Page 12      Diablo Blue      April, 2000

brittle, rotted pepper tree branch would break off and fall just as I pedaled under it. The second injury occurred because I didn't take time to position myself properly. The third case was avoidable too; I should never have tried to lift heavy objects out of that particular car truck. Trouble is, I forget my hard-used back is more vulnerable now than it was even 20 ago, and I think many of us who have reached senior citizen status do the dame.
I just caught myself in a no-no a few minutes ago. I wanted a book from a built-in shelf high and to the right of my home office workstation. I started to reach up, twisting my back at an awkward angle. Various muscles prepared to scream in protest, so I did what I should have done in the first place. I moved my chair out of the way, got a step stool I keep folded behind the door, set it firmly in place and climbed up to find the desired book. It took a few extra minutes, but it kept me from aggravating my previously- injured back.
The book, by the way was Zap! How your computer can hurt you -- and what you can do about it. Written by Don Sellers (edited by Stephen E. Roth), it was published by Peachpit Press in 1994. It's now out of print but Peachpit has a condensed version, 25 Steps to Safe Computing, also by Sellers, that is still available for $5.95. (Remember that Peachpit offers discounts to user group members.) Either would be a good addition to your library.
You can also check out my Website at www.zyworld.com/wordsmithken. I'll be adding links to several computing safety sites there.
Meanwhile give yourself, and your body, a break…at least once every half-hour!

We've had a large number of knowledgeable members sign up to be Mentors to allow DVPC members to take advantage of this storehouse of knowledge. We'll be adding a Mentor page to our web site "Real Soon Now" (apologies to Jerry Pournelle). This page will limit access to DVPC members by requiring the same monthly login ID and password sent to members for access to the current on-line edition of Diablo Blue. You'll be able to look up the mentors for a particular software package or hardware product, and contact them by email to pose your question. Check the DVPC web site in April -- the Mentor page should be up and running by the end of the month!

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14. A little dog (or any picture) is not going to pop up on the screen if you forward an email to any number of people.
15. Neither the GAP nor Abercrombie & Fitch are giving away free clothes or gift certificates.
16. The US Postal Service is not going to stop printing Black Heritage Stamps because Black people are not buying them.
17. I know this is a touchy one for some of you, and you and you alone know your relationship with the Almighty but, you will not go to hell or suffer some catastrophic event if you break the prayer circle.
PS: There is no bill pending before Congress that will allow long-distance companies to charge you for using the Internet. Bottom Line... composing e-mail or posting something on the Net is as easy as writing on the walls of a public restroom. Don't automatically believe it until it's proven false... ASSUME it's false, unless there is proof that it's true.