 | From the Horse’s Mouth
by
Carol Amato |
I don’t know about the rest of you, but if you’re at the Plant, you’re probably hearing a lot of talk about what the future holds. Management has had EAP/Workplace Improvement people come into the office and show us a film on change. Rumors are flying around. One minute you hear someone saying the sky is falling, the other, everything’s fine. How do you know what to believe?
This is what I know. The study they’ve been talking about off and on for a couple years about us losing our outgoing mail has been put on hold—AGAIN. Even if we DO lose the outgoing mail (and I’m not saying we’re going to), it wouldn’t be the end of the world for us. I don’t believe the Daytona Beach Post Office is going anywhere, and nothing I’ve heard has made me think otherwise.
That’s not to say that there won’t be changes. Some good (less, or no, casuals), some not so good (possibly less Tour 2 jobs). But I can’t honestly say that anything I’m hearing leads me to believe any of us are going to lose our jobs. And when it comes right down to it, that’s the important thing, isn’t it?
So….what are some things that could happen? How about the rumor about USPS going to 5 day delivery? It wouldn’t be unthinkable that that would happen. How would that affect us at the Plant? I would think if anything changed at all, it would be that more of us would have weekends off. Wouldn’t THAT be horrible? Now, if I were a carrier, I’d be concerned. I’m not saying it would be a GOOD thing. I’m just saying that, for us, it wouldn’t be the end of the world.
What about “losing” tour 2? I’ve heard that one, but I don’t really know what it means. I’ve heard talk that some jobs that come under the Plant right now (manual scheme jobs, box section, caller service, etc.) may likely end up under Customer Service, but they aren’t GOING anywhere. I’ve also heard the automation jobs on Tour 2 might be moved later….still, not GONE. And none of this is a “done deal” by a long shot.
So….I just want to say that while we need to pay attention to what’s going on, and realize that there are almost certainly some changes headed our way, we don’t need to be worrying ourselves to death over it.
I hope to see you at the Labor Day Picnic and our next meeting.
Carol
TECH WORLD
Viruses, Spyware, and Adware … where does it end?! What exactly are these things, why do I have them, what should I do about them, and how do I protect myself against them?
I am often asked these questions so I thought I would throw this article out there for general information and hopefully answer some of your questions and help you from getting these nasty little things in the future. I don’t profess to have all the answers or to even begin to be an expert on the subject, but I have been around computers since I was a kid and have dealt with these monsters for years, so I will pass down what I have learned, and welcome any additions that you may have.
Instead of defining these things in geek terminology, I’ll describe them as I’ve come to know and understand them. Viruses are malicious programs that bored individuals create to wreak havoc on your computer system, usually causing damage to files, erasing hard drives, stealing information and so forth. These bored individuals should be shot on site because of the wide spread hell they intentionally cause, usually just to prove a point to the mindless figure heads who wouldn’t listen to them in the first place. Spyware are programs that lie hidden on your computer and collect information about your surfing habits, most often it is used to gain information for target advertising, however, there are those criminalistic individuals who gather personal information from your computer to exploit you. Adware is the type I hate the most because it is the most annoying and bothersome of the three. These types of demons are usually in your face pop-ups that are advertisements, causing your computer system to slow down, and at times become inoperable.
These programs get on your computer through emails, disguised as programs, attached to programs, or even by clicking links. Basically, every move you make on the internet is a potential click to computer hell. You are likely to catch one of these flounders if you are downloading from unknown sources, opening random email from people or companies you don’t know, clicking on questionable links, or you are just lucky enough to have downloaded a piece of legitimate software, usually a trial version, and have it attached. Questionable links are what I call links that have definitions that sound to good to be true, or sound as if they are leading you to a second rate advertiser. The adware that is usually attached to trial versions typically goes away when you buy/register the software.
Now that I have them, what do I do to get rid of them? Easier said than done. There is no one quick and easy way to get rid of them. Hopefully you have previously installed and maintained your virus protection software which will detect and eradicate the larger percentage of viruses, or at least quarantine them in a safe place where they can’t do any harm. If not, then you can try purchasing a copy of virus software and installing it, but I have found that after the fact usually doesn’t help some of the time. As for spyware and adware there are several programs on the market that boast to prevent and clean, but after using many of them, no one solution seemed to be a stop all on a regular basis. In fact, my experience with these types of programs has been more negative and interfering at times than they are worth. My suggestion in case of infection, especially if you have tried some of these programs and they don’t seem to solve the problem, is to hunt down a geek-type, someone who is familiar with the removal of these vile creations or is experienced at resetting and reloading hard drives and operating systems. These services can be expensive depending on the damage and time required to solve the problem, and usually come with no guarantees unless your hard drive is reloaded.
Prevention is the best medicine. Remember what your parents always told you before you went out on a date, if your going to do it, that is surf the internet, always use protection, and know who you’re surfing with. For more information on this topic, log on to your Local’s website at: www.dblocal1672.com and check out this article for additional helpful ways to prevent disaster and links to other helpful websites.
Craig Harris