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Readers have questions, concerns By Randy A. Salas
http://www.JewishWorldReview.com | (MCT) The latest batch of reader e-mails concerns follow-ups on spam and names for domains and babies, and questions about recipes and tiny bags. — — — HERE'S ANOTHER WORD Hey, Web Search: I read a recent column about the random-word Web sites ("Quick, give me a word," www.startribune.com/websearch/?p=185). The real tragedy is the squatters who just hold pages with no intention of ever using them. I started a Web site with three friends for sharing information on a map for people to explore. I liked the metaphor "graffiti" because of people's natural instinct to leave a mark on the world. I contacted the owner of the squatted domain, and he wanted $100,000 for it! Needless to say, I went with www.grapheety.com. — Gavin Quinn, Minneapolis Randy says: I sympathize with you. Cybersquatting - registering potential domain names just to resell them - is a huge problem. Although it won't help in your case, one trick is to register alternate URLs that end in ".org" or ".net," for example. Read more about the issue via Nolo's guide at www.startribune.com/a2240. — — — LOOKING TO COOK Hey, Web Search: Are there any Web sites out there that allow a cook to easily archive his or her collection of recipes? One that is Mac friendly would be preferred. There is a "Mastercook" program, but it is only PC-compatible. Maybe your readers would have some favorites. — Esther Johnson (no city) Randy says: Try the free program "Measuring Cup" (www.shallotpatch.com). If you like it, you can send the developer a few bucks. It will cost you nothing to evaluate it or keep it. If that doesn't work, there are many Mac recipe programs of varying prices (most free to try, with printing or adding recipes disabled) listed at Pure Mac (www.pure-mac.com/recipes.html). — — — RELIEF FROM SPAM Hey, Web Search: Your article appeared in our local newspaper on Jan. 28 - "Just leave me alone." I tried going to the site spam.abuse.net. It came up not a valid address. I'm averaging 75 spam e-mails a day. I am really looking for some help. — Lori Nipper Murillo, Ceres, Calif. Randy says: That's an older column (www.startribune.com/websearch/?p=70) that the news service reran, but that spam-fighting site is still valid. Paste it into your Web browser exactly as you've typed it in your e-mail. Don't use "www." or ".com" in the URL; it's just spam.abuse.net. — — — IT'S IN THE BAG Hey, Web Search: Thank you for such an informative column. I delight in the new Web sites you have directed me to. I have a question: I need tiny bags - can be zipped or other, the type you put a nut or bolt in and take to the register. Do you know where I can purchase this type of bag? When I go to Google, the amount of erroneous sites is amazing. — Sandy Stanek, Lake Wylie, S.C. Randy says: Try online shipping supplier Uline. Check out its tiny reclosable plastic bags in various thicknesses and sizes at www.uline.com/Group — 5.asp. — — — NEOMA'S THE NAME Hey, Web Search: I so enjoyed the Web Search from Jan. 22 ("Baby name game," www.startribune.com/websearch/?page — id=44), because my mother's name is Neoma! How I would love to know about how well other women with that name like being named Neoma. My mother has never liked her name. When people call her "Norma" or "Naomi," she lets them. Why? "Because they are better names than Neoma!" Too many years with the childhood nickname of "Pneumonia," I guess. Also, she would like to go to a rack of personalized items and pick her name right off the shelf, "just once." When our daughter was born, my husband and I wanted to use Neoma as her middle name. What a fuss Mom made! "Don't do that to a child!" she exclaimed. I've always liked the name Neoma because of Mom. Thank you for the surprise of seeing her name in print. — Jan Isaak Nicolai, Rosemount, Minn. Randy says: I just randomly picked Neoma when I wrote that column originally in 2005 - although I did intentionally find a name that was unusual. Funny thing: My Mom's name is close to that, too: Noella. Every weekday JewishWorldReview.com publishes what many in in the media and Washington consider "must-reading". Sign up for the daily JWR update. It's free. Just click here.
Randy A. Salas is a columnist for the Minneapolis Star Tribune. Do you have a favorite Web site or a question about how to find something on the Internet? Send a note by clicking here.
Quick, give me a word © 2006, Star Tribune Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services. |
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