do is try to open the image/picture file - and the file will execute the attacker”s code. Most of the exploits so far are reported to be loading adware and spyware, or downloading “downloaders” that can later download anything. Viruses aren”t far behind.

So far, Microsoft has not announced or released any patch for the problem. But, some of the anti-virus companies are reacting. I guess Microsoft will get around to patching it on the second Tuesday of next month.

Until then, be careful — don”t open any attachments and turn off “display graphics” in your email programs. If you use Google Desktop — TURN IT OFF. Reportedly, Google Desktop”s attempt to index the image file will also trigger the malicious code.

As of December 27, 2005 Powweb has a Special offer of buy 1-year”s web hosting and get 6 free months. They also have a $5 off coupon code good on any web hosting purchase — the code is fiveoff

The web site has a countdown that indicates 4 more days on the “buy 1 year get 6 extra months free” deal. No word yet on when the couponcode expires.

Why PowWeb? Here are the Top 10 Reasons!

If you”ve been waiting for a Powweb deal, now”s the time.
Signup for Powweb Web Hosting now!

Donate a Car to Charity — Reduce Your Taxes

It”s End Of The Year — time for the last minute donations to take something off of this year”s taxes! Donate Car! Donate A Boat!

The Internet is a great way to find a charity that will accept car donation &mdaash; or boat donation; The process makes it easy to get rid of that old car and take a donation, instead of just trading it in at the dealership.

Basically, the process is that you identify the organization to whom you can make a tax-deductible donation. Then, you contact them. They arrange and pay for a tow truck to pick up the vehicle, if it does not run. You sign the title over to them.

Once they get the donated car or donated boat, they almost always dispose of it promptly via a reselling or auction process.

Be sure to talk with your tax advisor and/or check the tax laws closely to identify the docuementation you will need to support your deduction. This is especially important with respect to the valuation of the donation, since you are donating a “thing,” not money.

Also, be sure to take pictures of the vehicle before you donate it in order to be able to prove the condition (or at least how it looks).

I published my latest email and online newsletters yesterday.

You have to subscribe to the email newsletter to get it — and it has content that is not in the online issue, and the online issue has more content, too. Subscribe here

The latest issues” contents are:
Volume 1, Number 28 — Sunday, December 25, 2005

IN THIS ISSUE:
0. JUST FOR SUBSCRIBERS ­ EMAIL ONLY
0.1 Welcome to New Subscribers
0.2 Followup: Speeding Up Your Windows Computer
0.3 Now Published on Sunday
0.4 My Recommendations for Computer Security Software
0.5 Recommend Terry”s Computer Tips to Your Friends
IN THE ON-LINE EDITION
1. Resizing Windows ­ and Keeping Them There
2. Updates Last Week
3. Another Windows XP Speed-up Tip
4. Backing Up Your Firefox Bookmarks
5. Comments From Readers
6. Freeware Picks of the Week
7. My Recommended Web Design Resources
8. Web Hosting Companies
9. Recommend my Terry”s Computer Tips Newsletter to Your Friends
10. My Recommendations for Computer Security Software
11. Send me some email!

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

I hope everyone got some computer goodies this year. If you got a new computer, or if you are now looking for a new computer in the after-Christmas sales and year-end sales, read my Computer for Christmas pages.

I give some tips on buying a computer, buying the right amount of memory — at the right price, too! — and tips on which anti-virus, anti-spyware and firewall you should be using to protect your new computer.

Don”t forget the computer setup tasks, like making the backup CDs of your Windows Operating System, if your computer requires that. If you don”t make them now, you”ll probably forget (and the kids will certainly check the “don”t remind me again” checkbox).

Hope you all enjoy your computers for another year. Enjoy it some more — sign up for my free email newsletter and read my online newsletters there, too. Be sure to subscribe because the email newsletter has more info that isn ot in the online version. Click here.

We can all use more advertising for our web sites. How about Free Advertising? Especially, free advertising that the search engines can see? I recently found an opportunity to advertise for free on the web.

I can post text ads and text links to my web sites.

Rather than advertising for direct sales from the ad, the point of these ads are to create links to your site — so the search engines (Google, MSN, Yahoo, etc) react to the incoming links and rate your site higher.

Visit the free advertising blog for more info and to sign up.

Be ready - if you have a hobby site, you probably just want the free ads.

But, if you have any type of web business, you will have a one-time opportunity to upgrade to the Elite package. Once you”ve joined, that package is gone — it”s not even available at a higher price! With the Elite package, I could have been able to post ads 2x/day and gotten a bunch of bonus extras, too.

I didn”t upgrade to Elite. I can still upgrade, but only to the Pro package, which limits me to 1 ad/day, smaller ads and none of the bonuses. Bummer.

If you”ve got a web-based business, or use a web site to drive traffic to your brick-and-mortar business, don”t make the mistake I made. Get the Elite upgrade